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Policy and Procedure ManualChapter 350, Supplies and Equipment Responsible Department: Microscope
Services This section outlines policy and procedures relating to the procurement, use, and maintenance of optical microscopes through Microscope Services. It is the policy of the University to manage the procurement, distribution, and maintenance of teaching microscopes to maximize their use for the lowest overall cost and to accrue adequate reserves for their replacement at the end of their useful life. All microscopes used for graduate and undergraduate instruction, unless used primarily for research or patient care, are procured, maintained, and assigned by Microscope Services. Microscopes purchased with University funds, except Federal contract and Federal grant funds, are the property of Microscope Services unless their primary use is for research or patient care. A. Assignment of microscopes 1. Microscopes are assigned to departments on a quarterly rental basis. 2. Departments that initiate requests for the purchase of pool microscopes for teaching shall have first priority for their assignment. 3. Microscopes purchased for instructional use may be assigned for research use if they are excess to current teaching needs. Such instruments may be recalled at any time to fill instructional needs. B. Rental rates Microscope rental rates are reviewed annually by the Professional Staff Rate and Service Activities Advisory Group (Rate Group) and approved by the Vice Chancellor--Administration. Rates are based upon the value of the instruments (to maintain a replacement reserve fund), maintenance cost, and the operating expenses of the pool. 1. No rental fee is charged for excess microscopes returned to the pool by the end of the second week of classes each quarter, provided that the number returned is no more than 10% of the total requested and assigned to the department at the beginning of that quarter. A service charge equal to 2 weeks' rental fee is charged for returned microscopes exceeding 10% of the total assigned. 2. For microscopes requested for short-term use, a service charge in addition to the rental fee is made to recover the costs of delivery, setup, and return. 3. The quarterly charge rate applies to instruments used during Summer Sessions and for research. 4. Pool microscopes purchased for use other than teaching or purchased as high-value one-time acquisitions are not amortized and will not be replaced. The quarterly rate charged the host department is for normal maintenance only, for a period not exceeding 20 years from the date of purchase. C. Responsibility for maintenance, loss, and damage 1. All pool microscopes are checked and serviced by Microscope Services personnel before they are distributed, but instruments should also be checked by the department at the time of delivery. Any defects should be recorded on the custody receipt and reported promptly to Microscope Services. Microscope Services will repair and adjust departmentally owned microscopes if time and workload permit. An approved hourly rate is charged for such service. 2. Adequate locked storage must be available in the department before microscopes can be assigned. Storage facilities should be immobile and reasonably dust-free, and microscopes should be stored therein during periods of nonuse. 3. Rental fees charged for pool microscopes provide for normal maintenance and for replacement of obsolete instruments. Costs incurred through loss or damage to rented instruments are charged to the departments to which they are assigned. a. Pool microscopes that have been disassembled or otherwise abused will be recalled to the pool. Costs of restoring such instruments to workable condition for classroom use will be charged to the responsible department. b. If a pool microscope is lost while in the custody of a renting department, the department must pay an amount equaling the resale value of the instrument plus that portion of its original cost that has not yet been accumulated in the reserve fund. 1) The responsible department must pay the required amount within 3 years or by the time the microscope is fully depreciated, whichever comes first. 2) As an alternative to payment for replacement of a lost microscope, a department may provide a like-or-better replacement microscope. The Microscope Services Manager must be informed of intention to provide a replacement within 90 days of the department's Report of Property Loss or Damage (see C.4, below). The replacement microscope must be transferred to the Microscope Services inventory within one year from the report of loss. Any costs for engraving, renovation, or modification of the replacement microscope will be charged to the responsible department. 3) If a lost microscope is subsequently found in usable condition, Microscope Services will refund to the department all except the amount accrued for replacement since the loss was reported. If the found microscope was replaced with a like-or-better microscope, that microscope may be returned, as is, to the responsible department in exchange for the found microscope. 4. It is the responsibility of the renting department to report microscope loss or theft to Microscope Services, the University Police Department, and the Risk Management Office, as outlined in Section 350-85. D. Movement of microscopes Pool microscopes may only be moved in accordance with Section 350-70. Microscope Services must be notified immediately of any change in assigned location. 1. Microscopes to be removed from campus must be packed to prevent breakage and secured against theft during transportation. 2. Microscopes to be removed from campus must be insured by the renting department for their replacement value. Microscopes damaged in transit must be returned to Microscope Services immediately for assessment of damage. A. Rental of microscopes 1. Lists of available microscopes and applicable rental rates are available on request from Microscope Services. 2. Departmental requests for assignment of pool microscopes should be submitted to Microscope Services well in advance of the time the instruments are needed. Requests may be submitted either in writing or by telephone; the intended use of the instruments (i.e., teaching or research) must be indicated. 3. Departments must advise Microscope Services of account numbers to which microscope rental fees are to be charged. Changes in grant account numbers or cancellations of grants should be reported promptly; microscopes assigned to terminated or completed grants will be charged to the appropriate departmental General Funds account. B. Inventory control Microscope Services personnel take periodic physical inventories of microscopes in departmental custody. The department chairperson is advised in writing of the results. C. Purchase of microscopes 1. The specialized needs of certain courses may justify requests for special instruments to be purchased by the pool. Such requests should be addressed to the Microscope Services Manager and should be submitted at least one year before the instruments are needed. 2. The Microscope Services Manager generally will not approve requests for expensive, sophisticated instruments for instructional purposes if inexpensive or existing instruments would adequately serve the same purpose. Copyright © 2006 The Regents of the
University of California, Davis Campus. All Rights Reserved. |
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