Frustration

I hate the policies the University goes through for the simplest things.

I suppose I should say that I'm frustrated that I am having to figure these things out.

For example, I got some supplies at the hardware store on my way home. They're a University vendor, and they happily charged the account. They got my fund number, ID, and name.

I normally give it to the department secretary. She then gets a form online and fills it out. It then gets signed by an authorized signer (which is not me). It gets sent somewhere in the University system. That then authorizes payment from the grant.

With out payroll secretary on permanent hiatus due to the accusations, the graduate secretary out sick from her chemo, and the department secretary on a week's vacation. That leaves our department manager.

So I ask her if I can leave it in the box for the department secretary, or should I give it to her. She said she'd better get it processed and not leave it in the box. I offered to fill out the form and give it the signer to autograph. She said "No, I'll do it - I just don't know which form it is."

This is one of several incidents that she has admitted to not knowing how to do something. Yesterday it was that she didn't know how to access our corporate FedEx account to see what has been shipped recently. Lucky for me, the graduate secretary did do it before she went home sick.

Why are we paying you $60K/year for? The more I have to figure out should be added to my salary. I'm supposed to be a lab tech, not a fiscal manager.