Members of the Mount Union Community,
As we adjust to changes across campus – students learning remotely, events canceled, conference travel suspended, etc. – it will be important that we also adjust our approaches to departmental spending. Institutional revenue will be negatively impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the closing of our dining services and residence halls. Until we can return to a more normal operating environment, all departments should be mindful of their spending and only purchase essential items and services that will be used for this fiscal year. Now is not a time to “stockpile” departmental supplies or make a large purchase that has been put off or was unbudgeted. Unexpended funds in budget categories like travel, supplies, catering, other student related expenses, etc. will not be available for discretionary spending in other areas. Using budget dollars this year to pre-pay for items that will be used in the upcoming 2020-2021 Academic Year is strictly prohibited.
With this in mind, beginning March 18, 2020, all University issued purchasing cards will be turned off until further notice. If you have a critical business need for your card to stay active, this must be approved by your department manager/supervisor, as well as your area vice president/provost. Requests for a card to stay active should be emailed to your department chair and approved accordingly. Your area VP will then confer with the Office of Business Affairs regarding which cards will be active. With cards deactivated, the requisition and purchase order process will be the preferred method for purchasing. Please reference the
Purchasing Procedure Policy
for guidelines. Unapproved purchases made with personal funds will not be reimbursed.
Cardholders are also still expected to meet all normal deadlines for online expense report submission. The Huntington Commercial Card website can be accessed from anywhere, and the Office of Business Affairs still needs to allocate those expenses and pay the monthly bill. However, with many members of the campus community working remotely, hard copies of reports can be turned in by U.S. Mail, campus mail, or electronic copies of receipts will be accepted as well. Scanned copies or pictures of receipts can be emailed or uploaded directly through the Huntington Commercial Card website.
Travel costs will be reimbursed for the cost of canceled travel and conferences if these costs are non-refundable. Travelers should reach out to airlines and other booking agencies to request direct refunds before requesting reimbursement. Please include any correspondence from the conference/vendor regarding refund/makeup instructions on any reimbursements or purchasing card reports. If a travel voucher is issued for future use, the department should track the use of that voucher to ensure it is used for future university business.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Office of Business Affairs
