OPA Update - Authority/Access for PD Web Forms in PeopleSoft

Colleagues,

The following is an update from OPA as of August 31, 2011:

ACCESS (AUTHORITY*) TO WORK IN THE NEW PD WEB FORMS PEOPLESOFT MODULE

• Authority that was requested by the Aug. 17th deadline has been set-up.

• Authority requests or changes that came in between Aug. 18th-31st are either already set-up or will be ready Sept. 1st.

• PeopleSoft PD Web Forms Module Go-Live Dates:
o New Appointments (“STF Postdoc Invite” & “Administrative Forms/Recommendation Form”) = now for entire campus community
o Change Transactions and Termination Forms = Week of August 29th (we will send out an announcement of the exact date soon; this unexpected delay from our original target date of 8/25/11 is due to the lead programmer in Administrative Systems having to leave to tend to a personal emergency.)

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCESS/AUTHORITY*?
• If you have any of the following issues (after receiving notice from the system that you have been given authority), please submit a detailed HelpSU to OPA:
o No PeopleSoft tab in Axess (after completing PS Concepts & Compliance certificate process) – PeopleSoft access set-up incomplete
o No STF PostDocs under Campus Community in PeopleSoft (Known “bug” with University’s Authority Manger program; any new authority granted to you wipes out PD Web Forms. Administrative Systems is working to fix this bug.)
o No Dept ID on look-up in STF Postdoc Invite (Known “bug” with University’s Authority Manger program; any new authority granted to you wipes out PD Web Forms. Administrative Systems is working to fix this bug.)
o No Academic Program in STF Postdoc Recommendation Form (Known “bug” with University’s Authority Manger program; any new authority granted to you wipes out PD Web Forms. Administrative Systems is working to fix this bug.)
o No Authority notice from the system – please confirm with your manager that access was requested for you. Please submit a HelpSU ticket to either fix your authority or your manager must submit HelpSU to request new authority for you.

* What is “authority”? To be given authority to work in the new module you must be granted access to the new PD Web Forms module and its related systems. There are three roles in the PD Web Forms system, and the definitions of those roles are listed below.

Please visit OPA’s main PS Project Page for helpful training materials, a list of known issues with the new module, and reviewing tips for admins. http://postdocs.stanford.edu/admin/PeopleSoft_Project.html

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ROLES:
Role #1: Department Admin Entry - Required
• Point of contact for the postdoc and the faculty member regarding paperwork: new appointments, leaves, extension of appointments and termination of appointments.
• Coordinates with other department staff, such as finance or faculty affairs, on funding questions.
• Submits the DS-2019 and makes the funding attestation required for international scholars.
• Provides a departmental and/or lab orientation for the new scholar
• Must be familiar with Stanford’s policy and procedures related to postdoctoral scholars.
• Typically the same person who enters the GFS lines for the scholar.

Role #2: Department Coordinator - Optional
Useful for large departments (50+ postdocs) or departments with highly decentralized operations or affiliated research centers.
In such areas, administrative associates may be have the Department Admin Entry role while the Coordinator role is the one staff member with a deeper knowledge of postdoctoral policy and procedures can oversee the process for the whole Department or large unit. The Coordinator reviews the administrative associates work before an offer is extended to the postdoc.
• Is first point of contact for the Administrative Associates for policy and procedure questions.
• Reviews the Administrative Associates’ work for completeness and adherence to university policy, including the funding level and the duration of appointment.
• Ensures that the proposed start date allows sufficient processing time for department and University approvals, including time required for international scholar visas.
• Reviews any special additions made to the offer letter, to ensure they do not conflict with university policy.
• For actions that fall outside of university policy: reviews the sponsoring faculty’s request for policy exception and advises the faculty member on alternatives.
• May assist the Chair/Designee, and review each postdoctoral appointment in respect to department-specific policies and context.
• May not report to the appointing faculty member(s).

Role #3: Department Chair/Manager/DFA - Required Approver: Reviews and Approves Transactions in Workflow.
A postdoctoral appointment at Stanford is a contract between the University, the faculty sponsor and research mentor, and the postdoc. For the University to approve a recommendation to appoint a postdoc, departmental approval must be received. This authority rests with the Department Chair (or Division Chief in the School of Medicine), and is delegated to the Department Manager/DFA (or Division Manager is the School of Medicine).
• Represents the department.
• Understands and act upon concerns regarding equity in funding level among all postdocs in the department have been examined.
• Confirms that the faculty member has the funds, space, etc necessary to make the appointment commitment for the duration of the proposed offer, and is in a position to bring the candidate to Stanford-- for example, there is no conflict of interest or pending departure of the faculty member to another institution.
• Confirms departmental approval of any special arrangement, such as concurrent postdoc/instructor appointments, or agreements regarding pursuing a degree while at Stanford.
• Does not report to the appointing faculty member.

Friendly Reminder: Please submit questions or requests to OPA via HelpSU.
http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs