STUDENT ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 STUDENT ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK version

2 1.0 EVENTS/ACTIVITIES 1.1 Event/Meeting Room Request Form Law School facilities are available for use by officially recognized Law School Student Organizations for Law School-related events. Facilities must be reserved in advance of an event and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Student Lounge is ordinarily not available for events, which will close the Lounge to the general student body and is not available for events or meetings during the reading period or final examinations. The Office of Scheduling and Events ( ) is responsible for scheduling and reserving locations for on-campus events. Representative event planners must first submit an event/meeting room request form (RRF) available at to request a room reservation. The request must be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled event. Before an event is confirmed or publicized, the event planner must have received a confirmation from the Office of Scheduling and Events confirming the reservation. If your plans change, you must notify Scheduling and Events of the cancellation, or request a new location/time by submitting a new event/meeting request. No Events on Holidays - Events should not be scheduled on University holidays or staff holidays. If your event must be held on a holiday, you must submit a separate written request to the Office of Student Affairs outlining the reason for the event being held on a holiday, the resources required (i.e., staff, security, access to buildings and/or restrooms, etc.) If approved, the Organization can submit a RRF and it MUST be accompanied by the approval to hold an event on a holiday. If separate approval is not requested or obtained, the event is subject to cancellation without notice. Please note that events scheduled and approved to be held on holidays may be costly as the University may pass on staffing costs onto the Student Organization. VIP Guests - The Dean of the Law School must be notified if distinguished/vip guests (e.g., California Supreme Court justices, alumni/alumnae) will be participating in or attending an event. The Dean of the Law School should be invited to any such event. Departmental Assistance - If your event is related to an on-going departmental responsibility, you should notify that department in advance of your plans. That department may be able to assist you with planning and promoting the event. For instance, if you are planning on having a speaker discuss career opportunities in criminal law, you should contact the Office of Career Services. Parking Validations - If you will be requesting that parking validations be extended to guests (e.g., speakers, performers), a list of names of the individual(s) must be forwarded to the Security Office. The sponsoring student organization will be charged the daily parking rates for each validation. Clean-Up - Your organization remains responsible for all clean up. Your organization may purchase food from an outside vendor; however, you may wish to consult Bon Appétit Food Services Manager at the Law School regarding what services they might have available to you. Food sales, especially for fundraising, should meet with Bon Appétit Catering to inform them of the event and to avoid any potential conflict. Duplicative/Conflicting Programming Event planners should take steps to review the In Brief, Master Calendar, related organizations, Law School sponsored symposia (Sports Law Institute, Juvenile Justice Clinic, etc.), and the Office of Advancement to ensure that similar events or events that share resources do not conflict. It might also be advisable for similar or related events to pool resources and invitees and join events. Version

3 1.2 Administrative Assistance with Planning an Event For planning major events, you may wish to consult with the Office of Student Affairs. That office is an important source of special event information (e.g., budget planning, caterers, florists, rentals, invitation design and printers). Paper stock for nametags, special invitations, flyers, banners and programs may be purchased or ordered by the student organization from the Graphics Office. To ensure the success of your event, be sure to plan the event well enough in advance. For events of 100 people or more, you should begin planning the event at least eight (8) weeks prior to the scheduled date of the event. Four (4) weeks should be sufficient for events less than 100 people. 1.3 Alcohol Policy Ad hoc consumption of alcoholic beverages by students is not allowed on campus. To serve alcoholic beverages at any campus function, student organizations must receive prior approval from the Office of Student Affairs. Ordinarily, alcohol will not be permitted at Student Organization functions. Requests to serve alcoholic beverages at a campus event must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. Permission may withheld and request denied for any reason If an event is permitted to serve alcohol, the following policies and procedures must be followed: a. You must ensure that all persons are of legal drinking age. Identification should be checked; no person under the age of 21 will be permitted to consume any alcoholic beverage. b. Hard Liquor is NOT permitted at any time. c. You must ensure that the amount of alcoholic beverages you plan to serve is commensurate with the number of individuals attending your event. d. Organizations must hire, at the expense of the planning organization, licensed bartenders to dispense any alcohol permitted to be served. No one should be permitted to pour their own. e. Non-alcoholic alternatives must also be provided. f. Some type of food or light snacks must be served in conjunction with the serving of alcoholic beverages. g. Alcohol may not be served at an event until mid to late afternoon, depending on the class schedule. Events should be scheduled such that alcoholic beverages are served after the start of classes being held within the vicinity. Faculty members have expressed concern with students bringing beer into the classroom. For example, beer should not be served until at least 3:45 p.m., if the event is being held on the grass area and classes are scheduled to begin in Donovan Hall and Merrifield Hall at 3:30 p.m. h. Alcohol may be brought on campus no more than 24 hours prior to an event, and per 1.3 (i) below, be removed from campus immediately following the event. Version

4 i. At the conclusion of the event, all alcoholic beverages (e.g. kegs, wine bottles, beer containers, etc.) must be discarded appropriately or removed from the Law School premises. They may not be stored in the Student Organization Office and may be removed without prior notice. j. References to alcohol are not permitted in advertising any event, including but not limited to wine, beer, vodka, rum, liquor, alcohol, cabernet, etc. We suggest you use refreshments or beverages instead Turf Clubs Bartenders hired to serve alcoholic beverages at a Turf Club must track the distribution of drinks. A maximum of 2 alcoholic drinks per individual will be permitted. While there is no preferred method of tracking, typically a mark made with ink on the hand of the student will suffice to track the 2 drink maximum If you are planning on selling alcoholic beverages, you must receive written authorization from the Office of Student Affairs. If permission is granted, you must still obtain a temporary liquor license from the city by submitting a letter and permit fee to the Alcohol Beverage Control Board. In addition, if alcoholic beverages will be sold, the student organization must hire a licensed bartender at their own expense. 1.4 MCLE Credit Off-campus entities are not permitted to award MCLE credit for Law School-affiliated on-campus programs. Requests to award MCLE credit at an event must be approved by the Associate Dean for Research and Academic Centers and, if approved, the Law School will arrange for and award the MCLE credit. All requests should be accompanied by the names of presenters, copies of materials, and any other element essential to the evaluation of the MCLE program being contemplated. An MCLE fee must be added to the registration charge and/or be collected at the door. 1.5 Music or Loud Speaker Any potential disruption with music or loud speakers is subject to the following exceptions: If you are having live music or sound equipment for an event on campus, especially in the Student Lounge, you need to be aware that the sound travels to the classrooms. Thus, you must contact in advance any faculty members teaching in those classrooms during the event to discuss any concerns they might have. Events held in the Oak Tree Quad during the day are limited to the lunch hour. Live music and sound equipment should be scheduled to begin no earlier than the time the last class lets out and end no later than the beginning of classes being held in Donovan Hall, Merrifield Hall, Burns 249, and 255. Ordinarily, this would be between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. or 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Please consult the Schedule of classes. Sound equipment should be calibrated so that it does not negatively impact staff members working in adjacent offices (e.g., Office of Conferences and Events) and faculty in their offices (especially those with offices on the east side of the Burns Building). 1.6 Publicity There are Six basic ways in which you can advertise an upcoming event: 1. In Brief (Law School Newsletter): Your event will automatically be included in the "Calendar of Events" section of the In Brief. Version

5 The In Brief is ordinarily distributed on a weekly basis. It is published electronically every Monday. Deadlines for submissions are the Wednesday before the publication date. Announcements may be edited for length and clarity Notices of events may be posted to one of the events listserve addresses found at Please note that students have the ability to unsubscribe to these lists. 3. Flyers: Flyers must be approved and date stamped by the Information Center. Once they have been date stamped, four flyers should be given to the Information Center so that they can be posted in the appropriate areas: Posting Policy - In order to keep postings on bulletin boards and kiosks current, the Law School community is required to follow these guidelines: a. For-profit business advertisements are not permitted. Reference should be made to Section 1.10 Corporate/For-Profit Sponsors. b. Promotional announcements will be removed by staff following the event. Notices and advertisements will be removed after ten (10) days. i. All bulletin boards and kiosks are for general campus community use. Only up to a maximum of four (4) announcements per any single student organization special event, or advertisements, must be date-stamped by the Information Center for posting in the Esplanade kiosk. Notices not date-stamped by the Information Center or posted in unauthorized areas will be taken down or removed without notice. 4. Banners: Banners advertising pre-approved special events sponsored by student organizations may be hung on the railing located on the south side of the Rains Library Building, and on the retaining wall located to the northeast of Merrifield Hall. 5. Posters: One (1) poster per pre-approved activity may be enlarged. Posters will be placed by staff on the South facing wall of the elevator bays. Student organizations should submit an 8 ½ x 11 flyer suitable for enlargement (flyer must have 1 margins) to the Information Center. 6. Electronic Board: Faculty, staff and students may request that announcements be listed on the Electronic Board. Announcements should be submitted directly to the Information Center. Announcements must be brief and pertinent to all viewers. 1.7 Disclaimers 1. Off- Campus Events All Student Organization notices/advertisements/ flyers/ s for off-campus event MUST include the following disclaimer language: This event is not sponsored by Loyola Law School, which disclaims all responsibility for matters associated with this event. 2. Viewpoint Disclaimer - All Student Organization notices/advertisements/ flyers/ s for on-campus event MUST include the following disclaimer language: Version

6 Loyola Law School provides a forum for the dissemination of diverse viewpoints to promote the examination of important academic and social issues. This does not mean that Loyola Law School endorses those viewpoints. 3. Website Disclaimer any privately hosted web page which is linked from a Student Organization page on lls.edu must have the following disclaimer language: This is not an official Loyola Law School Web site, and Loyola Law School does not offer, endorse, recommend or guarantee these products or services. The organization and its Web site provider are responsible for the content and system availability of this Web site. 1.8 Food Preparation/Sale of Food No homemade food is permitted to be sold. Organizations must plan on selling commercially prepared food items. Measures must still be taken when handling such food, such as proper serving utensils and use of plastic gloves. Reference should be made to the Cash Handling Policy in the Appendix as it relates to food sales. 1.9 Fundraising Activities Student organizations may sponsor food sales and product sales. In addition, you must also receive permission to charge admission to an event. Reference should also be made to the Cash Handling Policy in the Appendix. 1. Use of Loyola Law School s Name and/or Logo A student organization recognized by the Law School may use and/or sell products with the Loyola Law School name and/or logo subject to the following conditions: a. OFFICIAL LOGO: Only the official Law School/University logo may be used. b. PLACEMENT: The Loyola Law School name and/or logo must be used in conjunction with your organization s name. The organization s name must be prominent and in the immediate area of the Law School s name and/or logo on the product. c. PRIOR APPROVAL: You must obtain prior approval from the Office of Student Affairs in order to produce and sell your product, as it may be necessary to seek the approval of the Director of Communications as well. You are encouraged to obtain approval before your product is ordered or printed. Without prior notice, Student Organizations who do not receive prior approval may be prevented from producing, using, or distributing items at the risk and expense of the Student Organization. d. LIMITED TIME: Products may only be sold for a limited period of time. This time frame must be cleared with the Office of Student Affairs when you obtain approval to sell your product. Individual students or non-recognized student organizations may not market products with the Loyola Law School name or logo. Version

7 2. Fundraising - Solicitation and Approval of the Advancement Office In general, on-campus activities such as food sales or T-shirt sales do not require approval from the Advancement Office. The solicitation of individuals or businesses for donations and prizes does require coordination and may require the approval of the Advancement Office. The Law School relies on private gifts and grants to help fund its programs and operations. Every contact with a prospective donor must be meaningful and appropriate. It is important, therefore, that fundraising from off-campus prospects be coordinated with and receives prior approval from the Advancement Office. Such prior approval will also ensure full compliance with Internal Revenue Service regulations. In keeping with the need for meaningful and appropriate contacts with prospective donors, the Advancement Office also coordinates the use of lists and mailing labels of alumni and benefactors. Requests for labels must be received in writing six (6) weeks prior to the need for them. A copy of the item to be mailed must accompany the written request for mailing labels. Except in special pre-approved circumstances, alumni may not be solicited for donations to support student events. Reference should be made to the Cash Handling Policy in the Appendix as it relates to fundraising Corporate/For Profit Sponsors Student Organizations are prohibited from bringing for profit companies, businesses or service organizations on campus to solicit, recruit or sell services or products of any kind. All for-profit organizations must be referred to the Office of Scheduling and Events to inquire about the fee charged for access to the campus and its community Recognition at Graduation Certificates of Appreciation Certificates of Appreciation may be requested annually by an assigned representative of each recognized student organization on campus. The following individuals are eligible for these certificates: All graduating members of LLS student organizations (non-graduating students must be excluded) All officers of LLS student organizations, including non-graduating students who have been officers or have held committee chairs in the organization during the past academic year All editors and staff writers for the three LLS Law Reviews All officers and members of the LLS St. Thomas More Law Honor Society Faculty advisors or other faculty members who have assisted your organization Orders for Certificates of Appreciation must be electronically submitted to the Office of Student Affairs at the beginning of the Spring semester before March 1 st. General instructions regarding the ordering procedure are located on line at The Certificates of Appreciation Order Form can be found at The Office of Student Affairs will notify the student organizations by when certificates are available for pick-up. Version

8 Graduation Stoles/Sashes - While there are no restrictions on what additional items can be worn with the official graduation regalia, all items should be in keeping with the legal profession and decorum of the occasion. Each graduate must pay for their own Stoles/Cords/sashes. University funds, including Student Organization funds, cannot be used and requisitions requesting reimbursement for Stoles/Cords/sashes will not be processed or approved. 2.0 MONEY/BUDGET Please also refer to Appendix I and II of this manual (Student Organization Agency Accounts) for more detailed information. 2.1 Funding Programming and Events You may apply for funding through the Day Student Bar Association (DSBA) and the Evening Student Bar Association (ESBA). Every year the DSBA & the ESBA reviews its funding guidelines and makes whatever changes it believes are necessary. Revised guidelines will be issued by the ESBA and DSBA at the beginning of each Fall semester. 2.2 Funding Conference The Office of Student Affairs has limited funds set aside for student organizations to travel to regional or national conferences. The maximum amount of funding per request, per organization is limited to a few hundred dollars. Approved funding must be shared equally among participating members. Organizations are permitted to request additional funding on an annual basis, and will not be duplicative of assistance offered by the SBA or the sponsoring Organization. Reference should be made to Section 2.6 reimbursements below. To be considered for Office of Student Affairs funding, you should submit a proposal to the Office of Student Affairs as early as possible that includes details related to the travel to regional or national conferences, as well as, a budget breakdown. You should state why it is important that a member(s) of your organization attend the conference. In addition, both the president and the treasurer of your student organization will need to sign the travel request proposal indicating that they support the request for travel assistance. Travel funding may also be available from the Student Bar Associations and from your organization s agency account provided, of course, that you have funds in it from your own fundraising events and dues. Reference should be made to the Student Travel Policy found at Funding - Hosting a Conference Sponsored by a National Affiliate The Law School may assist in funding major conferences that are sponsored by a student organization in association with its regional, national or international affiliate. However, as funding is not specifically set aside for this purpose, organizations should submit a proposal to the Office of Student Affairs at least one (1) year in advance of any planned activity so that a determination can be made early enough as to whether funding is feasible. The year lead-time is necessary because of the lengthy approval process for the Law School s fiscal year budget. Your organization is urged to meet with the Office of Student Affairs as early as possible to discuss the feasibility of hosting a regional or a national conference. 2.4 Bank Accounts Version

9 University policy does not permit student groups to have outside financial accounts, including but not limited to checking, savings, stocks, bonds or other such investments. Effective from the beginning of the Fall 1994 semester, all student organizations were required to close any outside accounts and terminate any investments. Maintaining any such accounts or investments after the beginning of the Fall 1994 semester constitutes a breach of the Law School s Standard of Conduct. 2.5 Agency Accounts Ms. Marti Reynolds, in the Fiscal Affairs Office (FH 125), establishes agency accounts through the University for Student Organizations. Your organization s funds will be administered through its own agency account. Your organization must designate at least one officer who is authorized to make transactions with respect to your agency account. Transactions will not be processed without the approval of the authorized officer. Approval must be in the form of a signed requisition or request. The person authorized to approve reimbursement requests may not sign off on their own reimbursement requests. Such requests MUST be countersigned by another authorized board member. Requisition forms are available online at Purchases A variety of vendors have established relationships with the Law School. Consult the Office of Student Affairs for a referral. For major purchases or convenience, the Office of Student Affairs can use its credit card. 1. Reimbursement Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses which have been approved by the SBA budgeting process should be submitted to the Student Bar Associations on a requisition form. Out-of-pocket expenses approved by your student organization s governing body should be submitted directly to Marti Reynolds. All requests for reimbursement require ORIGINAL receipts. Please attach them to your request or requisition. The SBA must review and approve the reimbursement. It will then forward the requisition, with original receipts attached, to Marti Reynolds for processing. The requisition form can be found at the following link: Complete the form, print it, obtain the appropriate signatures and attach the original receipt(s). If the reimbursement is funded by the DSBA, the request must go to the DSBA for review and approval. If the reimbursement is funded by the Organizations own funds, submit it to Marti Reynolds (FH125, Finance suite), Director of Fiscal Affairs. All requests over $ must be reviewed and approved by Matthew Riojas (FH107), Director of Student Affairs, prior to processing. i. All requests are due to Marti Reynolds by noon on Wednesday for inclusion in the following Tuesday's check run. Requests must be complete, approved and be accompanied by the original receipts. Version

10 ii. Student refund or reimbursement checks will be returned to the Law School for distribution by the Friday following the check run. During the busiest weeks at the start of each semester, Student Tuition Refunds will be processed daily. Please refer the section below on Direct Deposit as it may expedite receipt of payments. a. Reference should be made to the University s Purchasing and Payment policy (v. June 1, 2009). The complete policy can be found at: i. Section 12 - Payment Policy The Accounts Payable Department processes payments to vendors for purchased goods and services performed. They also process reimbursements to students, for universityrelated expenses. Payments are disbursed in three ways: 1. Check 2. Electronic Payment (Direct Deposit or wire) 3. Cash ($ maximum) Accounts Payable conducts one primary check run per week, scheduled for every Tuesday. To be included in a weekly check run, the payment request must be submitted at least 5 business days prior. This pertains to Electronic Payments as well. Checks are generated on Tuesdays only. All requests are due in the Fiscal Affairs office by Noon on Wednesday for inclusion in the following Tuesday s check run. Requests must be complete, incomplete requests will be rejected. 2. Spending Limits One designated officer s signature is required on requisitions or invoices for any expenditure up to $ Your group may choose to require more than one officer s signature; if you do so, you need to indicate this on the Student Organization Agency Account Authorization section of the Disclosure Statement (see Appendix I for more information). One designated officer s signature and the signature of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or the Associate Dean for Business Affairs (or their designee) are required on requisitions or invoices for any expenditure over $ Petty Cash Reimbursements based on original receipts, for less than $ can be made through petty cash via the Cashier, Rosie Branconier in FH 124. If the item will be paid pursuant to an SBA budget allocation, the petty cash reimbursement requests require the review and approval of the SBA. 2.7 Cashier - Office Hours Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 2:00-5:00 p.m. (hours are subject to change) 2.8 Accounting - Agency Account On request, Fiscal Affairs will provide your organization with a current print-out of activities (income and expenses) related to your agency account. Version

11 2.9 Contracts - Approval Required Student organizations or students acting on behalf of a student organization are not authorized to enter into contractual agreements. You must consult with the Office of Student Affairs in order to obtain the appropriate authorized signature. Individuals/Organization members who do not obtain the appropriate permissions and signatures may expose themselves to liability for payment or other consequences in the case of a breach. 3.0 INTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL COUNCIL - IOC The Intra-Organizational Council (IOC) is an umbrella group of student organizations. The IOC consists of one representative from each chartered campus organization, and members of the SBA (i.e., President, Treasurer and the Speakers Chairperson) who act as ex-officio members. The IOC annually elects a chairperson and a vice-chairperson, one of whom will act as a liaison to the SBA and is able to vote on all SBA matters, with the exception of individual organization budgets. The IOC meets approximately three times a semester. (Please refer to the Day SBA Constitution for more information.) The IOC works with the SBA and the Office of Student Affairs to address such issues as the assignment of office space, funding, telephone and campus mailbox service. It is also a forum to address relations between organizations, as well as other issues of concern to student organizations. 4.0 MAINTAINING A STUDENT ORGANIZATION/STARTING A STUDENT ORGANIZATION 4.1 Disclosure Statement By April 15 of each year, your organization must submit a Disclosure Statement to the Office of Student Affairs, providing the names of your organization s key officers for the following academic year. If elections for new officers will be held after this date, a Notice of Delayed Elections should be submitted by the April 15 deadline. Along with the Notice of Delayed Elections, you should submit addresses and telephone numbers of the representative(s) from your organization who will serve as your organization s contacts over the summer. The Office of Student Affairs will a copy of the Disclosure Statement and the Notice of Delayed Elections to your organization in April of each year. The forms must be returned to the Office of Student Affairs on the date indicated on the form, but in any case no later than April 15. Notification of any changes to the officers of an organization should be made in writing to the Office of Student Affairs as soon as possible. You should also submit a copy of the organization s constitution or by-laws when any changes are made to it. If your organization does not submit the above documents by the deadline noted, your organization may be considered inactive. In this case, office space and other support items may be reallocated. Recognition of groups on campus and determination of such support items as funding, office space, telephone and campus mailbox services are subject to review and revision. Such action will involve the SBA and the IOC. Version

12 4.2 Orientation Outreach to Incoming Students Each year during orientation week in August, the Student Bar Associations coordinate an event with the Office of Student Affairs at which student organizations can present themselves to incoming first-year students. The Student Bar Associations will notify the president and/or contact person for your organization regarding arrangements for this event. You may also contact the Office of Student Affairs for more information. 4.3 Starting a New Organization The current guidelines require that a group hold an organization meeting, submit a letter to the Office of Student Affairs requesting official recognition, naming the organizing committee and the faculty sponsor, and submit a draft of the statement of purpose and the constitution or by-laws. You should also provide the name of your organization s contact person to the IOC. Recognition of groups on campus and determination of such support items as funding, office space, telephone and campus mailbox services are subject to review and revision. Such action will involve the SBA and the IOC. 4.4 Office Space The IOC and the Office of Student Affairs will make determinations with respect to the assignment of office space for organizations. You are also welcome to discuss the issue with organizations with which you would like to share office space. If you can reach an agreement with the organizations in that office, ordinarily there is not a problem with sharing office space. However, the IOC and the Office of Student Affairs make the final decision with regard to the sharing of space. Organizations which are officially recognized by the Office of Student Affairs but which do not request office space are considered organizations at large. Such organizations are eligible for a mailbox and may apply to the SBA for funding. Student organization offices are for the use of organizations assigned to that office only. No student organization, or members of a student organization, may sublet office space to individuals or groups not affiliated with that organization. Appliances housed or used in the Student Organization office must be maintained at Organizations expense. This means they must be clean, in working order and not cause any hazardous condition Security Code Keypad Access All Student Organizations access their offices with a numeric code on the electronic keypad. This code has already been established. The code will be given to the President of the organization only. It will be the responsibility of the President to disseminate the code to authorized members. The organization members must take steps to ensure only authorized members have access to the code. This code may be changed, by an organization upon written request to the Office of Student Affairs. This request must be signed by the President of each organization which occupies a particular office. Please be sure to designate a new code. Version

13 4.6 Mail Cleaning Office Space Please plan on taking measures to keep your organization offices clean. Throw away unnecessary trash, outdated items, clean the refrigerator regularly, remove all alcoholic beverages, trash all perishable items, organize stored items, etc. Be sure to organize your clean-up efforts with office mates and next year's leadership. All requests for repairs, disposal of large items, cleaning of major items, re-coding of non functioning locks for drawers or file cabinets, disposal of non-active student organization materials should be directed to the Office of Student Affairs. Items requested to be removed should be labeled with a post-it. Student Affairs conducts regular inspections of organization offices, and may make unilateral decisions about unorganized/disorganized offices and their contents. While mail for individual students cannot be accepted by the Law School, student organizations may receive mail. The Information Center will assign your organization a mailbox, which you will most likely share with at least one other organization. 4.7 Telephone Service Voice Mail Each student organization office has a telephone and access to voice mail. There is one telephone number for each student organization office. Unless all student organizations sharing an office have requested otherwise, the voice mail system has been configured so that each student organization sharing an office has a separate voice mail box. Contact the Information Center (x1001) if you have questions about your voice mailbox. 4.8 World Wide Web Web Pages A list of recognized student organizations is included on the Law School s home page. If you wish to have the Law School s web page linked to your student organization web page, you will need to notify studentaffairs@lls.edu of the internet address for your student organization s web page. The Office of Student Affairs will review your organization s home page before activating the link from the Law School s home page to your home page. The Law School s Information Technology Department (ITD) currently has limited resources available to assist student organizations to set up a web presence. You may also set up a home page through your own internet access provider without the assistance of the Law School. Please keep in mind that the Law School s web page is designed to present the Law School to the outside community, including prospective applicants to the Law School. For this reason, the Office of Student Affairs will review the student organization home pages periodically and will contact your organization to discuss any concerns they may have regarding web page content and currency. The Law School reserves the right to deactivate the link from the Law School s home page to a student organization web page if the web page content is determined to be inappropriate. Version

14 GENERAL BACKGROUND APPENDIX I STUDENT ORGANIZATION AGENCY ACCOUNTS Loyola Marymount University has a policy that prohibits student organizations from having outside checking and savings accounts. Organizations are also not able to have stocks, bonds or other such investments. Therefore, the Law School will assist the student organization in administering its funds by providing a receivables and payables system. Each student organization must deposit all funds into its agency account. Any monies remaining in the agency account at the conclusion of a particular fiscal year will be automatically rolled over into the same agency account for the following fiscal year. 1 In the same vein, any outstanding charges to an agency account will also be rolled over to the following fiscal year and be deducted from that year's funds. Each student organization must designate at least one officer who is authorized to make transactions with respect to that organization's agency account. No transactions can be processed without the approval of an authorized student. Approval must be in the form of a signed requisition or request; oral requests or commitments cannot be acted upon. TO GET STARTED 1. Determine who will be the officer or officers who will be authorized to make transactions for your organization. 2. Have your officer or officers authorized to make transactions complete the Student Organization Agency Account Authorization section of the Disclosure Statement. (Exhibit A) Disclosure Statements are available from the Office of Student Affairs. If you need to add or change names of members of your organization who are authorized to make transactions, you should contact Ms. Marti Reynolds, Director of Fiscal Affairs, directly (ext. 1020). 3. Check(s)/cash/money order(s) for the funds to be deposited into the agency account should be placed in a completed Deposit Envelope and taken to the Cashier (FH 124). Deposit Envelopes are available on the wall pocket adjacent to the Cashier s window. The Organization account number MUST be written on the face of every check. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES INTERNAL CONTROL Internal control measures are designed to: 1. Protect the organization against fraud, waste and inefficiency; 2. Ensure accuracy and reliability in accounting and operating data; and, 3. Secure compliance with University policy. For internal control purposes, the following are policies that are applicable to all student organizations: 1 A fiscal year is from June 1 of one year through May 31 of the following year. Version

15 1. Student organizations (or students acting in behalf of a student organization) are not authorized to enter into contractual agreements. If there is a compelling need to enter into a contract, student organizations must receive prior approval from the Office of Student Affairs. 2. One designated officer's signature is required on requisitions or invoices for any expenditure up to $ One designated officer's signature and the signature of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or their designee) are required on requisitions or invoices for any expenditure over $ The treasurer of each organization cannot request reimbursement without an ORIGINAL RECEIPT/INVOICE. The original receipt should be photocopied so that the copy of the receipt and a copy of the requisition would be retained by the treasurer. If the Student Bar Association (SBA) is making the reimbursement, the SBA treasurer would also need a copy of both the original receipt and the requisition. The original receipt and original requisition must be submitted in a timely manner to Marti Reynolds at the Law School s Fiscal Affairs Office. She will in turn submit it for processing to the University Controller's Office. The Controller's Office will not process reimbursements without all original receipts. 5. Upon written request, print-outs that will include activities for an agency account will be provided to that organization by the Fiscal Affairs Office. 6. Organization accounts outside of the University (i.e., any accounts or investments other than the University agency accounts) are strictly prohibited. The officers of an organization in violation of this rule will be subject to disciplinary action. 7. It is suggested that student organizations adopt a policy that requires all financial expenditures be approved by a majority vote of the executive officers or governing board. PAYMENTS AND DEPOSITS: HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS Organizations activate their agency accounts by depositing or withdrawing funds, just as an individual would in a bank account. Organizations are responsible for keeping track of their own account balances. The Law School's Fiscal Affairs Office will assist organizations in keeping their accounts up-to-date by providing printouts. (Described in item 6 above.) Information regarding current balances can also be provided upon request. There are several forms that each organization needs to become familiar with that are used in conjunction with their financial transactions. Requisitions The authorized designated officer will fill out a University Requisition to be reimbursed for an organization-related expense already undertaken by a member of the organization, to request money for an upcoming payment, or to have a small cash advance for small organization-related purchases. It is essential for requisitions to be filled out properly so as to be processed promptly. All relevant sections of the requisition forms must be filled out to avoid unnecessary delays. A complete requisition form must be submitted in order to be reimbursed. To be complete, the requisition from must include: [1] Current date Version

16 [2] Agency account number ( xxxxx-2720) [3] Organization name [4] Check one: Payment by check Payment by cash ($ maximum, NO EXEPTIONS) Payment by Direct Deposit [5] Name of individual you are ordering from or requesting payment to. a. If requesting payment to an individual for professional services (e.g., guest speaker, band, etc.), you must have the person(s) complete a W-9 taxpayer Identification Form. Payment for professional services should not be made through a student's personal funds as reimbursement for the sum could be interpreted as taxable income to that student. Payment/Reimbursement will not be made without a completed W-9. b. If you want the check mailed out by the Fiscal Affairs Office, include the address and mark "Mail". If someone will be picking up the check from the Fiscal Affairs Office, mark Pick up. [6] a. Quantity--if applicable b. Description of items ordering or requesting use a description you will recognize, for example: 1. office supplies be sure to include a list of the supplies ordered 2. membership fees name of organization, and duration of membership 3. travel include dates, location, purpose, and itemize charges for hotel, airfare, etc. This description will appear on the account ledger. Be sure to include as much information as possible. c. Unit cost and/or total cost [7] Authorized organization signature--see Internal Control section above. [8] Authorized organization signature, Student Affairs Advisor s signature or authorized SBA officer's signature. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or their designee) signature are required on requisitions or invoices for any expenditure over $ The SBA officer's signature will be necessary if the expenditure is being paid through the SBA agency account. [9] Indicate either: "Mail" and include address in appropriate space on the form. "Pick up" from Fiscal Affairs Office. An will be sent out notifying you when the check is available. Invoices Invoices are itemized bills for goods bought or sold. They show quantities, prices and terms. Version

17 1. Please make sure the company includes the following information on the invoice: a. Organization name b. President or name of organization contact c. Mailing address for the Law School 2. When an invoice is received by the organization, the treasurer should review the charges, assign the appropriate organization agency account number and obtain the required signature(s). The Office of Student Affairs must review expenditure from the organization's agency account in excess of $100. The SBA officer's signature will be necessary if the expenditure is being paid through the SBA agency account. If an invoice is sent directly to the Fiscal Affairs Office from the vendor, the invoice will be returned to the vendor with a request that the invoice be rerouted to the correct contact person or organization. 3. When preparing an invoice for submission to the Fiscal Affairs Office: a. Ensure that the approval information is clearly legible. b. If the invoice is less than full size, staple or tape the invoice to the top of an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of paper and provide approval information on the bottom of the sheet. 4. In order to protect against duplicate payments, all invoices submitted for payment must be the originals. For the same reason, no payments will be made from statements. Please be sure to have vendors send invoices to you. Statements will not be processed. 5. Each individual invoice must be approved separately and the approval information written directly on the invoice (unless as noted above in 3b). 6. Follow the directions for processing a request for payment. (See section on "Requisitions".) If you submit an invoice, a requisition is not needed provided the approval signature(s) is made directly on the invoice. REASONS WHY A PAYMENT REQUEST WILL BE DELAYED 1. Incorrect organization agency account number 2. Insufficient professionnel service information or description 3. Required signature(s) lacking 4. Insufficient funds TIMETABLE FOR PROCESSING A REQUEST FOR PAYMENT Reference must be made to Section 2.6 (1) (a). Version

18

19 APPENDIX II CASH HANDLING POLICY All Loyola Law School student organizations that handle cash must have both an awareness of and show a commitment to strong internal controls for cash receipts. All members are responsible for maintaining the proper environment for internal controls. Internal controls are necessary to prevent mishandling of funds and to safeguard against loss. Strong internal controls also protect members from inappropriate allegations of mishandling funds. "Cash" includes coin, currency, checks, and money orders. Each Student Organization has been authorized by the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Fiscal Affairs to deposit directly to the Student Organization s University account. Student Organization Responsibilities Accounting for Cash as It Is Received 1. If received in person, cash should be logged into the cash receipt journal (date, name of customer, amount, purpose/event, and Organization representative receiving such) and a pre-numbered multiple-copy receipt form must be issued. The original receipt should be given to the customer and the copy should be retained for accounting purposes. A personal check may be used as a receipt, but must still be logged into the cash receipt journal. 2. If received by mail, the payment should be entered immediately into the cash receipt journal (e.g., a computer application, a payment log, or receipt book). 3. The type of payment (cash or check) should be indicated in the journal. 4. Checks must be made payable to Loyola Law School Student Organization Name (e.g. Loyola Law School APALSA). 5. Checks should be restrictively endorsed as "Deposit only-payable to Loyola Law School (Student Organization Name)" on the back. Safeguarding the Handling and Storing of Cash 1. Cash must be deposited into your Student Organization s University Agency Account. The deposit should be made in the drop slot of the Fiscal Affairs department. 2. All coins, currency and checks must be stored in a safe or other locked secure place until they are deposited. During business hours, funds may be kept in the Cashier s safe for safekeeping. Version

20 Reviewing/Approving Voided Cash Receipts The Treasurer of the Student Organization has the responsibility for reviewing and approving voided cash receipts and documenting all actions performed. Depositing Cash Promptly 1. Receipts should be deposited on a daily basis. During business hours, deposits must be made into your Student Organization s University Agency Account in person at the Fiscal Affairs Department. After hours, the deposit should be made in the Fiscal Affairs drop slot. All deposits must be witnessed and confirmed. The responsible party and the confirming witness s names must be recorded on the Deposit envelope. 2. Copies of all checks and Deposit envelopes must be made for your records. 3. All funds received must be deposited into your Student Organization s University Agency Account. Do not make refunds, pay expenditures, or create a change fund from cash receipts. Do not hold checks for future processing. Do not use cash receipts to cash checks or reimburse members expenditures. Reconciling Daily and Monthly Activity 1. Balance each deposit by comparing the cash receipt records (pre-numbered receipts, or cash receipt log totals), check photocopies, and the copies of deposit envelopes. 2. Document unidentified differences and report them to the Director of Fiscal Affairs or Office of Student Affairs, as appropriate, immediately. 3. Maintain a running tally of all the Student Organization s income and expenditures for a given semester, academic year, etc. Monitoring the Cash Receipts Process A Student Organization s governing board, not directly involved with the cash receipt process, has the responsibility to periodically: 1. Review the nature and extent of overages and shortages. 2. Compare actual deposits recorded with expected receipts. 3. Review daily and monthly cash activity reconciliation. 4. Compare the mode of payment (coin/currency or checks) recorded at the time the cash was received with the coin/currency and check totals on the validated deposit document. 5. Evaluate internal controls to ensure that reasonable controls exist to safeguard cash, and that members who handle cash understand and abide by them. 6. Report any irregularities, no matter how slight, to the Office of Student Affairs. Version

21 General Policies & Procedures: Cash/Checks should never be kept in the Student Organization Office for any period. Cash/Checks must be kept in a secure, locking cash box at all times. The Cash Box should be issued to a single person charged with safeguarding all proceeds and adhering to the cash handling policies. The Office of Student Affairs or the Office of Fiscal Affairs may conduct an audit at any time without prior notice. Version