Hospitality

Hospitality expenses charged to sponsored awards are subject to CSU/SSU policies and procedures for hospitality. Please review the SSU Hospitality Expenses policy prior to incurring hospitality expenses. Employee-only hospitality expenses are not allowed for sponsored awards unless the terms and conditions of an award expressly state that such expenses are allowed. The following FAQ summarizes some of the key points of the Hospitality Expenses Policy as they relate to sponsored awards:

Does the Hospitality Policy apply to sponsored programs?

Yes. The policy in its entirety applies to sponsored programs. However, certain parts of the policy apply to specific funding sources. The tables at the end of the policy provides summary requirements for sponsored programs and other funding sources.

Are sponsored programs required to complete the hospitality form?

Yes. All hospitality events and related expenses must be documented on the hospitality form. Any hospitality expenses submitted for payment must be accompanied by a completed hospitality form.

Do hospitality events and related expenses require prior approval before the hospitality event occurs?

Pre-approval is not required for hospitality events where official guests (generally, non-employees) are present. However, if you request payment before an event through the Procurement Office, the form must be completed, signed and included with the EREQ submitted to the Procurement Office. Rarely is it appropriate to use sponsored program funds for employee-only hospitality events.

Can I use blanket hospitality forms for frequently recurring hospitality events?

No, hospitality forms for events are event specific and a new one must be submitted for each one.

Who can sign/approve the hospitality form?

For hospitality events with official guests, individuals with signature authority for the sponsored program may sign/approve the hospitality form. However, an individual may not approve a hospitality form for which the individual is seeking reimbursement.

What are the account codes I should use for hospitality?

There are four accounts that can be used for hospitality. They are noted on the form: 660922, 660923, 622901, and 622902 – 622901 and 622902 are specifically for sponsored programs with program participant hospitality expenses. Care should be taken to ensure the correct account code is used. Hospitality expenses submitted for payment that not coded to one of these four accounts will be returned for correct coding.

How will the revised policy affect travel for program participants led by SSU employees?

The policy itself will not affect travel for program participants led by SSU employees. However, it should be noted that travel-related costs covered by your project for participants is considered hospitality. This includes lodging, food, snacks, cultural/sporting event tickets, and other items purchased for the participants using project funds. All of these items are subject to the policy and the form requirements.

There is a change to the administrative process of settling travel reimbursement claims for participant travel led by an SSU employee. The SSU employee settling the claims (i.e. completing the Travel Expense Claim form – “claimant”) must separate her/his personal travel expenses from those being claimed for participants and, if applicable, other SSU employees. The claimant’s expenses must be recorded as if they are for individual travel – not included in the lump sum under BUSINESS EXPENSE.

If expenses are being settled for other SSU employees, a memo from the other employees must be attached the claim specifically stating the employee will not seek reimbursement for any expenses included on the claimant’s reimbursement form and that expenses incurred on behalf of the employee comply with the SSU travel policy.