UPPS 03.01.23 - Accounts Payable Check Pick-Up Process

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to providing and maintaining funds for the safe disbursement of checks to university employees.

1. SCOPE

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

2. DEFINITION

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

3. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND TRAVEL DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

   1. The Accounts Payable and Travel 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 and Travel must maintain physical control of checks until they are mailed through the appropriate mail service or courier.

   2. The Accounts Payable and Travel Department can generally accommodate check mailings without releasing checks to designated employees.

   3. The Accounts Payable and Travel Department will release a check to Student Business Services for pick-up by designated employee in certain situations if the designated employee 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).

4. PROCEDURES FOR CHECK PICK-UP

   1. The Accounts Payable and Travel Department will not release checks to employees unless a valid reason is provided. For those release requests listed in Section 03.04, 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 for Accounts Payable and Travel, or designee. Check releases will not be approved simply for the convenience of employee or vendor.

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

   3. When check pick-ups are approved, the Accounts Payable and Travel Department will notify the designated employee that the check is ready for pick-up. The check will be delivered to the Student Business Services Office, along with the employee’s contact information. The employee designated on the check pick-up request 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 and Travel Department to retrieve the check. The Accounts Payable and Travel Department will contact the designated pick-up employee once regarding the check and, if no longer required, will void the check. If the employee agrees to pick up the check that day, it will be returned to Student Business Services. If the employee permits the check to be mailed instead, the Accounts Payable and Travel Department will mail the check to the vendor.

5. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

   1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

      Position	Date
      Director for Accounts Payable and Travel	December 1 E5Y
      Associate Vice President for Financial Services	December 1 E5Y
      Director for Student Business Services	December 1 E5Y

6. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

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

   Director for Accounts Payable and Travel; senior reviewer of this UPPS

   Associate Vice President for Financial Services

   Executive Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer

   President