Administrative Policies
Bookstore Purchases
The IU Bookstore (Barnes & Noble) offers a 20% discount and state sales tax exemption on all authorized departmental purchases (excluding textbooks and computer software) made with an IU purchasing card. See Paige Koehler Bowles in Astronomy Office (SW318) for more information on how to proceed.
Barnes & Noble also offers academic and staff employeees, retirees, and graduate assistants a 10% discount on all merchandise, except adopted textbooks, special orders, sale books, class and alumni rings, computer software, periodicals, discounted merchandise, computer hardware, stamps, health and beauty aids, food snacks, and beverages. You must present for IU ID card to receive this discount. Sales tax will be charged.
Building Maintenance
If maintenance/repair is required during normal working hours (8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday), call the the Astronomy Office (5-6912) and describe the problem or come to the Astronomy Office and speak to Paige Koehler Bowles or Emily Nehus. In an EMERGENCY where prompt response is indicated, be sure that URGENCY is conveyed and call the Physical Plant Control Center (5-8728).
Copy Machine Usage
There is one copy machine available for general use in the department located in SW318.(It is more economical to use Duplicating Services when 15 or more copies of each original are needed.) Please note the machine is for astronomy use only.
Document Services
Duplicating requests for IU Document Services should be placed with Emily Nehus. Faculty, staff, and graduate students can place a request with Emily during normal business hours, or send an email to enehus@iu.edu requesting the order with PDF files attached. Please include in the email details about the order (ie. black and white vs. color, one-sided, double-sided, stapled, collated, folded, colored-paper).
Dry Ice
Dry ice can be purchased during normal working hours at Chemistry Scientific Stores. The Chemistry Stores card is located in the main office with Emily Nehus in SW 318.
Equipment
Astronomy office owned equipment is located in the kitchen (under the counter), in the SW 318 supply room, in the 328 Research Lab, or in Bob Lezotte's office. This includes items like digital camera, video camera, IR camera, tripod, monitor, and outreach printer. Please check with Emily Nehus in SW318 to check out generic equipment, or with Bob Lezotte in SW 308 to access technical or telescope equipment.
Hourly Employment
There are a number of hourly employees hired throughout the year to support teaching and research. Work study students, followed by non-work study students, are the preferred sources for hourly vacancies. You can list your opportunity directly on the student employment web site. All students, whether work study or not, must register with the Student Employment Office and obtain an authorization card prior to being hired.
Keys
To obtain keys for routine use, contact Emily Nehus in SW318. A Key request, which requires an authorizing signature, must be completed prior to issuance of a key. There is $20 deposit for keys that are issued. Failure to return keys will result in losing the $20 deposit for the key.
Issuance of a key carries the following responsibilities:
- Keys are not to be loaned to others.
- Keys are not to be duplicated.
- Unknown/unauthorized individuals are not to be admitted to the building or to any areas within the building.
Lost and Found
Items found in the Astronomy Department should be turned in to the the Astronomy Office in SW318. For the convenience of the parties involved, the Astronomy Office will hold items until the end of the current semster. If no claim is made in that time, the item is turned over to the Lost and Found service in Ballantine Hall, Room 030, telephone 5-7372 (hours 8:30 - noon M-F).
U.S. Mail is delivered once each weekday in the Physics office. Campus mail is delivered twice each weekday to the Astronomy Office. U.S. Mail is sorted and placed in the mailboxes, usually by 1:30 p.m. daily. ALL NON-ASTRONOMY RELATED MAIL SHOULD BE SENT TO YOUR RESIDENCE ADDRESS.
All out-going business (non-personal) mail to be posted is to be delivered to the Astronomy Office (SW318). U.S. mail to be metered, U.S. mail already metered or posted, and Campus Mail. All outgoing U.S. mail must have the name of the sender and an account number to which the postage is to be charged (must be a non-federal account).
Outgoing personal mail cannot be accepted in the Astronomy Office, because IU Campus Mail Services does not handle personal mail. Personal mail can be mailed in the Physics Office SW 117, Indiana Memorial Union (IMU), or at one of the Bloomington area post offices.
The CAMPUS mailbox is for mail which is addressed to other IU departments.
Mailbox Assignment
Mailboxes are located just inside and to the left of the Astronomy Office SW 318 door. Graduate students, post-docs, research scientists, staff and faculty members are assigned individual mailboxes.
Office Supplies
Many office supply items (letterhead, envelopes, lined pads, and the like) are stocked in the store room or the tabletop supply bins in the SW 318 Astronomy Office. Large quantities of an item or items not stocked by the department may be ordered from the IU supplier's office products catalog. Please see Emily Nehus for ordering information.
Out of Pocket Expenses
Buy.IU catalog and purchase orders (POs) are the usual means for purchasing all items under $1000. However, when small incidental items are purchased with personal funds, these out of pocket expenses may be reimbursed. Receipts showing method of payment and containing a detailed list of the item(s) purchased, an explanation as to why a purchase order was not used, and the account number to be charged are to be submitted to Emily Nehus in the Astronomy Office (SW318). Be aware that Purchasing can and will refuse reimbursment if the item was available through a contract catalog - please check with Emily or Paige before buying non-emergency items with expectation of reimbursement! Alcohol cannot be reimbursed.
Paycheck Schedules
There are several paycheck issuing schedules followed by Indiana University (see schedules at https://fms.iu.edu/payroll/pay-dates/). Direct Deposit is required. NOTE: Any pay date that is normally on the 1st where the 1st is on a weekend or holiday will move the pay date to the last workday of the previous month.
Telephones
The Astronomy Department contains a large network of telephones, including at least one telephone in every department office. These telephones are primarily intended for astronomy use only. Repairs, additional services or changes in existing services can be requested through Paige Koehler Bowles in the Astronomy Office (5-6912).
Visitor Parking
Visitors staying at the IMU hotel can park for free in the IMU visitor lot. Other arrangements need to be made for visitors not staying at the IMU. In advance of the visit, please arrange with the Department Office to obtain a daily parking permit for visitors. The permit can be mailed to the visitor in advance of the visit. Visitors can also park in the Henderson Garage by taking a ticket when they enter the garage, and then obtain a visitor permit from the Department Office before departing from the garage.
