Memberships in Professional Organizations UPPS
No. 06.04.01
Issue No. 6
Effective Date: 10/09/2009
Review: April 1 E4Y
01.
POLICY
STATEMENTS
01.01
The purpose of this UPPS is to set
forth policy concerning the payment from university funds for institutional and
individual memberships in professional organizations.
01.02
University funds may only pay for
membership in professional organizations recognized as such in the higher
education field, academic discipline, or a related area of university
employment. University funds, from any source (educational and general,
auxiliary, designated, and restricted) may pay for institutional or individual
memberships in professional organizations if the requirements of Sections 01.03
and 01.04 are met. Additionally, the funding source must approve use of
externally-funded grant monies for membership in professional organizations.
01.03 In accordance
with constitutional requirements, as cited in the State
of Texas Purchase Policies and Procedures Guide, Section 6.066 (A), state
agencies may pay a membership fee to a professional organization only if all of
the following conditions are met:
a. the agency has
specific or implied statutory authority for the payment;
b. the payment would
serve a proper public purpose; and
c. the agency would
receive adequate consideration in exchange for the payment.
01.04 A state agency
may not use appropriated money (educational and general funds) to pay for
membership in or dues for a professional organization unless the administrative
head of the agency, or that person’s designee, first reviews and approves the
expenditure (State
of Texas Purchase Policies and Procedures Guide, Section 6.066-B). In
accordance with the Comptroller’s guidelines, the president delegates authority
for approval of professional memberships to each account manager. Refer to
Section 03. below for specific procedures.
01.05 State
appropriated funds may not pay for institutional or individual memberships to
an organization that pays all or part of the salary of a person who is required
by Chapter 305, Government Code, to register as a lobbyist (State
of Texas Purchase Policies and Procedures Guides, Section 02.032-C).
01.06 State
appropriated funds may not pay for a membership in a chamber of commerce (State
of Texas Purchase Policies and Procedures Guide, Section 2.036).
01.07 Each account
manager is responsible for assuring that expenditures for memberships comply
with all provisions of this policy and provide a valid public purpose, as required
by the State Constitution. Additionally, employees for whom individual
memberships are paid are responsible for assuring their membership benefits the
university as required by this policy.
01.08 An account
manager may not prorate an annual membership that spans two fiscal years. The
fiscal year in which the membership begins will receive the charge for the
total membership cost (unless the accounting records for that fiscal year are
closed).
01.09 Because
procurement cards (P-cards) are only used for consumable supplies, account
managers should not charge membership expenditures to them.
02. DEFINITIONS
02.01 Institutional
memberships are defined as those for which the university, as a whole, or a
major department or division is named as the member of the organization.
02.02 Individual
memberships are defined as those for which a single university employee is
named as the member of the professional organization as a representative of Texas
State.
03. PROCEDURE FOR PAYING FOR A MEMBERSHIP
WITH UNIVERSITY FUNDS
03.01 Institutional or
individual membership in professional organizations are paid in one of the
following ways:
a. Purchase Order – The
framework purchase order must show the effective start and end dates of membership. An
invoice or membership renewal notice must be attached to the purchase order. A
justification statement or documentation supporting the conditions in Section
01.03 must be included in the purchase order.
b. Payment Request – Requests
for payment directly to the professional organization or as reimbursement to
the individual employee (for individual memberships). A payment request
must include a copy of an invoice or membership renewal notice, the effective
start and end dates of the membership, and a justification statement supporting
the conditions in Section 01.03. The university will not reimburse
employees who make institutional membership payments from their own personal
funds.
03.02 Membership payments
from externally-funded grants are subject to all this policy’s provisions, plus
additional approval from the funding source to assure that the expenditures
conform with funding source requirements. Refer to UPPS No. 02.02.01,
"Applying for Sponsored Programs" for further information.
03.03 Individual
memberships paid with university funds must show a benefit to the institution
and the purchase order or payment request form must document that benefit.
a. University funds
may pay professional dues or memberships required to maintain an individual’s
professional license or certification, which demonstrates the expertise level
needed by the individual to effectively perform the required job duties.
Examples include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, State
Bar Association, and Society of Professional Engineers.
b. The university may
pay for memberships in organizations in the individual’s name if the membership
serves a public purpose worth more than the dues. An example is a membership that
saves Texas State money in terms of merchandise discounts or registration fees.
04. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS
04.01 Reviewers of
this UPPS include the following:
Position Date
Associate Vice President for Financial April 1 E4Y
Services
Director, Accounting April
1 E4Y
Director, Purchasing April
1 E4Y
05. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in
their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from
the date of this document until superseded.
Associate Vice President for Financial Services; senior
reviewer of this UPPS
Vice President for Finance and Support Services
President