Scope

Policy Statement

• General procedures Guidelines
  The cardholder is responsible for the card's safekeeping. It may not be transferred to, assigned to, or used by anyone other than the cardholder. The card issuer or Syracuse University may, at any time, suspend or cancel the cardholder privileges for any reason and the cardholder will surrender the corporate card to his/her Syracuse University supervisor upon request. Use of the corporate card or account by the assigned individual after notice of its cancellation may be considered fraudulent and further action by the University may take place against the cardholder.

• Dean, Director, or Department Head Responsibilities
  It is the dean, director, or department head's responsibility to identify and approve specific cardholders, to monitor the use of the card, assist with the setting of transaction limits, provide up to date information to all departmental employees involved with the corporate card, and to assure that the cardholder complies with the reconciliation process in a timely manner. The individual given the responsibility for reviewing and approving expenditures must be an authorized signer on the Chartstrings charged and should not be a cardholder. The dean, director, or department head has the obligation and authority to question the business nature of the charges incurred by the cardholder and has the responsibility to call upon the Comptroller's Office or the Office of Audit and Management Advisory Services, as appropriate, to investigate potential improprieties. If the cardholder's employment is terminated for any reason, the cardholder will give the card to his/her supervisor to destroy. The supervisor must promptly notify the Purchasing Department. If the card is confiscated from the cardholder, the cardholder will give the card to his/her supervisor to destroy. The supervisor must notify the Purchasing Department of confiscated cards promptly.

• Cardholder Responsibilities
  The corporate credit card is valuable property that requires proper treatment by the cardholder to protect it from misuse by unauthorized parties. The cardholder is required to sign the corporate credit card immediately upon receipt. The card is activated and may be used immediately. When the current card has expired or when a new card is issued to the cardholder, it is his/her responsibility to destroy (cut the old card in pieces) and discard. If the cardholder's employment is terminated for any reason, the cardholder will give the card to his/her supervisor to destroy. The supervisor must promptly notify the Purchasing Department.

  It is the cardholder's responsibility to obtain itemized transaction receipts from the vendor each time the corporate credit card is used and follow the University's Reconciliation Procedures. Each corporate card has a pre-set maximum monthly spending limit, which may not be exceeded under any circumstances. The cardholder will be advised of his/her cardholder limit. The monthly limit is determined by the dean, director, or department head and the Director of Purchasing.

• Lost or Stolen Corporate Cards
  Lost or stolen corporate cards shall be documented immediately and the following steps are to be followed:
  1. The cardholder is required to immediately contact the card issuer. The number to use for the current card issuer, Bank of America, is 1-800-673-1044.
  2. The cardholder is required to notify the dean, director, or department head and the Purchasing Department to confirm that notification to Bank of America or successor has occurred.

• Card Appropriateness
  The corporate credit card is only to be used for University business travel or business entertainment including hotels/motels, meals, automobile fuel and rentals, air, cab, bus, and train fare, travel agencies, conference registrations, overnight shipping, and parking fees. (Other authorized expenditure categories include copy centers, and office supply stores when out of town on University business). Additional requirements/restrictions may exist for certain sponsored funds. When incurring a charge that you anticipate will be charged to a sponsored or non-sponsored restricted Chartstring, it is highly recommended that you first receive approval from the Comptroller's Office prior to incurring the charge. Charges disallowed by the sponsor or the Comptroller's Office will be charged to an operating Chartstring of the cardholder's office. Procedures violations may result in revocation of the card and may involve appropriate disciplinary action up to and including employment termination and prosecution. Procedures violations include, but are not limited to:
  • Using the corporate credit card for personal use
  • Using the corporate credit card for the purchase of goods or for services that are not related to business travel or business entertainment
  • Failure to submit proper transaction documentation in a timely manner
  • Failure to report a lost or stolen corporate credit card to the appropriate person immediately after discovered
  • Transferring or assignment of the corporate credit card to another individual

• Sales Tax
  Syracuse University's NYS sales tax exemption number is displayed on the card. Sales tax exemption certificates, if needed, may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Department. It is the responsibility of the user department to make certain that sales tax is not inappropriately charged to the card. Card users should bring sales tax issues to the attention of the Director of Purchasing.

Purchases made by the corporate credit card and charged to sponsored or restricted funds can be made subject to certain restrictions. For charges from sponsored funds, goods must be used for the sole direct benefit of the sponsored award within the approved budget period. The purchases should closely relate to the items that are described in the proposal or award budget for the sponsored award. Restricted funds can be used within the guidelines established on the Program.

• Office Supplies (On federal awards, office supplies are not allowable unless the award meets the exception criteria. Contact The Office of Sponsored Accounting for clarification on specific accounts.) Office supplies are usually allowable expenses on restricted funds; consult the gift documentation or contact Restricted Accounting with questions.
• Postage and other Courier Express Services (On federal awards, postage and other courier express services are generally not allowed unless the award meets the exception criteria and the expenditures are specifically budgeted. Postage and other courier express services expenditures for the shipment of research materials and deliverables for the sole direct benefit of the federal award will be allowed when an explanation is provided.) Postage and delivery services are usually allowable expenses on restricted funds; consult the gift documentation or contact Restricted Accounting with questions.

If in doubt about the allowability of purchases, call the Office of Sponsored Accounting for sponsored Chartstrings or Restricted Accounting for non-sponsored Chartstrings, before making the purchases.

Policy Administration

• Comptroller's Office
• Purchasing Department

Links to Procedures and Related Information

• Acceptance Statement
• Reconciliation Procedures
• Bank of America Expense Report Form

Amended: May 2007