Official Functions

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Official Functions

Official Functions are defined as a meeting, meal, or other function that is hosted by an organizational unit, attended by guests and / or other associates or employees, and held for official University business.

The most common types of official functions are:

Community relation functions - external: directly related to the University's instructional, research, public service, or health care mission.
Donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship: require use of advancement / development funds (fund 36) or appropriate gift funds (fund 34 with gift purpose code 2 of Y designated for entertainment, donor cultivation, or personnel recruitment).
Employee recognition / appreciation events & retirement function: FPS: Recognition & Training also applies.
Goodwill functions: for official guests / volunteers to indicate goodwill or esteem
Multi-Unit or Multi-campus events: participating units may not report to the same officer and events may not occur more often than monthly.
Recruitment functions: to enlist new employees, faculty, post-/pre-doctorates, student athletes, etc. (must be directly related to work position / field of study / reason for recruitment)
Student Functions: hosted for students and directly related to student / educational development.
Training Functions: to enhance staff knowledge or to educate employees, associates, or other individuals (must have written agenda, subject matter focus of activities must be directly related to work environment / tasks).

The Finance Procedural Statement: Official Functions sets forth University requirements for use of the Official Function Form when food / beverage is purchased for an official function, or when alcohol is purchased for an official function or CU-hosted conference.

Official Function Form

The Official Function Form must be completed if

alcoholic beverages are purchased (in any dollar amount) for an official function or CU-hosted conference; or
for an official function where the total cost of food / beverage / tax /tip exceeds $500; or
for an official function where the per-person cost of food / beverage exceeds $115 (regardless of total cost).

If you are entering a requisition in CU Marketplace for an Official Function, the paper form is required.

If purchased with a Procurement Card, the paper form is not required as the Concur System requests all the form information within the submission and will route to the required approvals.

Signatures:

Organizational Unit Authorizer - someone in a position of authority for your department.
Officer - the Officer of your organizational unit.
Campus Alcohol Approver - Fiscal Compliance

Your unit / school /college may always have more restrictive guidance in place for Official Functions and when the form should be completed. Confirm you are also meeting unit specific requirements.

Compliance Considerations

As good stewards of university resources, it is expected that the per person cost for an official function stay well below the $115 cost.
- Per-person cost is seeking the cost of food, beverage, tax (if applicable), and tip only. Do not include other event costs in the amount indicated for official function (ie., set-up, AV, etc.)

APS #4015 Propriety of Expenses tests of propriety must be met in order to determine appropriateness of expenses made using university funds.
- Is food / beverage necessary?
- Is cost reasonable?
- Public perception / newspaper test.
- Must meet requirements of an official function

It’s understandable that many meetings and events not identified as an official function are recognized as official university business. However, policy does not allow the use of University funds to pay for food and beverages for these events.
- Normal workday events should be scheduled so as not to conflict with staff mealtime so that the personal benefit of a meal would not be provided through university funds.

Invite list and attendees should be tracked as attendee information for Official Functions is required with expense report submission.

Review Events with Alcohol webpage if you are planning to have an Official Function with alcohol to ensure compliance with university & campus policies and procedures.

Food and related consumables are not allowed for virtual attendees, frequent / regular meetings, new hire welcome lunches, birthday / social celebrations, etc.

Most meetings have an agenda or business-related focus, this does not make them an official function requiring food / beverage. Not all trainings require food / beverage.

Fiscal Compliance

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Aurora, CO 80045

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