Business Services Adjustments

April 2, 2020

Colleagues,

HSU continues to provide essential business support functions to campus in this challenging operating environment. This memorandum will inform you of current service levels and procedural adjustments.

Essential Expenditures
When making purchases, it is essential to take into consideration the severity of our current financial situation. Prior to COVID-19, HSU was seeing a decline in enrollment, which the campus was in the midst of planning for.  Due to COVID-19, we must prepare for an even greater decline for the fall semester by reducing spend to only that which is essential. HSU has lost and will continue to lose a substantial amount of revenue. In addition, we have incurred unexpected expenses due to migrating instruction and business operations off-site.

In an effort to preserve financial resources during this period of immense economic uncertainty, managers are directed to limit expenditures to those deemed essential and mission critical. Essential expenditures include those necessary to facilitate virtual learning, health, safety, active construction, or continuing operations defined as animal care, research continuity, technology replacement, and scheduled commitments (contracts and services).

ProCard
Most State-side and University Advancement ProCards will be placed on hold. This temporary suspension will not affect Sponsored Programs ProCards. A small number of cards will remain open for use by designated staff for essential expenditures typically valued less than $5,000. Supervisors and managers are encouraged to establish internal controls and approvals to ensure ProCard spend is carefully managed and is being directed to the small number of active cardholders. In addition, controls should be established to ensure commodities shipped to private addresses are brought back to campus when normal business operations resume.

Note that the ProCard is always the preferred method of payment, and personal reimbursements are highly discouraged. COVID-19 related purchasing requirements can be found here: https://covid19.humboldt.edu/news/instructions-purchases-and-travel-cancellations

Procurement
Essential requirements over $5,000 must be submitted via requisition (PeopleSoft).

Payments
To ensure our suppliers, faculty, staff and students are paid in a timely manner, we offer the following recommendations:

  1. Go paperless: Submit all forms and supporting materials electronically as a single pdf file to accountspayable@humboldt.eduInstructions on how to electronically submit a single pdf from home can be found here. As typical, be sure to include the appropriate chartfield and authorized signature or approving email.
  2. Invoice Review: Please ensure any outstanding invoices are reviewed, approved, and submitted to avoid delayed reimbursement and vendor payment.
  3. Direct Deposit: All employees are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit reimbursement (see: https://forms.humboldt.edu/direct-deposit-employee-reimbursements). Note: direct deposit can only be facilitated when being reimbursed from state-side or University Advancement funds.

Travel
University sponsored travel is currently suspended. Faculty and staff are required to request refunds or credits for all canceled travel. All travel cards will be placed on hold until business is re-authorized by the CSU and campus. For requests regarding travel policy or reimbursements in Concur, please contact Kearney Vander Sal Kearney.Vander.Sal@humboldt.edu; or on paper travel forms Patti Cady Patti.Cady@humboldt.edu.

We are Here to Help
Business Services will continue to deliver service to the best of our ability. We are committed to doing whatever is necessary to help meet your business needs on time and hassle free.

 

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