Proposed Revision to 205.4 - Campus Entertainment

 

Board policy:

            1.         Expenses for official entertainment, community relations, or public relations may be reimbursed by a unitcampusonly when such activities are directly related to the objectives of the unit campus.

Procedures:

            1.         As a guide to making a determination as to when entertainment expenses will be reimbursable, those authorized to approve entertainment must:

                        a.         determine that the activity is directly related to an objective of the unit campus; and

                        b.         evaluate the importance of the event in terms of the costs that will be incurred, benefits that are anticipated from the expenditure, the availability of funds, and alternatives that would be equally effective in accomplishing the desired objective.

            2.         To be reimbursable entertainment expenses which exceed an aggregate of $30.00 must be approved prior to the event as provided in Section 4.

            3.         Occasions for which the expenses of official entertainment may be approved are limited to the following:

                        a.         when the unit campus is host or sponsor of a meeting of a learned or professional society or organization, the costs of meals or light refreshments may be defrayed by the unit;

                        b.         when the unit campus hosts official guests or prospective appointees for positions requiring specialized training or experience of a professional, technical, or administrative nature, the costs of meals or light refreshments may be defrayed by the unit campus;

                        c.         when meetings of an administrative nature are held which are directly concerned with the welfare of the unit campus, the costs of meals or light refreshments may be defrayed by the unit. Where meals are involved, they must be a necessary and integral part of the business meeting;

                        d.         when meetings between students and faculty or administrators are held, only the cost of light refreshments may be defrayed;

                        e.         receptions for special ceremonies may be approved by the president, chancellor, the appropriate vice president or director of student services; and

                        f.          expenses relating to recruitment of prospective students are not considered entertainment and are not included in this  policy. These expenses are part of a unit's campus’s normal function and as such may be approved by the appropriate department chair, director or dean.

            4.         The president or chancellor and such persons as he/she may designate have authority to approve expenditures for official entertainment.

                        a.         Amount authorized:

                                    (1)        (a)        maximum per person expenditure for the person(s) being entertained and for the unit campus employee(s) as the official host or participating at the request of the official host shall not exceed the amount set out in the entertainment approval form;

                                                (b)        for catered events, delivery and set-up charges must be included when determining the authorized amount;

                                    (2)        if the entertainment is to benefit persons from outside the unit campus, the department may pay for the meal expenses of its guest and normally that of one official host from the department and other department members whose attendance is authorized by designated campus officials in accordance with the schedule listed in 1 above;

                                    (3)        a unit campus employee who is in travel status and eligible for meal allowances shall deduct the equivalent allowance for meal(s) received under this policy from the travel allowance claimed for that day;

                                    (4)        exceptions to paragraphs 4. a. (1), (2) and (3) must be approved by the president or chancellor in accordance with current reporting procedures.

                        b.         Source of funds:  Expenses for official entertainment may be defrayed from various unit campus fund sources, within the existing level of supplies and expense funds, and are subject to the above rules and the following additional limitations:

                                    (1)        agency funds are subject to any additional agency restrictions on the use of funds;

                                    (2)        contract and grant funds may be expended only if specifically authorized in the contract or grant, and only to the extent and for the purpose(s) authorized by the contract or grant;

                                    (3)        prior administrative approval for expenditures in excess of $30.00 is required even if entertainment expenses are authorized in the contract or grant;

                                    (4)        terms of a contract, grant or agency policy cannot authorize an expenditure which is not in accordance with board policy.

                        c.         Reimbursement for expenditures:  Official entertainment charges may be processed as a direct charge to an appropriate account by memorandum supported by receipts and official entertainment approval.

                                    (1)        There must be supporting data for all entertainment, including home entertainment.

                                    (2)        After approval the entertainment form should be returned to the originating department.  The department is to attach the approval to the memorandum requesting reimbursement and forward both the form and the memorandum to the controller's office for payment.

                                    (3)        The controller's office or business office may not honor reimbursement requests not accompanied by the Approval of Entertainment Form when the amount requested exceeds $30.00.

            5.  Additional restrictions:  Each unit campus may establish additional restrictions not in conflict with this policy on the reimbursement of entertainment expenses.

 

 Definitions:

            1.  An official guest is a person, not otherwise employed or compensated by the unit campus, who is present on the campus to render a service on the unit campus, or at the invitation of the unit campus, or as a guest of the unit campus.

            2.  Light refreshments means a non-alcoholic beverage and/or pastries, vegetable trays, fruit plates, or items of a similar nature.

Form:

            A suggested form to be used when requesting approval of official entertainment is attached.

History:

                Item 12-006-R0676, June 7, 1976, as revised April 26, 1990, December 11, 1992.

                                                  ENTERTAINMENT APPROVAL FORM

                                                          (NAME OF UNIT CAMPUS)

(This format is suggested for use when submitting requests for approval of official entertainment.)

                                                          ______________________________________
                                                          (DATE)

To: _______________________________________

Permission is requested to use _____________________________funds for official
                                                (Department/office/acct.#)

entertainment as follows:

 

Date:______________  For: _____________________________________   $______
                                        (Refreshments/breakfast/lunch/dinner)

 

 Name of guest(s) or function: _______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

No. of Persons: _________________         From:______________________________
                                                                    (Community, other unit campus, etc.)

 

Purpose of Entertaining: ____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Official Host:_______________________________________________________

 

Requested by: ______________________         Approved by: ___________________

 

                                                                  Date: __________________________

Note:  After approval return this form to requesting department.

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