Cellular Telephone Program Policy

Outlines the campus' cellular telephone program to  meet the eligibility criteria. Applies to both employee reimbursement or cellular service plans on state issued equipment for department use.

Date	Version Number	Change Description	Referenced Section
12/2/08	1.0	New Document	Entire Document
7/12/11	2.0	Major Revisions	Policy Renamed
8/27/15	2.1	Minor Revisions
1/4/17	2.2	Minor Revisions
6/27/17	2.3	Minor Revisions	Owner
7/29/18	2.4	Minor Revisions
2/1/22	2.5	Minor Revisions	Owner Name
8/27/26	2.6	Minor Revisions

This policy has been renamed from"Cellular Telephone Policy & Procedure"

Review Process / Approval

Action:	Units	Date
Policy Review	Procurement Services Management Services
Policy Approval	Executive Council Executive Council	12/2/08 7/12/11

All SUNY Plattsburgh employees and SUNY Plattsburgh Research Foundation employees.

None 

 Department Head:

1. Justify how an employee meets the basic eligibility criteria and explain how the employee is delivering critical services.
2. Ensure that the department account has sufficient funds to cover the total fiscal year expense. When applicable, complete an allocation transfer form. For Support contact Budget Office at x5414
3. Report if an employee is no longer justified for a cellular telephone reimbursement, it is the responsibility of the department head to notify the Procurement Services Office in writing at [email protected] to discontinue the reimbursement.

Dean/Vice President: Review justification and approve participation.

Under this program, qualifying employees have three options for participating:

1. Personal cell phone reimbursement
2. University-owned cell phone assigned to an individual
3. University-owned cell phone assigned to a department

 

1. Personal Cell Phone Reimbursement:

Employees who prefer to use these services are available for those who support critical core services and programs. To qualify for this option, the employees supervisor must justify this request and the appropriate Dean or Vice-President must grant approval. Reimbursement rates are:

1. 1. Voice: $10 per month
   2. Text: $5 per month
   3. Text Plus: $10 per month (designed for individuals who have a high volume of campus related texting (over 250 text messages per month).
   4. Data: $30 per month

Cell phone reimbursement will be processed through the employee reimbursement procedure.

• Purchase requisitions should encumber the full fiscal year, (eliminating the need for multiple purchase requisitions)
• The requisitions should clearly indicate service(s) approved for reimbursement
• Employees will submit their cell phone bill summary that includes the individual’s cell phone number and the services they have been approved for reimbursement
• Cell phone bills should be sent to Purchasing and are bundled to include a minimum of three months of bills.

A University-owned phone will have its cellular number available for SUNY Plattsburgh official use.

2. University-owned cell phone assigned to an individual:

Individuals may request a University-owned cell phone. A University owned cell phone will generally be limited to a basic voice plan with the lowest minute package available. A text/data plan is available to individuals who support critical core services and programs. To qualify for this option, the individual’s supervisor must justify this request and the appropriate Dean or Vice-President must grant approval.

3. University-owned cell phone assigned to a department:

Departments may request a cell phone that can be shared among departmental members. A departmental University-owned cell phone will be limited to a basic voice plan with the lowest minute package available. To qualify for this option, the department’s chairperson or director must initiate the request and the appropriate Dean or Vice-President needs to grant approval. 

To participate in the SUNY Plattsburgh cell phone program, a Cellular Telephone Reimbursement Approval Form or Cellular Telephone Request Form must be completed (see Section 8 Forms) or by contacting Procurement Services.

Changes in Service Procedures:

Any change in service, upgrades to equipment and/or the purchase of accessories needs to be requested through the Telecommunications Procurement Services Office via e-mail with the department head’s/chairperson’s approval. Accepted methods of approval is either:

1. a direct e-mail request from the department head/chairperson;
2. an e-mail request to Procurement Services, carbon copying the
   department head/chairperson; or an e-mail request to the Procurement
   Services with an attached approval letter/e-mail by the department
   head/chairperson.

• Cellular Telephone Reimbursement Approval Form
• Cellular Telephone Request Form

 None

Method	Date
Campus Handbook	N/A
Faculty / Staff Digest	N/A
Student Digest	N/A
Other	N/A

There are no specific trainings identified with this policy.