Mobile Communications and Related Services Policy FAQ’s

Question and Answers:

1. Question: Will current cell phones and internet data cards being used by employees and purchased through the campus telecommunications office (ACCC at UIC and CITES at UIUC) have to be turned in to those offices?
   
   
   Answer: Yes, unless the employee wishes to purchase the equipment from the University. (see next question)


2. Question: Can I buy my phone from the University?
   
   
   Answer: Yes. The University has received a waiver from the State of Illinois to allow this. Phones may be purchased by completing the form available from ACCC or CITES. The cost of the phone to the employee will be calculated using a straight-line depreciation over four years. For example, if the original cost of the phone was $100, and the phone is one year old, the cost to the employee is $75. If it is two years old, the cost is $50, etc. Employees should complete the form, attach a check made payable to the University of Illinois, and send both to the campus telecommunications office.


3. Question: If I purchase the phone, is there paperwork I need to complete?
   
   
   Answer: If the initial cost of the phone is over $500 and, therefore, tracked in Banner in the fixed asset system, a disposal request needs to be completed in FABWEB. If the initial cost of the cell phone is less than $500, no other paperwork is required.


4. Question: Can I transfer my University cellular phone number to my personal cellular phone plan?
   
   
   Answer: : Yes, all carriers have agreed to the transfer of the phone numbers to employee’s personal cell phone plans. At UIC, ACCC-Telecommunications will be facilitating a series of events on campus hosted by the major carriers (Verizon, AT&T and Sprint). At these events Telecommunications will assist users in transferring their service and equipment to their personal plans.


5. Question: What is the minimum contract period if I choose to convert to a personal cell phone plan from the same carrier I am receiving service from through the University?
   
   
   Answer: The minimum contract period will vary, depending upon the provider. ACCC Telecommunications is currently coordinating a series of events on campus where each vendor will be present to facilitate the transfer of phones to personally liable plans. ACCC Telecommunications will post updates related to this issue online at:
   
   http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/telecom2.0/mobilesite/
   
   as information becomes available.


6. Question: I will be receiving a stipend; Will the stipend be considered taxable income?
   
   
   Answer: Yes. Employees may claim any business-related expenses on their personal income tax returns. Please note that the stipend may not be grossed-up for tax purposes.


7. Question: Will the stipend count towards SURS contributions?
   
   
   Answer: No.


8. Question: Will the stipend count toward the SURS 6% rule?
   
   
   Answer: No.


9. Question: My researchers frequently hire staff (non-faculty) that are required to carry cell phones. Will the policy apply to sponsored project employees?
   
   
   Answer: Yes. The policy applies to all University employees. However, a unit may request an exception to this policy by filling out the appropriate form, receiving all necessary approvals and submitting it to the appropriate OBFS executive officer as noted in policy. For UIC, all exception forms are due to the Executive Assistant Vice President for Business & Finance for consideration by October 28.


10. Question: My unit pays for a full-time employee’s internet access. The employee’s headquarters are outside of Illinois, and the majority of the employee’s work is done online. We pay a pro-rated portion of the monthly fee based on the number of hours the employee works per month. Does the new policy apply to this service?
    
    
    Answer: Yes. The new policy encompasses Internet service plans. However, a unit may request an exception to this policy by filling out the appropriate form, receiving all necessary approvals and submitting it to the appropriate OBFS executive officer as noted in policy. For UIC, all exception forms are due to the Executive Assistant Vice President for Business & Finance for consideration by October 28.


11. Question: The policy permits college-level executives (Deans, Vice Chancellors or Associate Vice Presidents) to approve employee stipend for employees whose job required mobile communications equipment and data or internet service if the employee works in one of the defined areas of the policy. One of the conditions is "faculty who frequently travel on University business." How is this defined?
    
    
    Answer: The intent of the policy is to limit stipends to those faculty who spend significant time off-campus, particularly those who need to remain in communication with staff on-campus on a continuing basis or research collaborators at other universities or entities. Examples include extension faculty and faculty with grants where the work requires them to spend close to 100 percent of their time off-campus. Faculty who travel to conferences and meetings will continue to be reimbursed for business-related mobile communications and data/internet expenses through the travel reimbursement process. NOTE: Stipends for staff who travel frequently on University business and are not in one of the four qualified groups in the policy will need to be approved via the Exception Request form.


12. Question: Will stipends that were originated for employees under the pilot program all be ended prior to the effective date of the new policy?
    
    
    Answer: The Office of the EAVP (at UIC), office of the AVP (at UIUC), and the UA ER/HR office will send a spreadsheet to each unit that has employees currently receiving stipends. The unit will indicate if the stipend can continue, and under which category of the policy the stipend is allowed for the employee. The unit will also indicate the amount of the stipend, which may remain the same or may need to change due to the new maximums in the policy. All existing stipends will be deleted with the last pay period of calendar year 2011. The unit will return the spreadsheet, along with any necessary Exception Request forms, to the appropriate office for review and forwarding to the Human Resources offices who will handle any required changes.


13. Question: Will employees who are currently receiving full or partial reimbursement for data or internet services be required to receive stipends instead?
    
    
    Answer: Reimbursements for mobile communications and/or Internet expenses will no longer be allowed, other than for those incurred while in travel status. If the unit wishes to continue to assist the employee with data or Internet expenses, the unit will need to initiate a stipend for the employee, following the requirements of the policy.


14. Question: Will exceptions be permitted for the maximum annual dollar amounts by type of service?
    
    
    Answer: No. The stipends are not intended to fully cover the cost of service for personally owned mobile communications devices or for Internet service. It is assumed there is personal as well as business use of the devices/services, and units should ensure stipends do not allow the employee to fully cover the cost of the equipment and services.
    
    Occasionally, faculty will receive grants that require the use of high-speed data where such charges are allowable under the terms of the grant, and they will be charged to the grant. In such cases, the allowable stipend amounts may be insufficient. In these grant-funded situations only, the faculty member should contact the OBFS executive officer noted in policy to determine the best means of meeting their needs. Please note that it is rare that telecommunications costs can be charged to grants since these costs are typically recovered through the Facilities and Administration (indirect cost) rate.


15. Question: If a federal grant allows/requires service for cell phones to be charged to the grant, how should this be handled?
    
    
    Answer: Most federal grants do not permit telecommunications costs to be charged to grants since these costs are typically recovered through the f & a (indirect cost) rate. However, in cases where such costs are permitted, an employee stipend should be requested. Prior to the implementation of the new Mobile Communications and Related Services Policy on January 1, 2012, a Mobile Equipment/Services and or Internet Services Stipend or Purchase Exception Request form should be completed and submitted to the appropriate OBFS executive officer. Subsequent to January 1, 2012, all completed forms should be submitted to the executive of the Grants and Contracts Office of the appropriate campus, who will verify that the service is required under the terms of the grant and forward the approved form to the Human Resources Office for processing.


16. Question: What does it mean to have mobile communications equipment and related service plans for groups of employees for University business purposes? How are groups different than individuals?
    
    
    Answer: Group equipment is not assigned to any one individual, but is used by various individuals on duty at a given time. Some employees in service units with multiple shifts, such as Facilities or Housing, need to be able to communicate with their central offices as they go from location to location conducting their work. However, in the case of group phones, the employee turns in the mobile communications equipment at the end of the shift, and the equipment is used by the next employee on the shift. Such phones typically do not leave the campus, although there are some cases where group equipment is used in the field.


17. Question: What is the process for requesting college-level chief executive approval for the purchase of mobile communications equipment and related service plans for groups of employees who will share the equipment for University business purposes?
    
    
    Answer: The college-level chief executive can provide approval for the purchase of group equipment and service plans per the policy. At UIC, college-level chief executives should submit their requests for group equipment and service plans to the designated official via the form available at: https://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/telecom2.0/mobilesite/GROUP_FORMv3.0.pdf. At UIUC, college-level chief executives should submit their requests for group equipment and service plans to CITES.


18. Question: Does the new policy apply to pagers or two-way radios?
    
    
    Answer: No, the policy does not apply unless the device can be used both as a two-way radio/pagers and a cellular device. In those instances, all requirements of the new policy apply.


19. Question: For employees who work in one of the following areas: Advancement, Information Technology, Public Safety and Faculty who Travel Frequently on Business, how do you submit a stipend request through the Human Resources Front End (HRRE) for approval of college-level chief executives (Deans, Vice Chancellors, or Associate Vice Presidents)?
    
    
    Answer: Complete the appropriate form for these employees (available at http://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/cms/one.aspx?portalId=909965&pageId=959190) and process as a HRFE transaction following the job aid available at https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu/pdf/hrfe/hrfe_addjob_cellstipend.pdf.


20. Question: When an employee has been approved for a stipend via the Exception Request process, how does the unit process the stipend?
    
    
    Answer: The unit will need to process the stipend as a HRFE transaction following the job aid available at https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu/pdf/hrfe/hrfe_addjob_cellstipend.pdf. The unit attaches the Exception Form as evidence of the approval of the exception.


21. Question: If an employee receives a stipend to defray the cost of a service contract for personally-owned mobile communications equipment (such as a cell phone or smart phone) and also uses that device for University business, would the data related to the phone calls and text messages received on or sent from that device -- including those that are personal -- be subject to disclosure in response to FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests? If an employee receives a stipend to defray the cost of a data contract for personally-owned mobile communications equipment and uses that device to send and/or receive e-mail on a University e-mail account, would the e-mails sent or received on the University e-mail account via that device -- including those that are personal -- be subject to disclosure in response to FOIA requests?
    
    
    Answer: Possibly. Once an employee receives a stipend to defray the cost of a service and/or data contract for personally-owned mobile communications equipment, there is always a risk that data related to phone calls, text messages, and e-mail messages sent from and/or received on that device could be subject to disclosure under FOIA. The definition of public record under FOIA is very broad and includes electronic communications regardless of the physical form of the communication. The FOIA specifies that public records relate to "the transaction of public business" and includes an exemption from disclosure related to personal privacy. However, recent revisions to the FOIA have narrowed certain exemptions and have strengthened the role of the Attorney General's office in interpreting the application of the FOIA for all public bodies. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict whether data related to personal phone calls, personal text messages, and personal e-mail messages would ultimately be deemed to be protected from disclosure.


22. Question: What constitutes a college-level chief executive?
    
    
    Answer: The policy defines the Executive Officer as a Dean, Vice Chancellor, or Associate Vice President. If the unit is not within a college, approval must be given by the Vice Chancellor to whom the unit reports. If the unit is a University Administration unit, they need approval of the Associate Vice President to whom they report.


23. Question: Can I order cell phones or related equipment now?
    
    
    Answer: No, equipment ordered today would be paid for by the unit but would have to be returned to the campus telecommunications office at the end of the year, and would most likely result in an early termination penalty for the University. The only equipment that will not be subject to early termination penalties will be equipment that was already in service prior to September of 2011.


24. Question: Can I terminate my service now?
    
    
    Answer: Yes, please use the form: Disconect a cell phone. Please note that after disconnecting the service the unit will be responsible for collecting and properly storing or de-inventorying the equipment.


25. Question: Can I obtain an employee discount with the carriers if I transfer my service to my own personal account?
    
    
    Answer: Yes. At UIC, for details on the discounts being offered to employees please visit "Major Carriers Discount Programs for UIC employees".


26. Question: If I do not request a stipend now, my duties change or I am a new employee at the University, how do I go about requesting a stipend?
    
    
    Answer: The same forms, processes and approval levels will be used subsequent to the implementation of the policy on January 1, 2012. The only difference subsequent to January 1, 2012, is that all requests for stipends to be placed on grants will be approved by executive of the Grants and Contracts Office of the appropriate campus, who will verify that the service is required under the terms of the grant and forward the approved form to the Human Resources Office for processing.