Computing & Communications

FAQ

The definition of a Communications Worker is as follows:

1. A Communications Worker is a campus employee paid via the campus Payroll Personnel System (PPS). PPS title codes determine whether or not an employee is included in UCR's database of Communications Workers. The campus Committee on Sales and Services Activities (COSSA), in consultation with departmental, unit, and college administrative and financial leadership, approves the list of Communication Worker title codes.
2. A Communications Worker has direct access to the campus network (this access can be via a network port, the wireless campus network, or a privately shared network port). An employee (title code) who exclusively accesses the network via a publicly shared port (e.g. a public kiosk for access to PPS benefit web pages) will not be considered a Communications Worker.
3. A Communications Worker utilizes the campus network in the performance of his or her duties at UCR. Using the network may include e-mail, hosting or accessing web pages, utilizing campus network enabled applications (Blackboard, PeopleSoft), etc. The "amount" of network usage does not determine whether or not an employee (title code) is considered a Communications Worker.

Communications Workers will receive a suite of network services that will change over time. Initially, these services will include the following:

• Internet Access
• Intranet Access
• Basic E-mail Service
• Network Security and Trouble Shooting, Domain Name Services (DNS), and other infrastructure services.

Are Student Workers charged a Communication Worker Fee?

Yes, however, student workers under payroll titles 4921 and 4922 are assessed at 50%. The communications worker fee is first reduced by 50% to $10.375 then assessed based on the percentage of time the student works in a particular month.

What happens to student workers who are paid by Work Study?

Unfortunately, the University can not charge the Communications Worker fee to Work Study. Therefore, the home department of a work study student will be assessed the full 50% of the Communication Worker. Example: Student Worker payroll distribution:

I have students who work off-campus, but they are paid through PPS and charged to my department? Will I get charged the Communications Fee for these students who do not work on campus?

Yes, you will get charged. Any employee who is paid through PPS and is in a payroll title that is considered a communications worker will be charged.

How will the Communications Worker charge appear in my ledgers?

A new account number, 760240 has been created for Communications Worker Fees. The charged will be fed directly from UCOP PPS into UCR General Ledger. The source code for the transaction will be CWF.

Can I redirect the Communications Charges?

No redirects of the Communications Charges will be allowed. However, Communications Worker charges will follow payroll adjustments and moves.

What if my Grant does not allow for any non-salary costs?

Please refer to the Office of Research web site at www.ora.ucr.edu for all inquires relating to contracts and grants.

I have a lab with 5 computers. Will I be charged for their network connections?

Network costs are recouped via Communications Workers. There is no charge per connection. The following notes discuss the guidelines used to determine which campus computer facilities should be assessed a support fee:

1. Non-Public Computer Facilities Associated with a Specific Academic Program. These computer labs (located throughout the campus and across academic programs) are typically much smaller that public facilities and serve the needs of a focused, known group of users (these labs are not available for general student access). In general, it is assumed that the Communications Worker fees generated from these labs (from PIs, post docs, graduate researchers, undergraduate assistants, etc.) are sufficient to recover the renewal and replacement and network operating costs associated with the facility.
2. Large, Public Computer Facilities Associated with Service and Auxiliary Enterprises. Although the campus does not currently maintain any of these types of facilities, C&C anticipates that these labs may become much more pervasive in the years ahead. For example, the Commons expansion may create 100s (if not 1,000s) of computer ports with virtually no revenue offset from Communications Worker fees. When these labs are under development, C&C will contact the campus organization in question and develop a network acquisition and support plan. The network support plan may involve the Public Computer Facility Support fee, as well as other provisions depending on the nature of the network and the needs of the organization. These agreements will be summarized in a Memo of Understanding (MOU) similar to the documents in place supporting UCR's agreements with Grand Mark, International Village, and Stonehaven.
3. Large, Public Computer Facilities Not Associated with a Specific Academic Program. C&C has identified two organizations whose Communications Worker fees will not offset the network electronics renewal and replacement budget associated with maintaining the computer facilities. These entities are the Library and C&C's Student Computing Support unit. Per the methodology outlined earlier, C&C has calculated Public Computer Support Facility fees for these two organizations and they are included in the Communications Rate Schedule.