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C

Car Pools
Contact University Parking at 5-1475.

Car Rental
Car rental information is available on the University's fleet services web site. Cars and cell phones can be reserved and paid for using an on-line requisition. See Joe Loria (210 Van Allen Hall) or details.

Car Rental Policy (foreign travel)
For international destinations, when and where possible you should rent from National Car since insurance coverage is included at no additional cost for most destinations. If you must rent from another Car Rental Agency and/or no liability or Loss Damage Waiver coverage is provided, UI renters should purchase the minimum liability and LDW coverage offered. This expense will be allowed. If you choose to use another Car Rental agency when National is available it is advisable that you purchase these coverages, but this expense is not reimbursable. Use the UI Travel website as your guide regarding car rental through National Car Rental.

Cell Phones
The University's cellular phone policy is listed in the Operations Manual section 3.6 (item h.). In order to be reimbursed for charges for business calls on personal cell phones, the University will be requiring the detail section of the bill. Cell phone charges are currently under review by the University's State Auditors.

Cell Phone Rental
Cell phone rental is available through Motor Pool.

Center for Teaching
If you would like to improve your teaching skills, contact the Center for Teaching, 4039 Main Library, 5-0757 or visit their website.

Change of Address
If you move, you need to complete a change of address form, which is available on the web at the University's Self-Service web site. See Heather Mineart (203 Van Allen Hall) for the departmental forms.

Change Vouchers (CVs)
See Andrea Shaevitz (210-B Van Allen Hall) if you have expenses that need to be moved to a different account. Payroll changes are allowed as per the 90-day rule.

COGS
The graduate assistants employed by the University are represented by a collective bargaining agreement. The COGS bulletin board is outside Room 214 Van Allen Hall for pertinent information. Copies of the COGS agreement are available in Room 214 or on the internet at http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/relations/Cogs/cogs.pdf.

Colloquium
Colloquiums are at 3:30 p.m. on Mondays in 301 Van Allen Hall. A faculty member (Prof. Vincent Rodgers) is in charge of organizing colloquium speakers each year; this is a rotating position appointed by the DEO. Coffee and cookies are at 3:00 p.m. prior to each colloquium in Room 316. Heather Mineart coordinates the arrangements and reimbursements for colloquium speakers.

Committees
Comprehensive Exams
Graduate students should take the comprehensive exam approximately one year after successful completion of the Ph.D. qualifying exam. The comprehensive exam includes an evaluation of the prospective thesis topic and the student's mastery of subjects in the research area of the proposed thesis; questions of a more general nature may be asked. The examination will consist of a written thesis proposal and an oral defense of the proposal to the Comprehensive Exam Committee. The proposal, which should be prepared in close consultation with the student's advisor, must demonstrate significant and thoughtful consideration of the thesis problem. While the details of the proposed format are intended to be flexible, it is strongly suggested that the student include the following elements: The general guidelines of the Graduate College apply to all other aspects of the exam.

Computers
To sign up for an account on the department's UNIX system, please follow these steps:
     1)    pick up form in main office (203 Van Allen Hall)
     2)    complete the form and return to Scott Allendorf (216-A Van Allen Hall)
     3)    User ID and temporary password will be assigned to you.

For questions and concerns about all student computing facilities including the Student Computer Rooms (201 and 665 Van Allen Hall), contact Larry Schroeder (210-A Van Allen Hall). For questions and concerns about the departmental network, departmental UNIX systems (faculty), computer security, and checking out software, contact Scott Allendorf (216-A Van Allen Hall). For questions about Windows OS and Windows software, computer hardware repair, and surplusing old computer software and hardware, contact Michael Ciha (216-B Van Allen Hall).

Confidentiality of Grades
To ensure confidentiality of grades and other student records, certain guidelines must be followed. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences guidelines regarding confidentiality of grades and other student records are posted here.

Conflicts of Commitment and Interest
A situation where an employee devotes time to an outside activity that unduly interferes with the employee's obligation to students, colleagues, and the University, (e.g., outside consulting, authorship of textbooks, involvement in professional societies or review panels or in the operation of a business) could constitute a conflict of interest. See the UI Operations Manual section II-18 for more information.

Contracts and Grants
See Andrea Shaevitz and Bob Neppl (210 Van Allen Hall). Andrea is the department's financial analyst and Bob is the contract specialist. Both have expertise on grants and contracts.

Cooperative Education
Students interested in a cooperative education experience, should contact Aaron Votroubek (211 Van Allen Hall). A cooperative education experience is a required component of the B.S. in Applied Physics.

Copies
The use of the copy machines is limited to University business only; see Joe Loria (210 Van Allen Hall) for an access code.

Corporate & Industry Sponsored Projects Policy
For corporate and industry sponsored awards, the Profile Form is no longer required. There will be annual post mortem sampling done to make sure proposed research actually took place.

The full off-campus F&A rate will be assessed on all balances that are transferred to fund 240 accounts. For further details, reference the Operations Manual section II.27.7 on Corporate- and Industry-Sponsored Projects.

Corporate & Industry Sponsored Projects, F&A Close-Out Procedures
When a corporate or industry sponsored project award period ends with a surplus balance, full F&A will be assessed on that remaining balance. For all industry-sponsored clinical trials, the full F&A rate is 25% of total direct costs. For other sponsored projects, the current negotiated federal rate, presently at 47.5% of the modified total direct cost, will be used unless a different maximum rate is stipulated in the sponsor's written policies. However, in no case will the application of additional F&A costs drive the account into a deficit balance. (revised April 1, 2003)

Cost Sharing
Requests for cost sharing are to be directed to the DEO. Request forms and additional information can be found on the University's Division of Sponsored Programs web site.

Cost Sharing Policy and Procedure Statement
The University has implemented a new Cost Sharing Policy and Procedure Statement to comply with Federal costing and Cost Sharing policies. Cost sharing is that portion of the total project cost identified in a sponsored agreement that is contributed by the University but not reimbursed by the sponsor. Federal guidelines require that cost sharing be properly documented in accounting. This policy statement establishes procedures for recording cost shared expenditures in the University's accounting system and is effective for new and renewal awards received on or after July 1, 2003.

Briefly, the procedures are as follows:
  1. When a proposal to an external agency includes cost sharing by the University, the cost sharing funding sources must be identified and have the approval of the unit that provides the resources.
  2. When a project is awarded, a Cost Sharing Authorization Form (http://www.uiowa.edu/~eforms/ga/csaf.pdf) with the MFKs of the funding sources must be submitted to the Grant Accounting Office to establish the cost sharing accounts. A sponsor funded grant account will be opened only upon receipt of this form.
  3. The Grant Accounting Office will monitor expenditures made from the cost sharing account as well as from the grant account. Funds from both accounts should be spent as the project progresses. The cost sharing account, like the grant account, will be closed 90 days after the end of the award period.

Any questions concerning this policy statement should be addressed to Aaron Votroubek (5-0134), to Twila Reighley at 5-2123, or to Audra Haddy at 5-0827. The policy statement can be found at the following web site: http://www.uiowa.edu/~fusga/cost_share.shtml.

Course Assignments
The DEO and Associate Chair make final decisions on course assignments.

Creating New Courses
Proposals for new courses should first be presented to the EO Committee. Then once approved by faculty vote, the DEO submits a "Course Approval Request" form to the CLAS Academic Programs and Services/Office of Academic Programs. Experimental courses can be taught under one of the 'special topics' courses and designated as GER courses on a case-by-case basis with approval from the Associate Dean of Education.

Credit Card
Credit card purchases are limited to $2,000 per transaction. See Joe Loria (210 Van Allen Hall) if it relates to contract purchases. Aaron Votroubek (211 Van Allen Hall) must approve all other requests. A receipt is always required.

Last updated June 28, 2006.
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