Unimpacted Categories

There are many expenses that are “the cost of doing business” in Student Affairs. This guidance is not intended to impede your department’s service to students; it is meant to provide a commonsense framework that promotes better consistency in decision making and spending practices among Student Affairs departments.

There are several expense categories where expenses are expected to remain essentially unchanged. These include:

• Telecommunications (STEL), so long as your department has assessed its communications needs and canceled all underutilized services;

• Student Sustenance and Student Programmatic entertainment* (SPRG; see Entertainment Guidance);

• Student and Programmatic Travel (TRVS, TRVP; see Travel Guidance);

• Software*, Hardware, Technology, and Equipment Expenses (SFTR, SHDR, STEC, SFEQ; see Expenses Related to Remote/Hybrid Work Agreements);

• Services (SERV)*, especially those that provide a direct benefit to students;

• Programmatic* and Operational* Supplies, Medical** Supplies, and Mail Services (SPRG, SOPR, SMED, SHIP); and

• Facility operations (SFGO)* expenses.

In all the above categories, managers and department heads should continue to spend resources strategically to provide maximum benefits to students. As you make financial commitments on behalf of your department, please keep in mind that many of these categories have a high impact on the Student Affairs Budget.

Student fees, donations, and grant funds should be expended based on their stated purpose even if those expenditures will be inconsistent with this guidance.

For line items that will exceed $5,000, please see Exceptional Approval Categories – Othe r below and consult informally with your control point before proceeding with procurement.

• High impact on Student Affairs budget (in excess of $1M)

• Very high impact on Student Affairs budget (in excess of $4M)

Note on Telecommunications