Use of Funds
Proper Use of Funds
Organizations are permitted to spend funds on office supplies if needed, and orders for these items must be requested via a Purchase Request Form. Exceptions to this rule are made at the discretion of the Director of Student Engagement & Retention or their designee. All purchases must be relevant to activities of the organization and should not replicate resources currently available for student use. Organizations are not permitted to use an organization’s funds towards alcohol, cannabis, or related expenses in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Advisor or officer gifts cannot be purchased with organization operating funds. All questions or doubts regarding appropriate and restricted expenditures should be directed to the Office of Student Engagement prior to the purchase being made.
Tax Exemption for Purchases
As a state institution, Middlesex Community College is tax exempt. The tax exempt number for the college is available in the Office of Student Engagement and should be used when making purchases for organization sponsored activities.
Purchasing Methods
The Student Services Fee will pay for purchases through one of the following methods:
| Purchase Order | These formal “IOUs” prepared and signed by MCC accounting are the preferred method
of payment from Middlesex Community College. Purchase order numbers are submitted
to vendors to ensure smooth business transactions. Please note: POs for new vendors can take up to 6 weeks to process. OSE will need to communicate with your vendor, so plan accordingly. |
| Market Basket Card | Anything that can be purchased at a Market Basket grocery store is encouraged over other stores. The Office of Student Engagement has an account and will provide the card for organization purchases. Club members or Advisors may request the use of the card and will need to return it the same business day with the receipt. |
| Check |
A hard copy check will be prepared and signed by MCC accounting, and then will be sent directly to vendors. All purchases and reimbursements require an invoice or receipt. In order to make a payment to a company, Middlesex requires the organization to provide:
In order to make payment to an individual, Middlesex requires a Massachusetts W-9 Form. OSE will provide this form if needed. Check requests missing any of these items cannot be processed and payment will not be made. Check requests take approximately 6-8 weeks to process; plan accordingly to ensure that the payment reaches the vendor in a timely manner. |
| Credit Card | Special permission may be given by the Director of Student Engagement & Retention. |
| Reimbursements |
Organization members and advisors are encouraged to NOT use their own funds for purchases. Reimbursements will be given in special circumstances and only when approved in advance.
Reimbursement Request must include the follow:
Unless otherwise arranged, the Office of Student Engagement will coordinate all purchases through its offices, and invoices and receipts are to be directed to the Office of Student Engagement. |
Purchasing Types
| Food Purchases | These may include (but are not limited to) a recruitment meeting or organization party. Other requests for food purchases for program refreshments, etc. will be reviewed separately. Like all expected purchases, organizations must anticipate food purchases at the time of their budget requests. Food for meetings may be taken from the organization’s budget at no more than $12 per member and a maximum of $300 per organization per semester. |
| Clothing Purchases as Promotional Materials |
These are acceptable as a means for fundraising or to promote organization spirit/unity among members. The organization can use $12 per member and a maximum of $300 per organization on an annual basis from its budget for these purchases. Expenses above and beyond this limit must be supplemented through fundraising, which must be deposited into the revenue account prior to purchasing items. Orders must be placed through the Office of Student Engagement. |
| Equipment or Supplies |
Purchases by an organization (for particular organization functions) through the Student Services Fee become college property to be used by MCC Students. The Office of Student Engagement monitors its use. It is not to be used off campus without authorization from OSE. It is not to be transferred to another office/organization or discarded without authorization from the Office of Student Engagement. Lost or stolen items are to be reported to Public Safety and the Office of Student Engagement immediately. Organizations are to arrange for summer storage of equipment with OSE. Equipment purchases are scrutinized carefully, especially during difficult fiscal times. All purchases and equipment use must comply with the Equipment Usage Policy. |
| Subscriptions and Memberships |
These are considered on a case-by-case basis and may require authorization from the college. Inquiries may be made to the Office of Student Engagement. |
| Paraprofessional Requests | Requests are reviewed throughout the academic year. Fill out the Paraprofessional Request form on Engage when requesting funds for travel to a conference or seminar related to an academic program or career exploration. |
Receipt Processing Form
All receipts must be submitted to the Office of Student Engagement within 2 business days of the purchase or event with the Receipt Processing Form. The follow information must be on the form in order to be processed:
- Date of purchase
- Date of event
- Organization making the purchase
- What was purchased
- How it was purchased
- If a reimbursement: Student/Advisor name and A-number (for a student)
Fundraising
A fundraiser is any event or sale where an organization collects money. Fundraising activities are often required to help organizations raise money to support their various programs and initiatives. Earned funds through fundraising efforts may be used towards the purchases of food, clothing, major travel/event expenditures, and some other costs not anticipated when filing a budget request. Revenue spending must be approved via the Purchase Request form. SGA recognizes the value of fundraising activities, and this will be considered when making budget allocation recommendations for following years. All organizations are encouraged to fundraise.
In order to protect student organizations and the College, any student organization wishing to conduct a fundraiser on campus must seek approval from the Office of Student Engagement before conducting the fundraiser. Fundraising Request Forms are located through an Event Request on Engage.
Funds must be available in an organization’s account in order to proceed with any purchase. Student organizations should not count on anticipated sales of tickets to raise money for the purchase of a prize or supplies for a fundraiser event. Previously accrued revenue or funds from the SGA approved budget should be used for these purchases.
Revenue must be delivered to the Office of Student Engagement within 24 hours from the time of collection. A revenue form must be filled out and given to the Office of Student Engagement. Organizations can receive a receipt for this transaction upon request.
How Revenue Works
Revenue (organization income of any kind) will be deposited into two separate spending pools: true revenue (Profits) and programming revenue (Revenue). True revenue exceeds what was used to pay for the fundraiser. This money will roll-over to the next fiscal year. Programming revenue replaces any amounts used to run the fundraiser. This money will return to the organization account and can be used, according to purchasing guidelines, until the purchasing deadline for the year. All Student Services Fee funds, true revenue, and programming revenue remaining in an organization account will be unavailable after this deadline. (True revenue will be available in an organization’s account, if all required paperwork is in order, the following fiscal year). Purchase requests are required to utilize all revenue funds.
For example:
An organization purchases items to prepare baked goods for a bake sale. The total amount they make is their profit. The total funds raised minus the cost of the items purchased is their revenue.
- Cost of bake sale supplies - $20
- Total fundraiser money collected - $50
- Revenue - $50
- Profits - $30
Student organizations who lapse more than one academic year will forfeit all monies allocated including true revenue.
Charging Fees/Dues
Students pay a fee to the College to be able to enjoy activities at a discount or for free whenever possible. Organizations must keep this in mind when they choose to charge a fee for an event or program. Organizations may choose to sell merchandise or offer a service to raise money for their group. Reasonable prices should be determined for such fundraisers or events.
Solicitation/Fundraising for Non-MCC Charities and Organizations
Organizations are not advised to raise funds to donate to non-MCC charities. If they choose to do so, the fundraiser will need to be approved by the Director of Student Engagement or their designee via the Events - Fundraising Form in Engage with the non-MCC charity named. All funds generated must be brought to the Office of Student Engagement the day of the fundraiser. The donation must be made with a bank check, which will be purchased with part of the proceeds.
Organizations may NOT solicit donations from businesses without permission of the Director of Student Engagement
& Retention and the Advancement Office.