Meals & Light Refreshment Procedures

Meals and Light Refreshments for Meetings or Formal Training Sessions

Purpose

Document procedures for the use of University funds to pay for employee meals and light refreshments at university-sponsored meetings or formal training sessions. This policy covers all university funding sources but does not cover foundation funds.

Authority

The Office of Financial Management State Administrative and Accounting Manual Sections 10.40.60-70 and 70.10.10-40.

Other guidelines or policies may be more or less restrictive where meals and light refreshments are authorized, such as Associated Student funding, NCAA guidance to Intercollegiate Athletics or specific grant language.

Meals

Reimbursement for meals may be provided for certain meetings and formal training sessions for University employees and others the university is legally authorized to reimburse regardless of travel status.

Reimbursement may be authorized when the meeting or formal training is away from the employee's regular workplace. This authority is intended for use under the following conditions.

• The purpose of the meeting is to conduct official university business or to provide formal training sessions to employees.
• The meal period is scheduled as an integral part of the meeting or formal training session. This authority is not intended for use with normal daily business of employees but rather for special situations or occasions.
• The payment for meals is approved in advance of the meeting or formal training session.

Meals will be reimbursed at the allowable subsistence rates as provided for in state policy without regard for employee's travel status or to the Three Hour Rule.

Meals for volunteers may be included when the volunteers contribute directly to the meeting or training session. Benefit to university must be documented on the Meals and Light Refreshments form.

Allowable activities

• Meals for search committee members and other employees, including and reporting, directly to the President, the Provost or the Vice Presidents for Business and Finance and Student Affairs when interviewing a prospective employee candidate. An interview schedule must be submitted with the Meals and Light Refreshments form.
• Mealtime off-campus meetings an employee is required to attend in an official university capacity i.e., chamber of commerce, rotary.
• Meals served at approved university retreats (as supported by the university retreats policy).
• Meals served at conferences or conventions
• Mealtime meetings with external constituents such as, inter-institutional, inter-agency, and volunteers, where the meal is an integral part of the meeting. A formal agenda is submitted with the Meals and Light Refreshments form and the meeting is at least 2 hours in length.
• Non-routine university employee training. A formal agenda is submitted with the Meals and Light Refreshments form and the training is at least 2 hours in length. This is not intended for on the job training.
• When an employee, acting in a custodial or leadership role, must, as part of their duties, dine with students or other clients of the university.
• Other pre-approved special situations where meals are deemed appropriate

Non-allowable activities

• Normal daily business of University employee
• Staff/departmental meetings
• Anniversaries of units
• Anniversaries of individual employment
• Retirements
• Elections
• Social events/reception buffets/meet and greet occasions
• Any "hosting" activity. "Hosting" includes but is not limited to, those activities that are intended either to lobby a legislator or governmental official or are to be a social rather than university business event.

Light Refreshments

Light refreshments may be authorized at certain university-sponsored meetings or formal training sessions. This authority is not intended for use with the normal daily business of employees but rather for special situations or occasions under the following conditions.

• The purpose of the meeting is to conduct official university business or to provide formal training sessions that benefit the university or recognize university or employee accomplishments.
• The meeting involves university employees or others the agency is legally authorized to reimburse.
• The light refreshments are an integral part of the meeting or formal training event.
• The person responsible for the meeting or training session receives approval for serving light refreshments prior to the event.

Light refreshments include non-alcoholic beverage and edible items commonly served between meals, but not intended to substitute for meals, such as tea, coffee, soft drinks, juice, doughnuts, cookies, sweet rolls, pieces of fruit or cheese.

Allowable Activities

• Inter-institutional meetings
• Board of trustee meetings
• Cabinet level briefing/meetings
• Non-routine university employee training. A formal agenda is submitted with the Meals and Light Refreshments form and the training is at least 2 hours in length. This is not intended for on the job training.
• Student recruitment functions under university recruiting strategy as administered by Student Affairs.
• Other pre-approved special situations where light refreshments are deemed appropriate
• Employee recognition ceremonies (subject to provisions of RCW 41.60.150) Intended for all university recognition, not departmental.

Non-allowable Activities

• Normal daily business of University employee
• Staff/departmental meetings
• Anniversaries of units
• Anniversaries of individual employment
• Retirements
• Elections
• Social events/receptions/meet and greet occasions
• Any "hosting" activity. "Hosting" includes but is not limited to, those activities that are intended either to lobby a legislator or governmental official or are to be a social rather than university business event.

Prior Approval

The appropriate dean, director, or vice president must approve the expenditure of meals and light refreshments for meetings or formal training sessions prior to the event via a Meals and Light Refreshments form.

For certain events, a formal agenda or schedule of events and list of attendees must be submitted when completing the Meals and Light Refreshments form.

All documents to secure meals or light refreshments must be completed and submitted to Purchasing or Event Planning prior to the event.

Payment or Reimbursement

Submit a properly completed Travel Authorization (TA) form, Meals and Light Refreshments form and original itemized receipts to the Travel Accounting Office, or

Submit a Purchase Requisition form, Meals and Light Refreshments form, original itemized receipts and invoice voucher to the Purchasing Office, or

Submit the proper paperwork and Meals and Light Refreshments form to the Event Planning Office.

Approved by: President's Cabinet Dated: May 21, 2001

Glossary of Terms

Coffee and Light Refreshments - For state purposes, coffee encompasses any non-alcoholic beverage, such as tea, soft drinks, juice, or milk. For state purposes, a light refreshment is an edible item that may be served between meals, for examples doughnuts, sweet rolls, cookies and pieces of fruit or cheese.

Formal Training Session - Non-routine employee training supported by a formal agenda and at least 2 hours in length. This is not on-the-job training.

Integral Part of the Meeting - An activity within a meeting that is essential to completeness of the meeting, i.e., speaker during lunch or business discussion through lunch period per formal agenda. Certain situations require the meeting to be at least 2 hours in length.

Official University (State) Business - Activities performed by an official or state employee, authorized volunteer, contractor, work experience program participant, student or employee of another governmental jurisdiction as directed by his or her or as required by the duties of his or her position or office.

Regular Workplace - The location where a state employee or state official normally performs his/her work (excludes meeting and conference rooms).

Volunteer- Individual who contributes directly to meeting or formal training session. The benefit to the university must be documented on the Meals and Light Refreshments form.

(To print a word version of this procedure, click here.)