Financial Rules, Guidelines, and General Requirements

 

1.  Spending on Students and Student Groups:

Due to significant spending for food & gifts, the following guidelines regarding spending from student accounts are strongly suggested:

• Student groups will spend no more than one quarter of their budgets on food and gifts.  Student money should not be used to buy gifts, recognition items, or gift cards with value greater than $25 for anyone.

• Due to the trend towards the purchase of costly plaques, alternative and less expensive items are recommended for recognition.

• When making spending decision, students are encouraged to consider how many students the spending will impact, and whether the students they represent would feel well represented by the spending decisions.

Student funds should not be used to make donations to charities or to student groups collecting for charities.

 

 

2.  Transfers of Funds:

Any monies promised must be transferred by the 25th of the month following the commitment of the funds.

 

 

3.  Contracts:

• If a performer requires payment on the day of the event, the Director of Residential Life must sign the contract at least three weeks in advance of the performance. 

• If a performer does not require advance payment or payment on the day of the event, the contract must be signed by the Director of Residential Life at least one week in advance. 

• The contract must stipulate that the performer understands the check may require as much as one month processing time.  The University’s standard contract must be completed.

 

4.  Gift cards:

Gift cards may not be purchased from merchants who sell drinking alcohol.

 

 

5.  Vouchers:

Vouchers will be returned to support staff member in 300 Clark Hall in charge of accounting within 48 hours of use.  Vouchers need to be signed by hand, no rubber stamps, please.
 

 

6.  General Requirements:

• The treasurer or student leader responsible for finances will maintain a spreadsheet for each account (Housing and RSO), which will be turned in monthly to their advisor.

• Each hall or area will have a student-run funding group.  That group is responsible, with guidance from their advisor, for spending their student funds.  The advisor may not spend those funds without clear direction to do so, from the funding group.

• Authorized expenditures include:

1. Paraprofessional Staff Development costs
2. Office supplies (non-inventoried)
3. Food
4. Staff morale/appreciation items, student leader appreciation items
5. Special hall programs
6. Photocopying
7. Transportation for staff development
8. Voice mail for RD office or an inexpensive answering machine
9. Student organization/group shirts
10. Student organization/group retreats

• Unauthorized expenditures include:

1. Computer software (unless approved by BATS)
2. Professional organization dues
3. Professional development resources such as journals, books, or conference fees, except with approval of advisor’s supervisor
4. Alcohol
5. Inventoried items (such as furniture, appliances) except with approval of Area Coordinator and Interior Design
6. Donations to charity