November 2025 Newsletter

Fiscal Updates:

• Federal Accounts (Smith Lever, SAES Capacity) 
  • FFY25 Accounts
    • After October 31^st, no additional transactions will be allowed on these accounts – transactions may need to be moved to an unrestricted account
    • On November 1^st the BO will begin the Federal FY25 close out process

• • FFY26 Accounts
    • New Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) opens on 10/1/2025 (FFY26)
      • PI’s have been notified of their new FFY26 SAES project accounts
      • Smith-Lever operating budgets have been loaded per Budget Letter
      • *Reminder: Every expense must be categorized in 1 or more of the 5 areas strategic areas by the utilization of sub-accounts (only exception is Regular Payroll)
        • Sub-Accounts
          • Climate (CLIM)
          • Food (FOOD)
          • Health (HLTH)
          • Landscapes (LAND)
          • Misc. (MISC)

Purchasing Update: 

• Session available: Demystifying Invoicing in Huskybuy:
  • Thurs, Nov 6^th – 1PM
  • This 90-minute session will help attendees:
    • Understand the responsibilities of invoice approvers
    • Highlight strategies to avoid common pitfalls that may cause delays or holds on PO invoices
    • Address frequently asked questions

 

Post Award Updates: 

• Reminders from SPA Meeting:
  • Payroll Cost Transfers
    • Ensure all accounts (debits and credits) are included and match the SmartHR
    • Include employee name and ID
    • Attach backup such as a copy of SmartHR or Paper PA
    • Attach timecard if student labor

 

 

HR (Human Resources) and Payroll Updates

Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters in Slate Project/Transition

• The Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters process is getting a much-needed facelift. Starting in Fall 2025, several tester departments in CAHNR have been processing their Spring 2026 Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters in Slate as part of the University’s transition to Slate Initiated Offers. Thank you to our tester departments!
• All departments are anticipated to transition their Graduate Assistantship Offer Letter process starting with Fall 2026 Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters.
• For more background on the project, please visit the Graduate School’s website HERE
• We will also be sure to provide updates as we near the full transition.

 

I-9 Processing Reminder

• To remain compliant with federal regulations, all newly hired employees must have their I-9 form completed and submitted to Payroll within three business days of their start date.
• If you encounter any issues meeting this deadline, please contact the Business Office immediately for assistance.
• Register for sessions HERE
• Be sure to check out Payroll’s HireRight Resources in the Payroll I-9 Center, located HERE
• Upcoming sessions:
  • Thursday, November 13^th at 10:00am
  • December 2^nd at 10:00am

 

Minimum Wage Adjustment

• Effective January 1, 2026, per Public Act 19-4, the State of Connecticut minimum wage will be increased to $16.94/hour.
• This transition will occur centrally for all applicable employees.
• Please be sure to review any employees with a current hourly rate above $16.35 to determine if a proportional adjustment will need to be processed. Manual adjustments should not be entered until the central change occurs by Payroll. The BO will notify departments when these can be processed.

 

Special Payrolls Reminder

• To help avoid delays in special payroll hire requests, please be sure to include the following in your submissions:
  • Detailed Justification: Clearly explain how the position supports the mission of your department, college, or the University.
  • Long-Term Appointments: If the employee has been on special payroll for more than 18 months, provide a rationale for their continued employment and include an anticipated end date (e.g., “This appointment supports a grant scheduled to end on [date]”).
  • Timing: Submit requests at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance to allow time for any follow-up questions from Human Resources.

 

Spring 2026 Payroll Deadlines

• Graduate Students – Spring
  • New Grad Dates: 1/7/2026-5/22/2026
  • Continuing Grad Dates: 1/8/2026-5/22/2026
  • Offer letters due to students by Saturday, October 31st
  • Smart-HR Deadlines

• • • Business Office Deadline: Friday, November 21^st
    • Payroll Deadline: Friday, December 5^th (tentative)

• • Graduate Assistant Stipend information can be found HERE

 

• Adjunct Faculty – Spring
  • Semester Dates: 1/20/2026-5/12/2026
  • PageUp Entry Deadline: Friday, November 7^th
  • Page Up Approval By: Sunday, November 30^th (tentative)
  • Smart-HR Deadlines
    • Business Office Deadline: Monday, December 1^st
    • University Deadline: Friday, December 19^th (tentative)
  • Adjunct Stipend information can be found HERE

 

Graduate School Timely Topics

• Register for sessions HERE
• If you’ve missed any sessions or wonder if a specific topic has previously been covered, a complete prior session listing is available HERE
• Upcoming sessions:
  • Helping Graduate Students Thrive Though the Career-Decision Making Process
    • November 13^th at 11:00am

 

HR PageUp Training

• Register for sessions HERE
• Upcoming sessions:
  • Regular Payroll
    • December 1st at 9:00am
  • Special Payroll
    • December 2nd at 9:00am

 

CAHNR Internal Professional Development Opportunities:

 

The CAHNR’s Dean’s Office is committed to providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and graduate students to expand their professional knowledge and skills. Throughout the year, the Dean’s Office will organize workshops and offer training, that will help the CAHNR community grow. Workshops and training will focus on fostering employee understanding and abilities in both hard and soft skills, such as in communication, HR/Payroll competency, and creativity.

As Professional Development Opportunities are finalized, they will be listed on our website here. Please be sure to check regularly for new learning opportunities and other about upcoming events.

 

• CAHNR Staff Advisory Council (SAC)
  • Visit the CAHNR Staff SharePoint Site for opportunities with professional development, networking, and even hobby and wellness events.

 

 

Fun “Dad” Jokes

• What do you call a group of musical sweet potatoes?

• • A Yam Session!

• What’s the best way to fix a broken pumpkin?

• • Use a pumpkin patch!

• If the Pilgrims traveled on the Mayflower, what do college students travel on?
  • Scholar ships!

Fiscal Updates: 

• Spring ‘26 Payroll Pre-Encumbrance
  • The B.O. will be pre-encumbering Spring ‘26 PAs that were recently submitted for these payroll types:
  • Adjunct on 2Ls
  • Grads – all accounts (except for GA Hold)
  • PE will be reflected on Dec 1st and Jan 1st reports

Other: 

• Changes to KFS Invoicing Procedures
• Accounts Receivable has streamlined the following procedures:
• Invoicing UConn Health
• Departments invoicing UConn Health should no longer Cc Accounts Receivable when emailing their KFS invoice to UCH.
• Departments should continue Cc’ing Brittany Fabrizio at UCH (bfabrizio@uchc.edu).  All other steps of the process for billing UCHremain the same.  As a reminder, a purchase order or MOU must be obtained before invoicing UCH, and a contact person at UCH must be listed on the invoice. 
• Billing other State of CT Agencies
• Departments invoicing other State of CT agencies should no longer Cc Accounts Receivable when emailing State Transfer Invoices to the agency.
• All other steps of the process for billing other State of CT agenciesremain the same.  Please note that a contract, MOU, or other written agreement should be obtained whenever possible to ensure payment can be collected in a timely manner. 
• For more information, contact: Accounts Receivable at accountsreceivable@uconn.edu

 

Procurement Updates: 

• A new software pre-review process has been implemented to improve efficiency and clarity around ProCard software purchases. Effective immediately, these reviews will move from HuskyBuy to Kuali Build.
• New pre-review process: Software and cloud service ProCard exception reviews now occur in Kuali Build, replacing the former HuskyBuy exception form—used only when a supplier won’t register in HuskyBuy or accept a UConn PO.
• Standard purchasing unchanged: Most software purchases should still use the Software and IT Service non-catalog requisition in HuskyBuy, unless the above exceptions apply.
• Benefits: The new Kuali Build form streamlines reviews, improves communication with distributed IT, and requires primary users to attest to IT policy compliance.
• Supplier Classification: DRS Hold (HuskyBuy)
• Suppliers with Department of Revenue Services (DRS) hold will appear in supplier search results
• Under state warrant hold statutes, UConn is prohibited from issuing payments to suppliers with unresolved obligations to the State of Connecticut
• DRS address in HuskyBuy should NEVER be used as orders cannot corrected within the existing document if approvedà new requisition will be needed
• See additional guidance:
• Supplier Classifications: https://kb.uconn.edu/space/FPB/26920845314/Supplier++Classifications
• Searching Suppliers in HuskyBuy: https://kb.uconn.edu/space/FPB/26922549422/Searching+Suppliers

 

OVPR/Post Award Updates: 

• IDC Update:
  • The university is sharing an update on the revised IDC distribution model and ongoing budget uncertainty
  • IDC distributions: PIs began receiving the new 5% real-time IDC distribution on 9/18/25, but did not receive this portion from July 1–Sept 17.
  • Catch-up payment: A one-time deposit covering that gap will be made to PI accounts before 1/1/26

 

• Reminders from SPA Meeting:
  • Payroll Cost Transfers
    • Ensure all accounts (debits and credits) are included and match the SmartHR
    • Include employee name and ID
    • Attach backup such as a copy of SmartHR or Paper PA
    • Attach timecard if student labor
    • SPS’ November SPA Meeting (12/17/25):
    • See Presentation slides: 
    • https://content.research.uconn.edu/pdf/storrs/sps/spa/December-2025-Storrs-SPA-web.pdf
  • SPA Training Opportunities
    • Level One Basics-January 6 and 8, 8:30am-12pm
    • Subawards e-Learning module 
    • Available via Learning@work
    • Effort and Commitments e-Learning module
    • Available via Learning@work
    • Direct all questions and inquiries that fall under expanded authorities to SPS Post-Award Grants and Contracts Specialist or Business Office 

 

 

HR (Human Resources) and Payroll Updates  

• Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters in Slate Project/Transition 
  • All departments are anticipated to transition their Graduate Assistantship Offer Letter process starting with Fall 2026 Graduate Assistantship Offer Letters.  
  • For more background on the project, please visit the Graduate School’s website HERE 
  • We will also be sure to provide updates as we near the full transition.  

  

• Minimum Wage Adjustment 
  • Effective January 1, 2026, per Public Act 19-4,the State of Connecticut minimum wage will be increased to $16.94/hour.  
  • This transition will occur centrally for all applicable employees.  
  • Please be sure to review any employees with a current hourly rate above $16.35 to determine if a proportional adjustment will need to be processed. Manual adjustments should not be entered until the central change occurs by Payroll. The BO will notify departments when these can be processed. 

 

• Graduate School Timely Topics 
  • If you’ve missed any sessions or wonder if a specific topic has previously been covered, a complete prior session listing is available HERE 

 

• HR PageUp Training 
  • Register for sessions HERE 
    • Upcoming sessions: 
      • Regular Payroll 
        • January 12, 2026 at 9:00am
    • Special Payroll 
      • • January 13, 2026 at 9:00am

  

CAHNR Internal Professional Development Opportunities:   

The CAHNR’s Dean’s Office is committed to providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and graduate students to expand their professional knowledge and skills. Throughout the year, the Dean’s Office will organize workshops and offer training, that will help the CAHNR community grow. Workshops and training will focus on fostering employee understanding and abilities in both hard and soft skills, such as in communication, HR/Payroll competency, and creativity.   

As Professional Development Opportunities are finalized, they will be listed on our website here. Please be sure to check regularly for new learning opportunities and other about upcoming events.   

 

• CAHNR Staff Advisory Council (SAC)  
  • Visit the CAHNR Staff SharePoint Site for opportunities with professional development, networking, and even hobby and wellness events.  

  

Shout-outs 

• Welcome
  • Jessica Goldman, Educational Program Assistant 1, EXT Middlesex County

 

Fun ”Dad” Jokes  

• Why is partying in Times Square overrated?
  • Because they drop the ball every year.
• What do farmers give their wives on New Year’s Eve?
  • Hogs and kisses 
• What New Year’s resolution should a basketball player never make?
  • To travel more
• And our personal favorite
  • Only six months until fiscal year close!