Voice Communications Devices

Purpose of the Policy

The information below is an outline of policy and procedures for handling purchase requests for cellular/radio instruments, pagers, and/or calling cards. This document provides the necessary information for purchase, activation, and ongoing services for the staff and faculty users of the university.

Information Technology (IT) strives to provide the best customer service possible to all members of the university community. The role of IT related to this policy is to facilitate more efficient and effective business processes.

Scope

The voice communication device policy provides guidelines regarding the following aspects of voice communication: approval process, role and responsibilities of IT, appropriate use, role of department head/budget manager, and role of the customer.

Policy

Approval from each individual department head/budget manager must be received before an order can be placed and service established. The department head or budget manager must have approval from a vice president or the chief information officer (CIO) before placing an order. Once approval has been given and the approval form signed, the process is managed by IT’s telecommunication department.

The university has established and approved vendors for all the services provided. It is at the discretion of IT to change vendors if the service provided is no longer meeting the needs of the university.

All services used are primarily for business purposes. The responsibility for managing usage lies with the staff or faculty member’s supervisor. If there is a need to use these services for personal use, the department/budget manager may require the staff or faculty person to reimburse the university for that portion of the invoice. The credit will be made to the department’s cost center account (line number 5067). If an employee does not have a phone instrument or calling card issued by the university, but uses their own personal item for approved business purposes, they may put through a reimbursement expense report along with a copy of the bill.

IT Responsibilities

IT is responsible for receiving approvals before the physical issuance of any cellular/radio services, pagers, and/or calling cards. A designated IT individual also reviews the monthly charges made by each user for contractual discrepancies. IT performs the service of follow-up on these issues.

All monthly bills for services go directly to the IT Support Center for payment, and are then charged back to the department’s cost center and telephone line 5067.

All service issues need to be reported to the IT Support Center when necessary; the support center will then handle resolution of the issue.

The Department Head or Budget Manager

The manager is accountable for monitoring and approving monthly telecommunications special charges that are prepared by IT. All charges, unless there is a contractual issue, will be charged to the department regardless of appropriate usage.

Note: It is NOT the responsibility of IT to monitor appropriate business usage.

Once an employee’s employment with the university has been terminated, the department head is to immediately notify the IT Support Center so the service can be cancelled, or exchanged if necessary.

It is also the responsibility of the manager to inform Human Resources that the employee has university-owned property, and Human Resources will collect all property of the university before the employee physically leaves the university. All calling cards and pagers are to be returned to the IT Support Center.

Customer

The customer should obtain the appropriate approvals as outlined above and provide the IT Support Center with the account number and line to be billed if applicable.

Summary

IT has the sole responsibility for purchasing or requesting the appropriate cellular and/or radio instrument, pager, or calling card. Under no circumstances is any employee of the university to purchase any type of instrument or service using university funds. This is for tracking and auditing purposes by the actual department, and also by the university. After approval is received in writing, the IT Support Center will place an order (if necessary), or supply the user with an instrument that is on hand.

Appendix A: Policy Routing

Status: Approved
Edit Date:

This policy was approved by the President’s Cabinet on September 24, 2001.

Approved by: John C. Reynolds, Vice President of Information Technology Author: John C. Reynolds, Vice President of Information Technolog

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