Updated TUC Policies and Procedures (TUC check request guides, updated banned state list, and hospitality policy)

Good afternoon, Principal Investigators and Research Administrators:

Welcome back and we hope you have a wonderful start to your fall 2023 semester!

There are a few updates that we would like to share and make you aware…

TUC Check Request Guides

Recently, campus IT has moved several of the forms that use OnBase system to a central page in the portal. Attached are the updated guides for faculty and staff & student employees. These are also available in our Forms & Guides page in the website.

Please note that currently, students who do not have any work appointments will not be able to access the TUC check request. We are working with campus IT to give access to all CSUN students to the form.

We apologize for this inconvenience and kindly let us know if you have any questions.

Updated list of banned travel states

As of September 2023, the California Attorney General’s Office has updated the list of states where state funded and state-sponsored travel may not be used for travel per California Assembly Bill (AB) No. 1887. Though this applies only to travel funded by the State of California, travelers (CSU employees, officers, or members, as well as non-employee travelers, including students) who are going to any banned state will still need to complete Request for Approval of Travel to Prohibited States Under Assembly Bill 1887 and Travel Approval Form to get an exemption. The form approved by the Provost Office must be attached to your travel expense report to be allowed for reimbursement.

We have prepared a guide that will hopefully help you navigate through the travel approval process for your sponsored project.

We recommend all travelers to read the TUC travel guidelines prior to the business trip. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that the travel guidelines are followed. However, a quick reference guide of the TUC travel guidelines is also available if you need a quick review on the current travel guidelines.

Below is an updated list of stated with travel ban in effect:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri - effective August 28, 2023
• Montana
• Nebraska - effective October 1, 2023
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Wyoming - effective July 14, 2023

Hospitality Policy Updated

The CSU Chancellor’s Office has updated the systemwide hospitality policy. Due to this, TUC has also updated our hospitality policy for TUC funds to be in line with the Chancellor’s Office and CSUN hospitality guidelines.

We encourage everyone to read the TUC hospitality policy (attached). I’ve highlighted the major changes to the hospitality policy:

1. To be in line with CO and CSUN guidelines, maximum per person rates for meals and light refreshments have been added (page 2 of the policy).
2. For expense reimbursement, submit a Check Request Form through CSUN portal which includes the following (see below 1 to 8). Request will be put on hold or rejected if the following information are not included in your request (page 4 of the policy)
1. Supporting documentation including quote, invoice, and original receipts (legible scanned copies are acceptable)
2. The type of event (business meeting, department meeting, host of official guest, employee recognition, reception, etc.)
3. If the meeting is reoccurring
4. The business purpose of the meeting or event. The business purpose must be specific and provide enough information to understand the nature and purpose of the meeting.
5. Type of hospitality (meals/refreshments, service recognition, etc.)
6. Location and date
7. List of attendees and their business relationship to the campus. For a large group of attendees (more than 15 people), a description of the group and estimated cost of the meal per attendee is sufficient.
8. The cost of the meal per attendee

I have received a few “frequently asked questions” so I would like to address them.

1. Hospitality policy is different from meals during travel of a faculty, student, staff or collaborator (if the collaborator is working on a sponsored project). Meals during travel will follow travel guidelines.
2. Generally, hospitality is not allowed on any research grant. Hospitality charges are allowed in a sponsored project if it is included in the project budget and approved by the sponsored agency. Your liaison will review the sponsored project guidelines prior to approving any request.
3. We do not require CSUN hospitality justification form as long as the check request shows all the required information listed in #2 above.

Coming soon… Updates on TUC Purchasing Policy

As a heads up, the TUC purchasing policy is currently being reviewed to accommodate the changes in federal guidelines, state laws, and CSU and CSUN policies and procedures. Below are the areas that will be included in the TUC purchasing policy when it is rolled out.

1. Update the purchasing threshold and methods of procurement to be in line with federal guidelines as required by federal granting agencies.
2. Add guidelines on recent state law changes and CSU/CSUN policy updates:
1. Sustainability/Single Use Plastics to be in line with CA Assembly Bill 1884 and CSU Contracts and Procurement policy.
2. Hazardous materials purchases will only be allowed to be purchased via TUC purchase order, as per the recent Chancellor’s Office campus finding.
3. Gene Synthesis Equipment or gene synthesis products guidelines, as required by CA Assembly Bill 1963.
3. All vendors must undergo vendor debarment and suspension checks as required by federal granting agencies.

We will send out the updated TUC purchasing policy as soon as it is revised.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you, 

Grace Slavik, Associate Executive Director, Financial Services