Example food purchase: Your program is hosting a 5-hour orientation at the beginning of the semester that runs over the lunch hour. You want to purchase pizza for the event.
Step 1: Decide how many people will be in attendance and where you want to make the food purchase. Consult the vendor list to guide your decisions and make a rough estimate of cost.
For this example, let’s say that you decide on Austin Pizza. You still don’t know how many of your student educators will be able to attend, so you are not sure whether to order four or five pizzas that range in price from $14.39-$18.99. What to do? Go with the high estimate and round up.
Step 2: Make sure your supervisor approves the expense.
Step 3: You or your supervisor contact the SLC Admin requesting assistance with paperwork. If you write the email, remember to cc your supervisor and the SLC Director.
Let’s say you forget to tell your supervisor and contact the SLC Admin first. What will happen? The official occasion expense form needs authorization from the SLC Director who will not sign off unless requests are made through the proper channels.
Let’s say you change your mind about Austin Pizza, but still want food for your event. Should you request new paperwork? No. As long as you spend under the estimated amount, you can change vendor.
Let’s say you discover that none of your student educators can attend on the night you planned to host your orientation. You are going to postpone orientation a week, but still want to provide food. Should you request new paperwork? Yes. You have changed the occasion, so need to start over. The same reasoning applies if you change location.
Step 4: Place the order.
You or the SLC Admin will call the number listed in the “how to order” column on the vendor list below. When the Austin Pizza representative asks for your payment information, say “UT Undergraduate Studies.” If they are confused, remind them that you have a vendor agreement with Austin Pizza and that you are calling from the university. It is always a good idea to remind the vendor that you are a state institution and should not be charged tax.
Step 5: Host your event. Your pizza should arrive pre-paid. You may tip up to 18% - ONLY IF the receipt includes a tip and total line. Save the receipt and return it to the SLC Admin as soon as possible following your event.