General Program Information

Links
Requirements for All Groups
Independent Registered Fraternal Organizatins and Affiliated Group Programs
PeopleSoft System
Fiscal Year End
Monthly Statements of Account
Recharges
Interest
Authorized Signers
Telephones and Long Distance
Mailing Services

Requirements for All Groups

• All student groups shall have a mission statement
• The mission statement will be the statement used for the Student Group Pamphlet
• The mission statement shall not exceed 250 words
• Student groups shall update and/or confirm contact information at a minimum interval of once a year
• Only official University of Colorado e-mail addresses may be used for UCSU student group business for this purpose.  The student group e-mail address may be used for this purpose.
• Local phone numbers must be used for contact information
• Active student groups must maintain the following requirements
• A minimum of 3 (three) student members
• A minimum Student Organizations Finance Office account balance of $25 (twenty-five dollars)
• A minimum of 2/3 of the membership of the student group must be members of the UCSU
• A minimum of one signer for the Student Organizations Finance Office student group account
• A majority of signers on the Student Organizations Finance Office student group account must be full fee paying students
• No person shall be a signer on more than one Student Organizations Finance Office student group account
• Elected UCSU officials may not be signers on any Student Organizations Finance Office student group account
• There shall be no more than 3 (three) signers on any Student Organizations Finance Office student group account
• Student signers of Student Organizations Finance Office student group accounts must have their Student Identification Numbers on file with the Student Organizations Finance Office
• Meetings must occur no less than once a month during the fall and spring semesters and be accessible to all students who wish to attend

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Independent Registered Fraternal Organizations and Affiliated Group Programs
Student groups must choose a specific association with the university. Those groups that choose to remain independent (ISOs) will not have access to the following university services and personnel (except for an event or activity co-hosted by the university with the ISO):

• Procurement Services
• Travel Accounting
• Legal Counsel
• Compensation Services, Name, Wordmarks, and Logos of the University of Colorado

Interested groups may establish an independent account with the SOFO in order to conduct fundraising activities on campus. All revenue generated by an organization as a result of an on-campus event or activity must be deposited with the SOFO. Independent student groups must comply with the rules governing the use of campus facilities (CUUF policy) and with Independent Group Policy and Procedures.

Registered Fraternal Organizations (RFOs) are Greek social organizations that have signed the Registered Fraternal Organizational Agreement with the university. RFOs are recognized as and follow the guidelines of Independent Student Organizations.

Groups that choose to become affiliated with the university are considered to be fully operational units of CU-Boulder and enjoy the same status as any other university department, center, institute, or unit. All funds and equipment in the custody of an affiliated student group are the property of the Board of Regents and must remain with CU-Boulder upon dissolution of the student organization. No organizational funds may be deposited into an off-campus bank account.

Affiliated student organizations have access to all of the university's resources listed above and are required to have a staff or faculty advisor. The student organization must operate within the programmatic and financial controls established by the Board of Regents and the CU-Boulder administration.
More about Independent Group Programs
More about Affiliated Group Programs

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PeopleSoft System
The PeopleSoft System is a computerized fund accounting system used by the campus to automate the functions of accounting, record keeping, purchasing, payroll, and recording. It regularly updates account balances by adjusting them for each transaction, such as cash receipts, expense vouchers, and purchase orders. A monthly statement of account is available upon request for each student group account, special event, and travel.

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Fiscal Year End
This fiscal year begins July 1, 2008 and ends June 30, 2009. All student fee-funded areas (with the exception of referendum groups) and self-funded areas should be aware of the following deadlines. Please mark your calendar!

These deadlines must be followed to ensure that 2008-09 expenses are recorded against 2008-09 funds. Remember, independent accounts have no fiscal year-end deadlines.

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Monthly Statements of Account
On the 15th of each month, financial statements for the previous month are available in the SOFO office. Your statement will show in detail the income and expense items that have been recorded during the month, similar to a checking account balance statement from your bank.

An authorized signer for your group should check it carefully each month. Although purchasing documents and cash receipts are prepared with care, there may be errors from time to time that will be immediately obvious to an authorized signer. Please ask us to correct any errors as soon as you discover them.

Should you need to know your account balance between statements, any member of the office staff will be happy to help you determine it. This function is not intended to replace your need for a treasurer, however, which can carefully monitor your account.

We keep a file of each transaction made by your organization and can tell you what was ordered on your account, who ordered it, when it was ordered, and where the purchase was made. Your file is open to you, and we encourage you to inspect it regularly.

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Recharges
General Administrative Recharge (GAR) and General Infrastructure Recharge (GIR) refer to the recovery of indirect administrative service costs and common physical infrastructure costs incurred on behalf of all programs on the Boulder campus.

GAR is charged against all student fee, special event, travel, and independent accounts.

GIR is charged against most student fee, special event, and travel accounts. GIR is not assessed against independent or gift accounts.

Recharges are incurred only when you spend money from your account.
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Interest
No interest is earned on accounts, but your account will be charged 10 percent for any negative cash balance. Your balance for this purpose is computed quarterly.

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Authorized Signers
The management of student group funds demands a serious commitment to your group and to the university. Prior to taking on the formal obligation of being an account signer, be certain that you have informed your group of the level of responsibility you will be undertaking. Most important, be sure that you feel comfortable assuming that responsibility for your organization. Account signers may be held responsible for poor account management.

As a courtesy to the account signer following you, be sure to formally turn over your group's account by updating the signature card on file with the SOFO at the end of your term.

To ensure continuity in group operations, we ask that you train any new account signers before you leave.

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Telephones and Long Distance

Independent Group Accounts

• Long-distance calling cards are available to group members who need to conduct business from a campus telephone as long as a $75 minimum balance is maintained at all times. To obtain a card, an authorized signer should contact the SOFO telephone liaison. Be sure to cancel the access codes through the SOFO when your group members leave.
  
  
• Independent student groups with an on-campus office may rent telephone equipment through the university. The current basic charge for a telephone is $29.04 per month. Again, a $75 minimum balance must be maintained by independent student groups with a telephone and/or long-distance access codes. Please contact the SOFO telephone liaison for details.

• Long-distance calling cards are available to group members who need to make long-distance calls. To obtain a card, an authorized signer must contact the SOFO telephone liaison. Be sure to cancel the access cards through the SOFO when your members leave. New officers should make arrangements to get new authorization numbers.
  
  
• Student groups who have a specific line-item allocation within their budget for telephones may have the cost of monthly equipment charged to their account. The current monthly charge for a phone is $29.04. In some cases, two or more groups may choose to share a telephone. Groups who share a telephone are required to complete a telephone agreement at the SOFO to minimize billing errors and to protect each group's funds.

Mailing Services

Independent Group Accounts

• Independent student groups may use the convenience of on-campus Mailing Services. Mailings must have an on-campus return address, must relate to university business, and cannot involve the university in endorsing a political or religious position. A copy of each mailing must be brought to the SOFO when you request the IN for the cost of the mailing.

Affiliated Group Accounts

• Student groups may use the convenience of on-campus mailing. All mail submitted to Mailing Services must have an on-campus return address. Mailings must relate to university business and cannot involve the university in endorsing a political or religious position. A copy of each mailing must be brought to the SOFO when you request the IN so we can verify that it falls within Mailing Services' guidelines.