Monday, July 16, 2007

You win some, you lose some.

I noticed this morning that I FINALLY had a nameplate next to my door (this is after being in this building almost 6 years, and being here almost 8 years). All the other faculty have new nameplates so I guess they did a batch order.

it's a small thing but it gives a feeling of permanence. And students no longer have an excuse for claiming they didn't know my office was my office. (The biostatisics/ecology cartoons on the door should be a tip-off, though).

The "lose some" is that they are no longer sending "pay stubs" to those of us with direct deposit - we have to go online to get our "payroll advice." I'm sure this saves paper and probably money but it annoys me. One of the little pleasures of life on the last Friday of the month was getting my pay stub in the campus mail and being able to add that amount into my check register. I'm willing to bet I forget to check it (the amount varies a little bit each month with taxes and deductions so I can't just assume it will be x amount every month).

I'd think they could find some other way to economize. Or at least give us the choice, so those of us that are Luddites or symbolists and who like the paper "pay stub" could keep getting it.

(And I suppose the conspiratorially-minded among the faculty may make comments regarding the ease with which online records can be altered...)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The CFO at my university quoted me these figures:

It costs the university about ten cents to process an electronic transaction (all online).

It costs two dollars and change to process a 'pay stub'.

It costs ten dollars and change to process a paper check.

Just an interesting factoid.

dragon knitter said...

i suppose the question at that point is do they pass their savings on to you? i thought not (i'm feeling cynical tonight, i just had to chase my 12 year old upstairs, and i have to get him up at 630 tomorrow. i'll have a battle on my hands, sigh)