Off-Campus Administrative Professionals

As an off-campus CSU employee, you may not be aware of some of the services available to you. The following information lists some of the services and resources available to administrative professionals.

Academic Faculty/ Administrative Professional Manual
For administrative professionals, this manual is the most comprehensive source for APs benefits and privileges, as well as employee responsibilities.

Employee identification
Employee identification is more a part of university life than a few years ago. Most common to all of us is the identification card. Off-campus employees might find a card useful when verifying employment with business contacts. You will need to send a digital photograph of yourself (*.jpg is best) to your on-campus support person, who can handle the rest. While an identification card may be helpful, an e-mail account and an e-identity are becoming an integral part of business life. At CSU the trend is the same and more and more services are being tied to an employee's e-identity. An e-identity is a unique employee identifier that is necessary for accessing a number of university systems. Soon after your appointment is finalized, log on to the 'eid' web site and follow the directions. An e-mail address may be provided to you through your department. If not, you can acquire a lamar (employee server) account when you complete the information for your e-identity. With a CSU e-identity and e-mail account, you will receive university announcements, travel reimbursements, notices as well as your Distance User library privileges, and much more.

A helpful site on the CSU web is the Human Resource Services. HRS publications and information, Training and Development opportunities, and current topics of interest are listed. Also on this page is a link to a summary of Employee Benefits providing information on medical and dental plans, leave policies, privileges, retirement plans, and more. Business and Financial Services is a site to find business manuals and handbooks, forms, and Travel Information. The Travel Information page has links to the Travel Guides and Manuals, Policies and Procedures, per diem rates, a currency converter, and the State Travel card, which is US Bank Visa (something many off-campus employees need when traveling).

Today @ Colorado State University is the University's daily news source for CSU employees, with features articles about employees, the university community, events, and job announcements. Today @ Colorado State consists of a website and electronic newsletter and that provides a brief roundup of campus information, news announcements, and events. Today @ Colorado State is distributed by Communications and Creative Services every weekday morning.

The Morgan Library -- Just because you are not on campus does not mean that you cannot use Morgan Library resources. Off-campus employees are encouraged to become a Distance User.

Books, journal articles, databases, and a number of other services are available. Books can be checked out and sent to off-campus employees. The rules of the library must be followed (i.e., books must be returned by due dates and when recalled), but the Library Services for Distance Users will do what they can to aid your library needs. Staff is available to answer your questions and aid your searches. If the CSU library does not have a particular book, a request can be made through Interlibrary Loan to borrow the book from another library. Need an article? The library has access to a number of electronic journals. This is one of those times that your e-identity number will gain you access to a great number of resources.

Need writing guidelines? Check out the Online Writing Center. Online guides help with everything from preparing speeches and presentations to library, internet and field research.

Academic Computing and Network Services (ACNS) provides a number of services to CSU employees. ACNS consultants are available to help you with software and equipment questions, error messages, and some statistical consulting. With an account on LAMAR, different types of software on the ACNS UNIX systems are available (e.g., compilers, Editors/Word Processors, Electronic Mail/Bulletin Boards, a Graphic program, Mathematics, Statistical and Modeling Programs, and more).

Probably the most popular service the ACNS provides is the ability for CSU employees to purchase software for personal use at academic prices through Software Cellar. A list of items and costs is available on-line. You pay the academic price, plus Colorado State sales tax and a handling fee ($10.00). You will need to call the Software Cellar (970) 491-7625 to verify the total cost. Then just write a check and send a copy of your CSU Identification and your Driver's License. Software Cellar will mail the software directly to you.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free and confidential counseling service open to all CSU employees. By calling 1-800-497-9133, employees can talk to trained staff members on questions about EAP services such as crisis counseling and referral to a counselor in your area. This benefit provides up to six free sessions for all CSU employees and their families. The benefit is available to employees throughout the state of Colorado and anywhere in the country. Eligible employees include any CSU employee who is receiving benefits. EAP staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services and programs available through the EAP include: alcohol and drug abuse, chemical dependency in the family, significant relationship/marital concerns, emotional and mental health, job stress and burnout, family violence, eating disorders, family problems, work and career concerns.

One web site hopefully you will never need, but should be aware of is the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diverstiy. Here you will find information regarding the University's sexual harassment and discrimination policies and grievance procedures. On the positive side, this site also provides details for conducting fair hiring practices.

Need help planning an experimental design or analyzing and interpreting experimental results? General statistical advice for researchers is available through the Franklin A. Graybill Statistical Laboratory.

Planning to travel overseas? Check out the International Programs. You can retrieve information about travel resources, world facts (country profiles), travel links, passport and visa information, health and safety, and more.

Continuing Education offers CSU employees a variety of formats to meet their working professional needs. The University allows off-campus and out-of-state employees to take academic credit courses through the Distance Learning -- Independent Study Program. Over the course of an academic year (summer, fall and spring semesters), full-time employees can take six semester credits. The University contributes $813/unit, for out-of-state employees, and $205 for in-state employees, which covers the tuition for some courses. Access the necessary forms and instructions for faculty/staff at www.learn.colostate.edu/students/forms.asp.

You cannot use your privilege for non-credit courses. Correspondence, online, and telecourses are available (each course is different). Out-of-state employees cannot be formally enrolled in a degree program, other than online programs. Certificate Courses include fun things like Applied Statistics and Natural Resources and the Environment.

In-state APs can also take classes at the University of Northern Colorado, University of Southern Colorado, and Fort Lewis College through a reciprocal study program. Contact the Benefits Office (970) 491-6737.

While you may work off-campus, you are an important part of the University community. You should never consider your job and your accomplishments any less than those of your colleagues on campus, and as such, you should keep in mind the Distinguished Administrative Professional Award. Nominations forms can be obtained from the Administrative Professional web site. Awards are presented at the University's Celebrate Colorado State ceremony in April. A call for nominations appears in e-Comment in November or December, with an February deadline. The award recognizes outstanding teaching, research, outreach, and administrative contributions by administrative professionals with a cash gift. While you might feel silly nominating yourself, there is no reason you should not encourage others to do so, and help them prepare the required information.

Basically, part of your job is not to let campus folks forget you. That may mean calls and e-mails to "check-in" and to "check-out" what is going on. The CSU web site does not have all the answers. Ask for department/unit written guidelines and procedures for employees, ask for clarification on types of leaves available and reporting time away from work, and make friends with the Benefits Office staff. At CSU there are over1,900 administrative professionals. The best way to receive information is to ask and to let others know you are interested. A few other things to keep in mind, employee evaluations are required yearly for all CSU employees. Some departments perform the task at a specific time and others on hiring date anniversaries, whichever your department uses, be sure you are evaluated. Typically, evaluations are not bad news and are rewarding. They are a time to reacquaint your campus contact with what you do and how well you do it! They are also a time to politic for salary increases.

Positions at Colorado State University. For those of you who might seek other positions at the University, see: jobs.colostate.edu/