Financial Services

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.

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.

Article II, Section 2 of the Bylaws provides that the Chair of the
Board of Trustees, in the name of and on behalf of the University, shall execute documents reflecting Board action and shall have authority, with the concurrence of the Chancellor, to delegate the signing of documents to such other officers and employees of
the University as the Chair may designate in writing.

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.