Ohio Admin. Code 3356-3-15 - Memberships, dues, certifications, and licensing fees

(A) Policy statement. Memberships, dues, professional certifications or licensing fees are eligible for payment by the university only if when there is a direct benefit to the university. Under compelling circumstances only, the president or appropriate vice president may authorize the payment of individual memberships, dues, fees or certifications.

(B) Parameters.

(1) The direct benefits to the university must outweigh the costs associated with the relevant membership, certification, or fee.

(2) (1) Memberships paid with university funds cannot negatively impact the university's image or mission, or be paid to organizations or for activities with arbitrary or discriminatory membership policies. Acceptable organizations include associations of colleges and universities, professional societies, government-sponsored groups, accrediting organizations, and other organizations related to work being performed. Fraternal and political organizations are specifically excluded, and community/civic organizations are allowable only for executive or development officers whose duties include significant responsibilities to represent the university in the community.

(3) (2) Memberships should normally be institutional in nature, held in the name of the university, a university department, or functional job title. Professional memberships, dues, licenses or certifications in the name of an individual are allowable when institutional memberships, etc., are not available or not applicable. Such expenses are eligible for payment by the university under the following criteria:

(4) Professional memberships, dues, licenses, or certifications in the name of an individual are generally not authorized. Exceptions may be authorized under the following circumstances when an institutional membership is not available and the best interests of the university are served by such membership:

(a) The dues, professional licensing, certification, or testing fees are integrally related to an employee's job duties or essential to the research responsibilities of faculty. Examples include, but are not limited to: engineers, certified public accountant, or radioactive materials licenses, notary fees, and world safety officer memberships;

(b) Membership is required for the purchase of a journal;

(c) Membership allows a periodical or journal to be purchased at a discounted rate and the expected savings from the discount exceeds the cost of membership;

(d) Membership included in a conference registration fee allows for a reduced rate to attend the conference and the savings over the non-member registration fee rate is greater than the cost of individual membership in the organization.

(5) (3) Written justification must be maintained for memberships, dues, certifications, and licenses paid by the university in the name of an employee individual.

(6) (4) No more than one institutional membership in any organization may be purchased.

(7) (5) Payment of fees shall be charged to the budget of the particular office or department benefitting from the membership Payments for professional memberships, dues, licenses or certifications are subject to the university's purchasing policy. Procurement services has the primary responsibility to manage and monitor the purchasing process.

(8) (6) Only the president or his/her designee may authorize written exceptions to this policy.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 3356-3-15

Effective: 11/16/2020
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3315
Rule Amplifies: 3315
Prior Effective Dates: 05/28/2011, 11/06/2015