<div dir="ltr"><i>On behalf of Dean Atkinson</i><div><i><br></i></div><div><i><br></i><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Dear BMPN Faculty, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">The Dean's Office & BMPN unit continues to strategize
and take steps to improve operations in support of the faculty. As we
mentioned, structural changes are underway to right-size the workload for the
BMPN and ensure that all services to faculty are timely and efficient.
Like the transition of Nematology faculty to the Entomology administrative
unit, the planning and behind-the-scenes coordination to support the Center for
Conservation Biology's transition to the Botany & Plant Sciences (BPS)
Admin Team is already underway. CCB transition from BMPN to BPS will be
complete by January 1, 2026. Debbie Brown, as an expert in CCB
operations, has primary responsibility for the transition and will be available
to the BPS Team as needed during the transition period and beyond to ensure the
impact of the transition to CCB operations is minimized. </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">BMPN has two staff additions to include a Research Analyst
III and a Chair's Assistant; both new employees started with the unit
today. We also note that the additional 1.0 FTE provided to the unit, a
Research Analyst II position, has been posted and is
accepting applications as of last Friday. With new staff in the
unit, plans are being made to bring all faculty support back to BMPN, thereby
reducing the need for assistance from Botany & Plant Sciences. This
will not happen overnight or hastily; it will be planned over the next 2 months
as capacity and training are provided to new staff, ensuring they are prepared
to assist faculty.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Lastly, I want to let you know that based on our work with
BMPN, Jennifer and her team, but principally Sanjesh Lal, have developed a PI
portfolio analysis tool that allows us to speed up the evaluation of PI
portfolios. The tool enables analysis of all C&G awards &
projects <i>within a single portfolio</i> such that we can see
balances, expenses, staff paid, PO encumbrances and future payroll
commitments <i>in one place.</i> The tool enables decisions to be
made more quickly and prompts appropriate action without delay. The
portfolio analysis tool, while developed with BMPN in mind, will be made
available to all analysts college-wide as we expect it to be extremely
useful. For some time, the Dean's Office Finance Team has been
evaluating PI reporting tools that can help automate the monthly PI reporting
cycle. The tool we've now developed for PI portfolio analysis has
influenced and sharpened our overall view of PI reporting. While these
efforts are not directly witnessed by faculty, the portfolio tool is <i>a
giant step forward for CNAS.</i> We will continue to improve the tools
with analyst feedback and are confident in our ability to deliver capable,
automated PI reporting.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Thank you again for your understanding, patience,
flexibility, teamwork and cooperation as we navigate through these multiple
transitions. The PI portfolio analysis tool development has been a real
advance and we are excited about its positive impact on BMPN and then the whole
college thereafter. </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Peter</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Peter W. Atkinson, Ph.D.<br>
Dean<br>
College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences<br>
2315 Olmsted Hall (Dean's Office)<br>
2234A Genomics Building (Faculty Office)<br>
University of California <br>
Riverside, CA 92521, USA<br>
<br>
Ph: 951-827-3101<br>
e-mail: <a href="mailto:peter.atkinson@ucr.edu" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)">peter.atkinson@ucr.edu</a><br>
<a href="https://atkinsonlabentm.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)">https://atkinsonlabentm.ucr.edu/</a><br>
<br>
Executive Assistant: Jennifer Markovski<br>
(office) 951-827-4597</p>
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