Finance

The Business Expense Policy outlines policies and guidelines for business expenses, including travel related expenses. It is stated in general terms and is not intended to cover every possible situation. More restrictive policies and guidance when grant funding is used may apply and may not be expressly stated in this document.

A student’s account is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Student Accounting office will speak only with the student about their account unless the student has provided authorization to discuss their account with another person.

In general, the university does not pay domestic payees via wire transfer. In rare instances, exception approval may be granted by the Accounts Payable Manager or Director of Accounting Operations.

Unless specified to the contrary in writing, on the face of the order or by attachment hereto, the following terms and conditions shall apply to the purchase of the goods and/or services listed on a Purchase Order. WashU reserves the right to cancel all or selected line items of Purchase Order without penalty.

WashU recognizes that students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits may encounter situations where payments to the institution and the individual are delayed through no fault of the student. This policy recognizes and makes appropriate allowances for students in such situations; it applies to all university schools and programs.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) was enacted in 1977 in order to halt improper payments to foreign officials, restore public confidence in the U.S. business system, and promote more reliable foreign legal environments. The FCPA prohibits corrupt payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or obtaining an improper advantage. The FCPA is enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice. Any individual who violates these laws may be subject to personal fines and/or criminal prosecution.

Sponsored Projects Accounting is the financial intermediary between sponsors of research and Washington University in St. Louis investigators. It is the primary source for interpretation of relevant rules, regulations and laws governing incurring, reimbursing and reporting costs under sponsored-research agreements.

If your department accepts payment cards on behalf of Washington University in St. Louis, it is your responsibility to prevent the loss of all customers’ Personal Identifiable Information (PII) including but not limited to cardholder data used to process transactions. Failure to secure this sensitive information can result in fines and fees, loss of merchant department account, and severe damage to the WashU brand; including the merchant department and the university as a whole.

Departments that receive funds on behalf of the university are required to deposit and record those funds in a timely manner.

WashU is committed to supporting diversity in all aspects of our community. The Supplier Diversity Department identifies and sustains opportunities for qualified diverse enterprises at the local, regional and national level.