Internal Resources

Assessment

Best Practices

Department Letterhead

Departmental Service Assignments

Expenditures

Governance

Graduate Student Resources

Research Assistance

University Email

Work Request

Assessment

 Best Practices

 Department Letterhead

Departmental Service Assignments

Expenditures

The most important rule for using university or grant funding is to obtain documented PREAPPROVAL before making any purchases in which you expect to use University funds.

External Guest Business Meals

When the appropriate University funding source is available and can be used for such purpose, the University may pay or reimburse pre-approved and properly documented meals for which the primary purpose is a business discussion. Business meals must include at least one non-University employee whose presence is necessary to the business discussion.  Expenses may be incurred only for those individuals whose presence is necessary to the business discussion (no spouses). The University will not pay or reimburse meal expenses that lack documentation or a clear business purpose.

  • For every business meal, the following is required: a list of attendees, original/itemized receipts, business purpose justifying the necessity of the expenditure, time/date/location of meal.
  • Tips are limited to not exceed 20% of bill.
  • Expenditure amounts for meals will be deemed “reasonable” if they do not exceed the federal per diem rates.
  • Amounts expended for the purchase of alcohol is limited to $25 per person, excluding taxes and tip.

Faculty Lab Business Meals

When the appropriate University funding source is available and can be used for such purpose, the University may pay or reimburse pre-approved and properly documented meals at University functions for which the primary purpose is a business discussion. Expenses may be incurred only for those individuals whose presence is necessary to the faculty lab and the business discussion. The University will not allow payments for “lab meals/ outings which do not involve work related topics”.

  • The expenditure should be reasonable and appropriate for the number of attendees necessary to the faculty lab and the business discussion (no spouses).
  • Alcohol is not permitted at such meals.
  • The faculty member may have one working business meal to discuss lab plans, have lab end of semester wrap-up, etc. per semester with up to $16.00 per person for breakfast and lunch, or $32 per person for dinner, not including tip.
  • Anytime catering orders are placed, no excess can be ordered beyond the max per person limit of the RSVP’d attendees necessary to the faculty lab and the business discussion.

Reminder: If you are ordering food and beverages for meetings on campus and the vendor does not sell Coke products, you will either need to provide Coke products separately or you will be responsible for paying for any non-Coke beverages you purchase.

Human Subjects Research Payments

Research labs conducting studies using human subjects are the point of audit for managing cash advances for payments to participants. The department collects logs to reconcile to university reports and sends reminders of outstanding advances quarterly. Please see below for the human subject receipt and payment log depending on your funding source. You will either use university (UNIV) forms or OSP forms.

Payments to Individuals for Services

Requests to pay an individual for a service (transcription, subvention, proofreading, indexing, etc.) need to be submitted and approved before work begins.  Requests should be submitted with the following information:

  • A quote for the service
  • Dates of when the work will be performed
  • Contact information of the individual providing the services

Purchasing Card (PCard)

The department PCard can be used for small dollar purchases of goods or services that are necessary to conduct university business and are not available through an OSU contracted or preferred vendor. Requests to use the PCard must follow the University PCard Compliance Policy.

  • The PCard should only be used at the designated location for the amount requested and for the items specified.
  • If you use the PCard and the total amount of the bill exceeds the maximum allowable or if sales tax is charged, reimbursement to the department is required.
  • Amazon orders must be placed through the Department's Amazon Business Account. No personal Amazon accounts can be used to place orders using the PCard.
  • ​University PCards cannot be used for grant-related purchases.

Travel Approval Process

  • Traveler submits the Spend Authorization in Workday (link is external) in advance of the travel departure date.
  • Instructions to create, edit, view, or cancel a Spend Authorization (travel request) are located on the Travel Website (link is external) under the Job Aids section.
  • All employee business travel airfare must be procured through the university's contracted travel agency, Corporate Travel Planners (CTP), with an approved Spend Authorization number. Select the Book Travel Online link available on the Travel Website (link is external) and use the Trip Search tool to find your preferred flight itinerary, view rates, and gather flight cost comparisons when applicable. Additional instructions to use the Booking Tool are available on the Travel Website (link is external) under the Job Aids section.
  • Payment for rental vehicle use as a primary mode of travel transportation is authorized only if the cost is more economical than any other type of transportation or if the destination is not otherwise accessible. Additional expenses, including and not limited to baggage fees, ground transportation to/from airport lodging, parking, and per diem, must be documented with a cost comparison in advance of the trip when comparing the cost of a rental car to airfare. Rental vehicles must be procured through university-contracted rental car agencies.
  • The traveler must provide a cost comparison that is documented prior to incurring travel expenses when combining business travel with personal travel and/or when comparing transportation methods (e.g., fly versus drive). The cost comparison must be completed at the time of booking airfare or at the time of the travel request if driving.
  • Graduate students requesting to use department conference funds should attach documentation of their faculty advisor or dissertation committee chair approval (an email will suffice).

Travel Reimbursement Process

  • Traveler submits the Expense Report in Workday (link is external). Expense reports must be submitted within 60 days of the date of the expense being paid or incurred.
  • Instructions to create, edit, view, or cancel an Expense Report (travel reimbursement) are located on the Travel Website under the Job Aids section. 

Governance

*Revisions are under consideration in the Office of Academic Affairs

Graduate Student Resources

Research Assistance

Work Request