POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES

SACS Resource Manual

SACS Resource Manual (2012)    This is the guidebook that we are working from.

SC Higher Education Statistical Abstract (2016)    Current version of this reference.

2.11.2 Physical Resources

Although travel funds are limited, the University encourages attendance at off-campus professional activities by assisting with travel expenses.   It is expected that the budgets of all departments will be adequate to provide some financial assistance for professional travel.  At the same time, employees may be expected to share the cost of professional travel, especially when meetings are held at a great distance from the campus.

Vehicles Dispatched by the University (University owned or rented) University vehicles are to be used when available but cannot be taken on trips extending over a considerable time period.  When vehicles are dispatched by the University, they will be charged to the Department’s budget at the rate of 58 cents per mile or the cost of the rental and fuel. The 2018-2019 General Appropriations Act in Proviso 117.21.J provides for mileage reimbursements at the standard business mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning on January 1, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service rate will be 58 cents per mile (IRS Revenue IR 2013-95). Reimbursement for trips taken on or after January 1, 2019, will be at the rate of 58 cents per mile.

Link to Facilities Management- Vehicle Reservations/ Rentals.

Travel Request and Reimbursement Forms

The form to be used in conjunction with travel is available from Accounting.  The upper travel request portion of this form is to be completed by the Traveler and submitted to the Department Chairman or Supervisor in advance of a scheduled trip.  The gold copy of the approved request should be submitted to Accounting if registration fees and/or airline tickets are to be paid in advance, if a vehicle is to be rented, or if a travel advance is requested.  The pink copy of the approved request is submitted to the Facilities Management Office to reserve a vehicle.  Upon return, the Traveler completes the reimbursement portion of the form, obtains appropriate approval and submits the original form to Accounting in order that the reimbursements for approved expenses can be made.

Any foreign travel of a State employee must be reported by the University to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of  the House, and the Budget and Control Board at the end of the fiscal year.  For the purpose of this regulation, foreign travel is defined as any destination outside the continental limits of the United States except Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.  Other travel is reported by individual as requested by the Office of the Comptroller General.

Airfare

The traveler should make inquiries several weeks before the trip in order to receive the best rates.  If a pre-approved travel agency is used to book the ticket, Accounting must receive an approved travel request with ticket cost and appropriate budget number in order to authorize the charge.  The traveler may do an online purchase and receive reimbursement upon return from the trip.  A receipt showing proof of payment must be indicated on the itinerary for the cost of the ticket.  The traveler may have to return to the website 24 hours later to print a receipt or in some cases, the traveler may receive a receipt via e-mail.  Credit card statements are not valid receipts as indicated on the travel request form.  The traveler may also call Accounts Payable to set up an appointment to purchase the ticket online with the University’s travel card.  The traveler must have an approved travel request with estimated ticket cost and appropriate budget number.

Allowances

Employees traveling on official business of the University may, upon presentation of a paid receipt, be allowed reimbursement for actual expenses incurred for lodging, limited to in-state costs per night of $125.00 and out-of-state costs of similar amounts except for large urban cities which should be limited to $175.00 per night.

Employees may also be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred in the obtaining of meals except that such costs shall not exceed $25.00 per day in-state and $32.00 per day out-of-state.

The mileage reimbursements at the rate of 53.5 cents per mile will be made when an employee uses a personal automobile in travelling on University business.  Travel by commercial airlines is encouraged so valuable time will not be spent in slower ground travel.   Total transportation allowance will not exceed tourist airfare.

Special Rules

1. Reimbursement will be made for meals for trips of a day’s duration or shorter.   Regulations appearing below will apply.  In accordance with Internal Revenue requirements, the appropriate tax form will be generated reflecting such reimbursements.
2. Receipts for meal and taxi expenditures are not necessary.  Receipts for all other expenditures must be submitted.  The State will not accept cancelled checks or copies of credit card invoices in lieu of receipts.
3. No reimbursement for overnight accommodation will be made within fifty (50) miles of the traveler’s official headquarters and/or residence.
4. Registration receipts must accompany travel voucher.
5. Employees earning frequent flyer premiums while traveling on State business must use them to reduce the cost of subsequent business travel whenever possible.

Method of Determining Maximum Subsistence

This procedure should be used in completing the Travel Request portion of the form prior to departure and the Travel Reimbursement section of the form on returning from trips.

1.  Single Calendar Day-When reimbursements for meals are claimed, the time of arrival and departure as well as the starting point and destination must be shown.  In determining the maximum amount of subsistence for meals which may be reimbursed, the following time schedule will be adhered to:

2.  Overnight Travel-When a University employee is traveling in or out of the State on official University business, the following maximum reimbursement for subsistence will apply:

• Meals – The cost of meals will be reimbursed up to the maximum amount as provided for in the single calendar day schedule above.  The time limitations for breakfast will not apply for overnight trips.  Time of Departure and Time of Arrival must be indicated for the first and the last day of the trip.
• Hotel/Motel – Actual hotel/motel costs will be  reimbursed when a paid original receipt is presented and attached to the travel voucher.  It is expected that persons traveling for Francis Marion University generally will limit in-state hotel/motel costs to $125.00 and out-of-state costs to similar amounts except for large urban cities which should be limited to $175.00.  Exceeding these limits will require special justification to be approved by the appropriate Vice President.
• Parking – Parking fees for State-owned and privately owned vehicles are reimbursable upon presentation of a paid receipt.
• Porterage and Gratuities – Gratuities are not an allowable reimbursement for state employees.  When paid as part of a billing for a banquet, luncheon, etc., gratuities will be allowed.  Porterage, in general, is not an allowable reimbursement for state employees.  It may be reimbursed when an employee flies to a major city out-of-state where there is no option concerning baggage handling.   Porterage may also be reimbursed when an employee has heavy, excess equipment needed to conduct official University business.

Travel Request forms may be obtained from Accounting.

TRAVEL REQUEST – PROCEDURES

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST – PROCEDURES

“Reimbursement for Personal Consumption Items at Employee’s Official Headquarters” contains additional reimbursement information.

TRAVEL ADVANCES

The Appropriations Act provides authority for advance travel payments as follows:

“That a State agency may advance travel and subsistence expense monies to employees of that agency for the financing of ordinary and necessary travel required in the conducting of the business of the agency.  The Budget and Control Board is directed to develop and publish rules and regulations pertaining to the advancing of travel expenses and no State agency shall make such advances except under the rules and regulations as published.  Provided, all advances for travel and subsistence monies shall be repaid to the agency within thirty (30) days after the end of the trip or by the end of the fiscal year, whichever comes first.”

Budget and Control Board policy regarding travel advances:

1. No travel advance shall be made to an employee for travel within the State of South Carolina without specific approval of the State Budget and Control Board.
2. No travel advance shall be made for more than 80% of the estimated amount of the total travel expense, excluding airline transportation and registration.
3. No advance shall be made in instances where 80% of the estimated travel expense does not exceed $250.00.

Travel advances should be requested from Accounting at least three (3) working days prior to departure.  Request for Travel Advance forms may be obtained from Accounting.

TRAVEL ADVANCES – PROCEDURES

TRAVEL  POLICY FOR STUDENTS

For any course or Student Life activity involving travel by students, responsible faculty or staff must, in addition to following normal Travel Request procedures, issue and complete the appropriate release form.

• If student travel is required for a course, the professor must on the first day of class issue to each student in the course a “Field Trip/Off Campus Academic Activities Release Form.”  This form may be attained from each Schools Dean’s office or the Provost’s Office.  Each student who acknowledges this travel requirement and wishes to remain in the course must sign and date the form and write in his/her Social Security number.  The professor must then collect these forms, sign them, and obtain the school dean or department chair’s signature.  Once the forms are complete, all white copies must be forwarded to the Provost’s Office and the yellow copies delivered to the students.

• If student travel is associated with any Student Life activity, each student member of the club/organization will be required by the faculty/staff sponsor to complete a “Student Life Travel Release Form” prior to traveling, including a parent/guardian’s signature if the student is under 18 years of age.  This form may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office.  The faculty/staff sponsor must then obtain the signature of either the Assistant Vice President of Student Development or the Vice President for Student Affairs.  Once the forms have been completed, the faculty/staff sponsor must forward all white copies to the Student Affairs Office and the yellow copies to the student.

The responsible faculty or staff member will note on travel request forms that all students traveling have completed an appropriate release form.

CASH ADVANCE PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT GROUP TRAVEL

I.       As soon as trip plans are known and no later than two weeks prior to departure date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Completes the upper portion of the five part travel request and forwards to the Provost or the appropriate Vice President for approval.  The amount of money requested should follow the same state guidelines used for faculty and staff.
2. Completes a purchase requisition if lodging is not to be charged on personal credit card and forwards to the Provost or appropriate Vice President for approval.
3. Upon approval from the Provost or appropriate Vice President, forwards gold copy of travel request, along with a list of students and faculty/staff members who will be travelling, to Accounting and forwards pink copy of travel request to Facilities Management.
4. If appropriate, forwards purchase requisition to the Purchasing Office.

II.      At least two days before departure date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Calls Accounting to verify availability of check for advance for meals and to schedule a time to pick up funds.  Money will not be advanced before two days prior to departure date.
2. If Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group cannot personally pick up the check advance, consults with Provost or appropriate Vice President and obtains written approval for a designee.
3. Calls the Purchasing Office to confirm motel has been prepaid or company has agreed to bill the University.

III.     Not more than two days prior to departure, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group may pick up check advance in Accounting.

IV.     During trip, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Obtains receipts for all money spent.  Credit card receipts are NOT acceptable.
2. Obtains signatures of those receiving meals and/or cash for meals.
3. Ensures State and University guidelines are followed concerning meal amounts and times of arrival and departure.

V.    Within 1 week after return date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

Completes bottom portion of travel request and forwards to Provost or appropriate Vice President for approval.  Returns completed travel request and any money not spent to Accounting.

Foreign Travel

While on foreign travel actual lodging expenses will be reimbursed. Fees for the purchase of traveler’s checks, passports and visas will be reimbursed provided a receipt is furnished. All expenses claimed must be converted to U.S. dollars and the conversion rate be properly documented.

If receipts are not provided, only the maximum daily rate established by the Federal Government for meals and incidentals can be claimed. When claiming reimbursement for actual expenses of meals that exceeds the daily rate, receipts are required. To locate the Foreign Per Diem Rates, including a breakdown of meals and incidental expenses, follow this link: http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

The John K. Cauthen Educational Media Center functions primarily for the use of the students, faculty, and staff of the University. All persons in these categories, upon presentation of a valid FMU I.D. card, are entitled to use facilities.

If there is no conflict with the primary function, any resident of the area may use the Media Center for reference and research. Special needs of public school teachers. clergymen, and research specialist in business and industry will be handled on an individual basis.

Students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools of the area may use the Media Center facilities for reference and research, but cannot check out material or equipment for home use.

The on-line public access catalog is the primary guide to materials in the Media Center. The collection is currently under conversion to the Library of Congress catalog system. A professional staff member can assist in locating materials.

Some titles have been designated by professors for use in specific class assignments and have been placed on “Closed Reserve” behind the Control Center. These materials must be used in the Resource Area.

1. Most materials and equipment are available only for use in the building. Arrangements can be made for short-term loan of materials to be used in the classroom. Professors can schedule equipment for these presentations.
2. Portable equipment used in the Resource Area such as stereo headsets, mono headsets, viewers, etc., can be obtained from the Control Center upon presentation of a University I.D.. Users are responsible for items checked out.
3. Any material may be removed from the shelf and used in the Resource Area. Users are requested not to re-shelve materials but to leave them on the wheeled carts near the storage shelving Student assistants will re-shelve materials.
4. If materials is damaged or if equipment does not operate properly, the user is asked to notify the person at the Control Center. Users are responsible for damage/loss of equipment and materials resulting from negligence. Repair or replacement charges will be based on current market value.

Access to Francis Marion University’s (FMU) computer systems and network is a privilege and not a right.  As such, access to computer systems and a network owned or operated by FMU imposes certain responsibilities and obligations and is granted subject to university policies, and local, state, and federal laws.

In making acceptable use of FMU resources you are expected to:

• Use resources only for authorized purposes.
• Protect your user id and system from unauthorized use. You are responsible for all activities on your user id or that originate from your system.
• Access only information that is your own, that is publicly available, or to which you have been given authorized access.
• Use only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license requirements.
• Use only legally obtained versions of sound recordings and movies downloaded from the network or internet.
• Be considerate in your use of shared resources. Refrain from monopolizing systems, overloading networks with excessive data, degrading services, or wasting computer time, connect time, disk space, printer paper, manuals, or other resources.

In making acceptable use of resources you are expected NOT to:

• Use another person’s system, user id, password, files, or data without permission.
• Use computer programs to decode passwords or access control information.
• Attempt to circumvent or subvert system or network security measures.
• Engage in any activity that might be purposefully harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, or damaging files or making unauthorized modifications to university data.
• Use university systems for commercial or partisan political purposes, such as using electronic mail to circulate advertising for products or for political candidates.
• Make or use illegal copies of copyrighted materials or software, store such copies on university systems, or transmit them over university networks.
• Use mail or messaging services to harass or intimidate another person, for example, by broadcasting unsolicited messages, by repeatedly sending unwanted mail, or by using someone else’s name or user id.
• Waste computing resources or network resources, for example, by intentionally placing a program in an endless loop, printing excessive amounts of paper, or by sending chain letters or unsolicited mass mailings.
• Use the university’s systems or networks for personal gain; for example, by selling access to your user id or to university systems or networks, or by performing work for profit with university resources in a manner not authorized by the university.
• Engage in any other activity that does not comply with the General Principles presented above.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policies

Copying, distributing, and downloading copyrighted materials, including music, videos, and games, for which you do not have the owner’s (copyright holder’s) permission is a violation of federal law. Compliance with federal copyright law is expected of all students, faculty, and staff at FMU. If you download and/or distribute unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings and movies, you are breaking the law and may be held legally liable for thousands of dollars in damages. Federal law provides severe penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or digital transmission of copyrighted materials. The FBI investigates allegations of criminal copyright infringement and violators are prosecuted.

Most peer-to-peer (P2P) software turns file sharing on by default as soon as the software is installed. This means that others may access materials on your computer without your knowledge, whether you have given permission or not. Downloading copyrighted music or movie files without permission is illegal. It is also illegal to share purchased music or movie files with others, again, whether you are aware that you have done it or not.

If you install P2P software, turn the file sharing options off. And, remember, if you are sharing materials inadvertently, you are still liable for violating copyright law.

WARNING: Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Francis Marion University reserves the right to terminate computing services of users who repeatedly infringe upon the rights of copyright owners. If you have questions about whether you may be infringing on another’s copyright, please review the online Crash Course on Copyright.

Enforcement

The University considers any violation of acceptable use principles or guidelines to be a serious offense and reserves the right to copy and examine any files or information resident on university systems or systems attached to the university network allegedly related to unacceptable use, and to protect its network from systems and events that threaten or degrade operations. Violators are subject to disciplinary action as prescribed in the student handbook. Offenders also may be prosecuted under laws including (but not limited to) the Communications Act of 1934 (amended), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986, The Computer Virus Eradication Act of 1989, Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property.

The system administrator will interpret this acceptable use policy, and he/she will attempt to contact users (via electronic mail or in writing) that are behaving inappropriately to discuss and correct their behavior. If a user continues to behave inappropriately, the system administrator may restrict, suspend, or revoke a user’s Internet access without further warning or discussion. A user may appeal the system administrator’s decision to the University’s Chief Information Officer, who will consult with the Vice President for Student Life or Vice President for Administration as appropriate for a decision. Users who have difficulties with others on the Internet (whether they are on campus or off campus) should report those problems to the system manager.

Information Disclaimer

Individuals using computer systems owned by FMU do so subject to applicable laws and University policies. FMU disclaims any responsibility and/or warranties for information and materials residing on non-university systems or available over publicly accessible networks. Such materials do not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or values of FMU, its faculty, staff, or students. These guidelines should not be construed as a limit on any individual’s right under the Constitution of the United States.

Digital Copyright Compliance

Downloading, copying and sharing material, such as music, movies, games, and applications, for which the copyright holder has not given you rights is both against the law and Francis Marion University’s (FMU) Acceptable Technology Resource Use Policy for computing resources.

Most peer-to-peer (P2P) software turns file sharing on by default as soon as the software is installed. This means that others may access materials on your computer without your knowledge, whether you have given permission or not. Downloading copyrighted music or movie files without permission is illegal. It is also illegal to share purchased music or movie files with others, again, whether you are aware that you have done it or not.

If you install P2P software, turn the file sharing options off. And remember, if you are sharing materials inadvertently, you are still liable for violating copyright law.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) also referred to as H.R. 4137, was signed into law on August 14, 2008. The HEOA primarily addresses obstacles that make it difficult for qualified students to obtain a college education, but it also includes specific statements requiring colleges and universities to comply with digital copyright laws.

This law requires us to take the following steps to deter illegal downloading:

• Use of one or more technology-based deterrents
• An annual disclosure to students describing copyright law and campus policies related to violating copyright law.
• A plan to “effectively combat” copyright abuse on the campus network using a “variety of technology-based deterrents”
• Provide access to and offer alternatives to illegal downloading

Technology-based Deterrents

FMU uses its firewall as a technology-based deterrent and monitors total Internet usage on a daily basis.  Certain application-level traffic related to P2P is currently monitored and rate-limited to help deter unlawful file sharing and adherence to the Digital Copyright Compliance Policy.

Annual Disclosure

FMU uses the following methods to inform the university community about the law and FMU’s response to copyright infringement claims:

• In order to use university technology resources, all members of the FMU Community endorse a Use Agreement that includes a section on copyright compliance.
• New student orientation materials will include information to make them aware of legalities associated with peer-to-peer file sharing.
• The annual newsletter distributed to FMU students during the early fall will include informational reminders regarding illegal distribution of copyrighted materials. .
• Computing support staff, which includes student workers, is made aware of legalities associated with peer to peer file sharing during annual training.
• Language is included in the Student Handbook outlining the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
• Student residence hall assistants are made aware of illegal peer-to-peer policies during annual orientation.

Offer alternatives to illegal file sharing

• Legal Sources of Online Content

Copyright Violation Notice 

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) actively notifies FMU of individuals on the network who are offering and/or receiving copyrighted movies or music recordings for download through peer to peer applications.

FMU takes these reports very seriously and will take steps to address any infringing activity. Failure to take these actions can potentially result in liability for the University itself. In addition to any University-imposed action, any student using his/her network access privileges to engage in the downloading, uploading, or other unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials is potentially at risk of becoming the target of legal action for copyright infringement. Legal actions in prior years have resulted in thousands of dollars in fines levied against our students.

As outlined in the Students’ Rights and Responsibilities in the Student Handbook, there is a judicial process for students violating University policies. These steps can include loss of network access through the residence halls and wireless network among other disciplinary actions deemed appropriate by Student Affairs. Please read your student handbook for more information.

WARNING: Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Francis Marion University reserves the right to terminate computing services of users who repeatedly infringe upon the rights of copyright owners. If you have questions about whether you may be infringing on another’s copyright, please review the online Crash Course on Copyright.

Reviewing Effectiveness

Compared to our peers, FMU receives remarkably few (averaging less than two per year) peer-to-peer file sharing take-down notices. We will continue to monitor these notices to watch for unexpected increases that would require additional measures.

Laboratory Access Policy

Computing resources are provided to currently enrolled students, faculty and staff at Francis Marion University as well as active alumni members.

Classroom Access Policy

Students should only be in the classrooms during scheduled classes/workshops with authorized instructors.

Computer Center Rules

Disk Write Rights:  No privileges are granted to write to any hard drive available in the Computer Center.

Piracy: The software and documents available are copyrighted products. They may NOT be reproduced, in part or in whole, for any purpose.

Viruses: Please use Norton’s Antivirus to scan your flash drive for viruses. You never know when one may be written to your media so you should do this often. If a virus is detected, follow the on screen prompts to remove it.

Sessions: Laboratory computing sessions are limited to 90 minutes. If there are people waiting after your 90 minutes has expired, you will be asked to relinquish your computer to the next user.

Climate: The laboratory operates with an atmosphere similar to library. No smoking, food, or drink is allowed. While talking and moving about is fine, the rights of others must be respected. Noise and other distracting behavior will not be tolerated.

Flash Drives: In order to use the PC’s you must have your own flash drive. These are sold in the University Store. The Computer Center does not sell or loan them.

Workstations: Are on a first come first served basis.

Telephone: The telephone is for business use. The student operator will dial the phone for you if you need to talk with your instructor. No long distance calls are allowed.

General use of SwampfoxMail is governed by Francis Marion University’s Acceptable Use Policy.

Mass e-mail should only be sent to students for the purpose of making significant announcements, conveying important University business, or providing reminders of University events. Such e-mail should be compelling, brief and to the point. Guidelines and forms for mass e-mail requests can be found on the website of the Vice-President for Student Affairs

As a security measure to prevent potential viruses, your mail account does not allow users to receive executable files (such as files ending in .exe) that could contain damaging executable code. Any message of this type sent to your mail account will be bounced back to the sender.

With your mail account, you can send and receive messages up to 20 megabytes (MB) in size. However, the precise amount allowable will depend on the attachment.

New students who apply, get accepted, but do not enroll in a class will have their SwampfoxMail account deleted.

Students who drop classes after mid term of each fall and spring will be deleted at the next fall or spring if they have not re-enrolled.

Graduating students will have their SwampfoxMail account access deleted according to the following schedule:

• For students graduating in fall semester, accounts will be deleted in August.
• For students graduating in spring or summer semesters, accounts will be deleted in January.

The Help Desk is open 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, and can be reached at (843) 661-1111.

Your Active Directory username (i.e. network and email credentials) is tied to a password in order to access the services on campus. It is important that you never share your password with anyone. Passwords are only good for a certain time period, at which point they “expire” and must be changed. This is to reduce the chance of a long lasting password from being used to access our services without authorization.

FMU Active Directory passwords must adhere to the following guidelines:

• They must be at least 8 characters in length.
• They must include characters and numbers.
• They cannot be reproductions of any of your previous 4 passwords.
• They have a maximum age of 120 days. (This is the “expiration period”.)

Pay-for-Print

Each registered student is required to use their campus ID card to print in public labs. The University will credit $12.50 per year to each student’s campus ID card to be used for printing. Once the print credits are used, additional printing will require that students have money on their campus ID card to cover printing costs. Additional funds can be added to the student’s campus ID card for prints/copies at the Cashier’s Office, room 104 in Stokes Administration Building. Unused print credits will be cleared before new print credits are applied each fall semester.

FMU-funded Allocations

• Fall Semester:  Each registered student will be issued $12.50 in print credits.
• Spring Semester:  Each newly registered student (does not include those who registered in the fall) will be issued a pro-rated $6.25 in print credits.
• Summer Semesters:  No print credits will be issued during the summer sessions.
• Unused Print Credits:  Will be cleared (zero balance) before applying new funds prior to each fall semester.

Pricing for Prints

• Black and white prints/copies are $0.06 each (duplex is two prints or $0.12).
• Color prints/copies are $0.10 each (duplex is two prints or $0.20).
• Prints/copies will be deducted first from the FMU-provided print credits. Once the FMU-provided print credits are used, printing will be debited from the student’s campus ID card debit balance. Funds can be added to the student’s campus ID card at the Cashier’s Office, room 104 in Stokes Administration Building starting at a minimum of $5.00.

Process for Printing

Printing in FMU’s public computer labs requires the use of a student campus ID card. The first time the campus ID card is used, the student will be required to “link” their campus ID card with their FMU network (Gmail) credentials. This is done when a student prints in a public computer lab for the first time by tapping the campus ID card on the card reader attached to the printer/copier and then entering their network (Gmail) username and password. Once this is done, the student only needs to print to the “follow me printer” queue and then tap their campus ID card at one of the printers located in the one of the public computer labs (i.e. Rogers Library, Cauthen Educational Media Center, Stanton Academic Computer Center) to complete their print request. Students must have enough funds to cover the queued print job on the student’s campus ID card before completing the print request.

***BE SURE TO LOGOUT AFTER COMPLETING YOUR PRINT/COPY REQUEST***

Public Lab Printing Instructions

1. Must have current FMU ID card
2. Must know login (FMU Gmail Account/FMU Network Credentials)
3. Must link ID with login during first-time use
   • Tap ID
   • Type in FMU Gmail (network) username (Do NOT need @g.fmarion) and password
   • Tap ID again to link information
4. When printing use Follow Me Printer (this is the default printer)
5. Go to any Public Lab printer
6. Tap your FMU ID card
7. A list of the document(s) sent to printer will appear
8. Select the document(s) you want to print (one at a time or print all)
9. Cost of printing document will appear on the printer screen (.06 per b&w copy/.10 per color copy)
10. Press print icon to release document(s) to that printer
11. Default settings are duplex (two sided = two copies) and stapled (IF stapler unit is on that printer)
12. Log out

Mobility Print from your own device, click here.

Printing Policy

For computer lab users in the Library and the Media Center and all facilities of Campus Technology:

Networked printers are provided to the University community for the pursuit of scholarly endeavors.

If you are involved with a business which requires printing, please find another way to do your printing. Commercial use of University printing resources is simply not allowed.

If your university department or student organization needs to print, please be reminded that the University has already provided you with a budget for this as well as a print shop if your needs are extensive. (For example, instructors requiring students to make multiple copies of materials for class distribution should seek departmental assistance with this instructional expense.) University departments and organizations should use their own printing resources.

Francis Marion University complies with the SACS Commission on Colleges’ distance education policies. These policies include procedures to protect student privacy and to ensure student authentication. Each student in a distance education course is assigned a login and password and must use this login and password to access and participate in the distance education course. For security reasons, this specific course and student information is not available to any outside users.

All Francis Marion students, including those enrolled in online, hybrid, or other distance education classes, are informed of the FMU honor code, standards of academic conduct, and standards of student behavior. Students enrolled in online, hybrid, or distance education courses must adhere to policies on electronic security that prohibit sharing of passwords and require students and faculty to prevent non-authorized persons from gaining access to their University computer accounts.

Faculty engaged in distance education actively seek to ensure the integrity and security of distance education instruction. The University encourages additional means of authentication and student privacy in distance education courses as new options become available.

No additional costs are associated with the authentication of student identity at Francis Marion University.

Francis Marion University provides free basic internet access to students living in FMU on-campus housing. This service is intended to support primarily the academic growth of the student, provide e-mail access, and basic internet browsing capability.

Implied Consent: In accessing the campus network through University supplied connections in the residence area, users agree to abide by the policies of the University and are subject to any applicable federal, state, or local laws and statutes. By connecting to the network, users consent to any activity monitoring deemed appropriate by the University computer system management staff.

The University reserves the right to disconnect users at any time for violation of the policies stated here. Notification of the violation will be forwarded to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Reconnection of service must be approved by the Vice President for Administration.

Network access requires the student to have a fully functional and personally maintained, network capable computer which includes:

• All critical updates from the operating system vendor installed and maintained
• Antivirus software installed and updated with the vendor’s virus definition or signature files and software patches
• A student-provided Ethernet patch cable
• A functional operating system on a computer which boots and runs with no critical errors, recognizes all properly installed hardware, and which has an operating system environment conducive to the varied demands of Internet access.

The following activities are considered inappropriate use of University assets, and are therefore prohibited:

• Promotion of commercial business in any form
• Software piracy or copyright infringement (e.g. peer-to-peer, BitTorrent, UTorrent, etc.)
• Any attempt to circumvent security or in any way gain unauthorized access to any computing resources (on or off-campus)
• Any deliberate practices to waste bandwidth or disrupt the campus network

In order to ensure the integrity of the campus network cabling system, the University imposes the following restrictions:

• Users may not alter or tamper with the data outlets, nor the wiring behind them.
• Users may not connect Wireless Routers or Access Points. If such devices are connected, we will give the user one warning. If this warning is not heeded, Student Affairs will be notified of the violation, and the user will be blocked from accessing the network.

In the interest of providing adequate basic service to all users, the University sets the following restrictions for residence area connections:

• No machine on the University’s network in the residence area may be used as a “server” of any kind. This includes, but is not limited to, Web servers, mail servers, FTP servers, news servers, and LAN servers.
• Computers in the residence areas are dynamically assigned IP addresses for internet access. Users may not configure their systems to use another address nor enable others to use their assigned address.
• Users connected to the residence area system may not establish domain names for their computers through free domain name services or by any other means.

Facilities Management Dispatch Services provides vehicle transportation to the University community traveling on University business.

Our professional staff coordinates vehicle delivery and return, prepare information packets (what to do in case of a breakdown, an accident, fueling card, and contact numbers) in advance of your departure date. Upon return they total the vehicle rental fee and bill out monthly on the travel cost. This service is provided so that your trip will be less burdensome.

Contact Tamara Gardner at 661-1100, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm, or you can email Tamara Gardner or Carolyn Mumford for your transportation needs.

2022-23 Petition – review your SAP information first to make sure that you are eligible to petition.

SAP Policy and Procedures

BUDGET CLASSIFICATIONS

It is the responsibility of each department head to determine the appropriate account for an expense. The following are guidelines for classifying expenses into proper categories; more specific classifications may be assigned for appropriate accountability.

Personal Services – All expenditures for the direct services of persons who are in the employment of Francis Marion University. Examples include:

Travel Classifications – Following are the two most commonly used travel classifications:

Travel – Regular: Expenditures by Francis Marion University employees while traveling on official business of the University.

Non-State Employee Travel: Expenditures for non-state employees while traveling during the performance of their services while under contract with the University. Travel paid to students and volunteer workers should be charged to this code as well.

Examples of Travel-Regular and Non-State Employee Travel expenditures include:

Please note that all payments are subject to Travel Policies and Procedures.

Contractual Services Classifications – Following are the most commonly used contractual services classifications:

Entertainment Expenses – Please note that there are new instructions and guidelines for Entertainment expenses and three new entertainment-related expense codes:

E3840 Student Functions and Events

E3841 Employee Functions and Events

E3842 Business Meals and Events

Please click the following link and scroll to page 3 for additional information regarding these codes at Entertainment Expense Documentation form.

Other Contractual Services – Expenditures for services which involve the use of equipment, materials, or commodities. Examples include:

Contractual Services – Technology: A classification used to delineate for tracking purposes those Other Contractual Services (see Other Contractual Services definition above) which are related to information technology (technology utilized to create, store, exchange and use information in its various forms) or are related to technology specific to an academic discipline. Examples include:

Supply Classifications – Following are the most commonly used supply classifications:

Supplies – Expenditures for articles or substances which have specific uses and, when they are applied to their respective uses, are subject to such changes that will consume them or render them unfit for continuous and permanent use. Also to be classified as Supplies expenses are purchases of articles, parts, or things of a permanent nature which can be used continuously and which cost less than $5,000.00. Items of this nature which cost $5,000.00 or more and meet the Equipment definition should be charged to Equipment (See Equipment explanation which follows). Transportation charges and taxes paid on Supplies are a part of the cost of Supplies and will be classified and charged as such. Examples include:

Supplies – Print Shop – Expense classification for charges for printing items by the University’s Office of Publications and Printing.

Postage Reimbursement – Expense classification for charges for off-campus mailing expenses by the University’s Office of Mail Services.

Supplies – Technology – A classification used to delineate for tracking purposes those Supplies expenditures (see Supplies definition above) which are for information technology (technology utilized to create, store, exchange and use information in its various forms) or for technological supplies specific to an academic discipline. Transportation charges and taxes paid on Supplies are a part of the cost of Supplies and will be classified and charged as such. Examples include:

Utilities – Expenditures relating to heating, cooling, light and power, gas, water, and any other utility necessary for operation of the University. The following examples have individual expenditure codes:

Equipment – Expenditures for moveable articles costing $5,000.00 or more and having a life expectancy of more than one year, including the purchase and lease/purchase of data processing equipment. Examples include the following if the item costs $5,000.00 or more:

BUDGET TRANSFERS & ADJUSTMENTS

Department heads are responsible for maintaining budget integrity. To serve as a planning guide for managing revenues and expenses, budgets are maintained at Francis Marion University as follows:

General Fund Accounts (1-Funds) – If expenses for an individual line item go over budget in a 1-fund account, purchases or payments are not restricted unless the total expenses exceed the total budget of that department, excluding personnel expenses.

Though not required in 1-fund accounts, department heads are encouraged to maintain positive budget balances in individual line items through the budget transfer/adjustment process to assist in planning and budget management efforts.

Other Funds (Unrestricted Designated, Restricted Expendable, etc.) – If expenses for an individual line item exceed the budget for that line item, purchase orders or payments can not be processed until a Budget Transfers/Adjustments form is initiated and processed to correct the negative balance in that line item.

Funds Transferred between Departments and New Awards – Funds transferred between departments require the approval of the donating department head. New awards require the approval of the appropriate Vice President and the President.

Budget Transfers/Adjustments Form – Forms may be obtained from the Office of Financial Services or downloaded and printed at Budget Transfers/Adjustments form (a Microsoft Excel file).  Forms should be mailed (in intra-campus mail or by e-mail) to the Financial Services Office.  Please allow a minimum of one week for processing.

Budget Transfers/Adjustments Form Procedures –

The Department Head:

• Completes Budget Transfers/Adjustments form.
• Obtains transfer approval from department head or individual authorized to approve departmental disbursements.

1. Funds transferred between departments – require the approval of the donating department head.
2. New awards – require the approval of the appropriate Vice President and the President.

• Forwards the request to the Office of Financial Services via printed form or e-mail.

The Financial Services Office:

• Verifies accuracy of budget codes and amount totals.
• Processes approved Budget Transfers/Adjustments form or notifies requester of request status.

At Francis Marion University, the following are guidelines to applying for and administering grants and contracts from the planning and proposal stages to receipt of the grant award and completion of the project:

SUBMITTING A GRANT PROPOSAL:

The Principal Investigator:

• Initiates a Grant Concept Approval form to request approval to apply for a grant. A Grant Concept Approval form secures permission to begin the application process and approves any necessary release time and/or matching resources (cash or in-kind). A completed Grant Concept Approval form which reflects this planning process should be signed by the Department Chair, Provost or Dean, and the President. The form can be downloaded at Grant Concept Approval form or by contacting the Director of Grants Development Program in the Associate Provost Office (Stokes Administration Building, room 116). The Dean or Department Head will plan the coordination of departmental resources and release time should the grant be awarded to the University.

• Provides a draft of the grant proposal to the Director of the Grants Development Program in the Associate Provost Office (Stokes Administration Building, room 116).  That Office will send a copy to the Financial Services Office for review. The two offices will coordinate assistance as necessary to ensure that the grant proposal adheres to State, Federal, and grantor regulations.

• Completes the process by making the appropriate number of copies and mailing them to the grantor as well as forwarding copies to the Provost, the Grants Development Office and the Financial Services Office.

The Financial Services Office:

• Reviews the budget section of the grant proposal.

• Submits the budget to the Human Resources Office (if appropriate) to verify the budget for personnel costs.

• Requests completion by the Principal Investigator of the Certification for Exemption Form if specialized equipment is required by the grant and coordinates with the FMU Purchasing Office. Prior to acceptance of certification, the project must be reviewed by the Dean or Department Head, Vice President or Provost (as appropriate), and the Financial Services Office.

• Completes appropriate GCR forms if grant amount is greater than $200,000 and submits them to the Office of State Budget 65 days prior to the submission of the grant application to the grantor as required by state regulations.

• Requests grant status from Principal Investigator at 30 day intervals until award disposition is known.

IF THE GRANT IS AWARDED:

The Principal Investigator:

• Provides Financial Services a copy of the award letter. If signature of acceptance is required, traditionally the VP of Business Affairs should sign; however, the Provost or President may sign on behalf of the University.

• Coordinates the use of departmental resources and release time arrangements with appropriate Dean or Department Head.

• Submits any grantor approved budget changes to the appropriate Vice President, Provost, or Director who will then provide written notification to the Financial Services Office of such changes.

• Requests approval of changes in program personnel from the Provost (or other Vice President, or President, as appropriate) and seeks written approval of the changes from the grantor. Forwards correspondence from grantor to the Provost (or other Vice President, or President, as appropriate) and to the Office of Financial Services.

• Prepares reports as required by grant guidelines.

• Completes progress reports, final reports, and requests for renewal funding at least 15 days prior to due date.

• Submits quarterly personnel Activity Reports for federally sponsored programs that include payroll costs 45 days after the end of the quarter.

• Incorporates financial reports as completed by the Financial Services Office.

• Makes the designated number of copies and forwards to the Financial Services Office.

The Financial Services Office:

• Submits the GS-7 form to the Office of State Budget within 14 days of receiving project award notice, if project is less than $200,000.

• Sends Funding Verification form to grantor, as appropriate.

• Sets up budget and circulates budget codes.

• Notifies the Principal Investigator of the specific requirements of the Activity Reports for federal programs with personnel services expenditures.

• Sends Notification of Grant Award forms to Human Resources, Accounting, Purchasing, and Public and Community Affairs.

• Verifies all purchase orders, requisitions, travel requests, release time, and personnel services expenditures to ensure adherence to budget.

• Verifies report schedules with Principal Investigator; sends reminders 30 days prior to due date.

• Completes all financial reports and ensures submission of accurate Activity Reports in a timely manner.

• Monitors budget until all funds are received and the project is complete.

• Verifies all reports and is responsible for forwarding reports to the grantor at least 10 days prior to the due date.

Introduction

The facilities at Francis Marion University and the acreage which comprise the campus exist to support the educational mission of the University. Requests for the use of facilities by students, faculty and staff which address academic and student life needs are given first priority. Other requests to use University space are given due consideration as they impact the educational mission and resources of the University.

This policy is intended to facilitate the fair allocation and efficient use of facilities at Francis Marion University and to provide for the uniform and consistent administration of facility usage. This policy applies to the temporary use of specific facilities on the Francis Marion University campus that are made available for meetings, activities, and events. The following procedures are used to coordinate the various needs for space and to prevent conflicting events.

Campus Space Coordinator – The Francis Marion University Campus Space Coordinator and the University Space Committee are responsible for scheduling the use of campus facilities. Requests for the use of campus facilities must be submitted to the Campus Space Coordinator who will schedule all space requests with the respective building coordinator.

Reservation Assignments – Francis Marion University facilities are reserved in the order in which requests are received, with the consideration being given to the size of the group, type of set up needed, and space availability. The University reserves the right to assign and, if necessary, reassign facilities to assure the maximum and most appropriate utilization of University facilities.

Definitions

University Groups – Recognized University groups, units/offices, and registered student organizations.

Non-University Groups – Groups other than recognized University Groups that are legally separate from the University, even though some of the members or participants may be University personnel, alumni, or students. Includes non-University non-profit or for-profit groups.

University Employees or Current Students – Individual University employees or current students not part of a registered student organization.

Jointly-Sponsored Events – Events & Conferences scheduled by University groups, units/offices, and registered student organizations that jointly sponsor with a non-University group (non-profit or for-profit). The University group shall be responsible for all aspects of the event or conference.

Reserving Space

Event Scheduling – Reservation and use of University facilities is requested on a Facilities Reservation Request form, is scheduled through the Campus Space Coordinator, and must be approved by the University Space Committee. To initiate this process, contact the Space Coordinator at the Office of Financial Services in Stokes Administration Building, Room 107, telephone (843) 661-1133. Reservations for use of The Cottage must be made to the FMU Foundation Office (843) 661-1380. Reservation of the Performing Art Center must be made to the PAC Office at (843) 661-1720.

Advance Scheduling

University Groups – University Groups may schedule events up to 12 months in advance. University Groups may schedule a major event up to two years in advance. A major event is defined as a conference or similar activity requiring multiple rooms and where a commitment for facilities is required more than one year in advance.  Student organizations may schedule events during the current semester.

Non-University Groups – Non-University Groups may schedule an event up to 60 days in advance.

University Employees or Current Students – Individual University employees or current students not part of a registered student organization may schedule an event up to 60 days in advance.

Summer Camps/Programs – Please contact the Coordinator of the University Center at (843) 661-1189 concerning Summer Camps/Programs.

Reservation Procedures

1) Check Availability – Contact the Campus Space Coordinator in the Office of Financial Services in Room 107, Stokes Administration Building or at (843) 661-1133 to determine if space is available.

A tentative hold may be placed on a space until confirmed by a Facilities Reservation Request Form and by a deposit, if one is required. If a second group requests the same space, the Campus Space Coordinator will ask the first group to complete the reservation or the space will be released.

2) Complete & Return a Facilities Reservation Request form – This form can be obtained from the Office of Financial Services.

For student organizations, a Facilities Reservation Request must be signed by the advisor of the student organization before being submitted. Events scheduled by student organizations should also be coordinated through and may require the signature of the Coordinator of Student Life.

3) Request Catering and Additional Services If Needed – Contact Dining Services if appropriate for the event (see Catering for Events section and Requesting Additional Services section below for additional information).

University Groups must have authorized signature approvals and billing information as appropriate on forms for all services including facilities, catering, and additional services.

4) Receive Approval Notification – Space use is not approved until notification is received from the Space Coordinator.

Timing – Space should be requested and forms should be filed at least two weeks in advance for routine events and earlier for large events or those requiring special preparation.

Events in the Smith University Center – should also be coordinated with the Coordinator of the University Center at (843) 661-1189.

Extraordinary Events – Requests for events which require extraordinary University services and use of facilities may be referred to senior administration by the Campus Space Coordinator for evaluation.

Opening and Closing of Facilities – After hours and on weekends, Campus Police may open facilities based on the Facilities Reservation Request. To preclude a space being left unattended, no facility will be opened until a member of the requesting group is on hand to assume responsibility for the area. The individual and/or group is financially liable for any and all damages to University equipment, facilities, and grounds as duly determined by the University.

Catering for Events

Dining Services Provider – Catering for events can be arranged through the contracted University Dining Services provider by calling the Catering Manager at (843) 661-1262 to coordinate menus and services after the appropriate facility has been scheduled. Outside individuals or groups are not allowed to bring in food.

University Departments and Registered Student Groups requesting catering should complete and submit the Entertainment Expense Documentation form. This form can be printed online and then completed and submitted in paper form.

All Other Individuals or Groups requesting catering should contact the Catering Manager at (843) 661-1262.

Additional Procedures:

• The Entertainment Expense Documentation form may be obtained from the Office of Financial Services (843-661-1133) or from Dining Services (843-661-1260).
• Each form should be completed and submitted to the Dining Services Office or the Office of Financial Services at least three working days prior to the event.
• Forms cannot be processed unless a Facilities Reservation Request form has been approved by the Space Committee.
• The Individual or Group will receive notification of approval or disapproval from the Director of Dining Services.
• A guaranteed guest count should be provided at least 48 hours prior to the event.

Requesting Additional Services

If a particular meeting or event requires services other than the opening and closing of facilities or the provision of existing seating and lighting, please complete the Campus Event Services Request form.

The Campus Event Services Request form

• This form can be obtained from the Office of Financial Services at (843) 661-1133.
• The Campus Event Service Request form should be submitted for approval to the Office of Financial Services or the Director of Facilities Services at the same time campus space is reserved. The form should be submitted at least three weeks in advance. Requests for major events should be coordinated with the Director of Facilities Services as far in advance as possible.
• This form is not approved until notification is received from the Director of Facilities Services in the Office of Facilities Management.

To coordinate set-up services, please contact the Director of Facilities Services at (843) 661-1108. In the absence of the Director of Facilities Services, please contact the Superintendent of Custodial Services at (843) 661-1103.

(UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL ONLY)  Audio Visual Equipment and Services Provided by the University – Request by calling the Office of Instructional Technology and Electronic Media Services at (843) 661-1250.

Charges for Lighting or Sound Personnel – Individuals or groups needing use of University lighting and/or sound systems will be charged for authorized FMU personnel to run these systems.

Outside Audio-Visual Equipment

• Individuals or groups are allowed to bring in audio visual equipment but Francis Marion University will not provide storage for and assumes no liability for outside equipment.
• Sound amplification equipment may not be used in any areas other than in the assigned facilities for scheduled events.
• Sound volume must be closely coordinated as not to disrupt or interfere with University operations, events, or classes.
• Individuals or groups should be sensitive to the nature of lyric content when amplified music or other audio-visual media is played in venues open to the public.
• Advance coordination will be required if equipment needs to be tied into house power (i.e. cannot simply be plugged into a normal wall outlet) so that a qualified FMU electrician can supervise safe connection.

Potential Additional Fire, Police, and Security Requirements

• Francis Marion University Campus Police Department (FMUPD) reserves the right to require fire, police or other security personnel for events at Francis Marion University. The need shall be determined based on the time, place, and type of event, anticipated crowd and any extraordinary requests from the requesting parties.
• Law enforcement personnel may also be provided at the request of the sponsoring group.
• Events requiring security coverage will not be permitted if adequate security is unavailable.
• To allow sufficient security for the event, law enforcement personnel must be coordinated in advance with the Francis Marion University Campus Police Department.
• If a police presence is required, please complete the FMUPD Special Event/Request for Police Officers form. This form can be obtained from the FMU Campus Police Department, the Office of Financial Services, or the Office of Student Affairs.

–  must be completed by the individual or group requesting the services.

–  for student organizations, must be signed by the organization’s advisor.

–  is completed along with the other forms relevant to the space begin requested.

–  must be turned in to Campus Police at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.

• All Special Event requirements outlined in the Student Handbook must be complied with including additional requirements when hosting large events.
• The individual or group sponsoring the event is responsible for all applicable security charges.
•  Campus Police can be contacted by calling (843) 661-1109.

Rental Rate Categories

The following categories shall be used in determining the rental rates for Francis Marion University facilities:

University Groups – Events scheduled by University groups, units/offices, and registered student organizations whose primary audience is Francis Marion University students, faculty or staff with no admission charge or other solicitation of funds (i.e. donations) associated with the event are exempt from room rental charges with the exception of state, regional and or/national conferences coordinated by the University group on behalf or in collaboration with an external, non-University group (see Jointly-sponsored events). University groups holding fund-raising events where admission is charged must contribute an agreed-upon fee for facilities.

Non-University Groups – Events scheduled by all non-University non-profit or for-profit groups are subject to standard room rental charges.

University Employees or Current Students – Events scheduled by individual University employees or current students not part of a student organization (see University Groups paragraph noted above) are subject to standard room rental charges.

Jointly-Sponsored Events – Events & Conferences scheduled by University groups, units/offices, and registered student organizations that jointly sponsor with a non-University group (non-profit or for-profit) are subject to standard room rental charges. The University group shall be responsible for all aspects of the event or conference.

Facilities and Additional Charges

Facilities Charges

The University reserves the right to require a payment on facilities charges.

Additional Charges

Charges may be incurred for facilities usage as well as separate day(s) needed for set-up and clean-up. Additional charges may also be incurred including set-up costs, extending beyond approved reserve times, fees for personnel for lighting, sound, security (Campus Police), custodial services, etc., or other additional costs not noted.

Individuals or groups may be charged for damages to University furnishings, equipment, facilities, or landscaping as well as missing University property (extension cords for example), or cleaning costs due to trash or materials left behind.  If the event is catered by the University’s Dining Services provider, Dining Services is responsible for disposing of all garbage/trash.

Payment Due Date – If a facilities charge and/or charges for additional services are assessed, payment in full is due within two (2) weeks of invoice date. A late charge will be applied for delinquent payments.

Cancellation Procedures & Charges

·          Cancellation of an event should be made by calling (843) 661-1133 Monday through Friday. If necessary to cancel during the weekend, due to the proximity to the event date, please call Campus Police at (843) 661-1109.

·          University groups must report cancellation of an event at least 48 hours prior to the event.

·          All other individuals or groups must report cancellation of an event at least seven business days prior to the event or forfeit the deposit if one had been required.

·          Failure to report cancellation in a timely manner may result in a charge of up to $50 or more.

·          If an individual or group cancels an event, the individual or group will be held responsible for all charges incurred as a result of any commitments made to facilitate the event.

Guidelines & Rules

Sponsor Accountability – The individual or group sponsoring an event is held accountable for the actions of the participants throughout the Francis Marion University campus.

Observance of Rules and Policies – Individuals or groups using Francis Marion University facilities shall assume full responsibility for adherence to University policies as well as all local, state and federal laws regarding the use of facilities. This includes but is not limited to policies stated on the University’s website including the Code of Student Conduct as well as other University policies located in the Rights and Responsibilities section of the printed copy of the Student Handbook.

Denial of Use of Facilities – Violation of any section of this policy may result in subject individuals or group(s) being denied the privilege of continued or future use of Francis Marion University facilities. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Campus Space Coordinator within five working days of the issue being appealed. The appeals statement must contain grounds for the appeal and include all information presented for appeal. Decisions will be communicated to all parties within ten business days.

Supervision of Minors – Groups with participants under the age of 18 must provide adequate adult supervision.

Alcoholic Beverages – The possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages on the Francis Marion University campus is strictly prohibited except where permitted by established University policy. The University will enforce federal, state, and local laws, as well as its own alcohol and drug policies. The purpose of the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy Summary located in the Rights and Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook (as well as policies contained in the FMU Faculty Handbook, and the FMU Staff Handbook) is to address those areas wherein the consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages is permissible and to establish under what conditions such consumption and/or possession is permitted.

Drugs – All State, Federal, and local laws will be strictly enforced. The possession of stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinatory drugs, drug paraphernalia, and/or other agents having potential for mental or physical harm (except when these agents have been prescribed by a physician) is prohibited. Likewise, the selling, exchanging, and giving away of such drugs to any person not intended to possess them is prohibited. Prescribed medications should remain in the original marked containers.

Tobacco-Free Designation – Francis Marion University facilities are designated as tobacco-free.

Weapons – Possession and/or use of any weapons or simulated weapons including, but not limited to, firearms, BB/pellet/air guns, blow guns, paint ball guns, sling shots or other projectile weapons; hatchets, knives or other edged weapons; bows/arrows, explosives, fireworks, chemical components expelled by compressed gases (i.e. OC or pepper spray); impact weapons (i.e., nun chucks, slap jacks, or other martial arts type weapons); electrical shock devices (i.e. stun guns or Taser type weapons); dangerous/noxious chemical mixtures, incendiary devices, propelled missiles or other dangerous substances is prohibited and may be illegal.

Advertising – Advertising an event prior to event confirmation is prohibited and may result in denial of the request to use Francis Marion University facilities. All advertising for fund raising activities sponsored by University groups must prominently display the name of the sponsoring department or student organization.

Disclaimer Requirement for Printed Materials – Non-University individuals or groups may be asked to include the following statement in any printed materials related to a scheduled event: “Use of Francis Marion University facilities does not imply University sponsorship.”

Sales and Solicitations – Some sales or solicitations are permitted at Francis Marion University, but only as part of the legitimate fund raising activities of a student organization or University group. Requests for approval of any form of solicitation must be made in writing to the Dean of Students Office no later than seven business days preceding the proposed date of the activity. Following content approval by the Dean of Students Office; the appropriate space must be reserved. Sales and Solicitations must abide by the: “Solicitation Policy” in the Rights & Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook. Also, see the “Solicitation on Campus by Student Organizations” in the Student Services section of the printed Student Handbook.

All items and procedures for sale must comply with South Carolina law. All of the profits generated by a sale or solicitation conducted at Francis Marion University must be used for the activities of the sponsoring student organization, University group, or their publicly stated cause, e.g., a charitable organization. A fundraiser request form must be approved by the Office of Student Affairs prior to the event and a financial report must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs after the fundraiser.

Distribution of Literature, Petition Drives, Surveys and Similar Activities – These activities must be conducted only from a reserved location, in accordance with the University Literature Distribution Policy (see the Rights & Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook), and with the approval of the Office of Student Affairs.

Pets – No pets are allowed with the exception of service animals (animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities).

Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Property – Francis Marion University is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged property belonging to users of the facilities.

Damages, Missing Items, or Trash – Individuals or groups are responsible for returning University facilities (including classrooms) to the original or better condition than prior to the event including the removal of trash, decorations, and materials. Damages, missing items, or trash may result in additional charges (see Facilities Charges section).

Decorations, Exhibits, and Displays

1.      Decorating and posting limitations must be discussed with the Campus Space Coordinator at the time the event is scheduled. No tape, glue, tacks, Velcro, staples, pins, or nails are permitted on the walls, doors, floors, ceilings, glass, draperies, or woodwork of Francis Marion University facilities without approval of the respective building coordinator.

2.      Doorways, hallways, corridors, staircases and fire exits cannot be blocked or obstructed; all fire alarm pull stations, hydrants, and extinguishers must remain unobstructed and accessible by someone in a wheelchair.

3.      Light bulbs may not be placed where the heat from the bulbs might create a fire hazard.

4.      The use of candles or incense is not permitted.

5.      Table centerpieces must be non-flammable or constructed of fire resistant materials.

6.      Special effects equipment, such as smoke, fog and fire machines, sparklers, etc., is not permitted without approval of the Director of Campus Police at (843) 661-1109.

7.      The use of glitter, rice, or similar materials in decorations and activities is not permitted.

8.      Decorations, exhibits, displays, and directional signs must be removed immediately following the event or activity, unless the respective building coordinator has approved other arrangements.

9.      The University (or it’s designated vendor) is not responsible for the loss of any materials, displays, gifts, favors or other items left in a building or on the grounds.

10. Any special needs for decorations, exhibits, and displays beyond the scope of this policy must be approved by Francis Marion University.

Liabilities and Limitations

Francis Marion University, its respective officers, employees, agents, and assigns explicitly disclaim any and all liability, damage, injury, or death resulting from the use of its facilities by University or non-University individuals or groups, regardless of whether or not such liability, damage, injury, or death arises, in whole or in part, from the negligence of Francis Marion University, its Board of Trustees, its respective officers, employees, agents, and assigns. Further, University or non-University individuals or groups, their officers, employees, agents, or assigns shall hold harmless and indemnify Francis Marion University, its Board of Trustees, its respective officers, employees, agents, and assigns from any and all liability, damage, injury, or death resulting from the use of its facilities, regardless of whether or not such liability, damage, injury, or death arises, in whole or in part, from the negligence of Francis Marion University, its respective officers, employees, agents, and assigns.

The Patriot Card:

The Patriot Card is your official University ID card, your meal plan card (if enrolled in a meal plan at the University), and your debit card (if you deposit funds onto the card to purchase items from the FMU Bookstore, The Grille, or the Ervin Dining Hall). The card is non-transferable and must be returned upon request of the University. Because misuse of cards may have a negative impact on both students and the institution in general, students are expected to protect their card and abide by all terms and conditions associated with the use of the Patriot Card. The Patriot Card and its accounts, all forms, and records of its use are property of the University. Use of the Patriot Card may be revoked at any time.

Use of the Patriot Card as a Debit Card:

Card Accounts: (1) A Patriot Card Account is a record of pre-deposited funds accessed by the cardholder for the purpose of purchasing products and services. (2) There is no daily limit to the number of transactions that can be made; however, no debits shall exceed the amount deposited into the account. (3) The University will not pay interest on balances in a card account. (4) The card holder understands that the account is non-transferable. (5) The account will be activated upon receipt by the University of an initial deposit.  Note: Dependent of the manner in which funds are deposited onto the card balances may not be available immediately following the deposit of funds. See the deposit procedures below for more details. (6) The card holder is responsible for monitoring his or her own account balances.

Deposits may be made as follows: (1) Through the University’s on-line accounting payment system. Note: Deposits may be made with tuition bill during the fee payment process, or at any time during the year with a debit or credit card. The availability of deposited funds to the Patriot Card may not be instantly after the transaction. Automated transactions generally take several hours to process and may not be available within the first 6 hours after deposit. (2) In person in the Dining Service Office located in the Ervin Dining Hall. Note: Balances are available instantly. (3) In person at the Cashiers Office. Note: The availability of deposited funds to the Patriot Card may not be instantly after the transaction. Automated transactions generally take several hours to process and may not be available within the first 6 hours after deposit.

Fees: There are no fees associated with transactions using the Patriot Card. A check that is presented for deposit onto an account which is returned by the bank as uncollectible, will be assessed a fee of $30 per check.

Returns of Merchandise: Merchandise may be accepted for return in accordance with the refund policy in effect at the place of purchase of the products or services. Any refunds shall be credited to the Patriot Card account. Note: FMU can not guarantee instant crediting back to the Patriot Card account; however, most refunds are processed and credits are available generally within 6 hours of a return. No cash refunds will be made for any purchase made with the Patriot Card.

Refund of Balances, and Account Closure: Request for refunds from your Patriot Card is granted only upon graduation, withdrawal from the University, or termination of employment (employees of FMU). The administrator of the Patriot Card system will determine the inactive accounts having been inactive for more than 6 months with balances remaining in the account. These accounts will be reconciled to the card holder’s academic status to determine if the student is in inactive status. If the card holder is determined to be inactive academically, and the balances have not been claimed within 6 months of becoming inactive these balances will be forfeited to the University less an administration fee provided to the Patriot Card Administrator for card monitoring. Balances forfeited to the University will be credited to the FMU Scholarship fund. Request for refunds should be requested in writing to the Dining Services Office located in the Ervin Dining Hall. If a student has outstanding balances due to the University, refunds will be reduced by the amounts owed the University.   Balances of less than $5 will not be reimbursed.

Lost or Stolen Cards: Lost or stolen Patriot Cards should be reported immediately to the Office of Dining Services in the Ervin Dining Hall.  A $15 card replacement fee will be charged to the student’s FMU account at the time a replacement card is issued. It is the student’s responsibility to pay to the Cashiers Office promptly upon receipt of the replacement card. FMU is not responsible for any account balances or transactions that occur as a result of lost or stolen cards. It is the card holder’s responsibility to promptly notify the Card Administrator of lost or stolen cards.

Changes in Terms and Conditions: Cardholder’s use of the Patriot Card provides consent to all terms and conditions. Francis Marion University may change any and all terms and conditions without sending a written notice to the participant. Changes will be posted to the University’s website at least 30 days prior to the effective date of change. Participant’s use of their Patriot Card on or after the effective date of the change provides consent to all amended terms and conditions. It is the card holder’s responsibility to stay informed of any and all changes made to the terms and conditions.

Effective date of this Agreement: This card holder agreement is effective for all active cards in use on or after January 1, 2011.

Original / Amended Agreement Effective Date: January 1, 2011.

The Development Office assists with the coordination of all campus fundraising efforts (except those involving student organizations).  The Development Office organizes, plans, and carries out annual fundraising campaigns for the Annual Fund, the Swamp Fox Club and special projects.  The Development Office identifies prospects and works with donors who wish to make restricted and unrestricted gifts to the University.   The office prepares proposals to solicit major gifts from individuals, foundations, businesses, industry, and other community/civic organizations.

All gifts of cash are received in the Development Office which is also responsible for receipting funds appropriately and acknowledging and reporting gifts.  Non-Cash Gifts are also recorded in the Development Office.  A Non-Cash Gifts Form is used for reporting such gifts.  This form may be obtained in the Development Office.  The office maintains records of donor activities and plans special events to cultivate and recognize donor generosity.

Any academic or administrative department or division which plans to solicit funds from the private sector should coordinate such activities through the Development Office.

The Development Office records, receipts, and acknowledges all gifts to Francis Marion University or the FMU Foundation. Donors may designate their gifts to either Francis Marion University or the FMU Foundation. The Development Office has in place mechanisms to direct gifts and gift income as required by the University and/or the donor. Donors wishing to give to the University should contact Development Office directly at (843) 661-1295.

It is important to recognize that gifts classified as equipment, supplies, construction, architectural services, engineering services, or other services or in-kind contributions may require that we obtain prior approval from the State Budget and Control Board Office of General Services. Therefore, no commitment should be made to a donor in advance of all necessary approvals.

Gifts of real estate, personal property, equipment and other in-kind items will be assessed at fair market value. Documentation of gifts at fair market value must be provided to comply with IRS rules and guidelines and to insure accurate records and asset control. The donor should furnish the fair market value of a non-cash gift. For gifts valued at $5,000 or higher a written certification by a qualified appraiser may be required in accordance with IRS regulations (Form 8283). This form may be obtained from the Development Office. It is the donor’s responsibility to obtain the gift appraisal.

The Non-Cash Gifts form should be used to report non-cash gifts to the University or the FMU Foundation. Information should be collected to comply with IRS regulations and properly recognize those individuals making the gift. The form should be completed by the individual or department anticipating the gift, and properly routed and signed prior to gift acceptance. It is required that the gift not be contingent upon any conditions, whether by gratis advertising, monetary, or any form of financial gain to the donor.

For certain gifts, it may be necessary to consult with the Director of the Physical Plant to insure that all requirements can be met prior to accepting the gift:

• gifts that require permanent connection to the building or to any building service (electricity, water supply or drain, ventilation, gas, air, steam)
• gifts that require the addition or extension of any building service, including electricity at a different voltage or increase in power available
• gifts that require special cabinetry, support, or housing not acquired as part of the equipment
• gifts that require special environmental conditions
• gifts that are particularly large or heavy
• gifts that require any cutting, patching, or building modification

Actions required for completing the process:

1. The individual/department potentially accepting the gift contacts the Development Office and completes the Non-Cash Gift Form.
2. The completed form is forwarded to the Provost or appropriate Vice President.
3. All forms are then routed and reviewed by the Vice President for Business Affairs.
4. The Vice President for Business Affairs forwards the form to the Director of Purchasing to obtain Office of General Services approval if required.
5. The Director of Purchasing routes the form to the Development Office after Office of General Services approval.
6. The Development Office records and acknowledges the gift to the donor and forwards the form to the Accounting Office and a copy to the department accepting the gift.
7. The Accounting Office records the gift and notifies appropriate offices/departments if further action is needed.  (Example: notifying departments responsible for asset control and insurance.)

We have created this statement to demonstrate our firm commitment to your privacy. We do not collect personally identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. This policy is your guide to how we will handle information we learn about you from your visit to our Web site.

Use of Links

Throughout our Web pages, we provide links to other servers which may contain information of interest to our readers. We take no responsibility for, and exercise no control over, the organizations, views, or accuracy of the information contained on other servers. Creating a text link from your Web site to our site does not require permission. If you have a link you’d like us to consider adding to our Web site, please send an email to webmaster@clientURL.org with the subject “Link request.”

Use of Text and Images

If you would like to publish information that you find on our Web site, please send your request to webmaster@clientURL.org. Where text or images are posted on our site with the permission of the original copyright holder, a copyright statement appears at the bottom of the page. Information about using our logo and images is available in Media Resources.

Accessibility

This Web site is designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities, and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the site more accessible, please contact us at webmaster@clientURL.org.

Reading or Downloading

We collect and store only the following information about you: the name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example, aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online account, or princeton.edu if you are connecting from Princeton University’s domain), the date and time you access our site, and the Internet address of the Web site from which you linked to our site.

We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, and to help us make our site more useful to visitors.

Online Profile Updates and Donations

If you complete the Profile update form and share your personally identifying information, this information will be used only to provide you with more targeted content. We may use your contact information to send further information about our organization or to contact you when necessary. You may always opt-out of receiving future mailings; see the “Opt Out” section below.

Sending us an Email

You also may decide to send us personally identifying information, for example, in an electronic mail message containing a question or comment, or by filling out a Web form that provides us this information. We use personally identifying information from email primarily to respond to your requests. We may forward your email to other employees who are better able to answer you questions. We may also use your email to contact you in the future about our programs that may be of interest.

We want to be very clear: We will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. Except as might be required by law, we do not share any information we receive with any outside parties.

If you sign up for one of our email lists, we will only send you the kinds of information you have requested. We won’t share your name or email address with any outside parties.

Kids and Privacy

For children who visit our site, special rules apply. We do not request personal information about children, such as first and last name or street address and city. When kids send email to us, their online contact information (email address) is not used to re-contact them and is not maintained in retrievable form.

Opt-Out or Change Your Contact Information

Our site provides users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us through a special online form. You may choose to receive only specific communications or none at all. You may also update your contact information previously provided to us through another online form. You can not remove yourself from our database, but you can prevent unwanted communication.

General Information

The Swamp Fox Club, formerly the Patriots Brigade, is the official booster club that generates support for the Francis Marion University Athletic Department.  Renaming this organization honors the Swamp Fox himself – General Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War hero who outfoxed the British to help America win its independence and for whom the University is named.

On an annual basis, more than 175 student-athletes receive some scholarship assistance from the Swamp Fox Club.  The athletic booster club has developed into a vitally important support group for the Athletic Department, pursuing the excellence, integrity and pride in the University’s athletic program.

Vision for the Future

The Swamp Fox Club plays a vital role in Patriot Athletics’ continued success.  As educational expenses continue to rise, it will become increasingly more difficult to achieve academic and athletic excellence.  These dramatic increases make reliance on private support a must in providing financial assistance for our student-athletes.

Planned Gifts

You can make a substantial contribution to the Patriot Athletic Scholarship Fund through gifts in trust, charitable annuities, endowed scholarships, life insurance policies, and bequests.  Many of these options provide significant tax savings, as well as rates of return significantly higher than traditional investments.  For more information on planned giving to Francis Marion University Athletics, please contact our office at (843) 661-1240.

Methods of Contribution

Each year alumni and friends of Francis Marion University make a variety of gifts in support of athletic and academic excellence.  Each contributor can elect to make a gift in a way that best suits his or her personal preference.  Gifts made to the Swamp Fox Club are tax deductible.

Cash and Other Gifts

Cash is the most common form of giving.  Contributions provide the yearly financial resources necessary to operate our athletic program.  Some contributors may elect to give stock, securities, real estate or life insurance policies.

Matching Gifts

This method goes hand-in-hand with cash gifts.  If your company is a participant in a matching gift program, you receive credit in the Swamp Fox Club for the total contribution – a great way to double or triple the impact of your gift and increase your membership level and its privileges!  See your personnel officer for complete information on matching gifts.

Planned and Estate Gifts

Contributors can make life income arrangements and donate monies using trusts, gift annuities, pooled income funds, etc. Individuals can choose to make provisions in their estates for the support of our athletic program, using a variety of gift vehicles. These gifts can provide present and future support for Francis Marion University athletics and can offer you valuable tax advantages and income benefits.

Tax Implications

All contributions to the Swamp Fox Club for the Athletic Scholarship Fund are deductible for tax purposes. These gifts are credited for full value for purposes of gift record at the university. However, in order to comply with IRS laws concerning charitable contributions, the value of any benefits received must be subtracted from the amount of the gift. If you wish to claim a deduction for your entire gift amount, you may elect not to accept the benefits your gift entitles you to receive. If this is your wish, please indicate on the membership form. If so requested, benefits will not be provided and the full donation will be considered deductible. The Athletic Department has estimated the fair market value of the benefits described in the SFC brochure, and that information is available upon request.

Corporate Sponsorship

The Francis Marion University Athletic Department offers a variety of corporate sponsorship opportunities, which provide first-rate and high profile advertising. Your business can gain wide recognition and broad distribution through signage and printed materials. For more information on how you can reach the clients of tomorrow today, click on the below links and contact the Francis Marion Athletic Department (843-661-1240) to customize a package that will fit your business needs and goals.

• All state and local laws concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverages will be observed and strictly enforced. No alcoholic beverages will be served to individuals under age 21.
• Functions at The Cottage must end no later than 11 p.m.; clean-up should be completed and the facility closed by midnight. The individual or group renting the building is responsible for leaving the venue in its original condition.
• Audiovisual equipment is available for meetings, seminars, etc., and should be reserved upon leasing the facility.
• Rental equipment should be removed at the end of the event. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the deposit.
• Amplified music is permitted inside The Cottage and on the immediate grounds for special events. All exterior music must cease at 10 p.m.Rice, birdseed, and confetti are not allowed inside the premises. Francis Marion is a smoke-free campus; smoking is not permitted on campus properties.
• A limited number of parking spaces are available adjacent to The Cottage which is accessible from Wallace Woods Road and through Parking Lot F. Parking Lots E and F also provide nearby parking for this facility.

View all Guidelines here.

Attendance Policy

Participants enrolled in the current year’s Institute class are required to attend at least 90% of sessions included in the current year’s program. Attendance will be counted in half-day increments.

Cancellation Policy

The Fred R. Sheheen Non-Profit Leadership Institute requires notification of cancellation at least two weeks prior to the beginning of classes in order for participants to be relieved of registration fee obligations. Please note that a refund of fees is not possible 72 hours prior to the beginning of the first class.

Dress

Dress for all Institute sessions is casual. If there are evening functions requiring more formal attire, you will be informed well in advance of the event. Since room temperatures and weather may vary, you may wish to dress in layered clothing for maximum comfort.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited on all property owned or controlled by Francis Marion University, the Francis Marion University Foundation, and the Francis Marion University Real Estate Foundation. This prohibition includes all buildings and grounds owned, leased, or rented by the University and its related entities.

Cell Phones

Cell phones must remain OFF during the sessions. There are frequent breaks which will allow participants to check messages.

Special Needs

If there are any provisions we need to make to accommodate sensory, physical, or learning difficulties, please let us know.

Diet

Please report any special dietary needs you may have. Make certain you have let staff know of any such needs at least one week prior to the commencement of the first session so that we may do our best to address those issues in a timely manner.

Parking

Parking passes should be hung on your car’s rear view mirror. These passes do not allow you the privileges of a faculty, staff, or dining hall parking space. The pass is there to identify you as an Institute participant while on campus.

Concept Approval Form

As soon as you have decided to undertake a grant, you need to fill out the Concept Approval form for the grant. The form provides the University with core information regarding your proposed activity. It also provides everyone with documentation that this activity was discussed and was approved, at least at the conceptual level.

After filling out the details on the form, have your Department Chair sign it. Your Department Chair passes it onto the next administrator on the list for approval. At any point in this process, discussions may occur to further clarify what will be entailed in the proposed activity. Once the President has signed the form, it is sent to Shara Moore in Business Affairs with a copy also residing in the Provost’s Office.

Trash Disposal

Residents are expected to remove garbage and other trash from their rooms and apartments on a regular basis. For convenience, large trash dumpsters are located throughout the area. Trash should not be left on balconies, in hallways, or other areas of the residential facilities. Recycling receptacles have been placed throughout housing areas. A $25 trash fee will be charged if a resident leaves trash outside their apartment or hall room. The fee will be divided evenly between all residents that live in the apartment or residence hall at that time unless ownership can be determined.

Weapons/Firearms/Fireworks

Possession or use of any type of firearm, fireworks, or other weapons by anyone on University-owned or -controlled property is prohibited. Instruments used to simulate such weapons in acts that endanger or tend to endanger any person shall be considered a weapon. Involvement in this activity will result in removal from the residential facilities on a permanent basis and could result in other sanctions such as suspension or expulsion (see Code of Student Conduct section of the FMU Student Handbook). For more information regarding weapons on campus, please see Campus Police and the Student Rights and Responsibilities sections of the FMU Student Handbook.

Pets

For health and safety reasons, students and their guests are prohibited from possessing pets in and around the residence halls and student apartments. Students found with a pet or animal will be required to remove the pet immediately and will be subject to disciplinary action. Additionally, the student will be assessed for any pest control or cleaning costs.

Solicitation

Distribution of written materials and solicitation by students, University employees, nonaffiliated individuals, and nonaffiliated groups are prohibited in student housing. Canvassing, selling, offering for sale, soliciting, or promoting the sale of any goods or services is prohibited on University premises, including residence halls and apartments, except as allowed under University policy (see Solicitation Policy in Rights and Responsibilities section). However, an individual student has the right to invite anyone into his or her residence hall living quarters for the purposes of that student considering or purchasing the invitee’s goods or services. Students are not allowed to conduct commercial activities or business ventures from their rooms or apartments.

Written materials designed for commercial purposes may not be distributed on University premises, including residence halls and apartments. Before any material is posted, it must be approved through the Offices of Housing and Residence Life or Student Affairs (see Literature Distribution and Posting Policy).

Sports and Use of Sports Equipment

Use of outdoor sporting equipment such as balls, Frisbees, golf clubs, bats, skateboards, lacrosse sticks, etc. inside of the residence halls and apartments is prohibited. Use of such equipment indoors poses a threat to the physical safety of residents and can result in damage to University or individual property or bodily harm as well as creating noise problems. Use of such equipment is restricted to appropriate locations outside of the residence halls and apartments.

Windows/Balconies

Throwing objects from windows, balconies, etc., is a danger to students outside of the building and is therefore prohibited. Hanging outside or climbing from windows is also prohibited due to the danger involved. Screens must remain in windows at all times.

What are community standards?

Everyone in the community must respect the rights of others and make choices to maintain a safe and secure environment that allows all residents to pursue their academic goals. There are also some standards in the form of established policies that have been set forth for which you will be accountable. These include, but are not limited to, University Housing and Residence Life Policies, the Code of Student Conduct, and the University Alcohol and Drug Policy. These policies can be found in the FMU Student Handbook and other university publications.

What happens when standards are not met or a policy is violated?

Ideally, all members of the community encourage one another to live by the standards and policies set forth. However, when infractions occur, individuals must take responsibility for their choices. A disciplinary process exists by which individuals are held accountable for their choices and actions that violate policies. Typically, RAs become initially involved in responding to policy violations. The RA then makes a report to the Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life, who determines what actions should be taken (which may include referral to the Office of Student Affairs – see Code of Student Conduct). When an RA or other university official, confronts a possible violation of university policy, everyone involved is expected to comply with their requests. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.

Each guest must have some form of positive identification with proof of age. Guests must be 18 years old or older in order to visit the residence halls and student apartments. When visiting, the guest must be escorted by the host resident at all times. When accompanied by parents or responsible relatives, those under 18 may visit for a short period of time during established visitation hours. Guests should not be left in the building while the resident is not present. Residents are responsible for the actions of their guests. Violations of this policy by residents will result in disciplinary actions, which could include loss of visitation privileges. Nonresidents who violate any part of this policy may be banned from the residential facilities or campus. Please note that due to liability reasons, babysitting is not allowed.

Overnight-Stay  Visitation

Overnight stay is defined as a single guest, per resident, staying overnight between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m.

Overnight guests MUST be acceptable to all roommates, suite-mates, and/or apartment-mates; anyone with whom you share a living space.

Residents must establish visitation expectations in advance, in writing, through the Roommate Agreement Form (contact housing staff for form).

Overnight guests are required to register their vehicles and display a temporary parking permit as noted on the Overnight Guest Visitation form (contact housing for form). Please note that ALL residents of a room or an apartment must sign the Overnight Guest Visitation form.

A resident may have no more than six overnight-stay guests total, per semester, and no more than two consecutive overnight-stays.

Same Gender Guest Visitation

Residential students may visit other residential students of the same gender at any time. Non-residential students must adhere to the same visitation hours that apply to opposite gender visitation unless they have registered as an overnight guest. Residents may have overnight guests of the same gender with written approval from the Resident Assistant or Housing and Residence Life Office staff. Overnight Guest Visitation Forms are available from the Housing and Residence Life Office during business hours or from a Resident Assistant when the office is closed. Overnight guests are required to register their vehicles and display a temporary parking permit as noted on the Overnight Guest Visitation Form. Please note that all residents of a room or apartment must sign the Overnight Guest Visitation Form.

Because of the nature of high-density living on a college campus, it is important that the rights and responsibilities of all residents are both respected and protected. One right all students have is to live in an environment that is conducive to the educational nature of Francis Marion University. In order to respect the rights of others, it is expected that students will not create excessive amounts of noise in the residential areas of campus. If noise of any type is loud enough to potentially disturb others, it is unacceptable. Exceptions to this policy can be made by the office of the Dean of Students or the Office of Housing and Residence Life for pre-approved activities by recognized students or campus organizations.

While not all-inclusive, following is a list of examples of what might generate unacceptable levels of noise.

• Playing stereo loud enough to be heard outside of your room or apartment.
• Screaming, yelling, or making other verbal noise that can disturb others.
• Large groups of people gathered in public places near residence halls (e.g. octagon or triangle, etc.) or apartments (e.g. community center, picnic areas, etc.) talking loudly or playing music.
• Car stereos loud enough to be heard outside of the vehicle.
• Running, jumping, dancing, or other activity that can be heard in other parts of the building.
• Televisions, video games, or other devices loud enough to be heard outside of the room.
• Banging or knocking on doors in a manner that others may be disturbed.

In all residence halls and apartments, 24 hour “courtesy hours” are in effect with regard to noise. This means that at all times, residents must be aware and courteous regarding the noise level and how their noise may impact on others’ ability to study, sleep, read, visit, etc.

Perimeter parking is available. Access roads within the apartment areas will be open while students are moving in and out of the apartments at the beginning and end of the semester. Residence Hall gates will not be opened.

Loading and Unloading on Access Roads

• Park vehicle with two wheels on the same side on the grass to allow other vehicles to pass.
• Maximum parking is 20 minutes.
• Parking is prohibited on access roads from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Vehicles may not be parked on sidewalks or other grassy areas.

Resident and Guest Parking

Residents must purchase and display the FMU decal (indicated by the letter “R”). Between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., parking is restricted to the appropriate decal for off-campus students.

Temporary permits (A section on the Guest Visitation Form) may be obtained for visitors from the Housing and Residence Life Office or your Resident Assistant if proper approval is obtained.

Parking for the Study Hall is available 24 hours daily. Parking during the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. for off-campus students, faculty, staff and visitors must be coordinated through Campus Police. For more information, refer to the Campus Police and Parking sections of the FMU Student Handbook.

Standards of Conduct

Francis Marion University prohibits the conduct listed below. Persons committing such acts are subject to disciplinary action from the University.

University Violations

1. Academic cheating or plagiarism – Cheating is defined by its general usage. It includes, but is not limited to, wrongfully giving, taking or presenting any information or material by a student with the intent of aiding him/herself or any other person on any academic work which is considered in any way in the determination of the final grade. Plagiarism involves the use of the ideas or writings of another without acknowledgment of that use. For a more detailed description of these two forms of academic dishonesty, and how allegations of academic dishonesty are handled, refer to the Academic Dishonesty section in the FMU Student Handbook.
2. The illegal manufacture, possession, use, or distribution of drugs or the use of drugs for which the holder has no legal prescription, or other drug-related conduct which is a violation of South Carolina law. Such conduct is a University violation regardless of where it occurs on or off-campus;
3. The illegal manufacture, distribution, possession, or consumption, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages on University property or during University activities. For purposes of this policy, a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or greater is conclusive evidence that a student is under the influence of alcohol, but a student’s conduct, physical appearance, and other factors are also evidence (please refer to the University Alcohol Policy and Housing Violations for more details on alcohol issues);
4. Sexual assault or inappropriate sexual conduct;
5. Physical abuse or assault of any person, or other conduct which threatens the health or safety of any person, including self;
6. Failure to comply with the directions of a University official acting in performance of his/her duty. This includes, but is not limited to, failure to report to a University office or official; after notice to do so, failure to appear for a judicial hearing or comply with a disciplinary penalty; failure to pay promptly, after notice, all University bills, fines, accounts and other financial obligations; failure to produce positive student identification upon request;
7. Theft, wrongful appropriation, unauthorized possession, or damage to property of the University (including library materials) or of any organization affiliated with the University or of another member of the University community (i.e. faculty, staff, student, or campus visitor);
8. Furnishing false or incomplete information to a University official to include, but not limited to, providing false, misleading or incomplete information during an investigation or hearing involving an alleged violation of University policy or local, state or federal law;
9. Forgery, alteration, destruction, damage, or misuse of University documents, records or identification (e.g. FMU ID cards, library materials, etc.). FMU ID cards are the property of the University and are not transferable. Use by a person other than the authorized user is a violation of this policy, as is permitting or abetting such use;
10. Any act of arson, falsely reporting a fire or other emergency (such as the presence of an explosive or incendiary device), knowingly setting off a fire alarm or emergency call box when the student knows that no fire or emergency exists; tampering with or removing from their proper location fire extinguishers, hoses or any other fire emergency equipment except when done with an actual need for such equipment;
11. Possession, while on University-owned or -controlled property, or at University-sponsored or -supervised activities, of any weapons such as, but not limited to, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, handguns, and air guns, including explosives and incendiary devices, such as firecrackers or fireworks. Possession of pocket knives having no blade longer than two inches and possession of weapons or tools required by a student’s job or studies at the location in question is not a violation;
12. Unauthorized use or entry into University facilities and/or unauthorized possession or use of keys to University facilities;
13. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, or other University activities, including public service functions, or any authorized activities on University premises;
14. Disorderly conduct or lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct on University-owned or -controlled property or at University-sponsored or -supervised functions;
15. Violation of properly constituted rules and regulations governing the use of motor vehicles on University-owned or -controlled property;
16. Violation, attempted violation, or the incitement of others to violate written University policies or regulations as herein stipulated or as promulgated and announced by University personnel;
17. Violation, or attempted violation, of local, state or federal law, whether on or off campus, when it appears that the student has acted in a way which adversely affects, or seriously interferes with the University’s normal educational function, or which injures or endangers the welfare of any member of the University community;
18. Unauthorized use or misuse of the University’s computing facilities, to include, but not be limited to, violation of the University policy on acceptable computer use in the FMU Student Handbook;
19. Hazing, which is defined as: any intentional or reckless act, on or off university property, by one student, acting alone or with others, which is directed against any other student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student, or which induces or coerces a student to endanger his or her mental or physical health or safety, and includes treatment of a violent, abusive, shameful, insulting, or humiliating nature;
20. Harassment, stalking and/or unauthorized surveillance, which includes, but is not limited to, (a) unwanted and repeated contact (after notice to desist) with another individual or group through personal contact, contact by electronic or other media; (b) other behaviors which are perceived as threatening or intended to intimidate or induce fear; or (c) making unauthorized video or photographic images of a person in a location in which that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, shower/locker rooms, residence hall rooms, and men’s or women’s restrooms, is prohibited. Also prohibited is the storing, sharing, and/or other distribution of such unauthorized images by any means. In some circumstances, such behaviors may also constitute violation of local, state, or federal laws;
21. Other conduct which a reasonable person having sufficient intelligence to acquire postsecondary education would understand is injurious to the University or the University community. This standard shall not be interpreted to infringe upon a student’s constitutional rights.

Student Housing Violations

The Francis Marion University Offices of Housing and Residence Life prohibit the conduct listed below in and around the University residential facilities. Persons committing such acts are subject to disciplinary sanctions listed in the FMU Student Handbook.

1. Residents assigned to a specific area (apartment, suite, residence hall floor) will be held responsible for damages or violations that occur in communal areas (living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, lounges, computer rooms) unless a specified individual or individuals can be identified as responsible.
2. Violation of the Guest Visitation policy (see Housing and Residence Life section).
3. Inappropriate trash disposal (see Trash Disposal in Housing and Residence Life section).
4. Possession and/or use of prohibited appliances (see Appliances in Housing and Residence Life section).
5. Possession and/or use of prohibited items such as waterbeds, lofts, dart boards, public street signs, alcohol containers (in residence halls), space heaters, window air conditioners, exterior antennae or satellite dishes.
6. Use of bicycles, motorcycles, mopeds, skateboards, roller skates, or in-line skates in the residential buildings. Bicycles, motorcycles, and mopeds are not allowed to be stored in the residential facilities.
7. Damage to University or personal property or misbehavior/neglect which results in the need for unusual cleaning activities by the University.
8. Rearrangement or acquisition for personal use of University common area furnishings.
9. Delinquency in the payment of any financial obligation to include, but not limited to, utilities, telephone, fines, key charges, and other obligations.
10. Alcoholic beverages (wine and beer only) may be possessed, by those allowed by law to do so, in the University apartments. The possession of alcohol or empty alcohol containers by other persons in other areas is prohibited (see Alcohol and Other Drug Policy). Possession of distilled spirits (hard liquor) is prohibited on campus.
11. Possession of pets in or around student housing facilities to include common areas such as the octagon and triangle (see Pets in Housing and Residence Life sections of the FMU Student Handbook).
12. Creating or contributing to excessive noise in and around the residential facilities to include common areas such as the octagon and triangle (see Noise in Housing and Residence Life section).
13. Circumvention of or tampering with any security system in the residential facilities including, but not limited to, lighting, security cameras, common area telephones, exit doors (propping open), allowing unauthorized persons to enter the building, etc.
14. Subletting or allowing a person to reside in a residential facility other than those officially assigned to that space by the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
15. Circumvention, disregard, or failure to comply with policies and procedures of the Office of Housing and Residence Life including, but not limited to, Room Assignment, Room Change, Mail Delivery, Maintenance Services, Safety Inspections, Check In/Check Out Procedures, etc.
16. Failure to follow established fire safety procedures and policies (see Fire Emergency Section under Campus Police).
17. Possession or use of candles, incense, fireworks, or other incendiary devices in the residential facilities.
18. Entering or exiting windows, throwing items from windows or balconies, throwing items onto roofs or ledges, or accessing roofs or ledges in any way.
19. Conspiring with or enticing others to engage in policy violations.
20. Creating conditions or being involved in behavior that endangers or potentially endangers the safety and well being of self or others.

The Housing and Dining Refund Policy is separate and apart from the Academic Refund Policy and follows different procedures than the Academic Refund Policy due to the unique business of providing food and housing services to students.

Students who withdraw from on-campus housing during the period between the authorized move-in date through 14 calendar days into the fall and spring semesters will receive a 90% refund of the housing fee, less the $150 Housing application/reservation fee. The 90% refund period begins on the authorized move-in date and continues through 14 calendar days into the fall and spring semester. During this period, students with a mandatory meal plan that withdraw from the residence halls or move from the residence halls to the apartments will receive a 90% refund of the meal plan assessment. All other students who wish to change or withdraw from a voluntary meal plan during this period may request a refund by completing and submitting the Dining Services Refund Request form (available at the Ervin Dining Hall). This policy does not apply to any declining balance accounts.

After the 90% refund period, there is no guaranteed refund of housing and meal plan fees. However, appeals will be considered for situations such as marriage, activation for military service, or uniquely extenuating circumstances that occur during the term of the contract. Appeals must be made within the academic semester that the appeal is based upon and should be submitted as soon as possible after the change of status occurs.

All appeals require completion of the Housing and/or Dining Refunds – Appeal Form, which must be submitted to the Director of Housing and/or the Director of Dining Services who will forward the request to the Housing and Dining Refund Committee. Students will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision. The Housing application/reservation fee of $150 will be deducted from all refunds with the exception of academic dismissal and military activation. The decision of the Housing and Dining Refund Committee is final.

Property to be Inventoried

Items to be inventoried include moveable equipment costing $5,000.00 or more and having a life expectancy of more than one year.  Specific designation of each item of equipment to be inventoried will be made by Office of Business Affairs – Purchasing when equipment is procured.

Departmental Responsibility

Each department head is responsible for properly securing and keeping track of all supplies or equipment assigned to the department, whether included on inventory listings or not.  Significant relocation or change in possession of inventoried equipment should be reported to the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management as soon as it occurs by use of Authorization to Move form.  Authorization to Move forms may be obtained from the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management.  Equipment may be transferred from department to department only upon approval by the head of the donating department or appropriate Vice President.  Equipment may be disposed of only upon approval of the appropriate Vice President (see procedure below).

Semi-annually (or more often, in conjunction with the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management in the case of certain departments or certain classes of equipment) each department will physically verify the presence of or otherwise account for all equipment assigned to the department as reflected on inventory listings which will be furnished by the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management.

Procurement of Property

Property may be procured in several ways. In each case, appropriate steps should be taken to bring the property under control.

1. Purchases – See normal purchasing procedures. The Office of Business Affairs – Purchasing will designate property to be inventoried, consulting with the department requisitioning the articles if appropriate.
2. Gifts – see the Policies & Procedures Guide’s Development section: Fundraising Policies and Procedures
3. Fabrications – Any department constructing inventoriable equipment from parts or materials should report constructed items to the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management, which will take appropriate steps to inventory applicable items. This does not apply to assemblies of a temporary nature.
4. Discoveries – Any department discovering items which apparently should be but are not inventoried, as evidenced by lack of inventory tag, should report them to the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management, who will take appropriate steps to inventory applicable items.  Items so discovered during the semi-annual physical verification of the inventory may be reported as provided in the instructions accompanying the inventory listing.

Disposal of Property

To have an item of inventoried equipment removed from the inventory, the department should complete the Property Disposal Request. This form must be signed by the Department Head and approved by the appropriate Vice President.

Forward the completed Property Disposal Request form to the Manager of Materials Services for appropriate action. If the property involved is missing, a separate report must be made to the Public Safety Department. The property in question should not be disposed of until disposal is approved. Physical disposition of articles will be handled by the Manager of Materials Services.

FMU Surplus Property Guidelines
Implemented April 16, 2021

These guidelines are implemented for the purpose of directing Francis Marion University in the proper disposal of surplus property according to, and in adherence of, the South Carolina Agency User Manual (Rev.01.05.21) and the State Plan of Operation (Rev. 12.19.2020) of the South Carolina Surplus Property Office.

Guidelines for Surplus Pick-Up by the FMU Warehouse:

1. A staff or faculty member initiates a work order using the Create a Work Order Request at https://www.fmarion.edu/facilitiesmanagement/ (scroll to Building Maintenance, then click ‘Work Request Form’). In the work order, staff or faculty member specifically identifies each item that needs to be picked up and the number of like items to be picked up.
   • If the Surplus item has a purchase value of $5000.00 or more, a FMU Property Disposal Request or Loss Report form https://www.fmarion.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Property-Disposal-Request-or-Loss-Receipt-form.pdf must be completed by the requester. This form should be emailed to the Manager of Materials Services prior to the scheduled pick up.
2. The Manager of Materials Services enters the item on the Turn in Document (TID) form https://admin.sc.gov/sites/default/files/surplus/TID%20V4.3-%20Admin%20Portal.pdf .
3. For surplus information technology items (e.g., computers, magnetic hard drives, solid state hard drives, flash memory cards and drives, printers, optical storage devices, cellular phones, and handheld computer devices), staff or faculty member contacts Campus IT to schedule pickup of the technology item.
4. Campus Technology will electronically sanitize the technology item in accordance with SCDIS-501 Information Media Disposal Procedure effective 7/1/2016.
5. Campus IT completes an IT Equipment Disposal Certificate (IT-EDC) https://admin.sc.gov/sites/default/files/surplus/IT%20Equipment%20Sanitazation.pdf for that item, then provides that item to the Manager of Materials Services along with its corresponding IT-EDC.
6. When the Manager of Materials Services inputs the item on the TID, the Manager of Materials Services writes the TID number on the corresponding IT-EDC, then returns a copy of the completed IT-EDC (with the TID number on it) to Campus Technology to file.

Guidelines for Surplus Storage:

1. Within 90 days from the date the property is provided to the Manager of Materials Services as surplus, it shall be reported to the State Surplus Property Officer (SPO) on a Turn-In Document (TID) form provided by the SPO.
2. The TID is generated by a designated FMU Materials Services Staff member and approved by the Director of Facilities Management. The signature of the Director of Facilities Management or his designee, AND the signature of the Manager of Materials Services or his designee are required to complete the TID form.
3. The completed TID form is forwarded to the SPO. Upon receipt of the TID by the SPO, a designee of the SPO will review the items on the TID then schedule a visit to the facility to screen the reported property to determine whether it is surplus or junk.
4. All surplus property is secured in a designated section of the warehouse separate from the storage of useful inventory to await review by the SPO screener.

Guidelines for Surplus Disposal:

1. Upon completion of the screening process, the SPO Screener will take items determined to be surplus with them on the day of the screening or the surplus items will be marked as surplus and set apart for pickup by SPO staff at a later date, within 180 days of the screening date.
2. Items determined to be junk, other than scrap metal, will be properly disposed of by FMU Materials Services staff and transported to a landfill or disposal facility that is approved for such disposal.
3. Junk that is categorized as scrap metal will be placed in a waste container on site at the University. When a pickup is required, a TID will be completed to include an attached picture of the scrap metal waste container. The TID, with proper signatures by the creator and approver, will be forwarded to the SPO Screener. The SPO will contact the state approved scrap metal vendor assigned to the University to schedule an on-site pick up of the scrap metal waste container.

• • Items that are considered “excess or surplus” will be staged in the warehouse until the items are identified as “surplus or junk,” as instructed by the State of South Carolina Surplus Property Office representative.
  • Items marked “surplus” will remain in the warehouse until the State of South Carolina picks up the surplus equipment and moves it to a staging location.
  • The Director of Facilities Management or his designee will be responsible for disposal of all items that are defined as “junk.”
  • Surplus items defined as “junk” as designated by the State of South Carolina Surplus Property Office representative will be removed by the warehouse personnel and disposed of in a trash dumpster, located on the property of the University.
  • All scrap metal items will be staged in a scrap metal container at the University, until sufficient scrap metal has been accumulated initiating the need for removal.
  • The Manager of Materials Services, under the approval of the Director of Facilities Manager, will coordinate the pickup of all “scrap” metal by a vendor designated by the South Carolina Surplus Property Management Office.  The Manager of Materials Services will be responsible for documenting the corresponding proceeds from the scrap metal pickup, and will arrange for the disbursement of those proceeds to the Accounting Office.
  • Documentation of all “scrap metal” sales will be recorded and filed in the warehouse.
  • All “surplus” and “junk” items are considered property of the State of South Carolina and can not be given to any employees.
  • Employees must not tamper with or remove any items that are considered “surplus” or “junk” from the premises. This includes any items that may be discarded and remain in the trash dump until pickup by the University’s refuse disposal contractor.

For questions regarding the processing of surplus items, please contact:
FMU Manager of Materials Services Office
Phone: (843) 661-1113

Failure to follow these guidelines, as stated above will result in disciplinary actions as stated in the Progressive Discipline Policy. Under the Guide for Disciplinary Actions, the offense will be consistent with the other policies relating to Stealing and the Willful Violation of Written Rules, Regulations, and Policies. The policy is defined in the Human Resources Section under Inventory Control Procedures.

Inventory Susceptible to Theft (ISTT)

Items designated as susceptible to theft are items costing less than $5,000.00 which include:

• Printers
• iPads
• iPods
• Tablets
• Chromebooks
• Cell Phones

ISTT items do not include computers (Desktops, Laptop, iMac, MacBook, and VDI) as they are tracked on a separate inventory spreadsheet. A listing of the ISTT items will be provided annually to the departments for verification.

Departmental Responsibility

Each Department Head is responsible for properly securing and keeping track of all supplies or equipment assigned to the department, whether included on an inventory listing or not and regardless of value. Each Department Head is to review and determine miscellaneous items to be included in the inventory listing of items susceptible to theft. The Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management is to be informed by the Department Head of any determinations. The Department Head and/or designated staff member will be responsible for the maintenance of the listings.

Annually the department will be provided an inventory listing of items susceptible to theft. The Department Head or designee shall verify status, and record identifying numbers or attributes that will allow identification. Items not appearing on the listing are to be added with a current status as part of the verification process. The Department Head shall forward the verified listing including all updates to the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management, to be centrally maintained for subsequent review and verification. Each department is to provide a written statement of the control procedures (i.e., security of premises, storage, observation) used by the department to safeguard assets. That statement should also be submitted to Telecommunications and Asset Management, and should be updated in the event modifications occur.

Relocation or Change in Possession

Significant relocation or change in possession of inventoried items should be reported to the Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management as soon as the change occurs. E-mail Asset Management to document the move. Items may be transferred from department to department only upon approval by the head of the donating department or appropriate Vice President. A copy of the e-mail is to be maintained by the donating department.

Disposal of Property

To have an inventoried item removed from the inventory, the department should contact Asset Management. If property involved is missing, a separate report must be made to the Public Safety Department. The property in question should not be disposed of until disposal is approved. A copy of the e-mail is to be maintained by the department. The Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management will handle physical disposition of articles.

Failure to follow these guidelines, as stated above will result in disciplinary actions as stated in the Progressive Discipline Policy. Under the Guide for Disciplinary Actions, the offense will be consistent with the other policies relating to Stealing and the Willful Violation of Written Rules, Regulations, and Policies. The policy is defined in the Human Resources Section under Inventory Control Procedures.

The use of Francis Marion University’s telecommunications services, including office telephone, cellular telephone, and facsimile machine, is limited to official University business. It is a violation of State law (Section 16-13-400) to abuse State telecommunications services.

Employees are to make no personal long distance telephone calls and charge them to Francis Marion University. Brief non-business calls, when justifiable, must be made to a local telephone number or, if long distance, must be charged to the employee’s home telephone number, be made to an 800 toll-free number, be charged to the party being called if it is a non-state government number, or be charged to a personal credit card (in accordance with Budget and Control Board Policy Notice, “Use of State Government Telephone Services,” issued December 13, 1988).

As with telephone calls, employees are to make no personal fax transmissions and charge them to Francis Marion University in accordance with Budget and Control Board policy. The facsimile machines located in various offices around campus are to be used for official business only.

Francis Marion University’s personal fax service center is located in the Patriot Bookstore. All fax transmissions of a personal nature must be received at or sent from the Patriot Bookstore. Faculty, staff, and students using this service will be charged as follows: $1.00 per page to receive fax transmissions, $1.50 per page to send local and regular long distance fax transmissions, and $2.00 per page to send international fax transmissions.

The Office of Telecommunications and Asset Management should be contacted at extension 1335 regarding any telecommunications equipment issues, problems, changes, or expansions.

PURPOSE:  The University Communications Office is responsible for communicating the story of Francis Marion University to its various publics—on and off campus—by establishing and increasing awareness of University programs, policies, opportunities, goals, and achievements. The purpose of this document is to establish policies governing official University publications, communication with the mass media, and public service radio-television programs that reflect on the role, scope, mission, stature, and identity of the Pee Dee region’s major university.

Freedom of Information Act: Francis Marion University favors transparency with the public and media in regard to its operations and activities. Requests for information will be processed expediently, but may be reviewed by University Communications and the University’s General Counsel. Formal FOIA requests should be sent to the Counsel and will be reviewed by Counsel and the VP of Communications. FOIA email: jedwards@fmarion.edu.

GENERAL POLICY:  The following statements reflect Francis Marion’s policy related to publications; desktop electronic publishing; letterhead, logo and seal; news service; photography; and electronic media.

Publications

To provide service to the divisions of Francis Marion University and to ensure that printed matter for public distribution reflect the goals and image of this institution, it is desirable that uniform practices be followed in planning, editing, designing, purchasing, and producing such materials.

Therefore, supervision and production of all University publications (catalogs, pamphlets, booklets, brochures, fliers, posters, newsletters and other similar printed matter) shall be centralized in and coordinated by the University Communications Office. This office will determine the need for and purpose of publications and to ensure that they contribute to and reflect favorably on the University.

The department requesting issuance of a publication shall be responsible for providing the necessary funds for production and distribution of the publication unless such funds are included in the University’s publications budget.

The department requesting issuance of a publication shall be responsible for determining that the departmental chairperson, the dean or the Office of the Provost has reviewed and approved the publication for academic content, especially statements about educational policy, program offerings, and/or admission to the University.

Desktop Electronic Publishing

Many campus departments have access to desktop electronic publishing systems that can produce camera-ready documents for printing. Prior to printing, the University Communications Office should review desktop publishing documents planned for distribution to off-campus publics of more than 200.

The same procedures are to be followed for electronic publishing as for printing documents by conventional means to ensure accurate information, clarity of editing, consistency in style, and pleasing design that projects the University in the best possible light.

University Web Site

The University Communications Office shall be consulted about the content of information to be displayed on the University’s web page. It is desirable that the editorial content and design of web pages reflect favorably on the University, and the role of University Communications will be to assist in that effort. University Communications will not be responsible for the technical set-up of web sites but only with editorial content.

Letterhead, Logo, and Seal

Design of letterheads (both stationery and envelopes) for any department, division, program, institute, etc., within the University is to follow standard guidelines as determined by the institutional identity program of the University. University Communications must review any proposed letterhead prior to its submission to Printing Services for printing.

Use of the University logo must follow standard guidelines of the institutional identity program issued by the University Communications Office in conjunction with the Office of the President. The official name of the University is Francis Marion University and should be used where appropriate.

Words, letters, graphic devices and other indicia associated with Francis Marion University are protected against unauthorized use by means of federal and state trade or service mark registration, and/or state statute. Questions regarding the use of Francis Marion indicia should be directed to the University Communications Office.

Use of the University seal is restricted to more formal application. It is appropriate to use the seal on official and legal documents, diplomas, certificates, flags and official University ceremonial paraphernalia. The seal may never be distorted in any way and should never be used in such a manner that it gives the impression that it is the seal of any division, department or entity within the University.

The Crier

“The Crier” is the official internal newsletter and should be used by all departments to communicate vital information to the greater FMU community and friends. Written and edited by the University Communications Office staff, “The Crier” is published on the premise that better-informed employees are better citizens of the University.

News Service

To provide consistent, accurate information to the mass media, it is essential that Francis Marion maintain a centralized effort to coordinate the flow of information.  Uniform procedures must be followed in preparing and releasing statements and news releases so that the media will receive an organized flow of information that is consistent in style, quality and content.

Therefore, the planning, research, writing, and distribution of news stories, sports stories, University statements, public service announcements, feature articles, and other informational materials (including photographs) released to the media should be centralized in and coordinated by the University Communications Office.

All University-generated news releases about programs, activities, and people of the University shall be approved in advance by the VP for University Communications who shall consult with the president and other appropriate administrators when necessary.

This policy is not intended to handicap or restrict faculty and staff from expressing opinions or providing information to media representatives regarding their research and/or areas of expertise. It does apply, however, in regard to questions of University policy that should be referred to an appropriate administrator or the University Communications Office.

In instances of direct media contact, faculty and staff members may ask to call the reporter back and contact the University Communications Office for advice and counsel prior to consenting to interviews, particularly on sensitive questions. Employees should always state that views given are personal opinions and not necessarily those of their colleagues or the University.

In the event of an emergency, crisis, or controversy, the President may designate a spokesperson for the University. In that event, all media calls regarding that particular situation shall be referred to the spokesperson through the University Communications Office.

Electronic Media

It is desirable that uniform practices be followed in planning, writing, producing and distributing electronic media programs to uniformly reflect the goals and image of Francis Marion University. This includes public service radio and television programs promoting the University as well as all recruiting and promotional radio and television products about the University. Therefore, the University Communications Office should be involved in the planning and distribution of University produced programs for external audiences.

The department requesting issuance of such broadcast materials shall be responsible for providing the necessary funds for production and distribution of the materials unless such funds are included in the budget of University Communications.

This policy applies only to news, public service, recruiting and promotional radio and television programs originated by the University for internal and external use.  Exclusions from this policy are scholarly and instructional audio/visual products and those programs produced by student media.

Questions about these policies may be directed to the VP for University Communications, telephone 661-1220.

The Printing Services division of the Public Affairs Office is located in the Office Services Building (tan building located between Stanton Academic Computer Center and the Hyman Fine Arts Building) and provides a broad range of professional design and printing services to the University community.

Publication services include editing, desktop publishing, graphics design, typesetting, pre-press, as well as other functions to assist members of the University community in planning and preparing a document for publication.

Printing services include high-speed black and white photocopying, full-color photocopying and various finishing and bindery options. Examples of printed materials include applications, letterhead, envelopes, business cards, brochures, certificates, forms, fliers, invitations, manuals, newsletters, notepads, postcards, posters, programs, reports, tickets, and more.

Every effort should be made to utilize University resources to produce your job. An order that is beyond the capability of FMU Printing Services should be submitted to the director of publications & marketing who will develop job specifications and coordinate with a commercial vendor to complete your job.

Requests for campus publications and printing projects should be submitted on a “Printing Work Order” form which must include an account name, budget number and approval of the department head, dean or office manager. Forms are available in faculty secretary offices or from the Printing Services office.

Copyrighted materials will not be reproduced without written permission from the copyright owner.

Although travel funds are limited, the University encourages attendance at off-campus professional activities by assisting with travel expenses.   It is expected that the budgets of all departments will be adequate to provide some financial assistance for professional travel.  At the same time, employees may be expected to share the cost of professional travel, especially when meetings are held at a great distance from the campus.

Vehicles Dispatched by the University (University owned or rented) University vehicles are to be used when available but cannot be taken on trips extending over a considerable time period.  When vehicles are dispatched by the University, they will be charged to the Department’s budget at the rate of 58 cents per mile or the cost of the rental and fuel. The 2018-2019 General Appropriations Act in Proviso 117.21.J provides for mileage reimbursements at the standard business mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning on January 1, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service rate will be 58 cents per mile (IRS Revenue IR 2013-95). Reimbursement for trips taken on or after January 1, 2019, will be at the rate of 58 cents per mile.

Link to Facilities Management- Vehicle Reservations/ Rentals.

Travel Request and Reimbursement Forms

The form to be used in conjunction with travel is available from Accounting.  The upper travel request portion of this form is to be completed by the Traveler and submitted to the Department Chairman or Supervisor in advance of a scheduled trip.  The gold copy of the approved request should be submitted to Accounting if registration fees and/or airline tickets are to be paid in advance, if a vehicle is to be rented, or if a travel advance is requested.  The pink copy of the approved request is submitted to the Facilities Management Office to reserve a vehicle.  Upon return, the Traveler completes the reimbursement portion of the form, obtains appropriate approval and submits the original form to Accounting in order that the reimbursements for approved expenses can be made.

Any foreign travel of a State employee must be reported by the University to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of  the House, and the Budget and Control Board at the end of the fiscal year.  For the purpose of this regulation, foreign travel is defined as any destination outside the continental limits of the United States except Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.  Other travel is reported by individual as requested by the Office of the Comptroller General.

Airfare

The traveler should make inquiries several weeks before the trip in order to receive the best rates.  If a pre-approved travel agency is used to book the ticket, Accounting must receive an approved travel request with ticket cost and appropriate budget number in order to authorize the charge.  The traveler may do an online purchase and receive reimbursement upon return from the trip.  A receipt showing proof of payment must be indicated on the itinerary for the cost of the ticket.  The traveler may have to return to the website 24 hours later to print a receipt or in some cases, the traveler may receive a receipt via e-mail.  Credit card statements are not valid receipts as indicated on the travel request form.  The traveler may also call Accounts Payable to set up an appointment to purchase the ticket online with the University’s travel card.  The traveler must have an approved travel request with estimated ticket cost and appropriate budget number.

Allowances

Employees traveling on official business of the University may, upon presentation of a paid receipt, be allowed reimbursement for actual expenses incurred for lodging, limited to in-state costs per night of $125.00 and out-of-state costs of similar amounts except for large urban cities which should be limited to $175.00 per night.

Employees may also be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred in the obtaining of meals except that such costs shall not exceed $25.00 per day in-state and $32.00 per day out-of-state.

The mileage reimbursements at the rate of 53.5 cents per mile will be made when an employee uses a personal automobile in travelling on University business.  Travel by commercial airlines is encouraged so valuable time will not be spent in slower ground travel.   Total transportation allowance will not exceed tourist airfare.

Special Rules

1. Reimbursement will be made for meals for trips of a day’s duration or shorter.   Regulations appearing below will apply.  In accordance with Internal Revenue requirements, the appropriate tax form will be generated reflecting such reimbursements.
2. Receipts for meal and taxi expenditures are not necessary.  Receipts for all other expenditures must be submitted.  The State will not accept cancelled checks or copies of credit card invoices in lieu of receipts.
3. No reimbursement for overnight accommodation will be made within fifty (50) miles of the traveler’s official headquarters and/or residence.
4. Registration receipts must accompany travel voucher.
5. Employees earning frequent flyer premiums while traveling on State business must use them to reduce the cost of subsequent business travel whenever possible.

Method of Determining Maximum Subsistence

This procedure should be used in completing the Travel Request portion of the form prior to departure and the Travel Reimbursement section of the form on returning from trips.

1.  Single Calendar Day-When reimbursements for meals are claimed, the time of arrival and departure as well as the starting point and destination must be shown.  In determining the maximum amount of subsistence for meals which may be reimbursed, the following time schedule will be adhered to:

2.  Overnight Travel-When a University employee is traveling in or out of the State on official University business, the following maximum reimbursement for subsistence will apply:

• Meals – The cost of meals will be reimbursed up to the maximum amount as provided for in the single calendar day schedule above.  The time limitations for breakfast will not apply for overnight trips.  Time of Departure and Time of Arrival must be indicated for the first and the last day of the trip.
• Hotel/Motel – Actual hotel/motel costs will be  reimbursed when a paid original receipt is presented and attached to the travel voucher.  It is expected that persons traveling for Francis Marion University generally will limit in-state hotel/motel costs to $125.00 and out-of-state costs to similar amounts except for large urban cities which should be limited to $175.00.  Exceeding these limits will require special justification to be approved by the appropriate Vice President.
• Parking – Parking fees for State-owned and privately owned vehicles are reimbursable upon presentation of a paid receipt.
• Porterage and Gratuities – Gratuities are not an allowable reimbursement for state employees.  When paid as part of a billing for a banquet, luncheon, etc., gratuities will be allowed.  Porterage, in general, is not an allowable reimbursement for state employees.  It may be reimbursed when an employee flies to a major city out-of-state where there is no option concerning baggage handling.   Porterage may also be reimbursed when an employee has heavy, excess equipment needed to conduct official University business.

Travel Request forms may be obtained from Accounting.

TRAVEL REQUEST – PROCEDURES

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST – PROCEDURES

“Reimbursement for Personal Consumption Items at Employee’s Official Headquarters” contains additional reimbursement information.

TRAVEL ADVANCES

The Appropriations Act provides authority for advance travel payments as follows:

“That a State agency may advance travel and subsistence expense monies to employees of that agency for the financing of ordinary and necessary travel required in the conducting of the business of the agency.  The Budget and Control Board is directed to develop and publish rules and regulations pertaining to the advancing of travel expenses and no State agency shall make such advances except under the rules and regulations as published.  Provided, all advances for travel and subsistence monies shall be repaid to the agency within thirty (30) days after the end of the trip or by the end of the fiscal year, whichever comes first.”

Budget and Control Board policy regarding travel advances:

1. No travel advance shall be made to an employee for travel within the State of South Carolina without specific approval of the State Budget and Control Board.
2. No travel advance shall be made for more than 80% of the estimated amount of the total travel expense, excluding airline transportation and registration.
3. No advance shall be made in instances where 80% of the estimated travel expense does not exceed $250.00.

Travel advances should be requested from Accounting at least three (3) working days prior to departure.  Request for Travel Advance forms may be obtained from Accounting.

TRAVEL ADVANCES – PROCEDURES

TRAVEL  POLICY FOR STUDENTS

For any course or Student Life activity involving travel by students, responsible faculty or staff must, in addition to following normal Travel Request procedures, issue and complete the appropriate release form.

• If student travel is required for a course, the professor must on the first day of class issue to each student in the course a “Field Trip/Off Campus Academic Activities Release Form.”  This form may be attained from each Schools Dean’s office or the Provost’s Office.  Each student who acknowledges this travel requirement and wishes to remain in the course must sign and date the form and write in his/her Social Security number.  The professor must then collect these forms, sign them, and obtain the school dean or department chair’s signature.  Once the forms are complete, all white copies must be forwarded to the Provost’s Office and the yellow copies delivered to the students.

• If student travel is associated with any Student Life activity, each student member of the club/organization will be required by the faculty/staff sponsor to complete a “Student Life Travel Release Form” prior to traveling, including a parent/guardian’s signature if the student is under 18 years of age.  This form may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office.  The faculty/staff sponsor must then obtain the signature of either the Assistant Vice President of Student Development or the Vice President for Student Affairs.  Once the forms have been completed, the faculty/staff sponsor must forward all white copies to the Student Affairs Office and the yellow copies to the student.

The responsible faculty or staff member will note on travel request forms that all students traveling have completed an appropriate release form.

CASH ADVANCE PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT GROUP TRAVEL

I.       As soon as trip plans are known and no later than two weeks prior to departure date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Completes the upper portion of the five part travel request and forwards to the Provost or the appropriate Vice President for approval.  The amount of money requested should follow the same state guidelines used for faculty and staff.
2. Completes a purchase requisition if lodging is not to be charged on personal credit card and forwards to the Provost or appropriate Vice President for approval.
3. Upon approval from the Provost or appropriate Vice President, forwards gold copy of travel request, along with a list of students and faculty/staff members who will be travelling, to Accounting and forwards pink copy of travel request to Facilities Management.
4. If appropriate, forwards purchase requisition to the Purchasing Office.

II.      At least two days before departure date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Calls Accounting to verify availability of check for advance for meals and to schedule a time to pick up funds.  Money will not be advanced before two days prior to departure date.
2. If Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group cannot personally pick up the check advance, consults with Provost or appropriate Vice President and obtains written approval for a designee.
3. Calls the Purchasing Office to confirm motel has been prepaid or company has agreed to bill the University.

III.     Not more than two days prior to departure, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group may pick up check advance in Accounting.

IV.     During trip, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

1. Obtains receipts for all money spent.  Credit card receipts are NOT acceptable.
2. Obtains signatures of those receiving meals and/or cash for meals.
3. Ensures State and University guidelines are followed concerning meal amounts and times of arrival and departure.

V.    Within 1 week after return date, Faculty/Staff Advisor of Student Group:

Completes bottom portion of travel request and forwards to Provost or appropriate Vice President for approval.  Returns completed travel request and any money not spent to Accounting.

Foreign Travel

While on foreign travel actual lodging expenses will be reimbursed. Fees for the purchase of traveler’s checks, passports and visas will be reimbursed provided a receipt is furnished. All expenses claimed must be converted to U.S. dollars and the conversion rate be properly documented.

If receipts are not provided, only the maximum daily rate established by the Federal Government for meals and incidentals can be claimed. When claiming reimbursement for actual expenses of meals that exceeds the daily rate, receipts are required. To locate the Foreign Per Diem Rates, including a breakdown of meals and incidental expenses, follow this link: http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

Procurement Code: The South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code governs the expenditure of all funds regardless of source unless specifically exempted.

• The Purchasing Office will adhere to and abide by the Procurement Code and its implementing regulations.

Where a procurement involves the expenditure of federal grant or contract funds, Francis Marion University is required to comply with the federal law and authorized regulations which are applicable even if not presently reflected in the South Carolina Procurement Code.

Certification: The Office of General Services of the Budget and Control Board has certified Francis Marion University to make direct purchases of up to $275,000 for goods/services, $175,000 for information technology, $175,000 for construction contracts, and $150,000 for consultant services.

Contracts: A purchase order constitutes a contract binding the University and the supplier.

• The Vice President for Finance and Facilities, Director of Purchasing, and designated procurement officers are the only persons authorized to bind Francis Marion University except as delegated under the purchasing card program.

Correspondence with Vendors:

• Correspondence pertaining to a purchase order involving prices, terms, conditions, delivery, quantity, substitution, complaint, or anything whatsoever involving the commitment, shall be conducted by the Purchasing Office.
• Direct correspondence by faculty and staff is accepted practice for obtaining instructional information, availability, or requests for literature, etc.
• Faculty and staff personnel should refrain from any correspondence which may be interpreted as committing Francis Marion University to a binding contract.

Coordination: Departments are encouraged to coordinate with the Purchasing Office in advance of purchase requisition submission for complex high-value procurement actions.

Originator Responsibilities:

• Determines if the purchase will require special facilities for the good or service. (If so, see Equipment Purchases.)
• Completes “Requisition for Goods and Services” in Patriot Portal.
• Is the designated recipient of delivered goods unless otherwise noted on the requisition. Storage and/or installation are the responsibility of the originator.

Purchasing Office Responsibilities:

• Upon receipt of the requisition, verifies that the appropriate department and fund budget approvals have been applied, and determines if sufficient funds are available. Requisitions not properly approved or lacking sufficient funds in the requested budget will be referred back to the requestor to attain approvals or to arrange for sufficient funds to be provided prior to considering the requisition for purchase.
• Determines appropriate solicitation methods, obtains competition as appropriate, and issues a Purchase Order.
• Sends copy of the Purchase Order to the originator, who verifies it as being consistent with the requisition. Discrepancies should be immediately brought to the attention of the Purchasing Office. After verification, the Purchase Order should be retained by the originator, or in a central location as determined by the Department Head for future reference.
• Purchases must be verified by the originator as received before Accounting can pay an invoice for the purchase.  Requestor will go to “Receive Goods and Services” in Patriot Portal to receive an item or items from the purchase order for this purpose.  In the event that a requestor does not have access to the purchase order in Patriot Portal, the requestor should forward a receiving copy of the purchase order with printed completion instructions to the originator. The requestor shall verify receipt of goods or services when received on the receiving copy, then forward the receiving copy to the Purchasing Office. The Department Head may designate a limited number of staff to accomplish these tasks on his/her behalf. .

Requisition initiator responsibilities:

• Receives the item(s) from the purchase order in Patriot Portal. Timely and accurate completion of this task is the basis for payment to the vendor. It is important to receive the item in Patriot Portal as soon as possible after the goods or services have been provided by the vendor.
• If the recipient of the purchased goods or services is not the requisition initiator, then the recipient must inform the initiator in writing that they have received the goods or services; the initiator should then receive the item in Patriot Portal.  The recipient may instead initial and date the receiving copy of the purchase order as received, then provide the receiving copy to the Purchasing Department.

Purchases up to $5,000.00: Small purchases not exceeding $5,000.00 may be made without securing competitive quotations if the prices are considered fair and reasonable.

• If the total estimate is close to $5,000.00 or if the procurement officer feels a better price can be obtained, the order may be informally bid to attain multiple competing quotations.
• Final discretionary authority rests with the procurement officer. Otherwise, the orders are processed and sent directly to the suggested vendor.

Purchases from $5,000.01 to $25,000.00: Attaining a minimum of three written quotations from responsible vendors is required prior to award.

• These quotations will be solicited by a procurement officer, or written quotations will be accepted from departments provided the quote accurately addresses the item(s) to be purchased, is signed by the vendor, and includes sufficient information for verification by the Purchasing Office.
  • Whenever possible, the vendor community must be solicited consistently when attaining quotations.  (The easiest method is for a blind copied e-mail requesting the quotation sent to the vendor community contacts.)  If a quotation is attained by telephone, the time, date, and details of the quote including the contact at the vendor must be documented to qualify as a valid quotation.
  • A no quote from a vendor, or a non-response from a vendor to a quotation request does not constitute a quotation when meeting the three quotation minimum.
  • A price from a catalog (internet or otherwise) does not constitute a quotation when meeting the three quotation minimum.  A catalog price serves as a quotation if the vendor verifies in writing that the catalog price is the best price their company can provide for a quotation.
• Collected quotations provided by the initiator at the University must contain sufficient information for verification (i.e. vendor name, contact person, e-mail, phone number). The information must be confirmed by the Purchasing Office prior to award.

Purchases from $25,000.01 to $50,000.00: Written solicitation of written quotes, bids, or proposals shall be made via a formal solicitation process initiated by the Purchasing Department.

• The procurement shall be advertised at least once in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication. (Quotations will not be accepted from departments.)

Purchases greater than $50,000 are required to be awarded on the basis of competitive sealed bids/proposals. Francis Marion is certified up to the following levels:

Goods and Services:            $275,000
Information Technology:    $175,000
Construction Contracts:      $175,000
Consultant Services:             $150,000

• This procurement methodology requires advanced planning, advertising, public opening of bids/proposals and analysis prior to award of the contract.
• Departments must allow a minimum of forty-five (45) days for these procedures after submitting a purchase requisition.
• The procurement shall be advertised at least once in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication.

Purchases greater than the certification levels listed above must be competitively bid by the State Materials Management Office.

• Departments must allow a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days for these purchases after submitting a purchase requisition for Purchases over the certification levels indicated above.

Request for Payment: Arrangement for a direct payment of an invoice for a one time purchase of goods or services valued $5,000.00 or less

Upon receipt of an invoice from a vendor for goods or services received by the University totaling $5,000.00 or less, complete a “Request a Payment” in Patriot Portal, denote the voucher number (provided after successfully entering the request) on the invoice, then forward the invoice to Purchasing.  A scanned copy of the invoice may be e-mailed to Purchasing instead of sending a hard copy.

Emergency Purchases: When purchases must be made on an emergency basis, the department head should contact the Director of Purchasing and request an emergency purchase. The following information will be required prior to approval:

• Name of vendor
• Amount of purchase
• Name of requestor
• Description of item or service to be purchased
• Nature of emergency

In cases where the exact amount of the purchase is not known, an estimate must be made. Competition will be solicited, if possible. Upon receipt of the emergency purchase order number or emergency requisition number, the vendor may be notified and the goods/services procured.  An Emergency Purchase determination can only be made by the Director of Purchasing, and for emergency purchases greater than $10,000.00, determination is made by the Director of Purchasing through the Vice President for Finance and Facilities.

Per the South Carolina Procurement Code, all emergency purchases valued $50,000.00 or greater shall be advertised in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication.

NOTE:  FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE A REQUIREMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA PROCUREMENT CODE.

Equipment Purchases:

An item is generally deemed equipment if the item is valued $5,000.00 or greater, and has a life expectancy of at least one year.  Contact the Purchasing Department prior to considering a purchase of this nature for a determination of whether or not the item(s) you are intending to purchase should or should not be deemed an equipment purchase.

The purchase or acquisition of high value equipment often requires a minimum of 30 days to process; therefore, it is important to anticipate equipment needs for your department.

• Printing Equipment: All purchases of printing equipment in excess of $50,000.00 require approval of the state’s information technology planning office.
• Equipment-Lease, Lease/Payment, Installment Purchase and Rental: Acquisition of equipment by any means other than purchase must be fully justified. (Many purchases in this category require prior approval from General Services or the State Treasurer and therefore may involve longer processing time prior to the actual placing of the order; therefore, plan accordingly.)
• Equipment Trade-in: Items may be used for trade-in credit when purchasing or leasing new, like items.

Consult with the Director of Facilities Management to ensure all requirements can be met prior to requisitioning any equipment which requires:

• Permanent connection to the building or to any building service (electricity, water supply or drain, ventilation, gas, air, steam, etc.).
• The addition or extension of any building service, including electricity at a different voltage or increase in power available.
• Special cabinetry, support, or housing not acquired as part of the equipment.
• Special environmental conditions, such as control of temperature or humidity.
• Special transportation due to the item being large or heavy.
• Cutting, patching, or building modification.

The basis for the sole source determination and the reason no other product or vendor is suitable are required. The Purchasing Office cannot adequately answer these questions without your input. Sole Source determinations can only be made by the Director of Purchasing, and for procurements greater than $10,000.00, determination is made by the Director of Purchasing through the Vice President for Finance and Facilities.

Per the South Carolina Procurement Code, all sole source procurements valued $50,000.00 or greater shall be advertised in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication.

NOTE: COMPETITION SHALL BE SOLICITED IN CASES OF REASONABLE DOUBT.

To purchase art objects such as paintings, antiques, sculptures or similar objects costing greater than $1,000.00, the President or his designee is required to provide written determination specifying the need for such objects and the benefits to the State. Such written determination will be forwarded to the South Carolina Arts Commission for approval prior to purchase. Departments desiring to purchase art objects will enter their purchase requisition and forward a memorandum to the Purchasing Office specifying the need for such objects and the benefits to the State.

GUIDELINES FOR GIFT CARD USAGE

Purpose

To comply with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax withholding and reporting obligations, this document provides guidelines for the purchase and distribution of gift cards/certificates purchased with University funds.

• According to IRS rules, because cash and cash equivalents, such as gift cards/certificates, have a readily ascertainable value, they are considered taxable income regardless of the face amount of the gift card/certificates.
• If an individual receives gift cards, awards or payments during the calendar year in excess of $600, the entire amount will be reported on Form 1099-MISC. If there is any indication that an individual might receive $600 during the year, a W-9 form should be requested at the time of gift card distribution.

Gift Cards to Students

• Student Life / Programming Board budgets along with select grants may purchase gift cards to be used as door prizes, incentives, or awards of recognition; however, such compensation may be taxable income to the recipient.
• Payment to participants of University research or survey projects may be compensated with a gift card; however, such compensation may be taxable income to the recipient.
• Gift cards may be purchased from the Patriot Bookstore utilizing the Purchase Requisition process regardless of the anticipated total value of the Gift Cards to be purchased. Gift cards may not be purchased via a University Procurement Card (P-Card) per State Procurement regulations or by using a Departmental Charge account at the Patriot Bookstore.
• The value of all gifts and gift cards/certificates given to non-employees in an aggregate amount of $600.00 or more per calendar year must be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC as other compensation.
• Gift cards should not be given in exchange for services.  For example, gift cards should not be given to student workers for work performed.
• Students who are Nonresident Aliens: According to the IRS, gift cards/certificates given to individuals who are nonresident aliens are subject to federal tax withholding which the department will be responsible for unless an exception applies.  Please contact the Office of Accounting before providing gift cards/certificates to individuals who are Nonresident Aliens so that the University may comply with this law.

Gifts Cards to Employees

• Gift cards or gift certificates cannot be given to a University employee using University funds.
• According to the IRS, the value of gifts and gift cards/certificates given to employees using University funds is considered compensation (taxable income) subject to federal, state and employment tax withholding, and reporting on Form W-2 during the calendar year the gift card was received.

Procedures

• All gift card requests regardless of planned value must be made via a Purchase Requisition regardless of the anticipated total value of the Gift Cards to be purchased.
• The University’s Bookstore Contractor, Follett, will accept an FMU Purchase Order for gift cards.
• In order to purchase a gift card, please complete a Purchase Requisition and a Gift Card Purchase Authorization Form and forward to the Purchasing Office. A separate authorization form must be completed for each program, activity, or specific event.
• It is recommended to limit the number of gift cards purchased at one time to facilitate card disbursement and reconciliation.
• The Purchasing Office will issue a Purchase Order to Follett
• Follett will provide gift cards to the requesting department once a Purchase Order is received.
• Please contact the FMU Purchasing Departments if attempting to purchase a gift card from another vendor besides Follett.

Gift Card Disbursement Log

• The department should complete a Gift Card Disbursement Log to record the disbursement of all gift cards purchased, even if only one card. For example, if a department purchases five gift cards for $50 but only disburses two, the disbursement log should reflect that three gift cards still remain open and the log will be completed when the final three cards are distributed.
• The completed Gift Card Disbursement Log must be returned to the FMU Office of Accounting.

Control of Gift Cards

• Gift Cards should be kept under lock and key at all times to ensure proper physical security and to protect from theft and loss.
• Access to the gift cards and keys to the locked areas should be limited to the individual(s) responsible for safekeeping the gift cards.

File Retention

The Gift Card Disbursement Log, Gift Card Purchase Authorization Form and the accompanying Purchase Order should be retained in the requestor’s departmental files for three years.

Questions/Concerns

If you have any questions on purchasing a gift card, please contact the Purchasing Office at (843) 661-1160 or the Accounting Office at (843) 661-1120.  

Blanket Purchase Orders are contracts issued to establish and monitor use of products or services for a specified period of time and to increase efficiency in administration of those agreements. Contracts issued as such will be competed appropriately by the Purchasing Office and when established will clearly indicate term and pricing on the purchase order.  Per the South Carolina Procurement Code, no Blanket Purchase Order shall exceed a term greater than one year in length.

The using department will be responsible for:

• Reviewing invoices for accuracy and resolving any discrepancy with the vendor.
• Identifying and noting the applicable purchase order number on the invoice.
• Forwarding the invoice to the Office of Accounting for payment.
• Monitoring expiration dates.

Under some circumstances, traditional methods of purchase may not be applicable or practical. In those cases, faculty/staff members may opt to expend personal funds for necessary departmental supplies and be reimbursed for cost of those supplies, provided that:

• Established purchasing methods are not feasible (i.e. purchase order documents or procurement cards are not an option).
• The reimbursement request relates to departmental supplies only. Services, travel, or other forms of personal reimbursement will not qualify.
• The requestor insures their departmental policies or procedures are not violated.
• The items do not conflict with established contracts.

Reimbursements should be the last purchasing method considered. Requests not in compliance may require completion of a Ratification of Unauthorized Procurement form prior to processing.

Reimbursement requests should be submitted as a “Request a Payment” in Patriot Portal with all supporting documentation including paid receipts provided to the Purchasing Department.  After fund and department budget approvals for the request for payment have been applied in Patriot Portal, the supporting documentation will be forwarded to the Office of Accounting for payment processing.

An unauthorized purchase is defined as the obligation of payment for goods and services made by any person without the requisite authority to do so by an appointment or delegation under the provisions of the South Carolina Procurement Code and Francis Marion University guidelines. When an individual without that authority commits the University to a contract, State law requires that the agency head ratify that contract. This is accomplished by having a Ratification of Unauthorized Procurement form completed and signed by the individual. The form should then be routed through those responsible for the budget for signature, then to the President for final approval.

The University will adhere to guidelines established by the Office of State Engineer in conjunction with the South Carolina Procurement Code requirements for construction procurements. The Facilities Management Department is the requestor for construction procurement.

Purchases from other state agencies, except those specifically exempted, must meet the same competitive tests as purchases from outside vendors and require a purchase order in advance.

There are guidelines which must be followed when selecting conference facilities for which expenditures of State funds are involved. The guidelines apply to all hotel or motel facilities regardless of what the gathering is called, e.g., meeting, seminar, conference, workshop, retreat, etc. If such a meeting is being planned, contact the Director of Purchasing for details.

Catering Services: The University’s official food service contractor is the primary source of catering for official functions.

• Catering from a vendor other than the University’s official food service contractor will not normally be authorized unless the official food service contractor has indicated in writing that it cannot provide the requested service.
• Catering services from outside vendors, when authorized, must be solicited in accordance with the South Carolina Procurement Code, and within the University’s Internal Procurement Regulations.
• This policy is both a contractual matter and an economic matter since Francis Marion University receives a designated percentage of catering services revenues from the University’s food service contractor.

Consultant Services: Departments requesting consultant services should submit a “Requisition for Goods and Services” in Patriot Portal, and submit a corresponding Scope of Work to the Purchasing Department that at a minimum contains the following information:

• Definition of need
• Expected results from consultant
• Specific qualifications the consultant must possess
• Period services will be needed
• Selection criteria to be used in judging consultant proposals
• Number, type and frequency of reports required
• Payment terms

Employee Services: Requests for employee services are to be made to the Office of Human Resources.

Legal and Auditing Services:

• Retaining legal services for the University requires prior approval of the State Attorney General’s Office.
• Procurement of certified public accountants and public accountants to perform financial and/or compliance audits are exempt from competition but are subject to approval by the State Auditor’s Office.

Photocopying and Duplicating: Copy machines are located in various locations on campus and are provided with codes for recording departmental copies. Please contact the Purchasing Office if you have a question regarding departmental copier usage.

(Supplies for Copiers) Paper for departmental copies are requested by submitting an e-mail to the work order center at workreq@fmarion.edu.

Printing Services: Francis Marion University Publications and Printing Office is the preferred source for all printing requirements.

• Printing services from outside printers shall be solicited in accordance with the South Carolina Procurement Code and within the University’s Internal Procurement Regulations using printing specification sheet(s) or forms specifications.
• Departments requiring printing services from outside sources shall enter a “Requisition for Goods and Services” in Patriot Portal and forward the appropriate specifications to the Purchasing Office.
• Specification sheets or forms specifications may be obtained from the Printing Office.

Professional Services: When professional services are to be obtained under an independent contractual relationship, wherein the University relinquishes the RIGHT to DIRECT or CONTROL the professional in the method of performance or the end results of his/her efforts as defined in IRS regulations, then procurement must be accomplished as directed in the South Carolina Procurement Code and ensuing Regulations.

• Professionals with fees greater than $5,000.00 who are unique in their applicability to University programs may qualify for “sole source” procurement action. Such determination can only be made by the Director of Purchasing, and for fees greater than $10,000.00, determination is made by the Director of Purchasing through the Vice President for Finance and Facilities.
• Proposed contracts, which do not qualify as “sole source” will require competitive bidding.

Repair Services: Requests for repair services, under normal or non-critical circumstances, will be processed as a routine purchase.

• Whenever equipment is in need of immediate repair or the repair service is critical to department operations and regular procedures cannot be followed, the department should follow the Emergency Purchases procedures.

Revenue generating contracts are those where there is a sales management agreement with an outside contractor and the contractor pays Francis Marion University a commission or some other consideration. These contracts are subject to the South Carolina Procurement Code. Examples of management services covered are:

• Bookstore management
• Food Service management
• Vending management
• Sports marketing
• Novelty and trademark rights
• Cash management by banks