20.20 Reimbursements for Meals Served at Meetings, Chancellor's Office Business Policies & Procedures

Purpose:

To establish policies and procedures associated with receiving reimbursements for meals served at meetings.

FASOM 13.01M states that, in general, meal charges may be paid from state funds when the following criteria apply:

  • A planned, inter-departmental or inter-institutional meeting is called for a specific purpose, and
  • The meal is included as part of the meeting's formal agenda.

With decreasing budgets, many departments who host these inter-departmental or inter-institutional meetings are asking that the meeting attendees reimburse the host department for the cost of the meal.

Policy:

The following procedures will be used when attendees reimburse the department for the cost of the meal.

Procedures:

  1. Before the Meeting
    1. If the department would like to give attendees the ability to "charge" the meal, create a form to be used during the meeting for attendees to indicate the method of payment (cash or departmental charge). See Record for Method of Meal Payment for a sample form. The form used should include, at the minimum, the columns shown on the example.
    2. Create a receipt to be provided during the meeting to attendees paying with cash. See Meal Payment Receipt for a sample receipt. The receipt used should include, at the minimum, the information shown on the example.
  2. During the Meeting
    1. Attendees should sign the Method of Meal Payment form, and, if applicable, indicate their choice of paying cash or charging their department. (Note: these arrangements can also be made with departments prior to the meeting.)
    2. For all cash received, a departmental representative should initial the "rec'd by" column on the Method of Meal Payment form and verify the amounts received. Receipts should be provided to the attendees paying by cash.
  3. After the Meeting
    1. Pay the vendor (caterer) using procedures included in section 25.25 Invoices. The Method of Meal Payment form and the meeting Agenda should be used as documentation for the deposit.
    2. Deposit the cash received using procedures included in section 20.10 Receipts. Treat the deposit as a reduction of expense, using the same account code as was used when the vendor was paid. The Method of Meal Payment form and the meeting Agenda should be used as documentation for the deposit.
    3. Prepare a journal voucher to charge departments for those attendees that indicated the preference of being charged, using procedures included in section 35.05 Journal Vouchers. Treat the credit to the hosting department as a reduction of expense, using the same account code as was used when the vendor was paid. The Method of Meal Payment form and the meetings Agenda should be used as documentation for the journal voucher.

Authoritative References:

Examples:

Last Updated: 11/17/03