Cash Handling Policy

To assure compliance with University policy regarding cash handling by University employees, this document is to be used as a reference guide by any employee having cash handling responsibilities. Cash handling is to be defined as including all monies received by the University, for the University, in the form of currency, coin, payments, money orders or traveler's payments.

1. All monies received by departments for sales of goods and services should be recorded on official University receipt forms or cash registers immediately upon receipt. All funds received must be deposited intact. Receipts may not be used for refunds, reimbursements, or any other payments of salaries, fees, costs, charges, or expense. The receipt forms can be obtained at the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office. See attached. Departments are required to deposit all monies with Cashiering/Student Accounts when collections total $100.00 or no less than once a week. Collections of $500.00 or more should be deposited within 24 hours of receipt. Cash should never be sent through the mail.

2. Payments, money orders and traveler's payments should be restrictively endorsed as soon as they are received. Endorsements must be placed on the back side of the "Pay to the order..." portion of the payment. Endorsement stamps can be obtained from the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office.

3. All payments should be made payable to the "University of Nebraska at Omaha" and should be accepted only in the amount of the sale. Payments may not be cashed or written for more than the sale.

4. No post-dated or two-party payments are to be accepted.

5. Procedures for handling change funds are covered under separate documentation. See attached.

6. For departments with funds protected by a safe, access to the combination to the safe should be restricted to essential personnel only. Whenever there is a turnover in essential personnel, the combination to the safe should be changed.

7. All funds should be kept in a locked safe or in a secured area that can be locked, out of public view. If the funds are stored in a desk, the desk should be lockable and the key to the desk should be secured in another location in the office. Certain funds should be protected in a fireproof secured area depending on the amount involved and the replacement cost should a fire occur.

8. Any significant dollar change in cash or receipts during an employee's absence or vacation should be reported to Operations Analysis for immediate investigation.

9. Whenever any special or unusual problems or questions arise involving the collection, receipting, or remitting of cash, the Department should contact the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office immediately.

10. All departments involved in cash handling are subject to unannounced audits by Operations Analysis for verification of funds and operating procedures.

11. Segregation of duties should exist so the person handling receipts is not the person responsible for the accounting of such receipts. Exceptions are permitted when the number of staff does not allow for separation of duties.

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Change Fund Policy

General: Nebraska Statute Section 85-192 permits the University of Nebraska at Omaha to retain funds"…to carry on University activities…" The Cashiering/Student Accounts Office is responsible for maintaining the operating funds authorized. A portion of the authorized funds may be issued to departmental custodians for use as change funds. The change funds are used to assist with the receipting of University revenues and are not authorized for any other purpose.

Policy: Any department which receipts University revenue and is required to make change for customers may request a change fund from Cashiering/Student Accounts. The change fund is authorized to be used to facilitate the receipting of University revenues generated from sales of merchandise, tickets, programs, entry fees into University sponsored events, parking fees and fines, providing services, etc. The change fund is not authorized to be used for the following:

- Payment Cashing

- Loans to University Faculty/Staff members or any other person

- Petty Cash purchases or reimbursements

- Any other activity not directly related to receipting University revenue

All revenues received by University departments must be deposited intact with the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office on a timely basis. Departments are required to deposit all monies with Cashiering/Student Accounts when collections total $100.00 or no less than once a week. Collections of $500.00 or more should be deposited within 24 hours of receipt. University departments are responsible for the security of University revenues which are in their possession. (Note: Revenues should not be withheld to offset shortages in the change fund.) Procedure: To request a change fund, the department should prepare a Request for Change Fund form which can be obtained from Cashiering/Student Accounts. The Request for Change Fund requires - 1. A reason the change fund is needed, 2. Signature of the custodian responsible for the change fund, and 3. Approval of the department Chair/Director/Manager. Upon receipt of the Request for Change Fund form, the Administrative Technician from Cashiering/Student Accounts, the Manager of Cashiering/Student Accounts or the University Controller will determine if the issuance of a change fund is appropriate. When approved, the change fund custodian will be issued the change fund and the change fund custodian will be required to sign acknowledgment of receipt of the change fund. The change fund custodian is responsible for the maintenance and the security of the change fund. Cashiering/Student Accounts should be notified in writing of any changes in the status of who is the custodian of a change fund. This requirement for notification is both the responsibility of the custodian and the department Chair/Director/Manager. All responsibility for the change fund is retained by the original custodian until the notification is received in the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office. If the change fund is no longer needed, the change fund should be returned immediately to Cashiering/Student Accounts. If the amount of a change fund can be decreased, the excess funds should be returned immediately to Cashiering/Student Accounts. Verification: The change fund is subject to verification by the staffs of Cashiering/Student Accounts and Operations Analysis. The verification process will include, but is not necessarily limited to, the amount of the change fund, the uses of the change fund, and the timing of deposits of revenue.

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