Business Affairs Bulletin June 17, 2022

Volume 58 | June 17, 2022

Business Affairs Bulletin

June 17, 2022

The inside scoop on the people and projects that support UNLV

Please print and post for those who do not regularly access email.

In this issue:

Department Highlight: Accounts Payable
Spotlight on Service
Upgrading Your Digital Literacy: Mark Your Important Tasks with a Star in Google Tasks
Celebrating Juneteenth
Dates to Remember

Department Highlight: Accounts Payable

UNLV’s Accounts Payable (AP) department works tirelessly to keep the university’s financial payables operations running smoothly. The five-member team is led by Rosalie Garcia, with the support of Janine Nakazone, Elizabeth Deveraux, Racquel Rodriguez, and Victor Reza who are cross-trained to provide overall departmental support. Each member reviews supplier payments and expense reimbursements and are assigned duties and responsibilities, such as reconciliations, testing, and research of payment issues.

The staff has created more than 31,400 supplier invoices so far in FY22 and processed nearly 1,000 supplier payments in one week. However, not every payment gets easily processed. Issues such as needing additional required backup, an extended explanation to payment, supplier name and address confirmation, and budget adjustments can arise. The AP staff consistently communicates with departments and personnel across the university daily and enjoys their contact with campus users because the camaraderie and good relationships extend their teamwork.

Aside from operational duties, the AP team successfully implemented the TeamDynamix (TDX) portal as a proof of concept for the Controller's Office. The portal provides a site for employees to create service requests for check cancellations and reissues, financial document cancellations, expedited payments, training, and other miscellaneous requests. With the success of the check cancellation/reissue process, the department anticipates opening all available features soon.

Another exciting project is the launch of the new travel program website. It features comprehensive instructions on submitting expense reports, policies, and procedures for:

Air travel
Transportation
Meals
Lodging
Detailed information on what can and can’t be reimbursed
Emergency travel information and resources

Projects on the horizon for Accounts Payable include getting a new Workday document called a Miscellaneous Payment Request (MPR) configured for use by UNLV and other institutions. The MPR will take the place of the Ad Hoc form currently used for departmental refunds. With an MPR, employees can enter the refund details, approve, track, and reconcile all within the Workday financial system.

Spotlight on Service

In October 2021, we distributed our annual Business Affairs Customer Service survey. Many of our campus colleagues replied to the survey with notes of praise for our hard-working teams. See below for some highlights submitted for the accounts payable department:

“The accounts payable team is very responsive and accountable. They are willing to educate me so I can do better. Love this.”

“Always timely, professional, and helpful.”

“Accounts Payable is always helpful and quick to respond. A very good team.”

Upgrading Your Digital Literacy: Mark Your Important Tasks With a Star in Google Tasks

In Google Tasks, you can now mark important tasks with a star. This is similar to functionality that already exists in Drive today. Additionally, you’ll be able to view or sort your starred items across various task lists in the new starred view.

This update should make it easier for you to prioritize and quickly navigate to important tasks across your projects. Visit Google Workspace Updates for the complete tutorial.

Celebrating Juneteenth

Juneteenth, short for June Nineteenth, is a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declaring “that all persons held as slaves… are, and henceforward shall be free.” However, it would take winning the Civil War before this could be enforced in southern slaveholding states. During the spring of 1865, Confederate forces surrendered one by one, and Union soldiers continued marching west. On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas signaling freedom for the 250,000 enslaved people of that state.

Word spread throughout the newly freed and celebrations ensued. By the following year, June 19 was commemorated as “Jubilee Day” in Texas and spread to other states as Black Texans migrated. Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday in 1979. The holiday was thrusted back into the forefront following the social justice uprisings of June 2020. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Nevada state law does not allow the Governor to unilaterally have this new Federal holiday observed by State of Nevada employees. Therefore, Juneteenth will not be observed as a Statewide holiday on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Governor has expressed intent to work with lawmakers during the next Legislative Session to amend State law to celebrate and observe Juneteenth. However, the UNLV Bookstore will be closed on that day. To learn more about Juneteenth, visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture’s webpage.

Dates to Remember

June: Pride Month
June 19: Father’s Day
June 19: Juneteenth
June 21: First day of summer