Entertainment

Additional Approvals and Exceptional Approvals

Additional Approval and Exceptional Approvals to policy are granted by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance or designee.

What is Additional Approval?

Additional approval is granted by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance for events that are allowed by policy but require Additional approval. These events include:

Entertainment of the spouse, domestic partner, other partner, or family members of the official host or guest
Tickets purchased for a guest or guests by a host to a sporting, theatrical, or musical event for the purpose of stewardship. More on ticket purchases »
A cash contribution which includes the cost of a meal or registration fee made to a nonprofit organization in connection with an employee’s attendance at a fundraising or community event
Employee morale building and employee recognition events

What is Exceptional Approval?

Exceptional approval is also granted by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance for expenses not allowed by policy (e.g., exceeding the per-person meal allowance or hosting the extended family of a guest.)

Exceptions to policy require a written justification for the request and are necessary if a host has need to exceed policy limits. For example, if the per person maximum allowance is exceeded, a justification is required that fully explains why the higher cost was unavoidable (e.g., Dietary requirement of the guest required a higher cost meal).

Ambiguous or self-descriptive justifications will delay or prevent payment (e.g., “Meal costs exceeded maximum per-person dinner rate”).

Note: Although exceptional expenses may be approved, be sure to consider any funding restrictions. Exceptional entertainment expenses are not allowed on state/general funds.

Requesting Exceptional or Additional Approval

Requests for exceptional or additional approval must include the business justification in the Comment section of the MyTravel report (or Notes section of the DaFIS document).

See UCD Policy & Procedure Manual 330-80, section VII A.1.c. for instructions on MyTravel and section VII B.3.D. for instructions on DaFIS.

Unallowable Expenses

The following occasions are not allowable entertainment expenses, even by exception:

employee birthdays
weddings
anniversaries
farewell gatherings (excluding celebrations for retirement or for employees separating from university employment with at least 5 years of service)
Administrative Professionals' Day
other non-university related occasions.