1. Timely P-Card Reconciliations
2. Sustainability
3. Payroll Tax Tables
4. Voucher Search
5. Payments to Students
6. Payments to Foreign Visitors
7. Budget Reminders/Transfers in WFS
8. Purchasing News
1. TIMELY P-CARD RECONCILIATIONS
All P-Card expenses must be fully reconciled and submitted to workflow for approvals in WFS within 30 days after each bill cycle ending on the 20th of the month. Per University Policy, past due reconciliations > than 60 days will result in card suspension. Please review the status of your P-Card vouchers to ensure JUL17 through DEC17 vouchers have been submitted. If you have been contacted by AP or an approver for missing items, please respond as soon as possible. If you have any questions, contact pcard@wesleyan.edu.
2. SUSTAINABILITY
North College 3rd Floor (Academic Affairs, Institutional Research, Grants Office, and Office of Equity & Inclusion) is the first Green Certified Office at Wesleyan, reaching the Silver certification level! They, along with ITS (which is still in progress), took part in a pilot of the Sustainability Office’s Green Office Certification program, designed to promote sustainability campus-wide. Their work is informing future iterations of this program and will be offered to all departments and offices in the coming months, so stay tuned for how you can participate in this exciting new opportunity!
In case you missed it, Wesleyan has introduced a new policy instructing drivers of university vehicles not to idle for more than three minutes (which conforms to Connecticut law). We also encourage all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to help by turning off that engine. Our air will be cleaner. Not convinced? Here’s a list of anti-idling myths (bit.ly/idling-myths). Want to help? Here’s a flyer you can give to idling visitors (bit.ly/idling-handout). If you have questions, please contact Sustainability Director Jen Kleindienst at jkleindienst@wesleyan.edu. For more information about Connecticut’s efforts to stop idling, visit bit.ly/ct-anti-idling.
3. PAYROLL TAX TABLES
The tax table updates that implement the new federal withholding tables, will be reflected in your pay starting in February as follows:
Weekly Paid Employees – Pay date 2/9/18
Semi Monthly Paid Employees – Pay date 2/15/18
Monthly Paid Employees – Pay date 2/28/18
4. VOUCHER SEARCH
Responding to user feedback to widen the search criteria, the default date populated in the “Invoice Date” date field for existing Smart Vouchers has been changed to 7/1/14. This is an editable field and can be modified as needed to assist with voucher searches.
5. PAYMENTS TO STUDENTS
An updated policy regarding payments to students has been posted online. This policy specifies how payments to students should be made (payroll vs. accounts payable vs. student accounts). If you handle payments to students, we have provided a new flowchart to help you determine the proper form of payment. Beginning April 1, 2018, payments made through accounts payable will require the attached document to the voucher as part of the payment substantiation. We encourage use of the attachment now to aid in making the decision on how to pay the student. For questions, contact Christine Rodrigue, Sr. Acccountant/Tax Specialist at x3502.
6. PAYMENTS TO FOREIGN VISITORS
The following is a reminder related to payment processing for the services of foreign visitors. This is not in response to specific issues in this area, but simply a reference, as activity is increased during the fall and spring semesters.
Understanding that international cultural engagement fuels creativity, supports diplomacy, and enriches artistic offerings, it is crucial for both foreign visitors and Wesleyan to comply with US immigration work restrictions and federal tax law. Payments for the services of foreign individuals are highly regulated and non-compliance could jeopardize a visitor’s visa status and/or future visits to the US. The University will only make payments for the services of individuals upon receiving proof of immigration eligibility, which must be presented prior to an activity. To that end, it is extremely important to notify Finance, Christine Rodrigue, x3502, prior to requesting and/or accepting the services of a foreign person or business. Please see NRA Visitor Payment Checklist. In addition to government restrictions and rules for visitors coming into the US, there are income tax withholding rules on some types of payments to foreign entities, such as the purchase of rights or royalties. Please contact Christine with any questions.
7. BUDGET REMINDERS/TRANSFERS IN WFS
Please be sure to check your financial reports so that you are on track in your budgets. Assuming consistent spending throughout the year, budgets should be 58% expended.
The deadline for original budget transfers is Thursday, March 15. It is important that we freeze the 2018 original budgets for 2019 budget planning. Adjustment budget transfers will still be allowed in the last quarter of the fiscal year, but there should be very little budget transfer activity from this point forward. As a reminder, budget transfer training materials can be found on the Finance website at http://www.wesleyan.edu/finance/traininglist.html. If you have any questions, please email financialplanning@wesleyan.edu.
8. PURCHASING NEWS
See attached Purchasing News for information on Dupli, Enterprise, Sprint, Courtyard by Marriott, BJs membership savings, XL Center discounts, Hotel Contracts and The Women’s Wellness Fund.