Property Control Policy
Authority: Business Affairs
Date Enacted or Revised: January 20, 2006; Revised February 2016; March 18, 2022; October 28, 2022; August 20, 2024
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide information regarding University property control procedures and requirements.
Policy Description
Property is defined as tangible non-consumable movable property having an acquisition cost of $1,000 or more. All property having an acquisition cost of $1,000 or more must be tagged and placed on inventory, including any donated equipment received with a value of $1,000 or more. Because all electronic media assets, regardless of their original acquisition cost, must be sanitized of data before they permanently leave the campus by means of surplus, transfer, or disposal, these assets must be tagged for tracking purposes. Departments are to notify the Office of Purchasing and Property Control when they receive property that requires tagging.
Disposal of Movable Property
Departmental property custodians designated by University administrative officials, deans, or department heads are responsible for all items on their inventory until transferred to another department or to surplus. All faculty and staff are cautioned not to dispose of any inventory property without the prior approval of the Office of Purchasing and Property Control. This includes property on your inventory listing as well as other property items costing less than $1,000. The Office of Purchasing and Property Control must make a formal written request to the state to dispose of any tagged item regardless of its condition. Each budget unit head is accountable for the movable property on their inventory until such time the item is picked up from the department. An Equipment Inventory Action Request Property Control Form #1 must be completed in order to have property removed from your department. Property pick-up requests are then forwarded to custodial services and are placed in line for pick up. Inventory items that become obsolete or idle shall be surplused by the department within the week it becomes idle or surplus. Submit an Equipment Inventory Action Request Property Control Form #1 for such items to be removed from the department.
Data Sanitization of Electronic Media Equipment
Prior to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control requesting permission to surplus or dispose of any electronic media equipment, a University information technology (IT) technician will remove and destroy the hard drive of equipment to meet the requirement of data sanitization. All electronic media equipment will be sanitized in accordance with the Office of Technology Services IT-POL-1-04 Data Sanitization Policy.
Dismantling of Property
No property item may be dismantled prior to receiving approval from Louisiana Property Assistance Agency. Approval to dismantle property for parts are any other purpose must be submitted to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control by submitting an Equipment Inventory Action Request Property Control Form #1. A formal request will be made to the state, and the department will be notified if the request is approved. No property can be dismantled until approval is obtained.
Repairs of Property
Complete the Authority to Release Equipment for Repairs Property Control Form #3 for any movable property. This form is to be forwarded to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control prior to equipment being sent for repair.
Theft of Property
If it is determined that a property item has been stolen, a University Police report should be filed immediately indicating the circumstances suspected for the disappearance. A copy of the police report should be forwarded to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control.
Movement of Property on Campus
Property moved from one area to another should be reported to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control via the Equipment Inventory Action Request Property Control Form #1. It is important to know the location of each property item.
Trade-In of Equipment
There are some property items that may have a trade-in value. When studying the possibility of trading in a piece of equipment for the purchase of a new piece of equipment, please contact the Office of Purchasing and Property Control. There are specific directions that must be followed for such a transaction to occur, and a trade-in cannot occur until permission is received from the Louisiana Office of Property Assistance.
Removal of Property from Campus
No inventory property of McNeese shall be removed from campus to another location for use or storage without the prior approval of the employee’s department head or director. An Equipment Entrustee Property Control Form #2 must be completed and submitted to the Office of Purchasing and Property Control prior to removing the equipment from campus. Pursuant to LAC34:VII.305.E, each person to whom property is entrusted and receipted for shall be liable for the payment of damages whenever their wrongful or grossly negligent act or omission causes any loss, theft, disappearance, damage to, or destruction of property of the agency to which they are entrusted. Any such damages shall be recoverable in a civil suit and, therefore, prosecuted on behalf of the state by the attorney general. Property used and stored at a non-University location shall not be used for personal benefit or any purpose that can be considered misuse of state property. The use of state property for personal benefit is illegal under state law. State law requires that an annual inventory of movable property be taken each year. Maintaining property throughout the year makes this task much easier.
Personal Property
Personal property used on campus is done so at the owner’s risk. Such property should be clearly marked as being non-University-owned property for audit purposes. Property housed at McNeese but not owned by the state is not insured.
Gifts
The Office of Purchasing and Property Control must be notified any time a property item is donated to McNeese and a Donation of Moveable Property Form must be completed. Upon notification, Office of Purchasing and Property Control personnel will go to the department to tag the item.
Personal Use of Property
It is the policy of McNeese State University that no University asset shall be used for the personal benefit of faculty, staff, students, or the public at large.
Property Purchased with Federal Funds
A file containing records of equipment purchased with federal money is maintained. This file contains detailed equipment descriptions, the method of procurement, purchase order, invoice, and property tag number.
Annual Inventory
Inventory is conducted on an annual basis. Inventory reports are sent to each department with detailed instructions as to how the inventory is to be conducted. The final results are compiled and submitted to the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency. It is very important to locate our movable property, or the agency could be found to be in non-compliance.
Agencies Found in Non-Compliance
The commissioner of administration shall have power and authority to make necessary and reasonable regulations and orders to carry out the provisions of these regulations when it serves the best interest of the state. The commissioner shall have the authority to invoke any and all of the following actions when agencies are found to be in non-compliance with these regulations:
- Take action to restrict or acquire acquisition of movable property only on approval of the commissioner until compliance with the movable property regulation is completed;
- Revoke or restrict purchasing authority for movable property; and/or
- Contract, at the expense of the agency in non-compliance, the resources necessary to resolve the compliance problem.
Communication
This policy is distributed via the University Policies webpage.