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UNIVERSITY POLICY
SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATION TITLE:
APPROVING PURCHASING AND 
PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS
CODING: 00-01-10-135:00 ADOPTED: 07/01/99 AMENDED: 07/01/99

I.        PURPOSE

          To establish uniform approval guidelines for processing purchasing or expense reimbursement requests for the
          purpose of expediting the time it takes from initiating the request to the completion of transaction.

II.      ACCOUNTABILITY

          Under the direction of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Senior Vice President for
           Administration and Finance, the Deans and Vice Presidents shall ensure compliance with this policy.  The
           Department Chairs, Directors and Principal Investigators shall implement this policy.

III.      REFERENCES

          1.    Requisition Processing    00-01-55-15:00

           2.    Quick Purchase Order Program    00-01-55-80:00

           3.    Travel Related Expenses Reimbursements  00-01-50-10:00

IV.      POLICY

           Departmental approvals of purchase requisitions and expense approval transactions shall be accomplished
           within three (3) days from the date of document preparation to delivery to the Purchasing or Accounts Payable
           department.  The scope of the approval guidelines will pertain to the following documents:

                    1.    Purchase Requisitions

                    2.    Quick Purchase Orders

                    3.    Honoraria

                    4.    Travel Approval/Advance Report

                    5.    Travel Expenditure Report

                    6.     Request for Check-Expenses Reimbursement, and

                    7.     Request for Check - Other

            The guidelines specified in Exhibit A. shall be followed for transactions affecting use of Unrestricted and
            Discretionary funds.  The guidelines specified in Exhibit B. shall be followed for transactions affecting use of
            Restricted funds.

V.        EXHIBITS

By Direction of the President:

__________________________                                 ____________________________
Vice President for Administration                                   Vice President for Finance and Treasurer

EXHIBIT A
Document Type 
Level of Approval Required on 
Unrestricted and Discretionary Funds
Purchase Requisitions
  • Requisitions under $2,000 - Department  administrator  (or equivalent) 
  • Requisitions $2,000 and over - Department    Chairperson/Director (or designee). 
  • All requisitions are submitted electronically to the Business Office for fund approval. 
Quick Purchase Orders 
  • Should be approved by individual assigned as approved signatory by the Purchasing Department.  The normal paper flow and data entry requirements remain unaffected by this process. 
Honoraria
  • Check requests for Honoraria should be approved by the Department Chairperson/Director (or designee). Documents require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment. 
Travel Approval/Advance Report 
Travel Expenditure Report
  • Chairperson/Director as requestor - Dean (or designee) 
  • All other requestors - Department Chairperson/Director (or designee) 
  • All Travel Approval/Advance Reports and Travel Expense Reports require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment 
Request for Check - Employee 
Reimbursement
  • Chairperson/Director as requestor - Dean (or designee) 
  • All other requesters - Department Chairperson/Director (or designee) 
  • All employee reimbursements require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment 
Request for Check - Other
  • Requests under $2,000 - Department Administrator (or equivalent) 
  • Requests $2,000 and over - Department Chairperson/Director (or designee) 
  • All Request for Check documents require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment. 

EXHIBIT B

APPROVAL GUIDELINES FOR PURCHASING & PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS:
RESTRICTED FUNDS

Document Type
Level of Approval Required on Restricted Funds
 Purchase Requisitions 
  •  All requisitions - Principal Investigator 
  • All requisitions are submitted electronically to the Business Office or Grants Department (as previously identified) for funds approval. 
Quick Purchase Orders
  • Should be approved by individual assigned as approved signatory by the Purchasing Department.  The normal paper flow and data entry requirements remain unaffected by this process. 
Honoraria
  • Check requests for Honoraria should be approved by the Department Chairperson/Director (or designee). Documents require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment. 
Travel Approval/Advance Report 
Travel Expenditure Report
  • Principal Investigator and Department Chairperson/Director (or designee) should approve all requests against restricted funds. 
  • All foreign travel requires approval by the Dean (or designee). 
  • All Travel Approval/Advance Reports and Travel Expense Reports require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before    submission to Accounts Payable for payment. 
Request for Check - Employee 
Reimbursement
  • Principal Investigator and Department Chairperson/Director should approve all requests against restricted funds. 
  • All employee reimbursements require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment 
Request for Check - Other
  • All - Principal Investigator 
  • All Request for Check documents require Business Office or Grants Department Fund Approval before submission to Accounts Payable for payment. 
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