George Mason University

Spending Money

Fiscal Management Workshop

The President and Treasurer of each Registered Student Organization are required to review the Fiscal Management Workshop and pass a brief test about it.

IMPORTANT

Money in student organization accounts cannot be withdrawn.  However, your money, and funding awarded to your organization by the Student Funding Board, can be spent in the following ways:

1)  By using your organization number to “charge” on-campus purchases for Catering, Copy Center, Events Production and  Parking Services.  Make sure you have enough money in your organization account, or have been awarded funding to cover the service you charge.  Otherwise, you will be required to deposit money into your account to cover the charges.

2) By requesting a Purchase Order to pay a merchant such as Domino’s, Giant Food, a t-shirt vendor, your national affiliate (for dues), etc.  The university will issue a Purchase Order that you can give to the vendor rather than paying cash.  The university will follow up by issuing a check payment to the vendor.  (See below for additional requirements for paying DJs, performers, and bands.)

3) By requesting a reimbursement to a member of your organization who has purchased food or supplies.  Remember that you must have money in your account, or have been awarded funding, before you spend money and seek a reimbursement.

4) By using an Honorarium Request Form to ask for payment to a person who has provided a professional service, such as an oral presentation.

FAQs and How-To’s

The most frequently asked questions regarding procedures appear here.  Click on a question to jump to the answer.    Very Important:  Your organization must have funds available through self-generated revenue (SGR) or have applied and been allocated funds through the Student Funding Board (SFB) before spending any money.

How does my organization get money to spend?

 

Student organizations can get money to pay for their activities in two ways:

1)  They can earn money, also called revenue, through fundraising activities such as collecting dues, charging admission for events, securing donations and sponsorships, holding bake sales, winning campus competitions, etc.   Money collected in this way is referred to as Self Generated Revenue, or SGR.

2)  They can apply for funding from the Student Funding Board (SFB).  Please refer to the section of this web site entitled, “Student Funding Board” for a complete description of the requirements for applying for and using funding from the Student Funding Board.

SFB funding differs from SGR in two ways.  Organizations must apply for funding before the event and receive approval from the Student Funding Board.  Also, if SFB is awarded, it can be used only for the specific event or purpose for which it was awarded.  SGR can be spent when and as your organization chooses, within state guidelines.

There are four ways to pay for refreshments or event supplies:

1) Organizations can use their organization number to “charge” on-campus services such as Events Production, Catering, Parking and Copy Center.  When you use your organization number, the fee will be deducted automatically from your organization account.  Make sure there is enough funding or self generated revenue in the account to cover the charges.  Otherwise, you will be required to make a deposit into your organization account to cover the costs.

2)  Your organization or one of its members can pay for the merchandise and then seek a reimbursement using the Student Organization Payment Request Form (SOPR).  Complete the SOPR form, attach the original, itemized receipt, and submit to Student Involvement.  (NOTE:  the credit card slip with a line for signature is NOT an itemized receipt.  An itemized receipt shows exactly what was purchased and the amount of tax, if any was charged.)  If the reimbursement is for food items, a completed Food & Beverage Authorization Form also must be submitted.  Always check box #3 on the Food & Beverage Form, “Student Club Function”.   Reimbursements normally take 30 days to process.

3)  Your organization may request a Purchase Order (PO) to be issued in advance and then used to pay the vendor.  A PO shows the vendor that the university has set aside funds to pay for the goods.  Many local vendors, but not all, will accept a PO in lieu of payment.  This arrangement allows students to get the items they need without paying from their own pocket.  Fairfax Domino’s, Panera, Jason’s Deli, and Giant all routinely accept POs.

To obtain a PO, complete the Purchase Order Request Form and submit it to Student Involvement at least 5 days before your event.  If the PO is for food, submit a Food & Beverage Authorization Form.  Student Involvement will issue a PO and send it by email to the student who initiated the request.   Print the PO and present it to the vendor at the time of purchase.  IMPORTANT:  No later than 5 days after the event, submit to Student Involvement the invoice or receipt, a copy of the PO and, if the purchase was funded by the Student Funding Board, an Event Evaluation Form.

4)  Your organization may pay an Honorarium as a token of appreciation to an individual who provides a professional service for which no payment is required.  There is no contract and the fee is not set or arranged by the recipient.  An Honorarium may include consideration for travel expenses.  One example would be to pay a speaker $200 for a presentation and $200 for travel expenses, or a $400 Honorarium.  To pay an Honorarium, submit an Honorarium Payment Request Form and a W-9 form for the presenter.  Honorariums may not be paid to businesses.

The easiest way to hold a catered event is to arrange it through the on-campus caterer, Special Occasions Catering, also known as Sodexo.  Orders must be placed on-line at http://catering.gmu.edu.  Sodexo will notify Student Involvement of your order to verify that your organization has sufficient funds to pay for the catering.  Your organization’s account will be charged automatically by Sodexo.  A Food & Beverage Form is not required.

If you prefer to use a different caterer, you must use one from GMU’s Approved Caterers List.  Here is a link to the list:  http://approvedcatering.gmu.edu/approvedcaterers.html

Once you have chosen an approved caterer, negotiate an estimate for the catering.  Then, submit a Purchase Order Request Form and a Food & Beverage Form at least 5 days before your event.  If the vendor has never been paid by the university, a W-9 form also will be needed.  Within 5 days after the event, the original invoice or receipt and, if funded by the SFB, an Event Evaluation Form must be submitted to Student Involvement.

To request a dues payment to a national organization, submit to Student Involvement an invoice or bill along with a Student Organization Payment Request Form (SOPR) and a list of members for whom dues are to be paid.

Use your organization number to charge Copy Center orders your organization’s account.  Make sure that your account has sufficient self generated revenue or funding to cover the cost.

Cash receipts should be recorded using a cash register or log.  Checks should be restrictively endorsed upon receipt (for example, “For Deposit Only, GMU Org. 610xxx”).  A receipt must be given to each person who pays money.  Receipt books are available to borrow from Student Involvement.  Receipt books must be returned within a week after your collection of money has taken place.

All monies collected should be properly safeguarded between the time of collection and deposit.  Cash receipts greater than $500 should be deposited the following business day.  Lesser amounts need to be deposited within the week.

All funds collected must be deposited and expended through a university account and not a separate outside bank account (except for organizations with national affiliation that requires chapters to maintain outside bank accounts for tax purposes.)

Student organizations MAY NOT use Pay Pal to collect money.

Student organizations MAY NOT open off campus bank accounts.

A GMU Contract Packet is required at least 30 days in advance when hiring a presenter from outside the university.  The Contract Packet consists of a contract, W-9 form and Independent Contractor Form.  Submit the completed Contract Packet, proof of liability insurance, and a Student Organization Payment Request Form to Student Involvement as far in advance as possible, because approval from a university dean is required for these activities.   If the presentation is funded by the SFB, submit an Event Evaluation Form within 10 days after the event.

Contact Events Production to arrange for audio equipment, microphones, etc.  Events Production will prepare an Estimate and send it to you.  If you do not have enough funding or self generated revenue to cover the cost listed on the Estimate, you will need to change or cancel your arrangements.   After the event, Events Production will charge the cost to your organization’s account.

RSOs MUST apply for funds to travel through SFB and be approved funding before completing the steps below.  Make sure you apply well in advance to receive your allocation and to leave time for filling out your Travel Authorization Form 7 days before your trip.

Students who are seeking reimbursement solely for conference registration should submit a Student Organization Payment Request Form and proof of payment.   Use of the GMU Travel System is not required in such cases.

Students who are seeking reimbursement for travel expenses such as transportation and lodging must use the GMU Travel System.  At least 7 days before your trip, submit to the Office of Student Involvement : 1) a Request and Authorization to Travel Form, generated from the university Travel System and signed by your advisor, and 2)  the Risk Assessment Form.  You will not be reimbursed for travel expenses if you do not complete and submit a Travel Authorization Form before your trip.

As soon as possible after your trip, but no later than 2 weeks after, submit to Student Involvementl 1) Travel Reimbursement Voucher generated from the university Travel System and signed by your advisor, and 2) your original, itemized receipts.  Copies are not accepted.

To access the university Travel System:

1. Go to https://travel.gmu.edu
2. Select Click here to request access to the Travel Request System.
3. Enter personal information and Supervisor/Advisor information.
4. Select Send.
5. You will receive an email indicating that access has been granted, including a case-sensitive temporary password.  Log in to change your password.

For problems using the Travel System, contact the Travel Office at 703-993-2652.

NOTE:  You will be reimbursed for allowable expenses AFTER your trip.  Travel expenses are not paid in advance.  Failure to follow correct procedures may delay or negate your reimbursement.

Students may drive their own cars or arrange to lease autos and vans from Enterprise using the Enterprise site as follows:  If the travel is under 100 miles per day (a 5 day trip would be 500 total miles), then a personal vehicle should be used.  If travel is over 100 miles per day, then an Enterprise rental should be used.

To rent from Enterprise students must be 21 or older.   Taxes and fuel service options are not reimbursable and should not be charged.

Because the rules and procedures are complicated, students are advised to contact the Travel Office (703) 993-2623 when planning to drive or making arrangements to use Enterprise.  Working with the Travel Office will help ensure that everything is done correctly so that a reimbursement can be paid.

Use a triplicate Cash Receipt Form to deposit money into your organization’s account.  These forms are available at the Cashier’s Office in Student Union 1 (SUB 1) and at the Student Involvement Office.  Deposits are made at the Cashier’s Office.  After making your deposit, retain the yellow copy of the Cash Receipt Form for your records for at least three (3) years.  If you bring a copy of the Cash Receipt Form to the Office of Student Involvement, we will check to see that your deposits post properly to your account.

To complete the Cash Receipt Form:

–   Bank number is always “1″.

–   Use the current date.

–   Your organization number will be six digits 610***.

–   Select an account number from the following:

Dues:  Account 08411

Event Ticket Revenue:  Account 08412

Admission Fees:  Account 08413

Booth/Concessions:  Account 08415

Sportswear Sales:  Account 08417

Sponsorships:  Account 08418

Food Sales:  Account 08420

Other Receipts:  Account 08499

–   Description should be specific, such as “Kappa dues” or “Alumni Club sponsorship”.

New organizations should request an organization number from the Assistant Director for Student Organizations so that funds can be deposited into the correct account.

Funds can be transferred internally using a Journal Voucher (JV).  Ask the Business Manager to create the JV or, if you prepare it yourself, submit it to Student Involvement for approval by the Business Manager.  JVs can be used to make a payment to a university department, to transfer money between student organizations for co-sponsored events, and to correct errors.

– Request and Authorization to Travel Form: submit to Student Involvement at least seven (7) days before your travel.
– Purchase Order Request Form: submit to Student Involvement at least five (5) days before your event.
– Travel Reimbursement Voucher: submit with your original receipts to Student Involvement as soon as possible after your trip and no later than three weeks after your trip.
– Contracts for speakers, performers, DJs, etc:  Submit the GMU Contract Packet including the Independent Contractor Form and W-9 form, along with a Student Organization Payment Request Form, at least 30 days before the event.
– Event Evaluation Form: for SFB funded activities, submit to Student Involvement within 10 days after your event.

All financial records, such as Cash Receipts and Deposit Logs, must be maintained for at least three years.  Records should be passed from out-going officers to incoming officers, and care should be taken to pass along organization knowledge and procedures.

Organizations should keep a copy of all documents submitted to Student Involvement so that, in the event paperwork is lost, a copy is available for processing.

State regulations prohibit the use of self generated revenue or funding from the Student Funding Board to buy gift cards, alcohol, gifts or anything that could be considered a personal item such filing cabinets, crowns/tiaras, ink, software, etc.

Student organizations may buy t-shirts with money they have raised (self generated revenue).  No funding can be awarded for the purchase of t-shirts, pens, cups, wristbands, etc.  To request payment to the vendor for such items, submit a Purchase Order Request Form and an invoice from the vendor.  IMPORTANT: Please read the university’s logo and trademark usage information before ordering t-shirts or any items with the university name on it.  Failure to use a Mason licensed vendor could result in items not being allowed to be distributed.

• GMU Logo Usage (link below contains the following information)
  • Trademark Information
    • Licensed Vendors
    • Mason Gear Locations
  • Athletics Logo Use 
    Use of the Athletics logo is restricted to athletics-related materials, including some merchandise in the bookstores. It should not be used on printed materials or web sites that promote academics. The George Mason logo and the Athletics logo should never be used on the same page. To request permission to use the Athletics logo, contact the Athletics Department at 703-993-3271.

Here are links to the forms:

Student Organization Payment Request Form

Student Organization Payment Request Form_Updated July 2012

Food & Beverage Form

W-9 Form Federal

Independent Contractor Form

Purchase Order Request Form

Event Evaluation Form

Honorarium Payment Request Form

GMU Contract

Risk Assessment and Release form

Here are samples of completed forms:

Sample Student Organization Payment Request Form

Sample Purchase Order Request

Sample Food & Beverage Form

Sample Honorarium Payment Request

Sample Independent Contractor Form

Contact Sara Morrisroe, Associate Director of Student Involvement, at smorrisr@gmu.edu or 703-993-2909, if you have questions about funding.

Contact Barbara Campbell, Business Manager for Student Involvement, at bcampbe2@gmu.edu or 703-993-2894 if you have questions about reimbursements, payments, or the status of your account.