To provide guidelines regarding the policies for payment of goods and services not covered by purchasing, travel reimbursement, or petty cash procedures.

Scope

Appropriate Use of Check Requests
Check requests provide departments with needed flexibility to make payments that are not subject to purchasing, travel reimbursement, or petty cash payment procedures.  Special rules apply to the use of check requests for reimbursement of postage.

See Appendix A  for transactions that are appropriate under this procedure.

Misuse of Check Requests
Payment by check request should not be used to circumvent standard university procurement procedures. Recurring non-compliance will be referred to the Comptroller.

Prompt Payment of Obligations
Sound financial practices and university policy require that all obligations be paid by the due date. The university cash management policy requires the timing of payments to maximize discount benefits and avoid early payment.

1. Accounts Payable processes payments once a week.
   
   
2. Check requests requiring payment earlier than the due date must be documented with an adequate reason for early payment.
   
   
3. Requests for overnight or demand checks must be directed to the Director of Accounting Services and handled on a case by case basis.  Departments are required to provide justification for such requests.

Mailing of Checks to Payee

University checks are mailed by Accounts Payable to the payee. Exception to this policy may apply if adequate justification is provided on the check request when the check is to be returned to the department for mailing or if anyone other than the payee is to receive the check.