1. Authorized Signer Training
Fall 2013

2. Session Goals Understand Authorized Signer Responsibilities
Where does your money come from?
Understanding Your Accounts
How to Spend Your Money and Make Deposits
Goods vs Service
Types of Payments & Documentation Needed
Travel
JFC Capital Purchases
Deposits
Understanding your Bridge Finance page

3. Authorized Signer Responsibilities
1-2 authorized signers per organization
Authorized signer status is valid for one academic year (Fall & Spring)
All financial transactions must be signed-off by the authorized signer
Primary point of contact with Student Activities and SBVPF
Understand JFC and other special allocation processes
Educate other organization members on financial processes and expectations
Maintain a detailed record of all expenditures and income
Review Bridge Finance page monthly
Transition information to next authorized signer

4. Authorized Signer Quiz
All Authorized Signers must take and pass quiz to become official Auth. Signer
Passing score is 90%
May take the quiz to exempt training if served as an Authorized Signer in the previous year
Quiz is through blackboard and all attendees have been added to the “class” on BB when enrolled in training

5. Where does your money come from?

6. Understanding Your JFC Budget
Carefully review allocation amounts and line items
Review what was not funded & what needs to be brought in to fully fund planned events
Read JFC comments in BudgetTracker
Understand expectations for revenue and fundraising from JFC

7. Understanding Your JFC Budget
Helpful to review prior fiscal year’s budgets, expenses, and income
Schedule a meeting with SBVPF if organization is going on or coming off of probation
Maintain your own detailed records of expenses and income for tracking purposes and preparation of next JFC budget request
JFC accounts roll up to JFC at fiscal close

8. Non-JFC Funded Organizations
Receive funding from other sources
Similar processes and expectations on spending
Accounts do not “close” meaning all surplus and debt roll forward
SBVPF and SBVPO will be in contact with groups ending in debt

9. Special Allocation Funding
Appropriate request for a special allocation
Unanticipated costs
New programs and initiatives
SOURCES
Student Senate
GSA
DOSA Funding
SDC
Academic Departments **Common Funding Application available on The Bridge**

10. Special Allocation Process
Student Senate
Weekly finance committee meetings
Organization rep must present proposal to Senate Finance Committee
Will receive committee recommendation within 48 hours of finance meeting
Committee recommendations must be voted upon by general body for approval
If org is JFC funded, then requests should be for unexpected costs or new initiatives, only. JFC share same pool of money with Student Senate.
Student Senate Contacts & Resources

11. Graduate Student Assembly Special Allocations Process
Graduate Student Assembly (GSA)
Monthly finance meetings (typically 1 week prior to GSA general body meeting)
Organization rep can discuss proposal
Finance committee recommendations typically upheld by GSA general body
Recommendation can be appealed by any GSA member or requesting organization member
GSA Finance Contacts & Resources

12. Division of Student Affairs (DOSA) Funding Process
DOSA funds organization initiatives through a central process
Bi-monthly committee meeting
For information on dates and to access to common application form: tivities/info/funding/dosa.html

13. DOSA Funding Considerations
Tips for success
Organization should contribute a portion of funding (fundraising, budget)
Donation vs. operational costs
Domestic travel can be supported
International travel only supported through STO-IT fund in Office of International Education ed/stoit.html

14. Account Information

15. Student Activities Accounts
Two accounts per organization
Org Account:
general account for day-to-day expenses, JFC allocation lives here
Gift Account:
all donation monies deposited here if money can be tied to a specific person or company, gift account money CANNOT be transferred to your org account
Not a “savings account”
Money needs to be tied to an individual or entity
If Cash, must include amount donated, donor name and address
If Check, verify name and address are included on check
Donor can’t receive anything in exchange (admission fees, payments for goods/services)
** Only student government recognized student organizations are permitted to have financial accounts through the Office of Student Activities**

16. Administration Fee – Gift Accnts
Administrative fee charged to certain type of revenue (e.g. donations)
Currently 5% and increasing to 9.6% by FY14
Accounts will initially be assessed the fee to ensure consistency in university practice
Will see credits for these admin charges each quarter, however
Fee only assessed to gift accounts not to organization accounts

17. Student Activities Accounts
Accounts are not bank accounts
Housed in university and subject to university financial policies and procedures
Mishandling of funds impacts student org account, Student Affairs and the university
Accounts can be and are audited and thus compliance is necessary

18. Which Account?
Member writes $75 check for membership dues; Deposit into which account? Deposit into Org
Organization Alum makes general donation of $200 to Scotch ‘n’ Soda; ; Deposit into which account?
Deposit into Gift, spend from Gift on whatever
Anonymous cash donations of $400 collected at door of event; Deposit into which account?
Deposit into Org, spend from Org on whatever

19. Which Account? Chrysler sends a $10,000 check to cmuTV for Buggy
Organization collects fundraising sales of $350; Deposit into which account? Deposit into Org, spend from Org on whatever
Organization Alum makes donation of $1,000 to AB Tech for purchase of new sound system; Deposit into which account?
Deposit into Gift, spend from Gift on sound system only
Chrysler sends a $10,000 check to cmuTV for Buggy
Case by case in terms of sponsorship donations

20. How to Spend/Deposit Your Money

21. Goods vs Services Goods=physical/tangible items(s)
Services=someone providing skills, support, or labor (i.e. Equipment rental, facility rental, DJ, recording studio)

22. Goods vs Services Common purchases that could be either/or
Printing/Publishing
If vendor is doing design work = SERVICE
If vendor using your design and only printing = GOOD but will ALWAYS need a proof of design
Food/Catering
Vendor provides set up, serving, clean up, etc = SERVICE and needs a contract
Food is delivered/picked up, nothing else = GOOD
ALWAYS need itemized and credit card receipt
ALWAYS need to know # of people attending event

23. Is it a Good or a Service? Hiring a DJ for organization event
Service, requires a contract
Common Plea catered dinner
Service, requires a contract
T-shirt printing of your design
Good, but may require a proof of design

24. Is it a Good or a Service? Guest Lecturer Service, requires a contract
Stage set-up by Taylor Rental
Service, requires a contract (MSA on file)
Pizza Perfecta delivering pizza’s to campus
Good

25. Is it a Good or a Service? And what documentation is required?
Student photographer for DS show
Service, requires a contract AND Independent Contractor Checklist
Equipment Rental for event on campus
Service, requires a contract (*Best to use vendor with MSA on file; check Procurement’s website)
Paying umpires or officials for sporting event
Service, requires a contract

26. Ways to Pay for Goods
Payment Request (Purchase Order; cuts a check to vendor)
Pcard (formerly “Tartan credit card”)
On-Campus Purchase form (on-campus vendor purchases)
JE transfer (electronic transfer of money between 2 on campus accounts)
Expense Reimbursement (out of pocket purchases)
Important Note: Any purchase ≥ $5,000 must be paid via Payment request and include a Purchasing Checklist & Bid Summary Form See Student Activities for details

27. Ways to Pay for Services
Payment Request (PO, cuts a check to vendor)
JE transfer (electronic transfer of money between 2 on campus accounts)
On-Campus Purchase form (on-campus vendors)
Pcard (if less than $2500 and contract is included with receipt)
Payroll (If current CMU employee; Independent Contractor Checklist, Student Staff Info Sheet)
CANNOT reimburse for services
Contract required for all purchases of any kind of service (unless campus vendor)

28. Contracts Required for any service Work with Student Activities
Need 4-6 week lead time
Need the following leg work: who, when, where, how much, organization’s expectations of service provider, service provider’s needs, etc.
Must be fully executed (signed by both parties) before payment will be issued
(list of Master Service Agreements)
Ex: DJ, Legal Services, Instructors, Coaches, Guest Lecturer, Patent & Copyright Fees

29. Payment Request Initiate a Purchase Order (PO) Use to cut a check
Promise of payment, which will be given once goods or services are received
To make prepayment arrangements
Provide a quote or invoice with Payment Req form
Use to cut a check
Once goods or services are received, if using a PO, provide an invoice with form
Payment Terms
30 days from date of invoice
*Note: Plan for your quarterly/annual costs ahead of time; submit form at least 30 days prior to due date (i.e. dues, tournament fees)

30. Suppliers (Vendor/Business)
Identify if your business or individual is in the Oracle supplier database
or stop by the Office of Student Activities
Vendor must be in Oracle supplier database prior to PO being created, payment sent via check
Preferred supplier list: best prices & maybe no contract!
services/supplier-directory/supplier- directory.html

31. Supplier Database Entry
If vendor is not already in supplier database, student org must work with vendor to get supplier forms completed and sent to Accounts Payable for entry into supplier database:
Business (using an EIN-employer identification number)
W-9
Supplier Form
Individual (using a SSN-social security number)
Independent Contractor Checklist

32. Payment Request Form

33. On-Campus purchase and JE forms

34. Pcard Purchases
Must make a Pcard purchasing appointment at least 1 business day in advance or visit Student Activities
Must come prepared with order information
Authorized signers must ensure that all purchases receive PA sales tax exemption
Receipts must be submitted to the card holder no later than 1 business day after purchase
Restricted Purchases (services, equipment, furniture and software over $2499)

35. Reimbursements Form & receipts submitted within 30 days of purchase
Receipts need to be itemized and show proof of payment (order confirmation by itself is not acceptable)
Loose receipts must be taped to scrap paper (taped on all sides) and attached to Expense Reimbursement Request form with a paper clip
Must include detailed business justifications
5 W’s of info: Who, What, Where, When and Why (i.e. “1 Pizza purchased for meeting on 9/1/13 at UC306 to discuss upcoming Dance Marathon event logistics”)
Over 90 days reimbursement is taxed by IRS
Cannot reimburse for services

36. Reimbursements – Direct Deposit
We strongly encourage students to sign up for Direct deposit for reimbursement payments To sign up, visit Student Activities and ask for the EFT form
This is a different form from the direct deposit for paychecks through Payroll
Great option for students who tend to do frequent purchasing on behalf of the organization
AP does electronic payments more often then paper check payments
Only bank information needed ; voided check is no longer required

37. Request for Reimbursement

38. Business Justifications – the 5 W’s
WHO – What student organization was the purchase for? Who is paying for the purchase? How many people attended?
Example: 25 members of AB Tech
If less than 6 people for food purchase, must include first and last name of each attendee
WHAT – Details of type of event that purchase is for.
Example: Working dinner /5 pizzas ordered from Pizza Perfecta for set- up crew working Fall concert
WHERE – Location of event/meeting
Example: UC gym
WHEN – Date and time of event/meeting
Example: Sat, 11/10/12 from 1pm-6pm
WHY – What is the purpose of the event/meeting? Why was the purchase necessary?
Example: To provide dinner to crew members who were working all afternoon to set up technical equipment in preparation for the Fall Concert

39. ADDITIONAL FORMS REQUIRED FOR
Gift/Prize/Award
ADDITIONAL FORMS REQUIRED FOR
GIFTS /AWARDS/PRIZES
Prizes/Gifts/Awards worth ≥ $75: prize/gift form & W-9 to be completed by recipient
Gift Cards (any amount): prize/gift form & W-9 to be completed by recipient
Since the recipient is completing the forms, it is best to have these forms available at your event.
Prizes/Gifts/Awards that are donated: nothing needed
Prizes/Gifts/Awards worth < $75: No forms needed, however, you should put individuals name on reimbursement or PCard purchases.

40. Travel
Schedule an appointment with Tiffany to book hotel rooms at least 7-10 business days prior to trip to book hotel rooms, airline tickets, rent vehicles
Will be charged directly to your oracle string
Plan several weeks in advance
Utilize preferred suppliers
Contact: Tiffany Priester

41. Travel – Hotel reservations
Will be using Tiffany’s PCard (state tax exempt in most states)
Organization should contact hotel directly for rates (3rd party vendors not permitted – hotels.com)
Request credit card authorization form from hotel since Tiffany’s credit card will not be with you upon check-in
Receipts (credit card/itemized) must be submitted within 1 business day after returning to campus, after your trip
Failure to submit receipt within this time frame could result in loss of PCard privileges

42. Travel – Rental cars
AVIS will rent cars to drivers 18 years and older; Enterprise only rents to drivers over the age of 21
All student DRIVERS must visit the Office of Student Activities to complete a driver form, and get drivers license photocopied for Risk Mgmt
All student DRIVERS must visit the Controllers Office website prior to their trip to read the terms of CMU Insurance for rental vehicles; print CMU Insurance card from website ins-info.html
Receipts (credit card/itemized) must be submitted within 1 business day after returning to campus, after your trip
Failure to submit receipt within this time frame could result in loss of Pcard privileges
**Only LOCAL car rentals permitted on the Pcard. All other car rentals must be paid using your own funds and submitting request for reimbursement after the trip**

43. Travel – Air Travel
Schedule appt with Tiffany at least business days prior to trip, to finalize payment using Oracle string
Contact preferred travel agent to get airline rates and flight options
Best to contact travel agency the day before or day of your scheduled meeting to ensure the most up to date rates
If rate is no longer current then travel cannot be booked at that time
NOT permitted to use online booking agent (Expedia, Orbitz, etc)

44. Travel – Bus Rentals
You must use one of the preferred vendors listed on the Office of Student Activities travel page
Call one of the preferred vendors to get quotes
Complete & submit Payment Request Form, attaching quote from preferred vendor Tiffany will create a PO (Purchase Order) to have AP cut a check and send to vendor for payment
ties/info/travel/index.html

45. JFC Capital Purchases
During JFC Allocations Process, some groups were allocated funds from the JFC capital fund for specific pre-approved Capital Purchases.
Money for these purchases is NOT in your org account, and can only be accessed by contacting Jalen Poteat, SBVPF.
Budget Tracker indicates if your group was allocated capital money. Check it!

46. Capital Purchase Procedure
Step 1: Figure out the vendor, price, and method of payment for the pre- approved capital purchase (as found on BT).
Step 2: Get in contact with the SBVPF with the above information.
Step 3: Complete the purchase after receiving the SBVPF’s approval.

47. Capital Purchase FAQ
Detailed process for accessing funds is available online, or by contacting the SBVPF.
If the organization wants to purchase different capital items than the ones that were pre-approved, you must send that request to the SBVPF for JFC approval.
All capital purchase questions should be directed to
Update powerpoint with link to policy on StuAct site once Jon sends finalized version and it’s posted.

48. Ticket Sales & Fundraising
Request a cash box and starter cash at least 2 business days prior to day of sales
Cash Box request form available on The Bridge
Authorized Signer must request cash box and educate any member assigned to pick up cash box on cash handling procedures
Return cash box next business day

49. Ticket Sales & Fundraising
All monies collected from tickets sales/fundraising proceeds must be deposited in deposit envelope (with detailed information provided)
If conducting multi-day ticket sales, deposit proceeds nightly, hold on to starter cash
Proper cash handling procedures dictate that money should NOT be spent directly from cash box as does not accurately reflect income and expenses

50. Deposits
Starter cash should be deposited separately from proceeds and marked as such on the deposit envelope
Indicate on the deposit envelope what type of deposit it is
Dues, donations, sales, rental fee, etc.
Please use separate envelope for all donations
Clearly mark what account money needs to go into

51. Deposits
CASH: Organize bills into like denominations grouped together and facing the same direction
Coins must be wrapped if enough to fill wrapper
Loose coins must be put in small coin envelope
Visit office of Student Activities for envelopes/wrappers
RECOUNT deposit at least twice before submitting, to ensure accurate totals are marked on deposit envelope
Any deposit envelopes received without all accurate/detailed information on envelope, and/or cash not organized correctly, will be returned to the organization and will NOT be deposited into your account

52. Deposit Envelope
Detailed description means your business justification (who, what, when, where and why).

53. What to do after you spend your money or make a deposit
Set up a meeting with organization event planners to review total expenses and income
Complete any remaining forms
Collect prize and gift forms, if applicable
Create internal org file with copies of all receipts and forms
Give appropriate documentation to funding sources if needed (DOSA Funding Committee)
Update your internal records

54. The Bridge & Monthly Reports
Your account information will now be imported to The Bridge from Oracle once a month
Must still double check The Bridge transactions against your own records as lag is common
Contact Student Activities Financial Staff for questions/concerns about your account balance and transactions listed on The Bridge

55. Questions?
Office of Student Activities UC Suite Rita Ciccariello, Senior Financial Administrator Tiffany Priester, Financial Assistant Jalen Poteat,Student Body Vice President for Finance