Purpose
This policy establishes standards for the allowability of hospitality expenditures to ensure proper stewardship of public and institutional funds, support of the University mission, and compliance with tax requirements.
Policy Statement
University-funded hospitality expenditures may be incurred for activities that support the recruitment, enrollment, and retention of prospective and currently enrolled students, as well as official University-wide events, hospitality provided to external accreditation reviewers and agency representatives, events where the price of admission includes a factor for hospitality, and the official business of the President’s Office or Board of Trustees.
In all cases, hospitality expenses must be necessary, appropriate, prudent, reasonable, and incurred for a bona fide business purpose that advances the mission of the University.
Hospitality expenditures that are not permissible under this policy are also not permissible from USI Foundation funds, except for donor cultivation activities that are expressly authorized and paid directly by the USI Foundation.
Hospitality expenses are permitted only as expressly provided in this policy.
Scope
This policy applies to all University funds, regardless of source, and to all methods of expenditure including purchase orders, procurement cards, and reimbursements. It also applies to internal sales (transfers between University departments) as well as complimentary tickets or admissions to University events.
This policy does not apply to candidate meals or meals associated with travel. Refer to Travel Policy or Section B.26, Expenditures for Hospitality Search Committee Guidelines, in the University Handbook.
Exceptions
Exceptions may be approved for contractual obligations, strategic priorities, or to prevent substantial financial or operational harm. Requests for exceptions must be submitted to procureserv@usi.edu and approved prior to incurring the expense. Each request must include the bona fide business purpose, estimated cost, funding source, and a justification explaining why the expenditure should be permitted as an exception to this policy.