9.10.01 Internal Conferences

Definition - Internal conferences are those that involve the attendance of employees within the University only.  A routine staff meeting is not an internal conference.
Requirements and Limitations
• No payment for meals is allowable unless overnight travel criteria are met
• The conference is planned in detail in advance, with a formal agenda or curriculum.
• There is a written invitation to participants, setting forth the calendar of events and the detailed schedule of costs.
• No excess travel subsistence may be granted for internal departmental meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. and such meetings must be held in state facilities when available.  No registration fee may be charged.
• Refreshments for “coffee breaks” can be purchased provided there are twenty or more participants and costs do not exceed four dollars ($4.00) per participant per day.
• A University department cannot use state funds to support or underwrite a meeting, assembly, conference, seminar, rally, celebration, or similar function, by whatever name called, that promotes any cause or purpose other than the mission and objective of the University.

9.10.02 External Conferences

Definition - External conferences are those that involve the attendance of persons other than employees of the University.  Payment for meals is allowable if included in the registration fee, but such fee must not consist exclusively of meal cost or it will not be allowable unless meeting overnight travel criteria.  Conferences sponsored or co-sponsored by the University are authorized when they meet the limitations and requirements listed below.
Requirements and Limitations for External Conferences

• The conference is planned in detail in advance, with a formal agenda or curriculum.
• There is a written invitation to participants, setting forth the calendar of events, the social activities, if any, and the detailed schedule of costs.
• Assemblies should be held in state facilities where feasible; however, non-state facilities can be rented and the cost charged to a state agency without allocation to participants’ daily subsistence allowances.
• Registration fees may be charged by the sponsoring department to participants for costs of external conferences.
• Registration fees may not include costs of entertainment, alcoholic beverages, setups, or flowers.
• Refreshments for “coffee breaks” can be purchased provided there are twenty or more participants and costs do not exceed four dollars ($4.00) per participant per day.
• When assemblies are to be held under the sponsorship of the University in which the funding for all participants is budgeted, lump-sum payments to a conference center or an organization may be made upon written authorization from the Chancellor or his designee.  The authorization must provide the following:
• The purpose and duration of the conference.
• The number of persons expected to attend.
• The specific meals to be served at the conference (law prohibits lunches being provided to state employees unless registration fees are charged to all attendees).
• The approximate daily subsistence cost per person.
• The name of the conference center, hotel, caterer, or other organization providing the service.

9.10.03 Training Sessions
 
Definition - Employee training involves courses that develop an employee’s knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the duties of his/her present job, such as, courses on computer usage or management skills development.  These courses generally have a set fee, are of relatively short duration, and are not part of a curriculum the employee is participating in leading to an educational degree.
Requirements and Limitations for Training Sessions

• Fees for training courses that provide training in specific areas are charged in the Accounting System to “Employee Education Expense” under “Other Current Services”, (Account Code 294210).
• University-sponsored training sessions may provide refreshments for “coffee breaks” provided there are twenty or more participants and costs do not exceed four dollars ($4) per participant per day.

9.10.04 Management Retreats
 
Definition - A management retreat is a meeting or series of meetings consisting of the Chancellor and his top assistants and coworkers.  Retreats are sometimes held at a site other that the usual workplace and are held no more often than once a year.
Requirements and Limitations for Management Retreats
The Chancellor may authorize an annual management retreat.  Expenditures are permissible in a manner as if it were an internal conference.

9.10.05 Informal Meetings with Guests of the Chancellor

Definition - An informal meeting is a meeting consisting of the Chancellor or his designee and non-state employees during which official state business is discussed for the majority of the meeting. Informal meetings are one-time occurrences and are not held on a recurring or routine basis.
Requirements and Limitations for informal meetings
The Chancellor, or his designee for a specific event, may be reimbursed from state funds for actual costs of meals for themselves and individuals who are not state employees who are their guests, when accompanying them in the course of conducting official state business.  Cost of meals and other expenses for family members are not reimbursable from state funds.