March University Policy Distribution, SYS Policy Approval, & Federal Fridays

Friday, March 21, 2025

March University Policy Distribution

The March university policy distribution contains three (3) revised policies, three (3) new policies, one (1) new procedure, one (1) new guidance, and six (6) policies proposed for rescission.

Revised Policies

New Policies

New Procedure

New Guidance

Policies Proposed for Rescission

Click on the link above to view the draft and ensure that your feedback is captured for review during the post-comment period. Comments can include attachments, including word documents and PDFs.

Due to the high volume of policies this month, we have extended the standard feedback period by one week. Comments are due by 5:00pm on Friday, April 18.  

 

DRAFT REVISED POLICY

SYS 351, Purchasing Card Compliance Policy

These policy revisions will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This policy establishes the framework for implementing and managing a successful purchasing card (Pcard) program for the Universities of Wisconsin. These policy revisions align the program with the new processes in Workday. Proposed revisions are as follows:
    • Throughout the policy, replaced “institutions” with “universities.”
    • In Section 1, added additional details about the purchasing card program.
    • In Section 3, revised language to reflect that under Workday processes the UW-Madison Department of Business Services will administer the program for UW-Madison and that UW-Shared Services will support all other universities. Added new roles and their responsibilities that will be utilized in Workday.
    • In Section 5, removed obsolete definitions.
    • In Section 6, reorganized the content by program aspect rather than by program role. Substantially revised content to reflect how the program will function in Workday.
    • In Section 7, added SYS 304.A, Fiscal Misconduct: Reporting and Review Process.
  • To support this revised policy and the new SYS 352, U.S. Bank Shared Liability Card Policy, the current procedures will be replaced with SYS 351.A, University Card Procedures. These procedures outline the specific allowances and requirements for processing specific types of transactions.

 

DRAFT REVISED POLICY

SYS 435, Universities of Wisconsin Business Meals and Events

These policy revisions will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • The purpose of this policy is to establish parameters for the payment or reimbursement of costs associated with UW business meals and events. Proposed revisions to the policy include:
    • Updating and simplifying Business Meal and Event Rates.
    • Changing policy title and simplifying policy by removing these specific sections:
      •  Events Attended Primarily by UW Employees
      • Events Attended Primarily by the General Public
      • Off Campus Meetings/Training Sessions Held Primarily or Exclusively for Employees of the Same Institution
    • Removing “Within Wisconsin Rates” so rates are based on “Continental US” and “All Other Locations – Including International.”
    • Adding section on “Use of Gift Funds and/or Foundation Funds.” This allows for any amount exceeding the allowable per person limit to be charged to UW gift funds or to UW Foundation funds, if available. Alcohol may only be charged to UW Foundation funds.
    • Updating the criteria for when meal and refreshment costs are allowable.

 

DRAFT REVISED POLICY

SYS 1228, Telecommuting (Remote Work)

These policy revisions will be effective upon signature by the President.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This policy provides a framework for the creation of telecommuting (remote work) agreements authorizing employees to work at alternate work locations. Specific proposed revisions include:
    • In Section 5, add the definition of “Fieldworker.”
    • In Section 6.C.VI, create an exception to some of the normal restrictions/limitations for employees whose position meets the definition of “Fieldworker.”
      • The exception permits an institution to designate either the employee’s home/alternate work location or the position’s assigned work location at the institution as the employee’s headquarter location (at the discretion of the institution).  While the ability to designate the employee’s home/remote work location as the employee’s headquarters exists already in the policy with special HR approval, this change is intended to communicate that for this class of employees, this alternate headquarters designation should be considered a more routine matter.
      • This update also exempts this class of employees from the automatic restrictions on travel reimbursement in policy section 6.  Normal travel reimbursement rules apply for this class of employees.

 

DRAFT NEW POLICY

SYS 352, U.S Bank Shared Liability Card Policy

This policy will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This new policy establishes the framework for implementing and managing a successful Shared Liability Card program for the Universities of Wisconsin. This policy aligns the program with the new processes in Workday. This policy replaces the current US Bank Corporate Travel Card Policies and Procedures listed on the UW System Finance Administration page. This policy also replaces the UW Madison Policy UW-3014 My Corporate Card Policy.
  • Proposed changes to the existing program are as follows:
    • Throughout the policies, replaced Corporate Card with Shared Liability Card, which will be the new terminology going forward with Workday
    • Standardized the two policies into one UW System Administrative policy for all institutions.
    • Clarified that this UW Card product offering will be available to all employees from any of our Universities.
    • Clarified that all transactions will be visible in Workday and will either need to be reconciled in Workday or marked as personal and the employee then would need to pay that personal portion directly to US Bank.
  • To support this new policy and the revised SYS 351, Purchasing Card Compliance Policy, the current purchasing card procedures will be replaced with SYS 351.A, University Card Procedures. These procedures outline the specific allowances and requirements for processing specific types of transactions.

 

DRAFT NEW POLICY

SYS 405, Universities of Wisconsin Travel and Expense Policy

This policy will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This policy establishes the general parameters for conducting University-sponsored travel and accounting for expenses. It outlines the acceptable modes of travel, meal expenses, and miscellaneous items that are eligible for payment or reimbursement. It replaces the current policy SYS 405, Travel and Expense – General Travel & Expense Policy. Specific policy provisions include:
    • Outlining the expense reimbursement requirements and process, including general receipt requirements for common travel-related expenses and when an expense is taxable under the Accountable.
    • Establishing general requirements for booking University-sponsored travel, including cost-comparisons and eligible expenses for personal travel.
    • Detailing the correct way to purchase air travel and lodging, allowances for meal and incidental per diem, and vehicle use requirements (including the use of vehicle rentals and mileage reimbursement, as well as vehicle insurance considerations). Also addresses long-distance ground and local transportation, as well as miscellaneous travel expenses.
  • This policy combines the parameters on specific areas of university travel currently contained in separate policies. As such, the following policies would be rescinded:
    • SYS 405, Travel and Expense- General Travel & Expense Policy
    • SYS 410, Purchase & Payment of Business Air Travel
    • SYS 415, Purchase & Payment of Lodging
    • SYS 420, Travel & Expense – Meal and Incidental Expense (M&IE) Per Diem Allowance Reimbursements
    • SYS 425, Use of Personal Vehicles, Rental Cars, and Fleet for Business Transportation
    • SYS 430, Travel & Expense – Purchase & Payment Miscellaneous Travel Expenses 

 

DRAFT NEW POLICY

SYS 6XX, Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications

This policy will be effective on April 1, 2026.

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This is a new policy that implements the requirements of the United States Department of Justice’s April 24, 2024 rule created under the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding accessibility of web content and mobile apps, in alignment with Regent Policy Document 14-10,

    Nondiscrimination on Basis of Disability. It upholds the Universities of Wisconsin commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion for people with disabilities by ensuring that web content and mobile applications (apps) associated with administration, instruction, departmental programs, and University-sponsored activities are accessible for independent and equal use.

 

DRAFT NEW PROCEDURE

SYS 351.A, University Card Procedures

This procedure will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Summary of Procedure

 

DRAFT NEW GUIDANCE

SYS 6XX Guidance: Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications Guidance

This guidance will be effective on April 1, 2026.

Summary of Policy

  • This is a new policy that implements the requirements of the United States Department of Justice’s April 24, 2024 rule created under the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding accessibility of web content and mobile apps, in alignment with Regent Policy Document 14-10, Nondiscrimination on Basis of Disability. It upholds the Universities of Wisconsin commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion for people with disabilities by ensuring that web content and mobile applications (apps) associated with administration, instruction, departmental programs, and University-sponsored activities are accessible for independent and equal use.

 

PROPOSED RESCISSION

SYS 400 Series Proposed Policy  Rescissions

These rescissions will be effective on July 1, 2025.

Background Summary of Policies

  • The purpose of these policies is to establish general parameters for conducting university sponsored travel and accounting for expenses. As they currently exist, each policy provides parameters on specific areas of university sponsored travel.

Rationale for Rescission

 

SYS Policy Approvals 

On March 11, President Rothman approved the substantive revisions to SYS 1293, Mandatory Employee Training.

See below for a brief summary of this item.

 

SYS 1293, Mandatory Employee Training

Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions

  • This policy sets out the mandatory training requirements, the employees to whom the training applies, the frequency with which training must be undertaken, and the responsibilities of those involved.
  • This update moves “FERPA Training” from a one-time training, required only if an employee’s position grants them “access to student records”, to a training required for all employees every 3 years.  This update recognizes that practically all employees of the UWS have access to information that could constitute “student records” under the definition of the term in FERPA.
    • In Section 5, the definition of “FERPA” was updated to include that FERPA training is provided by UW System.
    • In Section 6.A.I.2, subsection d was added, which establishes that FERPA training will be included in the mandatory training for new hires.
    • In Section 6.A.II, subsection 3 was added, which establishes that FERPA training will be required as part of the mandatory recurring training every 3 years for existing hires.

    • In Section 6.A.III, subsection 1 was removed, as FERPA training will be required for all employees and is no longer role dependent.

University Comments and Concerns

Federal Fridays

The Universities of Wisconsin Federal Update Working group has a Federal Updates web page for the public to learn about the federal issues the UW is monitoring. The site provides a dashboard view of the various issues organized by topic, with a summary and links related to the topic.