School of Life Sciences
Department of Environmental Management & Ecology
Procedure manual
4. DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES
Structure
The Head of the Department is responsible, through the Head of School of Life Sciences and the Dean of the Faculty, to the Vice-Chancellor for the overall financial and academic administration of the department. He/she may delegate authority to members of this staff to manage specific department activities or expenditure.
Postgraduate and Honours students are answerable to their supervisors and can operate in the department only with their supervisor's approval. Such approval must be sought for all activities to be undertaken by the student in pursuance of an Honours or Higher Degree. Requisitions for goods or services must be signed by the supervisor. In the absence of their supervisor, students must have an acting supervisor to whom they can refer for advice and direction.
Students as a general rule are expected to carry out all of their own technical work. Any equipment going off campus must be insured. Forms are available from Administration.
Keys and swipe cards
All staff and higher degree students are issued with a key to their room and a key to the outside door for weekend access. The key to your office also opens the photo-copying room. The main office (for access to the fax machine after hours) can be opened by putting the allocated code into the key pad and turning the lock to the left. See the Administration Officer for the code. If you use teaching rooms in building 3, 4 or 6 you will be allocated a swipe card which can be used to open the internal doors. If you lose any of these keys/cards it can take weeks to get new ones so please keep them safe! Other departmental keys are hung up in the key safe in the Administration office. These include keys to the vehicles and the field store.
After hours
If you intend working at weekends or after 10pm week nights you will be allocated a pin number to switch off the alarm and switch it on again when you leave. See Administration Officer for instructions on how to use the alarm. You must fill in the 'Out of hours' book when you come in and sign out when you leave. When you leave you will see from the Out of hours book whether or not there is still someone left in the building and will therefore know whether or not to switch the alarm back on. If you need to go upstairs to the staffroom you must use the lift or the stairs by the lift. Do not use the stairwell near DEME or go anywhere other than the staff room on the first floor, or you will set off the alarms. After hours you must only access the building by the door at the lift end of the building otherwise you will set off the alarms. You may leave by the other door, but please make sure you pull the door shut behind you so that it locks. This provides security for those working in the building. At no time should the outside lab door be propped open unless you are loading/unloading and are in attendance. The Lab is full of very valuable equipment and security is vital!
Class room usage
Room bookings can be made through the Administration Officer. If you utilise a classroom and alter the set up, the room is to be reset for the following class. It is expected that classes finish 5 minutes prior to the designated time.
Phones
All phones in the building have local outside line access by dialling '0' then the number. All staff have local and STD outside line access by dialling '0'. To contact Bundoora please dial the person's extension directly. This is a free call. Message bank is available on all phones please refer to http://www.latrobe.edu.au/its/aw/awvoicemail.html.
Postgraduate and honours students do not have STD access on their phones but can do so by using their supervisor's phone, with their permission. You can access the Bundoora staff by using the last 4 digits of the persons telephone number.
Mobile phones are installed in each vehicle for EMERGENCY USE ONLY. These phone must be turned on when using the vehicles. When overnight on a field trip a brief call home is permissible. The bills are itemised and any unreasonable use will be charged to the person concerned.
If you are away from the Department working, it is expected that you will write your whereabouts on the whiteboard in the Administration office.
Computer Equipment
Each staff member and student is allocated a computer in their room. For any problems with the computers please either see Rachel Bahrij, room 4116, ext 9885 or catherine Meathrel, room 4118, ext 9875.
All users in the department require accounts to be able to access any of the computer facilities. These can be obtained though the general office. The use of all computers at La Trobe University is governed by the University's computer regulations available on request from the general office.
Equipment
All equipment purchased by the University, either with departmental funds or grant money, remains the property of the University and must be accounted for on the Central Equipment Asset Register.
In general, equipment purchased for a staff member remains under the control of that person, and other students or staff, must request permission before using or moving it.
ALL EQUIPMENT REMOVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT MUST BE ENTERED ON THE 'OFF CAMPUS' DIARY OR ON AN EQUIPMENT LOAN FORM FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. The diary is to be used for short bookings (below 2 weeks) and the equipment loan form is located in the staff form filing cabinet in the Administration office.
Any item of equipment that is damaged or stolen, or even misplaced should be reported to Rachel Bahrij or Nicholas May as soon as possible.
Photocopying
Each student has their own pin number to access the photocopier. This is usually the last four digits of your student number. Photocopier use is restricted to essential items for your research and overuse will be monitored. Staff will be given the staff pin number during their induction.
You need to be aware of the copyright rules, infringement of which can mean a jail sentence (seriously!) Our licence allows for multiple copying or copyright material provided that:
1. It is for the purposes of research or study;
2. For a book it is not more than 10 per cent OR one chapter of the work, UNLESS the work is not commercially available; or
3. For a periodical it is not more than one article in an issue OR two or more articles in an issue if they relate to the same subject.
Parking
Parking outside the building is very limited. Most people park on University Drive or either car park. University Drive is a private road but there are 'no standing' and 2 hour signs around and people have been booked. There is also usually space in the Horticulture car park off University Drive . The speed limit on University Drive is 20 kph.
Mail
Mail comes to the office once a day around lunchtime and external mail goes out about that time. External mail will not be sent unless it has the sender's department in the top left hand corner (there is a stamp in the main office for this, or write it on) and the number L5 on the top right hand corner. There is a daily courier to the Bundoora campus that goes around 5pm which arrives in Bundoora the following day.
Any outgoing mail that appears to be personal may be opened and returned to the sender.
Taxi fares
Staff and students should seek approval from the Head of Department, prior to travel, if they wish to be reimbursed for taxi fares. Students should retain the receipt for the taxi fare and the money claimed on petty cash.
Petty Cash
It may sometimes be necessary to make minor purchases on behalf of the department. Amounts under $100 may be claimed through petty cash but no claims can be made at all without a receipt or tax invoice (receipt for items under $82.50, tax invoice for items over $82.50)! Students must get the receipt/tax invoice signed by their supervisor before going to the Administration Officer. Please ensure the receipt/tax invoice states clearly what the item is for. You will be required to fill in a petty cash slip.
Ordering
For larger purchases you will need to complete an order form in advance of purchase. Once the form is completed give it to the Administration officer who will draw up a purchase order or order the items using the department corporate card. Once the item is received, please check the invoice is in order before giving to the Administration officer for processing. The department has a credit card for purchases under $2,000 which makes ordering simpler, you will still need to complete a order form in advance. Check with the supplier if they will accept phone orders by credit card and mark accordingly on the order form.
Demonstrating – for postgraduate students
If you would like to be considered for demonstrating please let the Administration officer know. Before doing any demonstrating you need to be put on the University payroll. You will need to provide your tax file number and bank account details. Once the relevant forms have been completed you will need to fill in a timesheet every fortnight with your demonstrating hours. Your supervisor must sign the timesheet for any pay claim to be made. All the necessary forms including timesheets are on the La Trobe Bundoora home page on the internet. Go to Personnel, then click on 'Forms'.
Research grants
All Honours and postgraduate students must apply for a Campus Research Grant during their time here. This is sometimes the only means you will have to obtain supplies or equipment necessary for your research project. Your supervisor will discuss this with you.
Stationery
The stationery cupboard is kept stocked of all things that are used regularly in the department. If you use the last of anything or if you notice that a stock is running low, please advise the Administration officer. The cupboard will be locked when the office is unattended.
Recycling
All paper is placed in recycling bins (blue wheelie bins) and boxes (marked ‘recycling’) around the department. Any kind of paper can be put in these but not cardboard.
Tea/Coffee
The University has a ' Staff Tea Club' at this campus which you may join if you wish. Staff pay $10 a fortnight which can be deducted from your pay and all tea, coffee and milk is provided in the tea room upstairs. If you prefer to bring your own there is a kettle in the photo-copying room and a small fridge. Students can belong to this tea club and need to pay $1 per week to the Administration officer if they would like to use this service.
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