Updated 10.9.23

Staff Hiring Freeze

A hiring freeze continues to be in effect for staff positions at the University of Chicago, including temporary and seasonal positions. Job postings to fill new and vacant positions are on hold unless a position meets one or more of the following criteria and has been approved through a central review process:

  • 100% supported by external funding or is otherwise directly revenue-generating. External funding can include governmental or private grants, gifts from a donor, patient revenues (i.e., those related to BSD clinical activities), and other sources. In cases where external funding is not specified for the use of a particular position and could be utilized for other purposes that could offset a unit’s budget deficit, a justification needs to be submitted that explains why the funds are being utilized for hiring.
  • Essential to the safety and security of the University community.
  • Must be filled to meet compliance or accreditation requirements.
  • Otherwise critical to the University’s mission.

No offers can be extended to candidates without an approved exception request.

Purchasing

Use a GEMS credit card for all University-related business expenses, including travel expenditures and small-dollar purchases, whenever possible. Use of a personal credit card is strongly discouraged.

Travel

Update 10.9.23 – we are no longer requiring that Fox Travel be used as the sole vendor for making travel arrangements.  However, Fox Travel continues to be the University’s preferred travel agency, and everyone is encouraged to use Fox Travel when planning travel, but NOT REQUIRED.

Whenever possible, any necessary travel should be booked at least 14 days in advance.

Update 10.9.23 – Livery service (e.g., black car service, including rideshare black car service) is strongly discouraged and the use of the most cost-efficient means for work-related reimbursable transportation is highly promoted.

Meals

We will continue to exercise a limit on meals for this academic year.  Meals between University employees (with no external attendees outside of department events) will not be reimbursed.  Meals are allowable for University and Divisional initiatives such as:

  • Faculty Research Seminar
  • Talent Recruitment
  • Donor Engagement
  • Student-facing Activities/Events, includes faculty-student lunches and lab meetings that include students.
  • Departmental Year-end Holiday Parties and Staff retreats
  • Lunches for new hires: faculty and staff
  • Departmental Faculty Meetings
  • Colloquium series featuring an internal speaker/graduate student speaker.
  • Staff development:  Lunch & Learn
  • Memorial Services
  • Meals incurred while traveling for research.

For FY2024, events as defined above can include meals that meet the following expense limitations:

  • Breakfast & Lunch – $30 per person; this value includes tax and gratuity and does not include delivery charge.
  • Dinner – $75 per person; this value includes tax and gratuity and does not include delivery charge.

Any expenses for gatherings listed above that exceed these caps will not be reimbursed. Meals that are anticipated to exceed the above amounts or are not identified as a University/Divisional initiative must receive pre-approval from the Dean’s Office, and approvals will depend on exceptional circumstances. Unit Chairs or Directors cannot grant exceptions. Without preapproval, expenses will not be reimbursed and will be marked as a personal expense.

Technology

  • Office Equipment – the purchases of individual home office equipment is no longer permitted via any payment method (e.g., BuySite, ePayment, or GEMS/Concur) aside from required technology for pre-approved fully remote positions.
  • Cell Phones – given the evolution and widespread use of tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams for collaboration, University-issued cell phones are no longer be supported unless pre-approved by the respective Dean of Officer for certain roles that warrant their use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

PURCHASING

How should visiting faculty access their research funds, given that they do not have GEMS cards?
Because they do not have GEMS cards, visiting faculty can complete purchases out of pocket by using a personal credit card and submitting their receipts for reimbursement via GEMS.  If additional assistance is needed, contact the departmental Business Manager within the Local Business Center.

Are endowment funds subject to these restrictions too?
Yes, gift and endowment funds are subject to these limitations during FY2024.

EVENTS AND MEALS

Do I need pre-approval for a departmental celebration? Are there department or unit initiatives for which exceptions are allowed and meals can be purchased?

Pre-approval is not needed when business meals are purchased within the university guidelines.

In keeping with the FY24 University guidelines, meals are:

  • Limited to meetings that exceed two hours and include attendees from outside the University. Meals between University employees (with no external attendees outside of organized events) will not be reimbursed.
  • Allowable for University and Divisional initiatives such as:
    • Faculty Research Seminar
    • Talent Recruitment
    • Donor Engagement
    • Student-facing Activities/Events, includes faculty-student lunches and lab meetings that include students.
    • Departmental Year-end Holiday Parties and Staff retreats
    • Lunches for new hires: faculty and staff
    • Departmental Faculty Meetings
    • Colloquium series featuring an internal speaker/graduate student speaker.
    • Staff development: Lunch & Learn
    • Memorial Services
    • Meals incurred while traveling for research.

For FY2024, events as above can include meals that meet the following expense limitations:

  • Breakfast & Lunch – $30 per person; this value includes tax and gratuity and does not include delivery charge.
  • Dinner – $75 per person; this value includes tax and gratuity and does not include delivery charge.

Any expenses for gatherings listed above that exceed these caps will not be reimbursed.

Meals that are anticipated to exceed the above amounts or are not identified as a University/Divisional initiative must receive pre-approval from the Dean’s Office, and approvals will depend on exceptional circumstances. Unit Chairs or Directors cannot grant exceptions. Without preapproval, expenses will not be reimbursed and will be marked as a personal expense.

What is the preapproval process for an event that is either not included in the list above and/or is anticipated to exceed the caps above?
The process to request approval is as follows:

  1. An Administrator should complete and submit a Purchase Exemption Approval Request form to the LBC requesting approval.
  2. All submissions will be reviewed by the Dean’s Office, and approvals/denials will be sent within two business days.

In light of the GEMS policy requiring expenses to be reconciled within 60 days, how do I handle tickets purchased more than 60 days in advance?

The University requires airfare be purchased at least 14 days in advance, but faculty and staff can purchase a ticket as far in advance as needed. Expenses can be reported and reconciled in GEMS prior to the date of the trip.

As a reminder, the University requires all expenses to be reconciled within 60 days of purchase.  If expenses are unreconciled longer than 60 days, the University will deactivate that faculty or staff member’s GEMS card.

If deactivation occurs, all expenses must be reconciled, and the employee must receive approval from the Dean’s Office (Lisa Williams) before the GEMS card can be reactivated.  To reactivate the GEMS card, the employee must submit a ServiceNow ticket (selecting “ask a payment question”) to request GEMS reactivation and attached the Dean’s Office Approval to the request. The reactivation process takes up to 10 days.

TECHNOLOGY

Can I purchase toner and paper for my home printer so that I can print an article as I work from home?
All purchases for home offices, including furniture (desk, chairs, bookcases/shelves), printers, printing supplies, scanners, and shredders, are unallowable.

SSD Auxiliary Services, located on the lower level of the SSRB, provides mail, copy, and printing services to the SSD community. For more information, please contact Charles Cannon at 773-702-8797 or CannonC@uchicago.edu.

All computing needs must be purchased through Social Science Computing Services (SSCS).  Please contact Bart Longacre for your computing needs at longacre@uchicago.edu.

All furniture purchases for campus offices must be requested through David Guyer at dguyer@uchicago.edu.

Are faculty prohibited from using their research funds to purchase home computing equipment?
The Division will allow for the purchase and/or necessary replacement of desktop computers (for campus office) or laptop equipment.  All computer equipment must be purchased through SSRC team.  Please contact Bart Longacre for more assistance at blongacre@uchicago.edu.

Are faculty prohibited from using their research funds to purchase cell phones or to pay for cell phone service? 

In keeping with FY24 University guidelines, the purchase of cell phones or cell phone service is prohibited.  Faculty or Staff members with existing University-issued cell phones will be contacted with guidance on how to cancel or migrate to personal paid plans. Reimbursement of monthly service plans, stipends, and equipment purchases through GEMS/Concur will no longer be supported.

Will employees be able to receive reimbursement for their internet services?

Reimbursement for home services (i.e. Internet) is prohibited.