1. Purpose

   This policy establishes the process for providing program cash advances ("PCAs") to university employees conducting Education Abroad programs sponsored by Ohio University and administered by the Office of Education Abroad.

2. Plan

   To the maximum extent possible, expenses of Education Abroad programs should be managed using prepaid expenses or using the Ohio University Purchasing Card Program. In those cases where the Purchasing Card cannot meet the program needs in full, and expenses cannot be prepaid in full, the Travel Office may provide PCAs for University employees conducting official Education Abroad programs. The PCA will only be issued upon recognition and agreement of the recipient to the following rules and requirements:

   1. A PCA will not be issued more than 10 business days prior to the departure date. Any exception to this policy must be approved both by the Director of the Office of Education Abroad and by the Senior Associate Vice President for Finance.

   2. No PCAs will be made for less than $500.

   3. On an exception basis, a "revolving" PCA may be issued to the employee responsible for a program in-country. Revolving PCAs must be reconciled at the end of each fiscal year.

   4. For Education Abroad PCAs, employees are permitted multiple non-delinquent PCAs during the length of the education abroad program.

   5. If a PCA becomes delinquent, no further advances will be issued to that individual until the delinquency is resolved.

   6. Any unused funds and a completed Program Expense Report (PER) must be submitted to the Director of Education Abroad within 15 calendar days of the end of program business. The unused funds must be deposited immediately to the Cashier in Chubb Hall by the Director of Education Abroad or his or her designee.

   7. The Director of Education Abroad must review and approve the PER and submit it to the Travel Office within 30 days of the end of program business.

3. Policies and procedures

   1. Application

      Request a PCA by completing an Education Abroad Program Advance Form. At least 30 days prior to departure date, submit the completed Program Advance Form to the Director of Education Abroad who will submit the Program Advance Form to Procurement Services, 213A HDL Center, at least 20 business days prior to travel. In instances where circumstances require more time for PCA processing, an exception to policy must be approved by the Director of Education Abroad and forwarded to the Travel Office.

   2. Approvals

      The form must be approved and signed by the Director of Education Abroad, 185 Lindley, or his or her designee and then forwarded to Procurement Services Travel Office, 213A HDL Center.

   3. Receiving the advance

      The check will be mailed to the employee, or the funds will be direct deposited into the employee's bank account, according to his or her instructions on the Program Advance Form. For direct deposit of the advance, the employee must be enrolled in the University's direct deposit program for payroll purposes.

   4. Accounting for expenses and returning remaining dollars

      1. Within 15 calendar days of the end of program business, the employee will submit a completed Program Expense Report to the Office of Education Abroad, 185 Lindley, for preliminary audit.

         1. Cash must be refunded in US dollars only.

         2. Non-cash refunds should be made in the form of a personal or cashier's check made out to Ohio University.

         3. All refunded monies must be deposited at the Bursar's office. Receipt of payment issued by the Bursar must be attached to the Program Expense Report.

      2. The Office of Education Abroad will submit an approved Program Expense Report, along with a Direct Payment Form and copy of receipt documenting any refunded monies as appropriate, to Procurement Services, 213A HDL Center, within 30 calendar days of date of return from Education Abroad program travel.

      3. For calculation purposes, the end of group travel is the date that education abroad program business ends. In cases where the traveler is not returning directly to Ohio University, she or he must make arrangements to submit the completed PER and all original receipts, as well as refund any unused monies, within 15 calendar days after the end of program business, as stipulated above.

      4. Travelers who are delinquent more than 60 calendar days, in substantiating expenses or refunding remaining funds, will be subject to Payroll deduction of the total outstanding balance.

      5. If submission of the Program Expense Report is more than 60 calendar days delinquent, the traveler will be ineligible for future advances.

      6. A PCA granted a revolving exception must be reconciled by the end of each fiscal year (or according to the schedule above if the need no longer exists prior to the end of the fiscal year). A Program Advance Form and Program Expense Report must be submitted to Procurement Services Travel Office, 213A HDL Center, in order to renew the revolving PCA.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. President

2. Executive Vice President and Provost

3. Executive Staff

4. Senior Associate Vice President for Finance

5. Director, Office of Education Abroad

6. Controller

7. Director of Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance

8. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following forms are specific to this policy:

   1. The Program Advance Form is available through https://www.ohio.edu/finance/forms (alphabetized under "Education Abroad").

   2. The Program Expense Report is available from the Office of Education Abroad.

   3. The Direct Payment Form is available through https://www.ohio.edu/finance/forms.

2. References

   There are no items relevant to this policy.

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   The only prior version of this policy was approved on November 21, 2008.