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There is a significant difference between an individual PI's instrument
and a "core" type of instrument which may have been purchased with joint
institutional/grant funds.  If this is your "bread and butter" (which I
can identify with...), and you own it,  then you need to be very careful.

 I recommend
a.)  using the standard fees, maybe a little
extra for after hours, but also, a
written agreement to contribute  toward maintenance/service contract and
laser replacement over and above the fees, since your fees are extremely
reasonable.  Your time and the free use of your lab is worth something,
and you are taking a risk by letting others use it.

. b.)  letting only the most "tried and true" hands go after
hours (as recommended by others)

c.)  I would far rather pay someone who is "tried and true" to work longer
(or get a fee break) for the after hours than leave it up to a "cheap
undergrad"----the latter is a bad idea.  I have many undergrads who use
mine, and they are allowed to do so after hours, but I wouldn't put them
in the position of decision/making or trouble-shooting anything.....


On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, Tom Phillips wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> after years of minimal usage outside of 8 to 5, our confocal is now so
> heavily booked that we are doing more nights and weekends.  We allow
> qualified users (someone with experience that we are comfortable with)
> access after hours.  we (meaning my two hard working staff members) usually
> turn it on for them and let the best users turn it off and lock up.  for
> some users we come back and shut it down or check that it has been shut
> down.  the increase in income is well worth the risk.  I let my staff
> members use the time involved to use as comp time to take hours off during
> the regular hours. We are moving to a new location next year and I am
> thinking about hiring an inexpensive undergrad to act as a late night or
> weekend baby sitter.  this individual could be taught to do basic set up or
> shut down at these times and know when to call for help.  The rest of the
> time they could be doing the paperwork for billing or cleaning.
>
> One other comment - if the 63x oil is really your workhorse objective, your
> core is a lot different than mine.  Our 60x water immersion objective is
> the keystone of most of the work.  If you don't have one, it should be a
> top priority despite its outrageous cost.  tom
>
> At 08:38 AM 12/11/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>
> >Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> >http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
> >
> >Hi,
> >
> >How do you handle requests to use your confocal at nights and on weekends?
> >
> >We run a small operation - I'm the only one in the lab - with a Leica TCS
> >SP2.  Our present policy is that I get everything turned on and ready to go
> >and then, for those users who have shown they know what they are doing, I
> >let them run it.  I'm in the area, however, if need be.
> >
> >I could use the income from what might result in additional hours and,
> >really, the only aspect I worry about (but it's a big concern, of course) is
> >damage to the objectives.  We already have a crack on our workhorse, 63x oil
> >objective, but that happened even without allowing after-hours usage
> >(fortunately the crack/scratch [we're not sure which] is off center and
> >doesn't seem to affect image quality).
> >
> >As more and more investigators/groups are attempting to acquire their own
> >systems, I don't want to put my lab in a non-competitive situation.
> >
> >Finally, how do you charge for extended-hours experiments, e.g., 24 to 48
> >hrs?  We now charge $25/hr but it wouldn't be feasible for m/any
> >investigators to pay $600 to $1,200 for one of these lengthy protocols.
> >
> >Thanks for any thoughts on either of these concerns.
> >
> >Ray Hester
> >Univ. of South Alabama
>
> Thomas E. Phillips, PhD
> Professor of Biological Sciences
> Director, Molecular Cytology Core
> 3 Tucker Hall
> University of Missouri
> Columbia, MO 65211-7400
>
> 573-882-4712 (office)
> 573-882-0123 (fax)
> [log in to unmask]
>

Fay M. Hansen, Associate Professor
Dept. Biological Sciences
Oakland University
Rochester, MI 48309-4401
248-370-3574
FAX:  248-370-4225