April 2011 Budget and Administration activities

During April I had various meetings and communications by email and phone with Finance and Budget Offices Personnel to gather data for the Budget Expenditures information section of the Interim Grant Performance Report for Oct'10-March'11. I also attended a meeting with the Project’s external evaluator who had done similar Reports in the past and with the Project Director. When I gathered all of the necessary data for the Expenditures Report I did a Table and the Narrative Draft. The Draft was incomplete since we hadn’t received a response to a request for authorization for the use of some unexpended funds for Professional activities out of Puerto Rico. Better than expected, all of our requests were verbally approved by the Program Officer and I’ll start the processes for the travel arrangements and Conference Registrations for the attendees.

I received by email, Architect Moises Cordero’s sketch, http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21388692/Servicios_al_estudiante%20Sketch.pdf
and total estimate costs, http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21388692/Estimate%20Costs%20OFICINA_DE_SERVICIO_AL_ESTUDIANTE_.pdf
for the Students’ Services Facilities that will be renovated. The first week of May there will be a meeting with several University staff members to initiate the Institutional procedures needed for the work as soon as possible.

I kept giving follow up to a couple of purchase requisitions of computers and the scanner.

The University had an Institutional recess the week of April 18-22, while the Project Director was at the Directors’ Meeting in Washington, DC. At the staff meeting we learned that there were no Budget changes to the Project, therefore, everything will continue as planned; Progress of work with Education Dynamics; Progress of work with FEP Course Faculty and Coordinator; Verbal approval from the Program Officer for the Professional Development activities out of Puerto Rico that were requested by Gloria and sent by email in March; Ideas for a FEP course “Passport”; and Status of various Purchase Requisitions, among other things.

The Interim Grant Performance Report was sent on the due date, April 29, 2011, by certified mail to the US Department of Education.