Policies

The use of tax-exempt debt plays an important role in funding a significant portion of the University’s capital projects. As a result, the University realizes the importance of complying with federal and institutional requirements regarding the issuance and ongoing management of its tax-exempt debt. The policy is intended to define compliance practices including compliance actions, records management, and process continuity within the Office of Treasury Management and the Office of the Comptroller.

The University complies with U.S. Immigration and Tax laws and provides guidance for applying taxes to scholarship/fellowship payments made to foreign national students and fellows.

(Note: Financial Operations & Tax is prohibited from providing tax or legal advice. Students are encouraged to consult their own tax advisor.)

The University is committed to complying with applicable state and local sales tax laws and regulations. University requirements have been established for collecting, reporting, and remitting sales tax in order to avoid penalties for failure to timely file complete and accurate tax returns.

This policy provides guidance on honoraria payments and/or travel and incidental expense reimbursements to non-employees including short-term, nonimmigrant alien visitors to the University to assist in complying with U.S. Immigration and Tax laws.
(Note: Financial Operations & Tax is prohibited from providing tax and/or legal advice.)

Equipment assets owned or held by the University must be accurately inventoried and recorded to meet both generally accepted accounting principles and federal or state regulations. This policy details guidelines on how equipment assets records are to be maintained.

Where tax-exempt debt is used to finance the construction or acquisition of facilities and capital equipment, the University must comply with IRS laws and regulations applicable to Private Business Use. Pursuant to the Private Business Use test set forth at 26 USC §141, the tax-exempt status of a bond issuance is jeopardized if more than 10% of the proceeds are used for Private Business Use (the applicable limit is 5% for bonds issued for the benefit of University-Associated Organizations and other 501(c)3 affiliates).

Provides guidelines, based on the Internal Revenue Code, and IRS regulations and directives, for determining whether a student’s service in the employ of the University qualifies for an exemption from the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes imposed on wages. This policy is intended to inform University employees and others about relevant tax issues; it does not constitute legal or tax advice. The University Office of Payroll Services is prohibited from giving University employees legal or tax advice.

The University is committed to complying with federal, state and local tax regulations; this policy identifies the University Units responsible for tax compliance and delineates their scope of responsibility.

This policy sets forth the requirements for establishing and managing University revenue generating activities and the rates that can be assessed: 1) to students as a condition of their enrollment; 2) by internal service providers; and 3) as nuisance charges to prevent abuse of services. This policy is necessary so that the assessed rates reflect actual costs and are consistently applied.