Financial Information for Student Organizations

GENERAL Treasurer Responsibilities

The organization that elected you treasurer has expressed its confidence and trust in you by placing the responsibility for handling its finances on your shoulders. The following guidelines will assist you in carrying out these responsibilities. Financial processes within the University are constantly changing as online processes become available. The Center for Student Involvement, 226 Kent Student Center, 672-2480, provides staff members to assist you in the performance of your responsibilities and with process changes. Your organization will have a general liaison to assist with programming and Judy Ripple, Business Manager, Center for Student Involvement, is the financial liaison for all student organizations. Make use of their services as often as questions arise.

• Obtain all financial documents from the previous treasurer and go over the records with them.
• Meet with organization officers and advisor to prepare an annual budget for the coming year's income and expenses. Continue to meet periodically with your advisor.
• Attend any programming and financial workshops provided by the Center for Student Involvement or Undergraduate Student Government.
• Prepare allocation requests as needed for funding through Undergraduate Student Government. Abide by the Guidelines and Procedures for the Allocation and Use of Undergraduate Student Activities Tuition Allocation if funding is received. Prepare a funding request for Student Organization Funds by referring to the application and criteria on the Center for Student Involvement website.
• If your organization receives funding from any of the above sources, please refer to
  additional instructions in this document or see the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement for instructions on spending the funds. Most programming funds will not be transferred to an individual organization account as centralized ledgers are maintained by the Center for Student Involvement . All expenditures and payments related to the above funds must be given to and approved by the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement. This includes all invoices, receipts, orders, estimates, registrations, Inter-Departmental Charges, etc.
• All monies collected during regular working hours should be deposited immediately. Please refer to additional instructions for Ticket Sales. Contact the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement for a moneybag if a deposit needs to be made after regular working hours.
• Close the books by the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Complete all transactions and turn over to the next treasurer.

Process For Communicating With Artists, Agents, Or Managers and Contractual Agreements with Performers

When researching a speaker, performer, band, artist, etc. that your student organization would like to bring to campus, the use of the internet to locate contact information and general availability is encouraged. However, under no circumstance, should anyone contact the talent, agent or management personnel via email, telephone or mail. To secure specific information regarding the talent, the following process needs to occur:

• Only Tom Simpson, Assistant Director, Center for Student Involvement will contact the appropriate party and negotiate a contract.
• Submit an email request with no more than two or three potential names to Tom Simpson, who will contact the party responsible for booking the talent. The request should be emailed at least three weeks prior to any funding request deadline to Tom Simpson at tsimpson@kent.edu.
• Please include the following in the request: name of speaker/performer, any information already gathered (i.e. web addresses), tentative program date(s) and time(s), and the email and telephone number for the representative of the student organization submitting the written request.
• An email will be sent to the organization contact and advisor within 24 hours confirming receipt of the request.
• Mr. Simpson will investigate cost and availability of the talent and forward the information received to the student organization contact and advisor within 48 hours of the applicable request submission deadline. Students are encouraged to contact Mr. Simpson at any time during the process for updates.
• If the event is funded through USG Allocations, the next step is to schedule a meeting with Judy Ripple, Business Manager, Center for Student Involvement, jripple@kent.edu, 330-672-2480, to discuss bill payment processes, etc.
• If the event is funded/approved, the next step is to schedule a meeting with Tom Simpson, 330-672-2480 or tsimpson@kent.edu. Mr. Simpson will meet with the student organization member(s) responsible for the activity, the organization advisor and the CSI liaison to insure the proper execution of the contract and provide consultation on event management. They will review the components required for a successful program including advertising, travel, lodging, hospitality, security, audio visual, reserving the facility, set-up, clean-up and other university services.
• Following this meeting, coordination of the event’s logistics (i.e. hotel reservations, travel arrangements, publicity) become the responsibility of the group. The organization’s CSI liaison will be available to assist with directions, who to contact, etc. Specific contract questions can be referred to Mr. Simpson for clarification.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTS-UNIVERSITY OR PRIVATE

Most student organizations do not maintain a University Account.  University accounts are not charge accounts and money must be placed in the account before purchases can be made.  It is not mandatory to have a University account as many departments on campus will invoice your organization through Accounts Receivable Other in the Bursar’s Office.  There are a few departments that will not bill and payment must be made upfront.
 
Most student organizations choose to maintain an account with a bank or credit union for their private funds.  Your organization will need a Federal Tax ID Number to open an account.  Download Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, from the www.irs.gov website and follow the directions for “Opened a bank account” and “Needs an EIN for banking purposes only.”

HOW TO MAKE PURCHASES AND PAY BILLS IF YOUR STUDENT
ORGANIZATION HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ALLOCATIONS, STUDENT ORGANIZATION FUNDS, OR IF YOU HAVE FUNDS IN A UNIVERSITY ACCOUNT

PURCHASES WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY

Inter-Departmental Charge (IDC)

• Many departments on-campus (University Dining Services, Audio Visual, Campus Environment & Operations, DKS, Mail Services, Signum Copy Studio etc.) allow you to order or purchase services or items and will IDC your University Account.
• Give the department your organization account/index number, or if receiving funding from Undergraduate Student Government Allocations or Student Organizations Funds, the account/index number given to you by the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement so the department can IDC your account. Ask for confirming paperwork and give a copy to the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement.
• If you do not have a University Account or are not receiving funding from USG Allocations or Student Organization Funds, ask the department to invoice your organization through Accounts Receivable Other in the Bursar’s Office. An invoice will then be sent to your organization campus address. The bill can then be paid at the Bursar’s Office. NOTE: Some departments may not invoice, but request payment upfront (DKS, Mail Services, Signum Copy Studio, etc.)
• University Bookstore purchases for student organizations receiving USG Allocation or Student Organization Funds can be made by contacting the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement for the appropriate Flashcard. All other University Bookstore purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase.

PURCHASES OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY

Walmart Credit Card

Available only for student organizations receiving a USG Allocation or Student Organization Funds and only for authorized expenditures. See the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement.

University Procurement Card

Available only for student organizations receiving a USG Allocation or Student Organization Funds and only for authorized expenditures. The Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement will determine if a purchase will be paid through a Check Request or through the University Procurement Card. An invoice or receipt must be submitted to the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement before a charge can be placed on the Procurement Card.

Check Request or Expense Reimbursement

Most other invoices, contracts, travel expense reimbursements, and reimbursements for supplies, decorations, etc. to be paid from a University Account or funding received through CSI will be paid on a Check Request or an Expense Reimbursment if you are employed on campus. The Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement will assist you or you can leave the original itemized receipts with the name of the person to be reimbursed, the address where the check is to be mailed, a kent.edu email address and/or a telephone number in case clarification is needed, the name of the program and student organization, and an explanation of the purchases if the receipts are not self-explanatory. Further details on travel expense reimbursement are below.

Travel Expense Reimbursement for Trips Funded by Undergraduate Student Activities Tuition Allocation or Student Organization Funds

• Conference registration is the only expense that can be prepaid. See the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement if the registration can be paid by credit card. For prepayment by check, the registration forms need to be turned in to the Business Manager at least ten days before the registration is due.
• Travel expenses can only be reimbursed after completion of the trip.
• Submit original itemized receipts with the name of the person to be reimbursed, the address where the check is to be mailed, a kent.edu email address and/or a telephone number in case clarification is needed, the name of the organization and conference, and an explanation of the purchases if the receipts are not self-explanatory to the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement.
• Reimbursable expenses may include transportation, meals (list names if more than one person’s meal is on the receipt), lodging (names of all room occupants should be listed on each receipt), registration fees, tolls, gas, etc.

NOTE: Forms for travel reimbursement from Graduate Student Senate are available in the Graduate Student Senate Office, 120L Kent Student Center

Purchase Orders

Purchase Orders are required for purchases over $2,500. See Judy or Donna in the Center for Student Involvement for further information.

DENNIS ECKART REIMBURSEMENTS

• Submit original itemized receipts for each expense to Donna Carlton or Brenda Richardson in the Center for Student Involvement, 226 Kent Student Center.
• Receipts submitted must be for the individual recipient’s expenses. Group receipts for meals, lodging, etc. will not be accepted.
• All receipts submitted must be for expenses directly related to conference attendance (i.e., registration fees (no late fees will be paid), lodging, meals (no alcoholic beverages), etc. Movies, phone calls, t-shirts, social outings, etc. will not be eligible for reimbursement.

TICKET SALES, TICKET ROLLS, MONEY BOXES, CHANGE FUNDS

If an organization has received funds from Undergraduate Student Government Allocations for an event and any type of admission is charged (presale tickets, admission at the door, registration fee, deposit, etc.) then tickets or wristbands must be utilized and the sales coordinated through the Business Manager in the Center for Student Involvement in accordance with the Guidelines and Procedures for the Allocation and Use of Undergraduate Student Activities Tuition Allocations. Tickets or wristbands may also be used when the event is free in order to determine an attendance count. The practice of taking donations will not be accepted as an alternative to an admission charge.

The Athletic Ticket Office, with its computerized Ticketmaster system, now handles all presale tickets for large hall shows funded by Undergraduate Student Government or USG Allocations (Ballroom, Carol Cartwright Auditorium, and MACC shows). The ATO will take telephone orders and charges to credit cards. Tickets for Kent State University events will not have the additional Ticketmaster service charge. The Athletic Ticket Office will handle door sales for all MACC shows, but all other door sales for events funded by USG Allocations must be coordinated through the Business Manager. The treasurer and/or other responsible representatives from your organization will be required to assist with door sales. Door sales only are recommended, as presales for small events have been extremely low. Arrangements can also be made with the Business Manager for ticket rolls, wristbands, money boxes, change fund, sealed deposit bags, etc. The Business Manager will reconcile all ticket sales and generated income after the event.
NOTE: Raffle tickets are NOT available; you must purchase them elsewhere.

If your organization does not want to use the ticket rolls or wristbands for door sales, then your organization is responsible for having tickets printed. If the event is funded by USG Allocations, you must present all printed tickets to the Business Manager for accounting and auditing purposes before any tickets are sold. Any tickets your organization has printed should contain the following information: sponsoring organization's name, name of event, place, date, time, and price. If there is to be more than price, different colored tickets should be printed.

UNIVERSITY VEHICLE RENTAL

• CRITERIA FOR USE OF UNIVERSITY VEHICLES BY STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
  University vehicles are available for use by registered student organizations for official business of the organization as approved by the Center for Student Involvement.
• All drivers and passengers in the vehicle must be participating in official business of the organization.
• All drivers must be:
  -Registered KSU students with valid Ohio operator's licenses
  -No more than six points on driving record in past two years
  -No serious motor vehicle violations within the past two years which include DUI, Reckless Operation, Chargeable Accident, or any License Suspension.
• All potential drivers must have a driver’s license check prior to picking up the vehicle. The license check process takes several days and drivers' names must be submitted on the Travel Approval Form to the Center for Student Involvement at least two weeks prior to the date of intended use. It is your responsibility to check back with the Center for Student Involvement confirming the drivers' eligibility, availability of vehicles, and place of pickup if a secondary vendor is necessary.
• For trips requiring more than 12 hours one-way driving time, a mandatory six (6) hour break, in which the car is stopped, is required. Confirmation of a room reservation may also be required.
• The organization must demonstrate sufficient finances to cover the cost of vehicle usage and the $1,000 per vehicle deductible if Student Activity Fees are not funding the event.
• Transportation Services also provides van and bus charters.

Contact Brenda Richardson in the Center for Student Involvement for assistance with vehicle rental.

In lieu of renting a vehicle to transport a speaker, performer, etc. from the airport, a Sedan Service is available at a reasonable cost. Contact the Center for Student Involvement, 672-2480, for further information.

DEFICIT SPENDING

Deficit spending will not be allowed. If an organization incurs a deficit and satisfactory commitment is not made to clear the deficit, University departments will be notified, a freeze will be placed on the account, the organization may be deregistered, and may lose their use of University facilities.