REVIEWED: 27 MAR 2015

PURPOSE:

Is to provide procedures where by organizational unit executive directors within the institute may make allowances for technology reimbursement 1) to staff needing such resources in the fulfillment of their assigned duties; and 2) within university guidelines.

PROCEDURES:

Overview:

The University of Tennessee fiscal policy FI0730 – Cellular Telephones and Other Wireless

Communication Devices is posted on the internet at http://policy.tennessee.edu/fiscal_policy/fi0730/. The policy requires that every campus / institute establish a pre‐approval process that includes approval by the Chief Business Officer or designee. Also, the policy requires that all covered employees have read and understand the University’s Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy IT0110, located at http://policy.tennessee.edu/it_policy/it0110/, which applies to both University equipment and personal devices that are used to store, process or transmit University information or that are otherwise connected to University information technology resources.

Delegation of authority to agency directors:

Agency Directors are hereby authorized by the IPS Chief Business Officer to establish a pre‐approval process for their agency. Along with this designation is the responsibility for ensuring compliance with all applicable UT policies, including those referenced above. The IPS Chief Business Officer must give final approval for every technology allowance per fiscal policy.

General guidelines and considerations:

These general guidelines are intended to assist agency directors and IPS employees. Agency directors have authority to decide which employees are eligible for issuance of University equipment or technology allowance. Some factors which may influence or inform this decision include:

Do the employee’s duties require remote or after‐hours access to email and/or internet?
Do the employee’s duties require remote or after‐hours access to phone service?
Do the employee’s duties require routine absences from the office during the workday or work on evenings or weekends?
Have an employee’s duties changed recently? If so, it may be a good time to re‐evaluate their technology allowance.
Across all agencies of IPS, are my agency’s eligibility criteria fair and consistent?

Agency directors have authority to decide the amount of the technology allowance for each employee.

Some factors which may influence or inform this decision include:

The allowance is intended, per UT fiscal policy, to offset the business use of handheld devices and other technology and not as a reimbursement for the total cost.
Market information: Based upon a 2014 survey of three major carriers, the price for a cell phone with unlimited talk / text, 3 GB of data, and taxes is approximately $100. The breakdown is approximately $40 for unlimited talk / text, $50 for data, and $10 for taxes.
Across all agencies of IPS, are my agency’s technology allowance amounts fair and consistent?

CONTACT:

Gail White, Chief Business Officer, 865‐974‐6621

RELATED:

IT0110 – Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources

FI0730 – Cellular Telephones and Other Wireless Communication Devices