Winter 2008

Into Print aims to educate, inform, and entertain its readers, with a goal of fostering positive communication between its participating departments, their staffs, and their clients.

In this issue

News briefs

Lehigh shoe sales move to Mondays
Surplus open Thursdays only for general merchandise sales
Note new addresses for Continuing Education

TypeStrikes

General news

Green initiatives important throughout Business Services
Choose the best medium for your message
UI, Iowa State, UNI print, mail managers meet
Education, outreach, and training for customers

Central Mail Services

Save major time, money with new mail inserter
Bundle mail pieces to face same direction
Mailing smarter: Paper matters
Central Mail unit review completed

General Stores

Office product show on January 17 at hospital
2008 office supply catalogs in stock
General Stores' October sales second highest ever
Fluorescent team receives IOWA award

Laundry Service

River of linens flowing between Laundry, hospital
Character Counts: Meet Jeff Nehring

Parking and Transportation

P&T earns "A" in sustainability
Have a parking permit? Working during a home basketball game? Here's where to park.
Fleet Services offers free gas, cleaning
Cambus runs free shuttle for men's basketball games
Fleet Services makes changes in requisition
Hawkeye cruiser buses sell at auction

Printing Department

Digital color press offers easy, achievable upgrade for documents
Blake called back to active duty
Don't miss Tap Dance Day: order your 2008 wall calendar now!

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Send Story ideas, address corrections, additions, e-mail
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The University of Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement

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NEWS BRIEFS

Lehigh shoe sales move to Mondays

Beginning February 4, the General Stores/Lehigh Safety Shoe Store will be open Mondays (instead of Wednesdays) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Lehigh Shoemobile, which will park at the Gilbert Street Building, 1225 South Gilbert, will provide the service. Until then, the store will be open Wednesdays on the second floor of GSB.

Surplus open Thursdays only for general merchandise sales

University Surplus is now open to the public and to University departments on Thursdays only, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for all sales - furniture, computers, and general merchandise. UI employees who want to shop at other times for departmental purchases must schedule an appointment. Contact Joe Hennager.

Note new addresses for Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education has moved from the International Center to the US Bank building on Dubuque Street in downtown Iowa City. The new addresses are
U.S. mail:   250 Continuing Education Facility, Iowa City, IA 52242-0907
Campus mail:   250 CEF
Deliveries:   30 South Dubuque St, 2nd floor, Iowa City, Iowa, 52240

These addresses apply to the following units in Continuing Education: Center for Conferences; Iowa Lakeside Laboratory; and the Center for Credit Programs, which includes Bachelor of Applied Studies, Bachelor of Liberal Studies, Distance Education, Saturday and Evening Classes, and Summer and Winter sessions.

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TYPESTRIKES

from our typo treasure chest

wimple or complex

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GENERAL NEWS

Green initiatives important throughout Business Services

Stocking green products; conserving fuel and laundry chemicals; recycling waste; carpool matching; promoting online business practices.... the departments in Business Services work to help reduce the carbon footprint at Iowa.

Paper

The Printing Department and Copy Centers use primarily recycled paper, with more than half of their stock lists having recycled content. The paper used to print the University's letterhead and memo pads are made from recycled paper, as well. General Stores sells recycled copy paper at low prices through a statewide contract. It encourages the use of online directories and ordered 3,000 fewer herdbooks this year as a result - saving $10,000. Central Mail continually promotes address cleansing, which can reduce paper waste considerably. It recycles Campus Mail envelopes by storing empty ones and redistributing them on request to departments.

Fuel

Parking and Transportation has reduced gas consumption and emissions with alternative fuel use and transportation initiatives, with its bus, commuter, and fleet services (the latter includes Prius leasing and rentals). It received an "A" on a college sustainability report, the highest grade of all the UI areas that were surveyed.Related article

Campus Mail eliminated duplication in its routes to cut 25,000 miles a year without hindering service. Printing, General Stores, and Central Mail have consolidated deliveries, reducing the number of small packages going out on large delivery trucks as well as the number of vehicles driven on campus.

Water

The Laundry Service reduces water and energy consumption by reusing heat and recycling water with a water reclamation system for its wash-rinse process. The system allows for rinse water from the washing machines to recycle as feed water for the machines' first cycle of the next wash, and it also returns steam condensate to the boilers as feed water.

Equipment

Nearly everything that Equipment Rental and Surplus supply - electronics from Rental, and that plus just about everything else from Surplus, including furniture, lab supplies, hospital equipment, and more - is recycled directly for reuse. In addition to reselling intact equipment, Surplus sells to "scrappers" who recycle plastic, metal, glass, and wood, including pallets. Only about 10 percent of Surplus material goes to the landfill.

Waste

Printing recycles tons of paper trimmings, cardboard, aluminum printing plates, and film (which contains silver). General Stores facilitates the campus-wide recycling of used toner cartidges by picking them up on delivery routes and sending them to a recycling company. It also arranges for the proper disposal of spent fluorescent bulbs, which contain mercury.

Our departments are keenly aware of their responsiblity to the environment and have participated in conservation initiatives for years. Their commitment remains strong, as they keep looking for more ways to be green.

Choose the best medium for your message

Before electronic media came along, there was little need to ask how to send a message to a large audience. Print was it. Although print remains vital, a listserv or mass email sometimes can be a better use of resources.

Consider your purpose. If you want to engage readers, giving them something to think over, keep for reference, or respond to, print is certainly appropriate. If you send a quick, time-sensitive announcement for immediate consumption, a listserv or email list may be the best choice. Consider your audience, as well. Is it older, younger, comfortable with technology? Is there an existing targeted mailing list available?

Print is tactile, portable, and, for many, easier to read than a computer monitor, but there can be significant costs for production and distribution. It increases clutter, too. Using email and listservs can reduce paper consumption and deliver your message more quickly. But for many people, unsolicited emails have become a nuisance so they may go unread. Another drawback is that when email messages are printed they are more expensive and use more paper than if they had been delivered as conventional printed material.

The next time you plan to send a message, think about the medium that will suit it best.

UI, Iowa State, and UNI print, mail managers meet

Gary Anderson and Chris Kula met with their Print, Stores, and Mail colleagues from Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa in Grinnell in December. The topic of green initiatives at each school was a priority for discussion, focusing on paper stocked at General Stores and paper used in the Printing departments, as well as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification and green janitorial products. The group meets quarterly to discuss common issues and to share information.   — Gary Anderson

Education, outreach, and training for customers

New staff orientation:   Business Services staff participate in Learning and Development's monthly new faculty and staff orientation. Contact Linda Noble, Parking Services, or Jenean Arnold, other Business Services departments.

Tours: Groups are welcome to tour Printing, Mail, and General Stores at the Mossman Building. Contact Jenean Arnold.

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CENTRAL MAIL SERVICES

Save major time, money with new mail inserter

How many times have you scrambled to pull together enough bodies - staff, students, temps, passersby - to stuff hundreds of envelopes that should have been mailed days earlier? There's a better solution: Central Mail's automated inserter.

"Why spend more time and money than you have to, when Central Mail can do it in minutes, for pennies," says manager Chris Kula. "We have less than twenty-four hours turnaround on most mail jobs, given the proper paperwork, materials, and address files." The inserter was installed and tested during the fall, and now is ready for business.

"The ramp-up period is ending, and we are looking for more volume. We hope to use it to run tax forms, for those who still choose the paper mailing," says Kula. The fee ranges from two cents per piece for one insert to four cents per piece for six inserts.

[Help the University save money: sign up to receive your W-2 or 1042-S tax form electronically. The forms will be available on the web about a week before they are mailed. For more information, go to the the Human Resources self-service website, hris.uiowa.edu/selfservice.]

Bundle mail pieces to face same direction

When boxing or bundling your mail for metering, be sure to keep the mail pieces facing the same direction. Upside-down or backwards mail pieces can slip through the metering machine unnoticed, resulting in the postage being printed on the back or bottom of the envelope. When this happens, the mail pieces will be either returned to you or mailed to the recipient with postage due. This can slow your communications and cause extra charges for you or your recipient, neither of which is good for business.

Mailing smarter: Paper matters

Time- and money-wise, it is a good idea to think about the kind of paper to use before printing a flyer or mailer. Here's why.

Central Mail unit review completed

A Central Mail unit review to evaluate its operations has been completed. The report concluded that "the role of Central Mail is an essential relationship to the University and its functions." Recommendations included working more closely with UI Purchasing; bringing jobs printed by outside vendors back to be mailed by Central Mail; and increasing marketing initiatives. A review of Equipment Rental is in progress, and Surplus will be reviewed after that. The reviews, required for every Finance and Operations department and unit, take place every five years.

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GENERAL STORES

Office product show on January 17 at hospital

The 2008 General Stores/OfficeMax Office Products Show will be held Thursday, January 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the hospital's East Room, 8008 RCP. The show will feature representatives from many different office supply vendors. Please make plans to attend.   — Gary Anderson

2008 office supply catalogs in stock

The 2008 General Stores/OfficeMax catalogs are now available. Some catalog numbers and primary vendors have changed, so it is important to use a new catalog when you order office supplies. Our UIHC customers may pick up new catalogs and recycle their old ones at the hospital's Shipping and Receiving Facility. Customers in other locations should email their name, department name, campus delivery address, and the number of catalogs needed to genstores@uiowa.edu. The staff at General Stores thanks you for your support. Our OfficeMax contract has saved our campus customers over $1,180,000 in the past three years. Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.   — Gary Anderson

General Stores' October sales second highest ever

October 2007 was the second-best month ever for General Stores, with more than $296,000 in purchases through the OfficeMax contract. Sales this year are 12 percent higher than sales last year. Thanks to everyone for making this contract so successful and thanks to all of the new customers who have recently signed up for online Pcard ordering. If you would like to be set up for online ordering or have any questions about the contract or office supplies in general, please contact Gary Anderson.

Fluorescent team receives IOWA award

Gary Anderson and Joel Tresslar, representing Materials Management, along with employees from Facilities Management, Health Protection, and Environmental Compliance, have received an Improving Our Workplace Award award for their work on the University's Waste Fluorescent Lamp Management Team.

The team researched and corrected possible compliance deficiencies regarding the proper handling, tracking, and disposal of universal wastes. It also developed labeling for bulbs, batteries, and mercury-containing equipment. An employee training program for universal waste management, and the associated record keeping, was another outcome. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency found no violations and issued no fines or warnings during a compliance inspection in September. In fact, the inspectors said this was the first time they found no violations while inspecting a universal waste generator in the state of Iowa.

The IOWA program recognizes staff for efforts that have had positive results in their workplace. Find more information on the WorkLife website.

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LAUNDRY SERVICE

River of linens flowing between Laundry, hospital

A partnership in efficiency between UI Laundry Service and the hospital is producing notable results as endless yards of cloth flow smoothly, like a river, between the two.

Before June 2007, Material Services personnel at the hospital unpacked, fluffed, and bagged their new linens and loaded them onto Laundry Service trucks. After arriving at the Laundry, the items were classified, sorted, and bagged for washing. Each piece was individually handled five or six times before being washed, which was too much handling - plus too much storage space used and too much time involved.

Now, new shipments of health-care linens are immediately trucked from the hospital to the Laundry. Each hefty shipment holds numerous cartons and weighs more than 1,200 pounds per skid. Laundry workers unpack, fluff, and process three or more of these shipments a week. There is no need for hospital staff to handle new linen until it is time to dispense it, because the Laundry staff now processes it and adds it to the inventory system. This leaves hospital staff more time for other duties. Valuable space is also freed up for other uses.

At the Laundry, piles of snowy linens wait their turn to be washed. Top sheets are here, bottom sheets, blankets, and pillowcases over there, followed by colorful piles of surgical linens, all neatly sorted. Larger quantities of one type of health-care linen can be washed and integrated into the linen rotation system at one time. There are fewer piecemeal loads, and the linen can be prepped faster for delivery. This means more product, more efficient washing and drying, and faster turnaround time.

This one change to the linen-handling process has produced multiple benefits. While the manner has not changed, the location of the process has. "Reduced handling, more efficient use of Laundry resources, better allocation of storage space, and faster input of new linens into inventory makes this change a win-win for UIHC and Laundry Service," says Laundry Manager Dave Gray.   — Jo Anne Worley

Character Counts: Meet Jeff Nehring

Laundry production worker Jeff Nehring started working at the University in 1988, in the hospital's dietary department, then nine years ago transferred to UI Laundry Service. A native of Iowa, he's never wanted to live anywhere else.

Every day Jeff is busy getting clean laundry ready for delivery. He "sorts clean linen, folds it, organizes it, and presses the linen on a gigantic iron," he says. "The iron is so big I don't know how to describe it!" What he really appreciates though, are the overhead conveyor slings because, "They eliminate a lot of pushing."

Not only does Jeff like his job, he likes the hours - 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - because they enable him to meet his children at the bus after school. But what he likes most is the people, he says. "The people are wonderful. They are supportive, and there is such a sense of teamwork."

Jeff's hobby is boxing. He started the sport at the young age of six, on a team coached by his father. "I have a picture of me in boxing gloves and a diaper to prove how young I was," he laughs. Although he no longer competes, Jeff coaches young boxers on the amateur circuit.

"The great thing about boxing is that it's based on you," he says. "There is no team. It teaches you that the importance of a situation is in what it teaches you about yourself, not winning or losing."

Jeff was raised in Tipton and now lives in North Liberty with his family, eight-year old Breanna, six-year old Daniel, and their dog Bailey, a Lhasa Apso. Some of their favorite activities together include going to the playground, museums, and the dog park.

"I think it is important that the kids have fun. I want them to have an adventure every day. I want to impart a sense of strength in my kids by pushing them to be themselves," Jeff says. "My kids are my top priority."   — Jo Anne Worley

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PARKING & TRANSPORTATION

P&T earns "A" in sustainability

The UI Parking and Transportation department scored an "A" on the College Sustainability Report Card 2008, released in October. The report card assessed the 200 U.S. public and private colleges and universities with the largest endowments, ranging from $230 million to nearly $35 billion.

The report cited P&T for its use of flex-fuel vehicles, biodiesel, and hybrids; free Cambus service; commuter van program; discounted bus passes for students and staff; and University funding for campus bike programs.

The University of Iowa received a cumulative grade of "B-", up from a "C+" last year. Only 3 percent of the schools received an overall "A" and 28 percent a "B." The categories assessed were Administration, Climate Change and Energy, Food and Recycling, Green Building, Transportation, Endowment Transparency, Investment Priorities, and Shareholder Engagement. Grinnell College and Iowa State University are the other Iowa schools that were assessed.

The report card is published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization.

Have a parking permit? Working during a home basketball game? Here's where to park.

When thousands of people pour onto campus for home basketball games, parking can be problematic for UI employees who have to work. To alleviate this, Parking Services has set alternate parking arrangements for those who hold permits and work during men's home games.

Ramp and surface lot permits

Ramp permits, lots 10, 30, 50, 70, 80, 90, andSurface lot permits 13, 14: Employees may use their assigned lot when parking for work.

Lots 40, 43, 44:   Monday through Friday after 4:30 p.m. and all day on Saturday and Sunday, use the hospital or Newton Road ramp and show your hang-tag permit to the cashier upon exit.

Lot 46:   Monday through Friday after 4:30 p.m., use the Newton Road Ramp when parking for work. On Saturday and Sunday you may use the Newton Road Ramp or a hospital ramp. In both cases you must show your hang-tag permit to the cashier upon exit.

Commuter lot permits

Arena, Finkbine:   Monday through Friday after 4:30 p.m., use a hospital ramp. On Saturday and Sunday you may use Lot 14 or a hospital ramp when parking for work. In all cases you must show your hang-tag permit to the cashier upon exit.

Night permits

Ramp Night:   Monday through Friday use the ramps according to Ramp Night permit guidelines.
Night and Weekend: Use the facilities according to Night and Weekend permit guidelines.
Surface Night:   Use your assigned lot.

No permit

Monday through Friday, after 4:30 p.m., use the cashiered facilities and pay the fee. On Saturday and Sunday, use Lot 43 two hours prior to the start of the game and after the start time. During other periods, use cashiered facilities or meters and pay the necessary fee.

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Fleet Services offers free gas, cleaning

If your department's leased vehicle sits idle on occasion, consider loaning it back to Fleet Services for short-term rentals - in exchange for a tank of free gas and a free cleaning. Sometimes there is a shortage of rental vehicles, so Fleet Services is offering this incentive to maximize use of the University's fleet.

When you loan your vehicle, a Fleet Services staff member will pick it up and return it to you after it has been cleaned and filled with a full tank of gas. Contact John Knoll to take advantage of this offer or for more information.

Cambus runs free shuttle for men's basketball games

If you plan to attend a men's home basketball game, try using a Cambus shuttle to get there. The buses, sponsored by the Athletic Department, are available to the general public free of charge.

Pregame shuttle service begins at the Hancher Auditorium and Hawkeye Commuter parking lots about one-and-one-half hours before game time, with limited service available during the games. Postgame shuttles operate for about a half hour after each game ends. For specific times, go to http://transportation.uiowa.edu/news/basketball-special-shuttle-service. Call the Cambus Office, 335-8633, for more information.

Fleet Services makes changes in requisition

Fleet Services has improved its online requisition with the following changes: an option to reserve a GPS navigational device; an ability to cancel a reservation that has been approved through Workflow; and a field to provide additional information if towing a trailer. Staff in Human Resources Information Service worked with Fleet Services on the new requisition, which is now in use. Contact John Knoll if you have questions about the upgrades or need more information about the form.

Hawkeye cruiser buses sell at auction

Fleet Services retired a bit of history this fall: two 1988 buses that, in their prime, hauled Iowa athletic teams and visiting teams, and provided tours for Admissions office visitors and conference attendees. The passenger volume had declined, so the buses went on the Surplus auction block in December. Each had a 47-passenger capacity, bathroom, and video system. One will be remodeled as a mobile home for tailgating. The other was bought as an investment and has already been resold.

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PRINTING DEPARTMENT

Digital color press offers easy, achievable upgrade for dull documents

The digital color press at the Printing Department can brighten your brochures, post cards, posters, flyers, signs, booklets, and even course packs with full color, even if you're not printing a gazillion of them. Quantities less than than 3,000 are cost effective; orders of 200 to 500 pieces are common. Average turnaround is less than a week. The press prints crisp, high-definition images onto 12-1/2x 18-1/2-inch sheets of gloss and matte stock, in both text and cover weights. For more information contact Mike Cash, Kim Burda, or email printing-dig@uiowa.edu.

Blake called back to active duty

Surplus comanager Tim Blake returned to active duty with the Army Reserves in November, after having served in Iraq for 18 months in 2005 and 2006. He's now at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, but will return to Iowa in February. "I will be at Fort Des Moines doing all of my military occupation specialties, which include supply, medical, and retention," he says. His colleagues say they look forward to his quick return to active duty at UI.

Don't miss Tap Dance Day: order your 2008 wall calendar now!

How was your Spaghetti Day this year? Didn't know there is one? Well, it's on January 4. Be sure to not miss any other big holidays - order your 2008 Printing Department wall calendar now! You'll be on target to celebrate Single Tasking Day, Be a Dork Day, Deviled Egg Day, Cliche Day, and more! The free calendars are available on request to UI faculty, staff, and students.

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WE LIKE FEEDBACK!

Story ideas

Are there topics we haven't covered that you would like to see in our newsletter? Do you have questions you would like us to address? Send an e-mail to the editor or a memo to Into Print, 129 MBSB.

Address corrections and additions

If you wish to be added to the Into Print mailing list, fill out and send our form. Use only University of Iowa campus addresses and @uiowa.edu e-mail suffixes.

E-mail us

Send questions and comments about departmental topics to:
Bionic Bus
Cambus information
Central Mail
Commuter Programs
Fleet Services
General Stores
Parking Facilities Operations
Parking Services
Copy Center #2, 100 Mossman Building
Copy Center #3, C102 Pappajohn Business Building
Copy Center #10, 180 Boyd Law Building
UPACS and Copyright Service

We are . . .

Business Services: Equipment Rental, General Stores, Laundry, Parking & Transportation, Printing and Mailing Services, and Surplus, serving The University of Iowa community. The print version of Into Print is distributed free and on request to UI faculty, staff, and students.

Contributors to this issue

Gary Anderson/Business Services, General Stores, Surplus; Chris Kula/Central Mail, Copy Centers; Michelle Ribble/Parking and Transportation; Jo Anne Worley, Laundry.

Editor and web administrator: Jenean Arnold, phone 319-384-3723, 129 Mossman Building.

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