SPENDING STATE FUNDS
The UW-System and the State of Wisconsin has made many changes in rules for spending money this year. If your organization received money from the Student Association or in the Check-off Election, you need to make sure you understand all the rule changes prior to making any purchase or expenditure arrangements. Failure to do so may result in you not being reimbursed for a purchase or allowed to proceed with an expenditure. For instructions on spending segregated fee funds please contact the Student Activities Office at activities@uwm.edu.

PAID CONTRACT TIMELINE
(paying a person for something, whether entertainment, speaking, or sewing, must be done on a contract) Please be advised that all contracts need to be received by the Student Activities Office at least 32 days prior to the event/program. This includes contracts for both on and off-campus. Students, faculty, and staff may NOT sign the “Accepted By” block on the contract form. This may only be completed by a designee appointed on behalf of the Board of Regents. Failure to submit contracts within the 32 day deadline will result in event cancellations and/or denial of reimbursement for not following university policy and procedures. (Should contract protocol not be followed, the individual and/or student organization will be held responsible for any and all financial and legal commitments.) Please contact the SAO at (414) 229-5780 for assistance in contracts.

CONTRACTS AND BIDS
Student organizations are not authorized to enter into verbal commitments or contracts. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN TALKING TO A BUSINESS, MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND YOU ARE NOT MAKING A COMMITMENT, JUST GETTING A PRICE QUOTE. The university is not liable for comitments you make with vendors. If proper procedures are not followed, you could be held responsible for the cost out of your own pocket.

PROGRAM/EVENT PLANNING
Meet with Tom McGinnity at least 8 weeks prior to the event date. Any person being paid for a service, performance, or to speak, must be paid by a contract which take 32 days to process. Students contacting the SAO to arrange an event inside this deadline will be told to change their event so the contract can be processed. (see contracting timeline above)

REIMBURSEMENTS
Reimbursements are not recommended due to the length of time it takes to get a check and due to very complex purchasing procedures that must be followed. If you decide to purchase items or make your own travel arrangements, please notify the SAO prior to the expense in order to verify that no mandatory contracts or vendors are required. Not following the proper purchasing procedures could result in failure of a reimbursement. SAVE ALL ORIGINAL RECIEPTS.

TRAVEL EXPENSES
Meet with Jennifer Lyon, at least 21 days prior to departure. Travel arrangements normally take 21 days, although 30 days allow the most price breaks. Car rental MUST be done though the Student Activities Office and if more than one person is going, 2 authorized drivers must be listed for each vehicle being rented. Driver Authorizations forms are approved by UWM Risk Management and take 1-2 weeks to get accepted. Driver Authorization forms can not be done the same week as the trip. You will need a copy of the conference brochure and a complete list of students that will be traveling.

GENERAL REQUEST MINIMUM PROCESSING TIME LINE IN DAYS
Checks for purchases less greater than $1500.00 - 32 days
Checks for purchases less than $1500.00 - 21 days
Credit Card Purchases - 3-5 days, plus vendors’ delivery time.
Driver Authorization -14 Days
Enterprise Car Rental Service - 5 Days
Non-paid performer or speaker Contract - 14 days
Paid performer or speaker Contract - 32 days
Payment to Individuals for services - 32 days
Reimbursements - 30-60 days

Financial Request Form
Car rental	Enterprise forms	Enterprise forms
Contract - Performer/Speaker	Contract	Contract
Contract - Performer/Speaker Rider	Rider	Rider
Contract - Unpaid Performer/Speaker	Unpaid	Unpaid
Expenditure	Expenditure	Expenditure
Travel Set-up - Driver Authorization	Authorization	NA
Travel Set-up - Out-of-State Drivers	Memo	Memo
Travel Set-up - Lodging	Lodging	Lodging
Travel Set-up - Registration	Registration	Registration
Travel Set-up - Transportation	Transportation	Transportation

PO Box 413, 363 Union Building - Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413
Phone: (414) 229-5780 - Fax: (414) 229-2443 - Email: activities@uwm.edu

Contact the webmaster: sao-it@uwm.edu