FSS/PPS 03.12 - Accounts Payable Check Pick-up Process

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to promoting proper payment to vendors for goods and services.

1. SCOPE

   1. This policy establishes procedures under which a university disbursement check can be released by the Accounts Payable Department to a Texas State University staff member rather than mailed.

   2. The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for the safe control of all disbursement checks issued for payment of goods and services provided to Texas State. To comply with this requirement, Accounts Payable must maintain physical control of checks until they are mailed with the appropriate mail service or courier.

   3. The Accounts Payable Department can generally accommodate check mailings without releasing checks to other university staff.

   4. The Accounts Payable Department will release a check to Student Business Services for pick-up by designated university staff in certain situations if the staff picking up is identified on the payment request and identity is provided when the check is picked up. Authorized releases for payments include:

      1. payment to contractors, such as guest artists, lecturers, and performers whose contract states payment is due on the day of the performance;

      2. payment requiring overnight delivery;

      3. payment for conferences, meetings, or other events when payment is due at registration;

      4. payment to businesses that require prepayment at the time of service;

      5. payment involving a release of liability handled by the Texas State University System Office of General Counsel;

      6. payment for purchases of real property when payment is due at closing;

      7. payment to a hotel when payment is required at check-in. However, every effort should first be made to use a company billed account, purchase order, or personal credit card to pay for the lodging;

      8. deposit payments for group travel airline purchases;

      9. refund payments to grant sponsors for unused program funds;

      10. payments for awards;

      11. stipend payments for grant group participants; and

      12. refunds or payments that include sensitive data (e.g., tax ID numbers).

2. DEFINITION

   1. Disbursement Check – an official check from the university used for payment of goods or services provided to the university.

3. PROCEDURES

   1. The Accounts Payable Department will not release checks to university staff unless a valid reason is provided. For those release requests listed in Section 01.03, checks will be released without additional approvals. Any other request to release a disbursement check will be considered on a case-by-case exception basis and must be approved by the director of Accounting, or designee. Check releases will not be approved simply for the convenience of university staff or the vendor.

   2. Departments who need to mail additional or confidential information with the check may bring the information to the Accounts Payable Department, and it will be included in the payment envelope. Department staff can seal the envelope, but the Accounts Payable Department will retain control of the disbursement check until mailed.

   3. When check pick-ups are approved, the Accounts Payable Department will notify the designated staff person that the check is ready for pick-up. The check will be delivered to the Student Business Services Office, along with the staff person’s contact information. The designated staff person must present identification to the Student Business Services Office for the check to be released to them.

   4. If the check is not picked up within two weeks of the requested pick-up date, Student Business Services will contact the Accounts Payable Department to retrieve the check. The Accounts Payable Department will contact the staff member once regarding the check and, if no longer required, will void the check. If the staff member agrees to pick up the check that day, it will be returned to Student Business Services. If the staff member permits the check to be mailed instead, the Accounts Payable Department will mail the check to the vendor.

4. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

   1. Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

      Position	Date
      Director, Accounting	December 1 E2Y
      Associate Vice President For Financial Services	December 1 E2Y
      Director, Student Business Services	December 1 E2Y
      Assistant Director, Accounting	December 1 E2Y

5. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

   This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Finance and Support Services policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

   Director, Accounting; senior reviewer of this PPS

   Associate Vice President for Financial Services

   Vice President for Finance and Support Services