Date:         Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:58:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Admin Memos <ADMIN-MEMOS@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sender:       Admin Memos <ADMIN-MEMOS@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Admin Memos <admnmemo@UGA.EDU>
Subject:      Modifications to the UGA P-Card Manual and the UGA Background,
              Investigation Policy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed

To:   Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors, and Department Heads

From: UGA Procurement Office

RE:   Modifications to the UGA P-Card Manual and the UGA Background
       Investigation Policy


The Procurement Office recently distributed a notice to the UGA
Purchasing Card (P-Card) listserv explaining required changes to the UGA
Background Investigation Policy and the UGA P-Card Manual. In an effort
to more fully notify University administrators of these changes, we are
posting this announcement for your information.

The UGA Background Investigation Policy and the UGA P-Card Manual were
modified to align UGA policies with state of Georgia rules governing
Purchasing Cards (P-Cards). These changes are effective immediately.

Specifically, a background check, including a credit check, must be
performed prior to the renewal of an employee’s P-Card. Such checks were
already a part of UGA policy and procedure in circumstances where new
employees with P-Card responsibilities were under consideration for hire
and when an existing employee requested a P-Card for the first time.

Per O.C.G.A. §50-5-83(b)(12), when an employee’s P-Card expires and is
requested to be renewed, that employee must have a background check,
including a credit check, completed prior to the P-Card renewal date.
This process at UGA will operate as follows:

• Approximately sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the
P-Card, the cardholder will receive an email from the Procurement Office
advising that the background investigation consent form needs to be
submitted to Human Resources. The email will contain instructions
pertaining to completion of the Background Check consent form and card
renewal.
• If a background check reveals a misdemeanor and/or felony related to
financial wrongdoing, theft or other acts of dishonesty, cardholder
privileges will be terminated and notification must be sent to the State
Card Program Manager at DOAS. The actual background investigation report
will not be provided to DOAS.
• A background check conducted on an existing employee as required by
state policy could produce a result that has an adverse impact on the
current employment of an employee, including potential termination. For
example, failure to disclose information relating to conviction of a
felony could be grounds for termination.

Due to O.C.G.A. §50-5-83(b) (12), the UGA Background Investigation
Policy and the P-Card Manual have been modified. The updated Background
Investigation Policy may be viewed at
http://askuga.uga.edu/default.asp?id=1637&Lang=1&SID=. In addition to
this change, several other updates to the P-Card Manual have also been
completed. You can view a full summary of all these P-Card Manual
changes at http://www.busfin.uga.edu/procurement/pcard_summary.pdf. The
full version of the updated P-Card Manual is available online at:
http://www.busfin.uga.edu/procurement/NEWPC_MANUAL070108.pdf.

Should you or your staff members have questions about the changes to the
P-Card Manual please contact Jill Haag (jhaag@uga.edu) or Lynn Stephens
(stephens@uga.edu), the P-Card Administrators in the Procurement
Department.