Into Print, The University of Iowa Business Services' quarterly newsletter, aims to educate, inform, and entertain its readers, with a goal of fostering positive communication between the department, its staff, and its clients.

TypeStrikes

General news
New site, facility, equipment for Laundry
State plans new contract for recycled copy paper
Printing Department implements comp, camera changes
Correction

Central Mail System
USPS to require updated addresses on first-class mail
Flight security affects parcel mail
University Mail Service installs new inserter

Laundry Service
Character Counts: Meet Alice Kyle
Post-war growth at UI brings Laundry Service changes

Materials Management
General Stores introduces "open book" management
Use new FAX number for ordering gas cylinders
Phone books available from General Stores

Printing Department
Copy Centers offer special rates for theses, dissertations
Plan now for fiscal-year-end expenditures
You want how many?
Printing Department sets hand-trimming charges
Reminder! Send a sample

We are . . .

Business Services directory

What is currently a cornfield off Highway 965 at the Oakdale campus is under strong consideration for the new building site. The 27,000-square-foot structure will be constructed of prefabricated, insulated metal. Exterior detail and landscaping will be aesthetically compatible with the surrounding structures.

A primary focus of the new laundry project is to replace outdated equipment. American Laundry Machinery has been awarded the equipment bid.

The entire wash system will be automated, relying on a computer-controlled sling shuttle system to load and unload laundry at each processing area. Personnel will be needed to monitor the automatic shuttles, yet the strenuous physical labor currently required will be greatly diminished.

Major pieces being replaced are the washers and dryers that process UI hospital linens. Six, 450-pound-capacity washers and three, 450-pound gas-fired dryers will be the mainstays for large-volume wash loads, while two, 225-pound, one, 125-pound, and one, 50-pound washer will accommodate smaller loads. These washers will be used primarily for uniform processing and dust-control items.

Another concern is conserving energy. High efficiency motors, a built-in water/wash load monitoring system, re-use of all rinse water for soak cycles, and a heat reclamation system for preheating all hot water are key to energy conservation.

With the equipment bid awarded and the design for equipment layout nearly finalized, the laundry project team can shift its attention to building construction. First, building specifications must be reviewed and sent to interested contractors. No date other than "soon" has been set. Bids must be returned or declined within a set time, and then the construction bid will be awarded.

The laundry management team has been working on the project along with Minnesota-based laundry consultants Phillips and Associates. On-campus support from Architectural and Engineering Services and Purchasing is being utilized, while former associate business managers George Hollins and Dick Scharff have provided administrative direction. The project has come to fruition with interim Business Services director Mike Finnegan's leadership.

Each step forward brings a sense of momentum which is felt by the laundry's management and staff. The project has been approved, the equipment ordered, and a contractor soon will be selected. Groundbreaking can't be far off and everyone looks forward to moving into our new home.
Jo Anne Worley

The institutions -- UI, ISU, UNI, and the institutes for the blind and the deaf -- have previously purchased copy paper from a variety of sources, but the Board of Regents is streamlining processes with the use of joint contracts. This, plus a legislative mandate for recycled paper useage, led to the need for a long-term joint purchasing contract for a single brand from a single vendor.

Several Business Services staff members and staff from the other Regent institutions are on a team that has worked to accomplish this since May of 1995, says team member John Klopp, a UI purchasing agent.

The team reviewed copy paper purchases at the Regent institutions and, through several months of testing and evaluation, determined and recommended acceptable brands of recycled paper, says Klopp. Initially, the team tested eight brands that had been used at other institutions. The number was narrowed to two: Union Camp Great White and Xerox Recycled. A Request for Proposal (RFP) was sent to vendors of these brands.

The team's goals include reducing paper costs; enhancing opportunities for partnerships with other government agencies; and encouraging vendors to provide value-added services such as warehousing and special packaging, says team member Lin Hartman, Printing Department manager.

The RFP asks for performance data on the selected paper; competitive pricing; guarantee of lowest available cost; ongoing customer satisfaction measurement; and accessibility for other government agencies. The contract will be awarded this summer and extend through June 30, 2000, with possible extensions.

Customers may see changes in the way their electronically published jobs are handled. They may find themselves learning more about electronic publishing as their customer service representatives become more involved in educating them. They also may be asked more frequently to correct disk problems and to use "the gold form," which is the department's form for incoming electronic jobs.

Internally, a new office is in place for preflight, the process of making sure all elements of an electronically produced job are there. The idea behind preflight "is to find problems early on, instead of on the due date," says Mike Cash, who is performing the preflight tasks.

Another change is the merger of the composition and camera areas. This came about because the workload in composition increased while in other areas it decreased.

Combining the areas has included cross-training and a move that brings the composition staff and some equipment into the camera room. The reorganized area is cosupervised by Sandie Herwig and Stan Reuter.

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Address Correction Requested and related endorsements
The "Address Correction Requested" (ACR) and related endorsements refer to endorsements generally printed below the return address on the envelope. ACR means the mail piece will be forwarded to a new address and you will be sent an address correction for $.50 per item. "Do Not Forward" means the mail piece will be returned to the sender with the new address or the reason for non-delivery, with no additional charge unless you re-send the piece. (There are changes coming for endorsement wording and placement on the envelope. Stay tuned.)

Address Change Service
Address Change Service (ACS) requires a code number sequence be applied as the first line of an address that identifies the address file and the mailer. When ACS mail pieces are undeliverable due to an address change, the USPS forwards the mail to the new address, sends the mailer a list of the changes on electronic media such as a diskette or tape, and charges $.20 per item.

National Change of Address
National Change of Address (NCOA) is a service provided whereby the mailer presents the mailing list to an approved vendor and has the list scanned for changed addresses. There is a fee to the vendor for this service.

Fastforwardtm
Fastforwardtm is a service offered by mail processing vendors whereby the equipment scans addresses for correctness and applies the new address to the mail piece if a change is in the file. The charges may vary by vendor.
Lou Eichler

International mail weighing 16 ounces or more must have a signed and properly completed customs statement affixed. The University is allowed to affix a postage meter strip to pay the postage for such items and present the parcels to the USPS in a batch. Domestic mail weighing 16 ounces or more with a postage meter strip is also accepted from the UI in a batch.

Individuals who mail international or domestic parcels weighing 16 ounces or more must present them in person to the USPS and be prepared to show a photo ID. Again, properly prepared and signed customs forms are required for international mail.

DO NOT place any parcel weighing 16 ounces or more in a mail drop box with stamps affixed. The USPS will return the item to you and require that you present it in person as stated above.
Lou Eichler

Selective inserting to specify which inserts from six stations accompany the mail piece.

Page counting to ensure that the correct number of pages in a multi-page document go into each envelope.

End of collate to signal that all pages for a given message are gathered prior to being inserted.

Double detect to check that no more than one piece at a time is picked from a stack.

In-line folding to fold flat sheets to specification prior to inserting.

Special indicia printing that imprints the correct postal classification, allowing mail of various classes to be sent without requiring actual postage amounts to be affixed.

Customers who wish to use any of these functions for their mail should inform their ITS representative and contact Mail Service as well.
Lou Eichler

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A supervisor at the Laundry Service since 1986, Alice oversees the sorting, washing, drying, folding, and shipping of all hospital and dormitory linens -- an average of 10,000 pounds per day. She can be seen moving from one area to another as she supervises the employees needed to handle so much soiled laundry.

An Iowa native, Alice is a lifelong resident of rural Johnson County. After graduating from Cosgrove High School she attended Iowa City Commercial College and participated in the administrative internship program on campus, interning at the IMU. She also attended the American Laundry and Linen College at Eastern Kentucky College in Richmond, Kentucky.

A single parent who reared two daughters and recently became a first-time grandmother, Alice says her family is her greatest pleasure. Michelle, who has undergraduate and medical degrees from the UI, is serving her residency in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Stephanie, formerly a flight attendant and now a full-time mother, resides in McAllen, Texas. Granddaughter Erica Nicole, born in January, is described by Alice as being exceptional because "she liked her grandma right away."

Alice's leisure-time activities focus on walking for fitness, reading, classic movies, quality family time, and following the Hawks' football and basketball teams. She is a sports fanatic who can quote the stats on any Hawk game for the past five years!

Alice says the most intriguing aspect of her job is in supervising such a diverse work force. No two personalities are alike, and she must constantly think on her feet as she meets each individual's needs while interacting with the staff. She expresses satisfaction in contributing to the health care of UIHC patients, but says the most rewarding aspect of her job comes from working with the management team. "It's a joy to come to work every day," says Alice.
Jo Anne Worley

The period from 1930 to 1960 was a time of accelerated growth for The University of Iowa. The end of WW II and the creation of the GI Bill brought many new students to our colleges and universities. The UI was among those institutions that had to accommodate a large increase in student population after the war.

Prior to WW II, in the late 1930s, the Laundry Service was created as a separate department under the University's business office function. The newly organized laundry began using mass production techniques developed in U.S. manufacturing plants as part of the war production effort.

Most washing machines were engineered to process more textiles per wash load than ever before. This greatly improved efficiency standards of the day. The creation and use of large centrifugal extractors, larger capacity washers, gas-fired dryers, and materials management systems helped laundry operations achieve a new level of mass production.

The UI Laundry Service capitalized on these improvements. Modernization of the operation was accelerated after the laundry facility burned in 1956. A new building was completed in 1957, with equipment that could process 2.5 million pounds of soiled textiles per year. The building itself was designed to process a maximum load of 3 million pounds per year. Today, this same facility processes 8 million pounds of textiles per year and supports a large expansion of service to the UI community.
Dave Gray

Next: Laundry operates on cutting edge in 1970s.

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This practice was recently adopted by the management of General Stores. Several years ago, a one-page, computer-generated income/expense statement was developed for General Stores. It is this statement which is now the focus of a monthly meeting attended by management and staff. At this meeting, a copy of the current month's statement and a copy of the previous year's corresponding statement is given to each person.

The first meeting was devoted to explaining the concept and why it was being adopted. Subsequent meetings have been devoted to sharing the financial statements and explaining how they work and why they are important to operating a business. They also give people a chance to see how one person's actions affect another's, how each internal area depends on the others, and what impact they all have on the company as a whole. Unlike some meetings, this is one that management and staff members look forward to each month.

The essence of this practice is teaching people about business through the use of financial statements. It enables an organization to be more business educated and flexible. It teaches people how to think and act like owners rather than employees. It creates an environment where people are encouraged to share ideas and to be constantly learning. As I see it, it is not only a good business practice, but also an extension of our CQI initiative.
Lee Vasquez

Take note, though: the FAX number is a new one. The change was made in preparation for General Stores' eventual move to CBSB. The gas cylinder operation will not relocate at that time but, instead, will remain in its present location.

If you use e-mail, be sure to include the same information that goes on a standard University requisition: your name, phone number, department name, MFK number, and delivery information.

Please direct orders for and inquiries about gas cylinders to Steve Poggenpohl using one of the following: FAX: 335-6100; e-mail: steven-poggenpohl@uiowa.edu; Campus Mail: GS (General Stores); or phone: 353-2916.

A variety of University departments and medical services use the gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium, for surgery, medical and dental procedures, research, and laser science.

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The copy centers stock the archival paper required by the Graduate College for copies deposited there -- white, 20-pound, 8.5"x 11" acid-free bond. There is a $.03 per page additional charge for this paper.

Graduate students may opt to use the DocuTech publishing system, which has network accessibility, for producing theses or dissertations. This would enable them to electronically send files and place orders. Individuals who are interested in using this process should contact Tim Blake at Copy Center 7; Marge Kline, copy centers' manager; or Francis Fang, computer consultant, for information about the procedures to use.

Those who are using the traditional hard-copy method of reproduction may contact any copy center to arrange for thesis or dissertation printing and to ask about the many binding methods available.

This is especially true if you expect to purchase a new copier. It's important to allow time for research and machine trials in order to find the copier that best meets your needs. The process can take several weeks.

Begin by submitting a written request to the Printing Department. Our staff will review your request and identify the copiers that fit your criteria. That number could be as few as one or two, or as many as six, sometimes more. You will be given an opportunity to conduct a trial on each one. Plan one week per copier for trials.

Your request should arrive at the Printing Department by the end of April. We will honor later requests, but you could run short of time for the machine trials. After you complete the trials and make a decision, you must send a requisition to the Printing Department by June 20. This gives us time to process it and send it to Purchasing in time for the deadline there. Specify on the requisition whether the purchase is from your fiscal year '97 or '98 budget.

Regarding printing, our billing policy does not allow us to encumber funds so only the work performed as of 4 p.m. June 30 will be charged in this fiscal year. The balance of charges for any job in progress will be made when the job is completed and closed.

State Printing Order (SPO) charges will be billed in the present fiscal year only if we receive the order by 4 p.m. June 30. These charges are based on the estimated invoice from the vendor.

For printing, ask for the finished quantity. If you need 1,000 forms, for example, ask for 1,000 finished pieces, even if you have created your original with two or more forms on the same page.

For copying, ask for the number of copies of each original. That is, if you need 1,000 forms and your original has two of the same form on the same page, ask for 500 copies of one page. Copies with multiple originals need to be cut into finished pieces, so remember to include that request in your order.

For more information, contact your Printing Department customer service representative or a copy center.

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