Business Office

Welcome to the Business office Information page.  This website has been designed to assist faculty and staff with their research needs. Please see the various links in our Navigation sidebar for your convenience.   The policies and resources on our page are specifically for the use and benefit of the faculty and staff in our department only.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

 

Org Chart

 

What can we Expect?

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

From the Grants Managers:
  • Monthly/Quarterly send out of financial summaries and reports
  • Transparent financial reports 
  • Meetings if needed
  • 24-48 hour response times
  • Review/Approval of Expense requests
  • Activate service center accounts
  • Assist with Proposal development
From the Faculty:
  • Review and Approvals of Financial reports
  • Requests for meetings if needed
  • Response to email requests timely
  • Submission of all documents needed for reimbursement
  • Follow University policies
  • Advance notice of grant applications and
  • Grants need to be in Final Form at least 3 days prior to deadline

Expectations of a PI Designee

  • Preparing and submitting requisitions in BEN/signing off on other lab members orders

  • Keeping track of purchases/requisitions they have submitted

  • Investigating and checking BEN to verify PO’s have been received and invoiced

  • Submitting animal orders/approving other’s orders

  • Reviewing monthly reports to verify expenses

    • (ex1. PO’s to make sure if the PI was charged the items were received)

    • (ex2. Making sure PO’s were charged to the correct account)

    • (ex3. Verifying personnel have been charged with the correct effort) if applicable

  • Reviewing and approving justification forms for other lab members

PURCHASING:

TIPS:
Please make sure to contact the business office for any questions regarding purchases, travel or reimbursements. It is ALWAYS a good idea to contact your grants manager prior to booking a trip so that you are familiar with the University policies and procedures. If possible each lab should have at least 1 person who should have access in the BEN system to submit requisitions/orders for the lab.

https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/purchasing/making-purchases/find-a-supplier.html

https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/purchasing/making-purchases/penn-marketplace.html

  • Orders must be ordered using University approved Vendors.  You may check the website or email the Business office to find out.
  • Every lab should have a requistioner to put in the specific orders in the BEN system. However, if there is a gap in the lab and assistance is needed a form can be completed and submitted to Michelle Ludwig (mludwig@pennmedicine.upenn.edu) in the business office
  • All orders must be approved by the faculty member unless the PI designee places the order.
  • Labs are responsible to notify the business office grants manager or Michelle if an item was never received.

TRAVEL:

Please refer to Travel and Reimbursement procedure document and justification form.

Requests

Concur Routing

Tips

Helpful quick links:

Who can help you in the business office?

Grant Support

421 Curie Blvd., 1250 BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104

 PHARM_grants@lists.upenn.edu
 Fax: 215-746-8941

Adrian Fenesan
Laurie Cesaro
Tim Coady
Kristina Moritz

A grants manager/coordinator’s responsibilities are, but not limited to the following:

  • Preparing & reviewing research proposals including budgets for investigators
  • Monitoring grant expenditures, producing, reviewing, and distributing monthly reports with summaries
  • Assisting investigators & research services with financial status reporting
  • Preparing & assisting with the completion of effort reports
  • Advising investigators to ensure compliance, responsible for all pre and post award management
  • Preparing  and maintaining salary grids/distribution sheets for investigators and staff
  • Completing appropriate journal entries
  • Reviewing & approving travel requests, c-forms, etc.
  • Obtaining documentation & reviewing payroll reallocations for compliance, maintaining faculty salary grids and lab distribution sheets which are distributed quarterly 

Amy Paglione, Staffing Manager

  • Supervises Faculty Affairs/Payroll coordinator
  • Handles all the HR issues for our department and will work directly with
    all departmental personnel
  • Process paperwork for hiring, terminations, LOA, benefits, salary increases,
    immigration, visas, etc.
  • Works directly with PSOM HR/Main HR for all personnel and performance issues

Christopher Weekly, Faculty Affairs Coordinator

  • Faculty Affairs business: appointments, reappointments, promotions, new hires and recruitment
  • HIPAA compliance
  • PennCard Door Access
  • Updates Other support pages and maintains Biosketches.
  • Support to Amy, Staffing Manager
  • Workday allocation updates and weekly timesheet processing

Michelle Ludwig, Financial Coordinator

  • Handles all the requisition and Purchase Orders for our dept
  • ProCard holder
  • Non-PO requests for payments
  • Check Deposits
  • Express mail (UPS) allocator
  • Archiving

Kevin Mairs, Facilities Manager

  • Equipment inventory and tagging administrator
  • Issues with labs that require maintenance calls
  • ISC liaison including phone line set ups
  • Key requests and work order requests
  • Supervises sterilization attendant