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PASSAIC COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Volume 1, Issue 4
June 2016
F&A Neighborhood News
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Cover Story 1
Accounting 2
Bursar 2
Budget 3
Public Safety 4
Purchasing 4
Docu-Center Tips 5
Security Q&A 5
Chef for a Day 6
Facilities Round-Up 6
Trivia Question 7
Notable News 7
Inspirational Corner 8
STEVEN HARDY
Vice President Finance & Administrative
Services
COVER STORY
Passaic County Community College
(PCCC) has recently forged a new and
exciting partnership with Haier America
Inc., a global leader in manufacturing
affordable kitchen, laundry, home
comfort, and HVAC systems. Haier
employs more than 70,000 people
around the world and distributes
products in more than one hundred
countries. Haier is headquartered in
Passaic County, located in nearby
Wayne, New Jersey.
This new partnership is designed to train
the next generation of technicians that
will be employed to service appliances
and equipment in the manufacturing and
appliance sector. Haier is donating
dedicated equipment to be used for
training these future technicians and
PCCC is providing new facilities and
core instruction, making this a joint
venture between the two entities. In
addition to this unique employer-focused
partnership, the College will be working
with Haier to deliver industry-recognized
content as well as help place
participants in jobs through their network
of servicing firms and retailing centers.
Technicians will have exciting
opportunities with employers such
as Best Buy, P.C. Richards, and others.
Haier and other employers have
identified a need for skilled technicians
who have mastered basic skills, have a
strong work ethic, and are fluent not only
in technical competencies, but also
knowledgeable of customer service
fundamentals.
Thanks to the support of the Consortium
of Community Colleges, a portion of this
partnership is being funded through
the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Ready-
To-Work” grant designed to foster in-
demand job training and employment.
Brian Egan
5 Church Street, home to the new Technician Training Program
ACCOUNTING
Page 2
You may have heard finance personnel use the term “year-end.” What exactly is
“year- end” and what is involved?
The College operates on a fiscal year that runs from July 1st to June 30th. The term
“year-end” is used to refer to the closing of the current fiscal year and to prepare for
the financial audit which normally occurs in September.
The College audit is performed by an independent, external Certified Public
Accounting firm that is hired by PCCC’s Board of Trustees (BOT). The audit lasts
approximately four weeks and involves various College offices. The auditor’s role is
to determine if the College has properly recorded and classified all financial
transactions.
In preparing for the audit, the Accounting Department must first identify any
transactions processed in July where the item was actually received and/or service
completed on or before June 30th. Those items are put into the proper fiscal year via
a journal entry. It takes approximately five weeks to ensure that all the
aforementioned, necessary journal entries have been created and recorded
correctly. Once completed, preparation for the audit begins.
Financial statements and various schedules are prepared for the audit. It is important
to complete this process prior to the audit starting. This allows for the audit process
to proceed smoothly as personnel are available to answer auditors’ questions as
soon as they arrive, rather than simultaneously with schedule preparation.
At the conclusion of the audit, the auditors appear before the BOT to present their
results. Their final step is to issue an audit report which becomes a permanent
College record that is subsequently sent to both the state and federal governments.
BURSAR
UPCOMING PAYMENT CHANGES
Various PCCC departments and campuses have been requesting the ability to make
online payments for non-tuition charges. The Bursar Office worked with Purchasing
to research and acquire a system that would be compatible with their present
payment configuration. They are currently teaming up with IT to make and test the
necessary system changes in order to get this new feature available and functioning.
Once completed, students will have the ability to pay for fees, memberships, etc.
without having to come to the office.
Please contact Danielle Budka-Nepola at dbudka-nepola@pccc.edu if you are
interested in utilizing this feature. There is a minimal percent charge for each
transaction.
Interview with Dr. Heather Mayer,
Budget Manager, Passaic County
Community College
Q: What is the mission of the Budget
Office?
A: The Budget Office exists to drive
the vision of the College into the future
and effectively lead the development
and management of funds. The role of
the budget is to match the long-term
goals of the organization with available
funding, while also having the flexibility
to anticipate immediate needs. The
Budget Office provides guidance to
Budget Officers for anticipated budget
overage problems. It is a top priority of
the Budget Office to provide assistance
to departments so that the mission of
each area is fulfilled with the largest
number of students in the community
being served.
Q: What are the functions of the
Budget Office during the year?
A: When the Fall semester begins, we
start to prepare both the operating and
capital budgets for the following
academic year by looking at new
requests and where the College ended
in the previous year. A recent addition
to the budget process was holding
budget hearings for each department.
This helps improve communication,
especially since some departments
only interact with Finance a few times a
year. This gives us an opportunity to sit
down for a brief time and discuss the
vision of each department at the
College. The hearings allow everyone
to be heard for prioritization of funds
and to explain their operations so we
can support the mission.
Q: What improvements have been
made?
A: The use of the online purchasing
module in Colleague/Datatel has been
a tremendous improvement to the
Finance Division. Going paperless has
taken manual verification out of all of
BUDGET
Page 3
minor capital that was approved by
the Board and listed in Colleague/
Datatel is 9984. Prior years of capital
for projects that have not been
completed will be loaded into codes
9985 and 9986.
The steps for purchasing minor capital
will be the same as those that are
used for entering operating expenses.
Facilities will be heavily involved with
the new capital process. We have
completed the first phase of testing
and training for the July 1, 2016 start,
however we will continue testing the
Facilities portion of the plan.
Q: What are some other processes
that flow through the Budget Office?
A: The work authorization form
process is being enhanced with the
assistance of Human Resources (HR)
and Payroll. There is one budget
verification for each half of the fiscal
year. This will help provide enough
time for processing all authorization
forms through Budget, HR, and
Payroll. We have added another level
of communication back to the area
supervisor to verify the forms. The
goal for the future is to move to a
paperless authorization system,
similar to Enrollment Management’s
Hyland Imaging System.
Increases to purchase orders
(including blanket POs) have been
streamlined in coordination with
Purchasing to speed up the process
and eliminate paper. This is the new
Change Order process.
Q: What will be the biggest change
for the upcoming fiscal year?
A: As of July 1, 2016, capital
purchases will be paperless and all
departments will be free from the
paper-based system. This will
complete the process of transitioning
to Colleague/Datatel for Purchasing.
This allows for a more uniform view of
the budget.
the College operating budget lines.
The time that was spent on budget
checks is now used for further
analysis of budget-to-actual
expenses, otherwise known as
budget variance reports. Going
paperless with the operating budget
prepared us for the next phase in
the paperless process, capital
expenditures.
Q: How are capital purchases
processed?
A: Capital purchases, which are
approved by the Board of Trustees
on an annual basis, are currently
purchased using the paper-based
requisition. However, starting July 1,
2016, these purchases will be
entered into budget lines with object
codes pertaining to minor capital.
The code for current year
Ann Marie Keegan
Heather Mayer, Budget Manager
PUBLIC SAFETY
During the week of May 23, 2016, Public Safety
rolled out the redeployment of their bicycle patrol
program. The unit is comprised of squad
members Angel Rivera, Security Supervisor, and
Officers Johnnie Boggs, Danny Nika, Victor
Arias, and Daniel Burnett. Upon being selected
for the patrol program, these officers underwent
a rigorous training course at the Bergen County
Police and Fire Academy. Each officer was
required to master and perform the tactical skills
learned during training as a requirement for
certification.
Weather permitting, the unit has daily scheduled
morning and afternoon shifts, each comprised of
one to two riders depending on availability and
department workload. Besides patrolling the
various campus building locations, the unit is
responsible for monitoring the Paterson Parking
Authority garage as a supplement to the security
cameras strategically located throughout the
structure. Each bicycle carries first aid supplies
and a summons books, in addition to other
equipment utilized on campus.
The implementation of the bicycle patrol is part of
Public Safety’s enhanced security plan. It has the
benefit of increased deterrence through visibility
coupled with rapid response to any problems,
creating a greater sense of security to students
and visitors. The program has already generated
positive feedback for the department. Give a
wave of appreciation when you spot the patrol!
PURCHASING
FY 2017 PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
Purchasing has a number of process improvements that we will be rolling out with
the start of the new fiscal year:
End of Paper Requisitions
After a forty plus year run, Paper Requisitions (PRs) are becoming extinct.
Despite the best efforts of some dedicated paper process conservationists,
we’ve been unable to save this species. Starting July 1st, the Purchasing
Department will no longer accept paper requisitions.
New Change Order Process
We’re in the process of creating a new, easier process for Change Orders to be
rolled out in July, replacing the request to increase or decrease forms.
Changes to travel orders, credit card purchases, and office supply ordering are all
coming soon. Please look out for communications in the coming months!
Page 4
“Summertime is always the best of what might be.”
- Charles Bowden
Ada Gonzalez
Officers (l to r) Boggs and Nika
Ada Gonzalez
Officer Boggs (l to r), Supervisor Rivera, and Officer Nika
Page 5
SECURITY Q&A
QUESTION 2: If being harassed, what
steps should a victim take?
A secure environment is critical to
providing the proper learning experience
for the student and a professional work
environment for faculty and staff. Acts of
harassment can range from occasional
unwelcomed comments or remarks to
more persistent or repeated acts of
bullying or intimidation.
If after informing the individual that their
behavior is unwelcomed or unappreciated
and the acts continue, the student or
faculty/staff member is strongly
encouraged to promptly report that
information to Campus Security. Working
together with the administration, security
can formulate an effective action plan to
ensure that the matter is properly
addressed and that the victim is free to go
about their business in an appropriate and
intimidation free environment.
QUESTION 3: If I see someone being
harassed but they are afraid to report
it, what should I do?
If you become aware of a situation in
which another person is afraid to address
a harasser directly, you'll need to get
security and College officials involved.
The only safe and secure way to preserve
the integrity of the campus environment
for the target of harassment is to address
the matter as discretely and effectively as
possible. Our obligation to provide a safe
and harassment free environment is part
of our responsibility to all members of the
PCCC community.
Other helpful hints for dealing with such
matters include:
Encouraging the victim to seek
assistance;
Have them talk to someone they trust
about how they’re feeling;
Get counselors/advisors involved;
Keep a record of what happened; and
Provide emotional support and
encouragement in reporting the
matter to security.
Glenn Brown, Acting Director of Security,
continues with his Q&A series (based on
questions submitted by readers) first
featured in our previous issue.
QUESTION 1: What should I do if I find
an unattended package or bag?
The vast majority of incidents in which
packages or bags are left unattended turn
out to be innocuous or typical mistakes.
That being said, safety and security
remain the primary concern and
responsibility of Campus Security. A
balance must be struck between
addressing potential threats and causing
undue disruption to campus life. Below
are some basic, standard, precautionary
measures for students and faculty who
may encounter any “suspicious”
packages or bags that appear to have
been left unattended:
Contact Campus Security immediately at 973-684-5403;
Do not attempt to carry or transport the package/bag to the Public Safety Office;
Do not touch, shake, or examine its contents;
Do not attempt to sniff the package/bag if a strange odor is detected;
Make note of any unusual items, such as wiring, that may be visible;
Make note of any unusual sounds, such as a ticking sound, that may be audible;
Leave the area and attempt to prevent access, alerting others; and
Pending the arrival of Campus Security, prepare a list of persons you may have observed in the area of the package/bag.
NOTE: Campus Security will work
with our law enforcement
partners to determine if
evacuation or other
precautionary action is
necessary.
It is always a good idea to keep the sealed envelopes separate from the unsealed. This will lead to fewer incidents (jammed envelopes) that would cause your Docu-job request to be delayed.
Always have your budget number on the envelope to ensure accurate charging and timely mailing.
Page 6
FACILITIES ROUND-UP
Food Service is in the planning stages to
enhance the Paterson Cafeteria serving
area. We hope to make some of these
modifications over the summer so that
come the Fall semester, everyone will be
able to enjoy the changes.
The Center for STEM Education
residing in Hamilton Hall is complete. All
rooms are operational and most of the
faculty have returned to their new
offices.
Continuing Education, in partnership with
Haier America Inc., will be utilizing 5
Church Street (part of the 126
Broadway Academic Center building) for
the new Technician Training Program.
Renovations to this area will be finished
before the Fall semester.
The Paterson Campus interior
signage/wayfinding project is moving
forward as our consultant has turned
over all of the signage format files in
addition to a listing of all needed signs.
At this point, we are determining how
best to produce and install the signs as
efficiently and cost effectively as
possible so as to have most, if not all,
installed before the Fall semester
begins.
At the Passaic Academic Center, we
are still optimistic to get the new parking
lot functional at the beginning of the Fall
semester. Unfortunately, this project
needs to be rebid.
A music studio, isolation booth, a
Student Government Association (SGA)
area, and two additional offices in the
Wanaque Academic Center will be
completed in the next few weeks.
And lastly, or until the phone rings with
the next request, the former Engineering
Lab space in Academic Hall will be
renovated into a new Physics Science
Lab.
Founders Hall and Academic Hall exterior
renovations are complete. Notice the
absence of the bangs, taps, knocks, and
rattles.
A small open student lounge area along the
second floor “spine” (the hallway
connecting Founders Hall to Academic Hall)
is complete and should have furniture
installed in July. Windows on both sides of
this corridor will be replaced during the
year.
The area in Academic Hall which was the
former Enrollment Services area has been
completely renovated and will now be the
new home to the Humanities and English
Departments.
Plans and specifications for an additional
elevator in Academic Hall are almost
complete therefore this project should be
out to bid soon. It will consist of adding a
second elevator into Academic Hall in the
same hallway as the existing elevator,
utilizing a small corner of the courtyard.
This will not only enable us to better move
people through the building, but also allow
us to renovate the existing elevator without
the inconvenience of not having any
elevator service.
Founders Hall third floor is being
renovated to provide for some updated
office areas for the VP of Finance and
Administrative Services, the AVP of Human
Resources, and the Human Resources
staff. The second phase of this three-phase
project is almost complete with the third
phase to start right after.
The Gymnasium will have a major
renovation with both a new floor and
bleacher system installed over the summer.
The replacement of roofs for the Academic
Addition, Founders Hall, and the
Gymnasium/Theater will be rebid, but we
are hopeful to have new roofs in place
before the winter weather.
DROP BISCUITS
YIELD: 6-12 biscuits
1 lb. (≈ 2-1/2 cups) all-purpose
flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted softened
butter (room temp)
2 eggs
9 oz. milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients. Add
butter and rub by hand (or use
paddle attachment on a mixer) to
incorporate butter into the flour.
There should be pea-sized bits of
butter still visible after mixing.
Whisk eggs and milk together and
stir into dry ingredient/butter mixture
until just combined (over mixing will
make biscuits tough). Dough should
be sticky and wet, but not runny.
Using an ice cream scooper, scoop
out dough onto a greased cookie
sheet and brush tops with milk.
Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending
on biscuit size). When done, biscuits
will be golden brown all over, slightly
darker on bottom, and feel light
when picked up.
Store unused, cooled biscuits in an
airtight container.
NOTE: For flavor variation,
additional ingredients (shredded
cheese, chopped jalapeno, corn
niblets, etc.) can be added to dry
mixture.
Johnnie Boggs joins Public Safety as a Security Officer. Already a member of the
redeployed bicycle patrol squad, Johnnie was recently elevated to a full-time staff position.
He comes to PCCC with extensive experience having served in similar positions in the
private sector and is a welcome addition to the department.
Henry Cabrera recently accepted the position of Coordinator of Student Accounts. In his
time at the Bursar Office, Henry has become an invaluable employee, doing an
outstanding job handling third party billing. He came to PCCC in February of 2013 from
Provident Bank. Henry received a BS in Business Administration from Berkeley College
and is currently working toward a MPA at Fairleigh Dickinson.
Brian Egan was recently appointed Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
and Planning. As he completes his 20th year at PCCC heading up the department, Brian
has helped the College expand from one campus to four, which encompass 550,000+
gross square feet of space. Besides his role of managing day to day Facilities operations,
he is also charged with implementing numerous construction and renovation projects
funded by both the State of NJ Chapter 12 and College Capital budgets. Brian has a BS
degree in Electrical Engineering from NJIT and an MBA from Marist College. In his spare
time he likes to... oh wait, he doesn’t have any spare time!
José A. Fernández is the new Associate Vice President of Human Resources. He joins
PCCC from Mercer County Community College where he served as the Executive Director
of Human Resources for over ten years. Jose received a BS in Criminal Justice from
SUNY College of Buffalo, an MBA from Northern Arizona University, and a JD from the
University at Buffalo Law School. Besides leading the department, Jose’s role will be to
improve critical HR business processes and implement new programs that will better serve
the College’s faculty and staff.
Michael Grossi recently accepted the Director of Cafeteria and Food Service Operations
position. He has been the Assistant Director of Food Service/Instructor at the College for
the last 15 years. Prior to PCCC, Michael worked in contract food service for 20 years as
well as fine dining on the east and west coasts. He has an AOS from the Culinary Institute
of America, a BS in Business Administration from Seton Hall University, and an MBA from
Kaplan University.
Steven Hardy was recently appointed Vice President for Finance and Administrative
Services with the addition of Human Resources to the division. Steven came to PCCC just
under two years ago. His previous experience includes 16 years in higher education as a
Controller, Assistant Vice President, and Vice President, as well as nine years in the
private sector working for two Fortune 500 corporations. Steven has an MBA and a BBA
with a concentration in Accounting, both degrees earned from Eastern Michigan University.
Muhamedin “Moe” Skenderi joins Facilities as the Assistant Manager of Mechanical
Services. He has over 15 years of HVAC service, with the last five years supervising
various field repair crews. Moe has experience in hospitality, commercial, and retail
settings. He has an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Bergen Community
College, a Technical Certification from Lincoln Technical Institute, and numerous HVAC
and Environmental Certificates. Moe’s responsibilities at PCCC will mostly consist of staff
supervision and improving our HVAC maintenance program.
Rasheena Williams joins Human Resources as a Technical Specialist. She has a BS in
Psychology from Montclair State University and has worked in HR since March of 2015.
Rasheena brings with her a wide body of PCCC knowledge via her numerous years in
Enrollment Management. In her short tenure, she has become an integral part of the HR
team and we look forward to having her continued efforts at providing excellent service.
Page 7
NOTABLE NEWS
WHICH THREE INTRAMURAL/
RECREATIONAL SPORTS DOES PCCC
PARTICIPATE IN?
Look for the answer in the next issue!
Answer to last issue’s trivia question:
PLANETARIUM
Please email any
comments/topics to
amkeegan@pccc.edu
CONTRIBUTORS:
Glenn Brown
Danielle Budka Nepola
Mike D’Agati
Brian Egan
Jose Fernandez
Ada Gonzalez
Michael Grossi
Steven Hardy
Ann Marie Keegan
Heather Mayer
George Myers
Mike Powell
INSPIRATIONAL CORNER
WHAT GLASSES DO YOU SEE THE WORLD THROUGH?
Have you ever gotten a great and exciting opportunity, only to say to yourself, "This is too good to be true?" Have you then managed to muster enough doubt and suspicion about this great opportunity that, perhaps as an act of self-fulfilling prophecy, this great opportunity really did not turn out?
I certainly have done that very thing a number of times, figuring that when great things happen, they often come with obvious or hidden negative strings attached. Then, I recently listened to a tape by Les Brown, a motivational speaker. He said, "Whenever you think that something is too good to be true, change that thought to saying that the opportunity is good and... that it is happening to the right person. YOU!" How simple.
I have watched this difference in negative and positive expectations in my dog and my Mom's dog. My dog was brought up in an environment of love and total security. Her power of positive expectation is absolutely astounding. Whomever she meets, she assumes she will be liked and that she will get what she wants. I will admit that she might not have much going on in her brain other than how to raid the next garbage can without getting caught, but that's perhaps, besides the point. Her expectation of the world is positive and, funny enough, it is only rare that her expectations aren't met.
My Mom's dog is different. He was abused as a puppy, before she got him. Although the abuse was almost 10 years ago, his expectations of the world are still doubtful and suspicious. When a stranger offers love or food, he either won't approach at all or approach very slowly. The difference between my dog and him isn't at all in the environment around them, it is only in the interpretation of it.
How do you expect the world to treat you? Do you face the world expecting red lights, mean bosses, and difficulties? Or, do you face your environment expecting great things to happen? Whichever we expect is what will likely happen - expect goodness!
"Motivational, Inspirational and Business Articles." Motivational, Inspirational and Business Articles. N.p., Jan. 2001. Web. 8 Sept. 2015.
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