Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services

Policy number: 8.3

Policy section: Information Technology

Revised Date: January 2, 2019

1. Definitions

Definitions of capitalized terms are set forth in Appendix A.

2. Policy Statement

The University does not provide mobile equipment or services to employees or others as a normal business practice. This policy defines the exceptional circumstances under which the University will provide Mobile Equipment or Services and establishes procedures for the acquisition, inventory, billing, and disposition of Mobile Services and Mobile Equipment.

3. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to facilitate a cost-effective Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services program at the University that complies with government regulations, provides for the appropriate use of University resources, and maximizes productivity and benefits for the University.

4. Applicability

This policy applies to all Users and to all Resources, whether managed by the Office of Information Technology (“OIT”) or by another person or entity. This policy provides a minimum standard for Resource usage at SMU and does not restrict creation and enforcement of policies for individual campus administrative or academic units. Policies existing elsewhere on campus must comply with this policy.

5. Questions

The Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) or designee shall be responsible for interpretation of this policy, resolution of problems and conflicts with departmental policies, and special situations. The CIO may grant exceptions to this policy and/or standards after a formal review.

6. General Requirements

Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services will be provided to Authorized Users to conduct official University business only under the following circumstances:
1. Shared duty Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services that are critical to the University’s operations, public safety or compliance;
2. Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services required for sponsored research or funded by a research grant or contract; and
3. Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services for the Department of Athletics coaching staff to the extent required for compliance with NCAA recruiting requirements.
The requesting department must justify the use of Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services. All requests must be approved by the Vice President for Business and Finance. The University will reimburse reasonable costs incurred during international business travel, provided that the employee has added the appropriate international plans prior to travel and has removed those plans upon returning. The employee is responsible for monitoring data usage to control expenses. Any reimbursement, direct charge or new service that is to be paid for by the University must be approved in advance by the Vice President for Business and Finance and either the financial designee for the school or department (for internal research projects or departmental charges) or Grant and Contract Accounting (for external and grant funded research). SMU will not pay for, provide stipends for, or reimburse the costs of personal Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services unless approved by the Vice President for Business and Finance and the CIO.
Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services must be selected from approved vendor and product lists maintained by OIT. Requests for exceptions to this requirement must justify the need for an exception. The appropriate Department Manager and the CIO must approve all exceptions. Costs of purchasing, repairing and maintaining Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services and all recurring and non-recurring service charges for Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services will be paid by the requesting department.

7. Compliance Requirements

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) provides guidance regarding compensatory business reasons for employer-provided Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services. The CIO will create and update a business justification form meeting IRS requirements for employer-provided Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services.
Mobile Equipment receipts and Mobile Service bills must contain the level of detail required by the Controller of the University and must be retained for the greater of three years or the record retention period established by the Controller of the University. The University’s Internal Audit Services may conduct periodic and random audits to confirm the business purpose of the Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services. If an audit reveals a lack of business justification, cancellation of service will occur and sanctions may be imposed under of this policy. Each Authorized User must complete a business justification form annually.

8. Department Manager Responsibilities

Each Department Manager must review and recommend for approval all justifications for the use of Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services for the department, and all documents relating to justification, purchase, repair or maintenance of and payment for Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services.
The Department Manager must submit business justification forms for new purchases to OIT.
The Department Manager must recertify annually the use of all Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services for each Authorized User within the department by completing a business justification form. Failure to substantiate a business justification for an Authorized User will result in the cancellation of the Mobile Services for that Authorized User and reassignment of the mobile equipment.
The Department Manager must review all bills for Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services to ensure that charges are appropriate, that the Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services are not over-utilized or under-utilized, and that the Authorized User’s business-related usage matches the selected plan and is appropriate for the business needs of the Authorized User.
If subject to an audit by Internal Audit Services or an outside auditor the Department Manager must provide Mobile Equipment and Mobile Service bills for the record retention period established by the Controller of the University for all of the department’s Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services the department uses.
Upon receiving notice that an Authorized User will be terminating employment, the Department Manager must notify OIT’s Customer Service Department. On the termination date, the Department Manager must collect the Mobile Equipment and return it to OIT’s Customer Service Department for re-use or recycling.
The Department Manager may retain the Mobile Equipment for reallocation within the department, provided that such use meets all requirements of Section 6 of this policy.

9. Authorized User Responsibilities

Authorized Users must secure any Mobile Equipment used for University business with a PIN and must employ such other security measures as may from time to time be imposed by the CIO. Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services must only be used for official University business related activities.
Authorized Users must reimburse the University for the repair or replacement cost of damaged, lost or stolen Mobile Equipment and for unauthorized charges by third parties if the damage, loss or theft is due to the Authorized User’s negligence or fault and the device is not covered by insurance included in the Mobile Service plan.
Authorized Users of University-owned Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services must notify the service provider, the Department Manager and OIT’s Customer Service Department immediately, but no later than one business day after the loss or theft of Mobile Equipment, to protect the University and the Authorized User from unauthorized charges.
Authorized Users may upgrade services with appropriate business justification and approval of the Department Manager and Vice President for Business and Finance.
Purchase of business related or non-business related applications, incurrence of third party charges, and activation of additional features on phone devices is not permitted.
Authorized Users must return any Mobile Equipment to the department when no longer required to carry out departmental work assignments or when University employment is terminated.

10. OIT Responsibilities

Monitor and implement Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services contracts for the University. No department in the University may enter into or extend a contract for Mobile Equipment or Mobile Services without approval of the President or the Vice President for Business and Finance and the CIO.
Maintain a current list of approved Mobile Equipment and Mobile Services available to the University community.
Maintain a web page with approved Mobile Services and Mobile Equipment as well as current procedures for acquisition of Mobile Services and Mobile Equipment, problem reporting, billing discrepancy adjustments, and problem resolution.
Provide, upon request, assistance in selecting, among approved Mobile Services and Mobile Equipment, or for placement of an order.
Maintain information about interoperability of Mobile Services and Mobile Equipment, safety issues, and industry standards relating to mobile services.

11. University Controller’s Responsibilities

Review each business justification form for compliance with IRS requirements.
Provide, upon request, assistance in determining whether a business justification meets IRS requirements.

12. Consequences of Misuse of Mobile Equipment and Services

Employees found to be in violation of this policy are subject to discipline in accordance with University policy.

Appendix A: Definitions

“Authorized User” means any University affiliated person, including, but not limited to University trustees, officers, employees, students, alumni, volunteers, donors, guests and contractors, who has been given access to Mobile Equipment or Mobile Services procured by the University.

“CIO” means the Chief Information Officer of the University.

“Department Manager” means any employee of the University in a supervisory role who approve requests for access to Mobile Equipment or Mobile Services for employees directly or indirectly supervised by the Department Manager.

“Mobile Equipment” means cellular telephones, smart phones, data cards, hotspot devices, tablets, accessories and other similar telecommunications equipment requiring access to a telecommunications service provider network.

“Mobile Services” means voice plans, text messaging, data plans or other methods of access to a telecommunications service provider network.

“OIT” means the Office of Information Technology of the University.

“PIN” means a personal identification number or other password.

“Resources” refers to the University’s computing, communications, and other information technology systems and includes all hardware, software (including data and documentation), local area networks, internet systems, and applications and data stored on such information technology systems and any other electronic device or service that can store, transmit, or receive information. Resources include, but are not limited to, servers, computers, personal computers, workstations, laptops, mainframes, minicomputers, Mobile Equipment, land line telephones, wireless devices, media players, storage media, computer networks, connections to network services such as the Internet and web pages, subscriptions to external computer services, networking devices, and any associated peripherals and software, regardless of whether used for educational, research, service, administrative or other purposes.

Revised: January 2, 2019

Adopted: September 7, 2016

The official University Policy Manual is housed in the Office of the University Secretary. The University Secretary is responsible for maintaining new and updated policies and for maintaining this website. Should the official University Policy Manual conflict with any internal policies, procedures, departmental administrative rules, or guidelines, that may be contained in manuals provided by schools, departments, or divisions within the University, the official University Policy Manual controls.

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