This page will provide answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about how organizations can use their club budgets, as well as provides an overview of the various ways to make purchases. Please note that it is the responsibility of the student organization to keep track of organization expenses throughout the year. Club officers should always ensure that they have adequate funds prior to making any purchases.
FAQ
How do I access my club budget?
You can access your club budget on the Student Organizations Canvas site by going to the People tab, selecting your student organization under Groups, and navigating to Pages. Note that you may not be able to access Group pages if you are using a mobile device.
Your budget will reflect the following:
- Any rollover funds from the previous year
- Approved funding requests
- Purchases / expenses
New club officers are typically invited to the Canvas site in early September (or within one-week of registering, if doing so off-cycle). If you believe you should have access and do not have it, please email studentorgs@mica.edu.
Who can use club funds?
Typically, only club officers should be responsible for managing and spending club funds. In certain cases (for example, reimbursements), club members can use club funds, but any purchases should still be authorized by a club officer.
What can club funds be spent on?
Funding can be used in many ways by student organizations, so long as it meets the direct needs of the club. This can include supplies, food, printing/marketing, rentals, and guest speakers/vendors. There are, however, instances where MICA cannot support funding for particular activities, in which case CSE will work directly with an organization to manage this concern. In particular, please note the following restrictions on funding use:
- Alcohol, drugs, or other illegal substances may never be purchased directly or indirectly for organizational events or use.
- CSE does not allow student organization funding to be used for purchasing t-shirts or other apparel for members.
- There is a $10 per person spending limit for student organizations who wish to purchase meals off-campus. Additionally, MICA Travel Policies apply for student organizations who attend conferences or events off-campus.
Common sense will usually be an adequate guideline as to what can and cannot be funded, but student organizations are encouraged to email studentorgs@mica.edu for guidance.
Where can club funds be spent?
Funds can be spend both on and off campus. Where you are spending funds will dictate how you will spend said funds. See the How To Spend section below for details.
When can club funds be spent?
All organizations submit their budget requests during the re-registration process in spring, and receive approved budgets in early September. Approved funds can only be spent within the academic year (i.e. September -May), unless otherwise approved by CSE.
Funds that are requested and approved for a specific program and event are expected to be used for the said purpose or something comparable. Student organizations are not authorized to reallocate their funds in a significant way without approval from their advisor and the Assistant Director of Student Involvement. For example, a student organization that has received funding for a fall event cannot reallocate those funds to purchasing snacks for weekly meetings if they choose not to host said event.
Can my organization use apps (i.e. Venmo, PayPal, etc.) to make purchases?
No, in most cases MICA does not support the use of apps to make payments.
How to spend
On-Campus Charges
While many services and resources at MICA are provided at no cost to student organizations, there are fees associated with some on-campus departments. On-campus/departmental charges can include:
- Catering through Parkhurst
- Paying for a tech in one of the performance spaces (ABOX, BBOX, & Falvey)
- Ordering supplies through the MICA Store
- Printing & Mailing / Print Lab
Such charges should be paid using a departmental Account Code. Student organizations should work with their advisor and/or the Assistant Director of Student Involvement to process payments for on-campus charges. All invoices/receipts must be sent to the Assistant Director of Student Involvement. Email studentorgs@mica.edu to get started.
Off-campus Charges
Guest Speaker / Vendor Payment
If you are interested in paying a guest speaker or vendor, you will need to work with CSE to process a Professional Services Contract. Email studentorgs@mica.edu to get started. This process typically takes several weeks, so please plan accordingly! Note that you should never sign an agreement or contract on behalf of your club or MICA.
Purchase Request (PREFERRED!)
The Purchase Request Form allows clubs to request the purchase of supplies and/or catering from retailers and restaurants that offer online ordering. The Center for Student Engagement will review requests on a weekly basis and submit orders on behalf of student organizations. For complex orders or those that need to be made via phone, please set up a meeting with CSE to make your purchase by emailing studentorgs@mica.edu.
Reimbursement
Reimbursement is considered a “last resort” option for making purchases, as it is typically complicated and timely. Student organizations who wish to be reimbursed for purchases can submit a request via the Reimbursement Request form, and must adhere to all outlined policies and procedures.
IMPORTANT: All reimbursements require documentation of purchase in the form of an itemized receipt, with the exception of mileage reimbursements (which require documentation in the form of Google Map directions showing the start and end location, along with the total miles). The following are REQUIRED of all receipts:
- Receipts must be legible
- Receipts must be itemized (i.e. show each item/quantity purchased, price per item, and total)
- Receipts must include the date of purchase
- Receipts must show proof of purchase
Receipts must also be in English and USD. Note that if you are interested in making a purchase outside of the United States, the following additional guidelines apply:
- Provide a copy of the original itemized receipt
- Provide a copy of said receipt, translated to English (if needed)
- Use the Oanda currency converter to find the conversion rate of the amount spent to USD, on the date of your transaction. Take a screenshot of the page to provide as supporting documentation.
Reimbursements often take 2-6 weeks to process. If you have questions or have not received your reimbursement within that timeframe, please contact studentorgs@mica.edu.
Advisor Credit Card
If your advisor has access to a MICA credit card, they may be able to make purchases on your behalf. They should work with CSE to properly code such purchases in MICA's accounting system (Workday). As always, all invoices/receipts must be sent to CSE. They can be emailed to studentorgs@mica.edu.
Petty Cash
CSE can provide up to $60 in petty cash for smaller purchases. The process is as follows:
- Student organization should submit a Petty Cash Request form to arrange pick-up time, ideally one week in advance of when they need the petty cash.
- Pick cash up from CSE at scheduled time, then make their purchases. Note that petty cash cannot be used for gas, gift cards, or to pay for services.
- Return any leftover change back to CSE.
- Turn in itemized receipt to the Assistant Director of Student Involvement, along with a description of the purchase (ex: Prizes for Halloween Party Costume Contest).