All credit cards owned by the Office of Outreach must be kept in a secure location. Log sheets are used for checking out the cards.
A separate log is kept for each VISA card. The log includes the date and time the card is checked out and back in, where the card is used, the person taking the card, the account that is to be charged and indication of receipt returned.
A separate log is kept for each gas company. The log includes the card number issued, the date and time the card is checked out and back in, the person taking the card, and the indication of receipt returned.
The receipts are compared to the expenses on the bills received from the companies and any discrepancies are followed up on by the holders of the credit cards.
The cards are for official university business only.
The employees checking the cards out are responsible for any charges placed on the card while in their possession. Personal charges and charges without receipts will be reimbursed by the employee in possession of the card and that employee will risk losing the privilege of using the card.
Inventory
Pegboard cash receipts are located in the Outreach Business Office in Yerby. Any Outreach division needing to issue receipts must obtain their receipts from the Business Office.The employee checking out receipts will be held responsible for maintaining a record of the receipts they check out. The Business Office is responsible for ordering and keeping an inventory record of these receipts. The Business Office will keep a supply of backing logs for the divisions use with the receipts.
Receipts
Receipts are written in ink, making sure that all copies of the backing log are legible. Include date (when receipt is written), name (person or company paying), amount received, receipt number (must be written in to show up on the log), code (program name), initial (person writing receipt), and Misc. (participant name if different from person making payment). Please attach a list of participants if an organization is paying for more than one person or a notation of the person who is registering if a different entity pays the fee (i.e., City of Oxford sends check to pay registration fee for Mr. Lewis – The receipt is written to “City of Oxford” and “Lewis” would be noted under Misc.) Receipts are mailed to the participant if informational materials are being mailed. Receipts are handed out at the program to the participant if there is no material mailed. If neither of the above applies then the receipt is kept in the program file. These files must be kept for a minimum of 3 years. If an error is made when writing a receipt, it must be marked void and attached to the pink copy of the backing log.
Backing Logs
The backing log must include the account number (only one account per backing log), program (if more than one program is included, each program must be totaled), total amount received and break down of monetary type, signed by employee collecting and counting the funds. The backing log is then approved by the director of their division or someone designated to sign for them. The director’s signature signifies their approval of the accuracy of the log.
Cash Reports
The Bursar Cash Report is completed, using the information from the backing log. The Cash Reports are assigned numbers consecutively starting with the number 1 at the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1). The Cash Report number must be also written on the corresponding backing log. The Cash Report must include the departmental name, the beginning and ending date that all monies were receipted, the complete business area, G/L code, and account number or the short account assignment number, beginning and ending official receipt numbers, totals, and monetary breakdown. The department head must sign authorizing the deposit of funds. Copy the Cash Report. The original Cash Report is then taken with the money to be deposited at the Bursar Office. Ideally, someone other than the employee writing the receipts should make the deposit. Money is deposited daily. For offices located in Yerby, the Business Office will take deposits to the Bursar at 3:00 p.m. daily.
Deposit
The Bursar receipt number is written on the backing log and copy of cash report. The Bursar receipt is copied and the copy is sent to the program director. The original receipt, along with the copy of the cash report, is attached to the white file copy of the backing log.
All expenditures must be appropriately documented. It is the responsibility of the employee that initiates the purchase to acquire the necessary documentation for processing.
Areas of major concern are meals, banquets, alcohol, gifts or prizes, group hotel bills.
Meals/Banquets
In order to process for payment, there must be an itemized receipt along with a list of individuals attending and a justification or reason for the meal. This information must also be provided for meals catered by Aramark. For a meal to be categorized as a group meal there must be individuals that are not University employees attending the meal or banquet. The meal can not exceed $25.00 per person without prior approval from the Director.
Neither alcohol nor bartenders can be paid through the University. If an organization insists upon providing alcohol, they must do so using their own funding. If they do, then they must also pay the bartending fees. Outreach will not be responsible for providing alcohol or bartenders for any function.
When Outreach is hired to organize a conference, workshop or meeting, Outreach staff will be in charge of making all arrangements (i.e. vendor contact for meals, receptions, travel….) that will be paid through the University. Outreach will not be responsible for paying bills for anything not organized by Outreach personnel.
Gifts, Flowers, Door Prizes, Registration Packets, Promotional Items
There are few instances where these purchases are allowable.
Gifts are never allowable. They can not be purchased for anyone in lieu of payment or in thanks for providing a service. This includes flowers or fruit baskets for hotel rooms.
The only occasion that flowers may be purchased is when they are for decoration for an event.
Door prizes can never be purchased with University funds. Door prizes may be solicited from sponsors.
Promotional items or registration packets for conference attendees may be purchased using registration fees (unless a grant is sponsoring the conference) There must be documentation identifying the use of the items as well as proof of registration funding to cover. (The spreadsheet, kept by the employee in charge of the conference, should suffice as documentation)
If a granting agency is sponsoring the conference or workshop, then they must agree that fees may be used for items given to the attendees. If in doubt, do not purchase.
Group Hotel Bills
Group hotel bills can only consist of room charges and associated taxes. When booking rooms for a group or a speaker, make sure the hotel understands that the University will only be responsible for room fees & associated taxes. For example, no phone, movie, room service, internet, mini bar, dry cleaning fees can be charged. Each bill must be scrutinized for discrepancies before submitting for payment.
Employees’ rooms can not be included on the master billing. Each employee must pay for their room and include it on their travel reimbursement. Employee travel must not be charged to the University.
Timesheets are completed by all non-exempt personnel and must be signed and approved by the employee and departmental chair/director. A copy of the approved timesheet is kept on file for a minimum of 7 years.
Timesheets are entered in SAP by an employee in each departmental area of Outreach and are approved in SAP by the Outreach Business Office.
For more details see policy HRO.PC.400.040
Sign in sheets must be used for all student workers. Students must sign in and out in order to get paid. The sign in sheets are kept at a central location in each departmental area (i.e. the receptionist desk in Yerby). The sign in sheets must be attached to the time sheets for processing.
Compensatory or Overtime pay is provided for non-exempt, or overtime eligible, employees. All overtime must be approved prior to the work being performed. The employee and their supervisor will agree upon the type of reimbursement (compensatory or overtime pay). No more than 240 hours of compensatory time can be accrued. If an employee reaches the maximum amount, then they will be compensated at their overtime rate of pay for any hours over 40 in a regular work week. Compensatory time must be used before using accrued Personal Leave. For more details see police HRO.EM.300.150
Exempt personnel report all personal and sick leave on timesheets that is signed and approved by the employee and departmental chair/director. Leave must be reported in the correct time period during which it is taken. A copy of the approved timesheet is kept on file for a minimum of 7 years. These timesheets are entered and approved in SAP using the same guidelines as the non-exempt personnel.
The following policies related to Leave Time will supply more detailed information:
Leave Guidelines:
HRO.BE.600.010
Personal Leave (12 month employees):
HRO.BE.600.020
Major Medical (staff employees):
HRO.BE.600.030
Each Outreach division must have an employee responsible for maintaining the inventory of equipment for their division.
Annually each item of equipment on inventory must be located and verified by not only the inventory control employee but also another employee. All items must be accounted for, the inventory sheets must be signed by the two employees that verified their location and kept on file.
Equipment that can not be located must be removed from inventory. See the University policy, Lost or Stolen Property (PUR.PI.108.031), for instructions on how to handle missing items.
Any equipment items that are no longer in use should be salvaged. See the University policy, Salvage, Dismantling or Cannibalization (PUR.PI.108.030), for details on how to correctly dispose of unused equipment.
The University offers guidelines for departments to utilize when planning for and paying expenses. These regulations should answer all questions concerning the legitimacy of current or future expenditures.
For guidelines and examples of allowable entertainment see PUR.AP.100.003. It covers entertainment of guests, prospective employees & others; retirement receptions; official University functions and official Student functions.
For guidelines and examples of unallowable entertainment expenditures see PUR.AP.100.004, which includes departmental social functions, alcohol, flowers, etc. that can not be paid for with University funds.
For guidelines and examples of other expenditures see:
PUR.AP.100.005 for gifts
PUR.AP.100.011 for membership dues
PUR.AP.100.007 for awards
PUR.AP.100.006for promotional items or similar items used for the recruitment of students
PUR.AP.100.014 for the payment of relocation/moving expenses of new faculty and administrators
PUR.AP.100.001 for examples of items that can not be purchased with UM funds
There are some items that may be purchased without issuing a Purchase Order. For a list of these items see PUR.AP.100.002.
There are items under $500.00 that are still classified as equipment and must be coded and tagged as equipment. See PUR.PI.108.002
The next two policies pertain to payment for services. PUR.AP.100.015 concerns payments to individuals or companies providing services to the University and PUR.AP.100.012 provides guidelines for payment to non-U.S. citizens.
To access the policy click on the link provided and then read the policy narrative.
Each Outreach employee that makes Official business long distance phone calls must attain their own long distance access code from Telephone Exchange. Please see University Policy Code ADM.TC.400.115 for details.
Every month employees will receive notification from Telephone Exchange that long distance statements are available. The statement must be printed and scrutinized for any errors or unauthorized calls. The employee must sign the statement verifying that all calls charged are legitimate business calls. Their supervisor must also sign and then file with expense documentation for the account to which it is charged.
It is University policy that all travel expenses incurred by an employee of the University are the responsibility of the employee. No other employee may bear the expense for another employee. If you travel for the University, you must be prepared to pay your own expenses and file the necessary paperwork with receipts for reimbursement, upon returning to the campus. The University offers the American Express Corporate card to employees to be used for official business travel. This card may be applied for through the Travel Office. The card is the responsibility of the employee not the University. Employees may choose to use their own credit cards if they do not wish to get an American Express card. Beginning July 1, 2007, Outreach employees will no longer be able to use someone else’s credit card for their travel expenses.
For details concerning travel procedures, please refer to the University Travel Policy, http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/procurement/travel1.html .
