Overview
Business expenses at UMass can be broken down into two broad categories: allowable and non-allowable. Allowable expenses may be paid for using University funding or reimbursed if you pay out of pocket. Non-allowable expenses generally cannot be paid for using University funding and will not be reimbursed.
The following sections cover the types of expenses that are allowable and non-allowable. For detailed information about what is allowable within specific expense categories, please see the Expenses by Category page.
Allowable Expenditures
The following types of expenses are generally allowable or reimbursable under the University’s Business and Travel Expense Policy. See the Key Terms and Definitions page for definitions of these terms.
- Campus Events
- Campus Meetings & Committees
- Business Entertainment
- Recruitment, Soliciting Donors, and Hosting
- Non-travel Purchases
- Professional Dues and Subscriptions
Non-Allowable Expenditures
The following types of expenses are generally not allowable or reimbursable under the University’s Business and Travel Expense Policy.
- Excessive or extravagant costs
- Political contributions
- Personal violations or fines including speeding or parking tickets
- Gifts or any type of compensation to University employees other than those provided through official recognition programs approved in accordance with the Approval Matrix
- Any expense of a personal nature will not be paid or reimbursed
- Alcoholic beverages, unless in accordance with the standards on alcohol
- Expenses for spouses, except as allowed in the Executive Compensation Package for University President and Campus Chancellors (T93-062) (when approved) or as part of an institutional event which has received prior approval
- Any unexplained or undocumented expenses
- Purchases not made through BuyWays (preferred) to support business operations or not made with University Bank Card (secondary); exceptions for non-travel out-of-pocket reimbursement may be granted.
- Union dues will not be paid by the university
- Institutional memberships and subscriptions are not generally allowable as direct costs on a sponsored project. Exceptions may be granted with prior approval.
- Life memberships in a professional organization are not generally allowable, however, if it is anticipated that the overall cost will be less than the cost of annual memberships over the employee’s anticipated tenure at the University, an exception may be granted with prior approval.
- Moving expenses not processed as transition relocation allowances through payroll or in accordance with the Central Administration Guidelines for moving expenses. The University does not allow payment to third-party vendors for moving.
- Expenses for an employee's remote work location, including networking and Internet access, additional equipment, furniture, computer hardware, phones, etc.
Approvals, Documentation Requirements, and Exceptions
See the Approvals, Documentation Requirements, and Exceptions page for detailed information about the approvals process, required documentation, and exceptions.