Specialized Purchases and Programs

The special University-wide lump-sum distribution of Academic Equipment Replacement funding has specific and defined restrictions governing its use. The following guidelines apply:

1. Academic Equipment Replacement Funds may be expended for the purchase, upgrading, or major repair of equipment for teaching departments or for equipment assigned to Educational Communications Centers (Cortland's Learning Resources Center) which is used in direct support of instruction. Major repair or upgrading of instructional equipment must serve to extend the useful life of the equipment.
2. Repair of equipment may not be interpreted to authorize the purchase of service contracts, authority to establish or maintain service shops to be supported from Academic Equipment Replacement Funds, or to include routine maintenance or minor repairs of equipment.
3. The costs of upgrades which improve or expand the original function of the equipment will be added to the original cost of the equipment for inventory asset purposes.
4. Computer software may only be purchased as a part of an initial acquisition of computer hardware and only if it is an integral part of the system or is available only from the hardware manufacturer. The cost of the software must be included in the cost of the computer hardware for inventory asset purposes.
5. Office-type equipment (desks, chairs, filing cabinets, copiers, typewriters, computers, etc.) are normally used for administrative support and are, therefore, ineligible for AER funding. Only if primarily used in direct support of the teaching process may such equipment be purchased from AER funds.
   • An explanatory notation describing the intended use of any proposed purchase, which is not obviously in direct support of teaching, is required to document adherence to guidelines.
6. Installation Costs: The associated costs of installation of purchased equipment is applicable to AER funding under the following conditions:
1. The installation must be executed as part of the single order and price, and through the vendor supplying the equipment.
2. An installation at a time later than the time of delivery constitutes a separate transaction and is a fundamental violation of AER guidelines.
3. If the installation involves any kind of construction or alteration to the facility, there must be adherence to all construction regulations, and such costs are not an appropriate use of AER funds.
4. A separate installation, from other funds, differentiates that cost from the dollar value of the equipment inventory upon which future AER funding is based.
7. For the purposes of this program, the following definitions will apply:
1. Equipment - A unit of Group III moveable equipment which is non-consumable, has a unit acquisition cost of $500 or more, and a useful life of at least two years. For audio-visual and office business machinery and equipment, the unit acquisition cost is set at $250 with a useful life of at least two years.
   1. Group I: Structural (built-in) equipment - a part of the building; not AER eligible.
   2. Group II: Permanent, non-moveable equipment; not AER eligible.
   3. Group III: Moveable equipment over $250.00; AER eligible over $500.00, (ECC/LRC) eligible over $250.00.
2. Teaching Department - A department whose chart of accounts code contains zeros in the third and fourth positions (i.e., XX00XX, designating an I & DR account).

Provide recipient & purpose of purchase.

Must be beneficial for individual to be easily identified as serving on behalf of the campus with a definitive purpose and considered  reasonable for cost and frequency of purchases.

Must use a PO to purchase and be submitted prior to purchase with justification. Limit of $50/employee/year.

Reimbursement or Payment for Food/Beverages - NYS Requirements

Under certain circumstances, cost of food and beverages can be considered an appropriate NYS expenditure.  This policy is intended to clarify those circumstances and limitations.

Please refer to the SUNY Cortland Food Policy Utilizing State Funds for the most recent updates. 

The SUNY Research Foundation (RF), established to administer externally funded grants, is a legally, separate corporate entity in the State of New York. As such, the regulations and procedures of the State and SUNY do not apply. The SUNY Research Foundation's policies and procedures do reflect sponsor mandates (federal agencies, etc.) and parallel SUNY to the extent feasible. Purchases against RF grants are processed independently from State Purchasing, following RF procedures and using RF forms.

There are cases in which funding for a single purchase may be shared by both State and RF resources. In such a circumstance, both sets of procedures must apply with the stricter standards (usually State) prevailing. It is vital therefore that good planning and coordination occur to successfully process split-funded purchases.

This establishes formal guidelines for securing group or individual local lodging to be paid from State funding. This procedure serves to expedite payments to lodging vendors, while designating the name(s) of those authorized to charge lodging to the University, as well as certify tax-exempt status.

NOTE: Attendees are expected to personally pay for all telephone calls, cable-movie rentals, and all other incidental charges at the time of check out.

Procedure

1. The campus departmental representative making the lodging arrangements for the attendee(s) determines the date(s) for which lodging is required and the lodging establishment to be used.
2. The departmental representative then contacts the hotel/motel and makes the reservations for the conference attendee(s) for the date(s) needed, requesting the New York State Government rate (lodging rates cannot exceed the prevailing lodging per diem for Cortland County). Advise the hotel/motel that this charge is to be tax-exempt and verify campus will be billed for the charges advising them to send the invoice to [email protected] referencing the department reserving the room. 
3. The campus individual then promptly completes a Purchase Requisition for the lodging charge, stating the name(s) of the attendee(s), the State rate quoted by the hotel/motel and the number of days of stay for each attendee.
4. The department then completes a PO in Red Dragon Depot for the lodging charge total stating the name of the attendee(s) and the number of days of stay.  If the attendee(s) will be eating a meal at the hotel/motel, an amount for that meal (not to exceed the prevailing meal per diem for Cortland County and MUST NOT include charges for alcoholic beverages) may be listed on the PO and added to the lodging amount to arrive at the total.
5. The completed PO is electronically forwarded through Red Dragon Depot for appropriate approvals.

The ability to purchase gift cards will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon submission of the CAS Gift Card/Certificate Request Form.

The maximum quantity allowed is fifteen cards per program (cumulative of any combination of increments).  The maximum dollar amount per card is $50, with one card up to $100 as the grand prize.  The maximum dollar amount per program is $800.  The recipient of the gift cards must be students and a prize receipt form must be completed by all recipients.

The form must be submitted a minimum of 45 days prior to the event.  The approved form must be submitted with the purchase documentation.

• CAS Gift Card/Certificate Request Form
• Gift/Prize Receipt Certification - Individual (PDF)