Section 3. Spending Money

All recognized student organizations are given a financial account in which to keep their funds. These accounts are managed by the university to ensure compliance with university, state, and federal policies. Path 2 and 3 student organizations who have successfully completed the required financial training have access to utilize their account. Any organization purchase requires pre-approval before any funds are spent, including reimbursements.

Boise State University does not allow student organizations, as university entities, to maintain off-campus bank accounts (University Policy 6200). Only social sororities and fraternities, based on their unique nature and their affiliations to national organizations, are granted the ability to maintain off-campus bank accounts. Restrictions on bank accounts are intended to reduce the risk of theft or loss and to ensure the University is compliant with federal and state procurement and reporting requirements.

Student organizations are able to collect electronic payments and donations via credit/debit card using the university’s online marketplace system eMarket. The use of electronic payment services (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, etc.) is not permitted for student organizations as a means to collect, solicit, or provide payment. To request a new or update an existing student organization eMarket submit the eMarket Request form on Engage.

Student organizations can deposit funds into their on-campus financial account.

• Deposit instructions

Pre-approval to spend money ensures organization funds are used to pay for the desired items or service, and ensures university and state financial guidelines are met. Orders and purchases may not be made without pre-approval; doing so makes the person who made the purchase or order directly responsible for payment, and not the university. To get pre-approval, an officer of the student organization must submit a Purchase Request on Engage to Student Involvement with an appropriate amount of time in advance of the time purchases are needed. 

Rush handling and express shipping fees are not allowed for any purchase and a minimum of two weeks (10 business days) is required for standard purchases. Some purchases require extended time for approval. For example, food, gifts/awards/prizes, promotional items, clothing (of any type), and/or purchases that involve contracts must be submitted for review at least four (4) weeks in advance; domestic travel must be submitted for review at least six (6) weeks in advance; travel that involves contracts and/or international travel must be submitted for review at least eight (8) weeks in advance. The following section outlines the submission timeline for non-standard purchases.  Ask your Student Organizations Coordinator or a Student Life Finance staff member if you have questions about purchasing pre-approval timelines. 

The following are non-standard purchases that require follow-up documentation and take more time to process. 

Food

• If your student organization would like to purchase food and/or drink, hire a food vendor (food truck, restaurant, or caterer), or other food service it is recommended that you submit an event registration and purchase request a minimum of ten business days (10+) in advance for pre-approval. If a food vendor has not worked with the university before it is recommended to submit four (4) weeks in advance. Additionally, the following paperwork must be submitted to Student Involvement within three (3) business days after your event:
  • A roster of attendees with the name and affiliation (student, faculty, staff, or community member) of each person who attended.
  • A copy of a meeting agenda/event flyer-promo/invitation from your organization for the event must be submitted immediately following the event.
    • Your Engage event registration may be used as your promotional item/invitation.

Printed or Apparel Items with Boise State Text or Graphics

If your organization would like to purchase items using university trademarked text or logos the graphics and text must be reviewed for compliance by Student Involvement and the Office of Trademark Licensing and Enforcement prior to any order being placed. To complete this process, your organization will be asked to submit a Promotions Review form on Engage. Additionally, a purchase request must be approved before an order may be placed. Only certain vendors are licensed for creating items for resale. A list of approved vendors is available on the Office of Trademark Licensing and Enforcement website.

Gifts, Awards, Prizes, and Promotional Items

• If your student organization would like to purchase gifts, awards, and/or promotional items, it is recommended that you submit an event registration and purchase request a minimum of four (4) weeks in advance for pre-approval. 
• Additionally, the following paperwork must be submitted to Student Involvement within three (3) business days after the recipient is awarded or gifted. A Gift Roster Template will be provided to you in the event registration.
  • Boise State University students, staff and faculty will be reported with the full name of the recipient and the associated Boise State University identification number. This is also called the Student ID # or the Employee ID #.
  • If the recipient is not a current Boise State University student, staff or faculty, the full name is required and the recipient’s physical mailing address. The mailing address is required so the university can mail any applicable tax documentation to the recipient.
• Restrictions and additional policies on purchasing gifts apply to Boise State employees and non-US citizens. Please work with Student Involvement and Student Life Finance staff to ensure compliance on all gift, award, and/or promotional item purchases.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations state that any kind of award, memento, presentation/recognition item, door prize, gift, gift certificates or cash gift may be taxable when given to any person (including students, Boise State University employees, or community members). Even if an item is donated to your student organization to give away, a person may still be taxed on it if they have accumulated $600 or more in such prizes in a given year. 
  • The IRS makes no distinction between sub-units (i.e. student organizations) of the university — anything at Boise State University is considered one source. For a student organization to use its funds to purchase such items, two requirements must be met during the pre-approval process:
    • A clear business purpose should be detailed in the purchase request. It is used to document gifts and awards. 
    • The award must be given as part of a meaningful presentation. Frequently, an award is presented or announced at an event. You will provide this information in the purchase request. Every effort should be made by the student organization to avoid the appearance of personal gift giving or favoritism.
• If the student organization is hosting an event and providing gifts, awards or promotional items as a part of the event (such as door prizes or giveaways), the students, faculty/staff advisor(s), and family members affiliated with the organizing group should not be eligible to win.

Travel 

Student organizations often like to get away from campus for events and activities. Whether your group is traveling near or far, all travel plans must be pre-approved by Student Involvement through the event registration process in Engage. Please refer to Section VII for more information and policies about student organization travel.

Contracts 

• Professional staff in Student Involvement are responsible for creating and signing all contracts (including, but not limited to, speakers, artists, businesses, and individuals) for student organizations. 
  • • Students and advisors do not have authority to create and/or sign contractual agreements for student organizations. 
• A request to generate a contract must be submitted through the Engage event registration process no less than four (4) weeks in advance of the purchase or event date for domestic vendors and eight (8) weeks in advance for international vendors.
• Several documents must be submitted by specific timelines to ensure payment to an independent contractor can be made.
• Contracts for services will not be created, nor is the university liable for payment of services that have occurred without an approved university contract in place.
• Late documentation could result in a delayed or no payment to the artist, performer, speaker or other individual with whom organizations have contracted.

Any student organization recognized by the university may request a change fund for making change at an event by submitting a Fundraiser Request form on Engage. Details on how to pick up your approved change fund will be provided by Student Life Finance. 

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Section 4. Fundraising