Policy Directory by Glossary Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z View All
Name Description
Sabbatical Leave

A program of academic leave awarded on a competitive basis. 

Safe Harbor

A provision that shields a party from liability under the law provided that certain conditions are met. IRS revenue procedures contain several Safe Harbors relating to activities which could generate Private Business Use, the most important of which pertain to management contracts and research contracts.

Safety

Condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss (Webster's Dictionary).

Sale (Sell)

As defined in the Code of Virginia § 4.1-100, includes soliciting or receiving an order for; keeping, offering or exposing for sale; peddling, exchanging or bartering; or delivering otherwise than gratuitously, by any means, alcoholic beverages.

Sanction Regulations (Sanctions)

Includes all the embargoes and trade sanction regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), U.S. Department of the Treasury. Sanctions programs are typically country-based (e.g., those imposed against the governments of Iran, Cuba, and North Korea) or list-based (e.g., Counter Terrorism and Counter Narcotics).

Scheduled Workweek

An employee’s scheduled workweek includes the hours of the day and the days of the week the employee is regularly scheduled to work.

Scholarship

For tax purposes, an amount given to aid in the pursuit of study or training for which there is no obligation to perform services by the recipient as a condition of receiving the funds. "Scholarships," "Fellowships," or "Stipends" have interchangeable meaning in this policy. Any payments paid to or on behalf of foreign nationals requiring the performance of services past, present, or future, in exchange for the payments, are taxable wages subject to withholding regulations.

School Designated Official(s)

An individual or committee designated by the dean of a school to receive and adjudicate student academic suspension grievances. A school may have multiple Designated Officials.

School–specific Academic Management Policy

Policy established under the President’s authority, typically delegated through the Executive Vice President and Provost to the dean of the individual school that involves the activities of only one school. The dean obtains approval for such policy from the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Security

An instrument which allows the holder to claim an ownership position or interest in a corporation; a creditor relationship or interest in a corporation, a government, or its agency; or other rights to ownership or interest as stipulated in specific contracts.

Security Administrator

Employee with the responsibility of granting electronic funds transfer entitlements within a banking system to users of that system.

See and Avoid

The duty of the Remote Pilot in Command to exercise vigilance to avoid interference with other aircraft and obstacles that would affect the safe operation of the aircraft.

Segregation of Duties

The process of safeguarding assets by assigning the authorizing, recording, and reconciling of transactions to different individuals. This practice assists in detecting errors, deterring improper activities, and mitigating collusion opportunities.

Select Monetary Instruments

Personal checks, commercial checks, certified checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders.

Selected Candidate

The finalist for a position who will be or has been offered the position or volunteer role, contingent upon the successful completion and results of the background check inquiry and verification that the Candidate is eligible for employment in the position.

Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)

A survey tool used annually by eligible merchants and service providers to evaluate their compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards.

Self–Balancing Electric Wheeled Board (Hoverboard)

A type of portable, rechargeable personal mobility device that uses gyroscopic technology to allow an operator to balance on a small-wheeled platform. These devices are commonly referred to as “Hoverboards,” but may also be referred to as Swagboards and self-balancing scooters.

Senior Administrators

Positions that report to a dean, vice president, director of intercollegiate athletics, or executive vice president (including, but not limited to, department chairs, associate deans, associate vice presidents, division chiefs, or vice provosts) that have significant responsibility for overseeing one or more functions of a school or unit.

Sensitive Data

Data that is a University record that is not highly sensitive data and may be withheld from release under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Examples include information concerning the prevention of or response to cyber-attacks, or information that describes a security system used to control access to or use of an automated data processing or telecommunications system; or research records that do not contain Highly Sensitive Data; University ID numbers, i.e., those printed on University ID cards; and/or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act-protected data not covered under the definition of “Highly Sensitive” data. This category of data also includes any data or record covered by the exemptions listed in the Commonwealth of Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

Sensitive Equipment

Non-capital equipment (less than $5,000) deemed sensitive by the sponsoring agency. Sensitive equipment may include cameras, computers, camcorders, small instruments, tools, and unique or custom items.

Serious Health Condition

An illness, injury, impairment, or physical/mental condition that meets any one of the following: a) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, including any period of incapacity or any subsequent treatment in connection with such impatient care; b) continuing treatment by a health care provider which includes a period of incapacity for more than three full consecutive days and also involves treatment two or more times within a 30 day period by a health care provider, absent extenuating circumstances or treatment at least once by a health care provider which results in a regimen of continuing treatment. An employee eligible under the provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, must have an in person visit to the health care provider within seven days of the first day of incapacity; c) periods of incapacity due to pregnancy and childbirth, including prenatal care; d) chronic conditions which require visits for treatment by a health care provider at least twice a year, continues over an extended period of time (including recurring episodes of a condition), and may cause episodic periods of incapacity (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy), permanent/long-term conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s, terminal cancer), or multiple treatments (e.g. chemotherapy, dialysis).

Serious Health Condition/Illness

A period of incapacity of more than three consecutive days that involves: (1) Treatment 2 or more times; or (2) Treatment by a Health Care Professional (HCP) on at least one occasion which results in continuing treatment. The first visit must occur within 7 days. The second visit must occur within 30 days, unless there are extenuating circumstances. If the condition is “chronic”, there must be at least 2 visits to the HCP per year in connection with the chronic medical condition.

Serious Injury or Illness (to a Servicemember)

An injury or illness that is incurred by a servicemember in the line of duty on active duty that may cause the servicemember to be medically unfit to perform the duties of their office, grade, rank, or rating. An injury or illness that existed before the beginning of the member’s active duty and was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces.

Service

An activity in which labor is the major factor and not merely incidental to the production, acquisition, and/or delivery of a good.

Service Animals

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed by the service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to:

  • Assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks.
  • Alerting individuals who are D/deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds.
  • Pulling a wheelchair.
  • Assisting an individual during a seizure or change in blood sugar.
  • Alerting individuals to the presence of allergens.
  • Retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone.
  • Providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility-related disabilities.

[Note: See Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, 28 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 35.104. See also ada.gov for more information on service animals at Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals and the ADA.]

Service Mark

Any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination thereof (including colors, logos, or trade dress), used by the University to designate the University’s services and to distinguish them from those manufactured or sold by others.

Service Provider

An entity, other than a card brand, that is directly involved in the processing, storage, or transmission of cardholder data on behalf of another entity. This includes entities that provide services that could impact the security of cardholder data.

Servicing or Maintenance Activities

Workplace activities that include but are not limited to: installing, setting up, inspecting or maintaining equipment; and lubrication, cleaning and making tool changes where the employee may be exposed to the unexpected energization of the equipment or release of hazardous energy.

Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Procedures

The University’s Procedures for Investigating and Resolving Reports of Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct setting forth the procedures for investigating and resolving reports of alleged Sexual or Gender-Based Misconduct under the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence.

Sexual and Gender-Based Prohibited Conduct

All of the conduct defined as “Sexual and Gender-Based Prohibited Conduct” in the University’s Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence, which includes Non-Consensual Sexual Contact, Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse, Sexual Exploitation, Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking, Quid Pro Quo Harassment, Sexual and Gender-Based Hostile Environment Harassment, Retaliation, and Complicity.

Short–Term Project

Work assignments not to exceed an average of 29 hours per week or 1500 hours in an annual Standard Measurement Period.

Shutdown

The action of cutting off electrical power to electrical facility systems or equipment and securing the electrical energy from accidental startup until the work has been completed.

Signatory Authority

The legal authority to bind the University (including any school, department, or business unit thereof) in a contract.

Significant Financial Interest

For this policy:

  1. A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of the investigator and those of the investigator’s immediate family (spouse, dependent children), that reasonably appears to be related to: (a) the investigator’s institutional responsibilities if the research will be PHS-funded, or (b) the study sponsor or an entity that would have an interest in the work and/or the outcome of the research project if the research will not be PHS-funded.
    1. With regard to any publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure combined with the value of any equity interest held in the entity as of the date of disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000. For purposes of this definition, remuneration includes salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship); equity interest includes any stock, stock option, or other ownership interest, as determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value.
    2. With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000, or when the investigator or his immediate family member holds any equity interest (e.g., stock, stock option, or other ownership interest).
    3. Intellectual property rights and interests (e.g., patents, copyrights), upon receipt of income related to such rights and interests.
  2. The term significant financial interest also includes any reimbursed or sponsored travel related to their institutional responsibilities, including travel paid on behalf of the investigator and not reimbursed to the investigator (so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available); except for travel reimbursed or sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education, as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute affiliated with an institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a). The disclosure will include the purpose of the trip, the identity of the sponsor/organizer, the destination and the duration. The Institutional Official or designee will determine if further information is needed, including monetary value, in order to determine whether the travel constitutes a financial conflict of interest with sponsored research.

  3. The term significant financial interest does not include the following types of financial interests: salary, royalties, or other remuneration paid by or on behalf of the University to the investigator, including intellectual property rights assigned to the University and agreements to share in royalties related to such rights; income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, as long as the investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles; and, income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by, or income from service on advisory committees or review panels for a federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education, an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute affiliated with an institution of higher education.

Significant University Resources

The use of University resources is “significant” when it entails substantial and dedicated use of University equipment, facilities, or personnel. The use of a computer in a faculty office, incidental supplies, and occasional use of University personnel or shared facilities would typically not be considered significant use. In contrast, utilization of University laboratories or specialized research resources (e.g., special instrumentation, equipment, or software), dedicated assistance by University employees, special financial assistance, or extensive use of shared facilities would constitute significant use.

Site and Itinerary Review

Review for alignment with the University’s health, safety, and security standards that may lead to requirements for further planning, limits on, or, in some cases, deferral or cancellation of travel.

Six Year Capital Outlay Plan

The capital outlay plan required by the Department of Planning and Budget. This is a subset of the Major Capital Projects Program.

Six Year Plan

A plan required by the Virginia Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011 and the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act of 2005 addressing the University’s academic, financial, and enrollment plans.

Small Business Enterprise

A business that is at least 51 percent independently owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens and, together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years. One or more of the individual owners shall control both the management and daily business operations of the small business.

Small Unmanned Aircraft

An Unmanned Aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

A travel registry administered by the U.S. Department of State that automatically distributes country-specific information, Travel Alerts, fact sheets, and emergency messages to registrants. STEP also helps the Department of State better assist travelers in the event of an emergency.

Smoking

The carrying or holding of any lighted pipe, cigar, or cigarette of any kind or any lighted smoking equipment or the lighting, inhaling, or exhaling of smoke from a pipe, cigar, or cigarette of any kind.

Solicitation

Selling, promoting for the purpose of sales, commercial advertising, canvassing, and/or fundraising.

Solid Waste

Materials which are typically disposed of in a landfill. This does not include hazardous, bio-hazardous, or other regulated waste.

Source Reduction

Programs that target the elimination of waste at its source and prior to its entering the waste stream. Examples include working with manufacturers and suppliers to use less packaging, ordering materials and supplies in bulk, and matching newspaper and phone book production to circulation.

Special Pay

Payments that apply to specific positions designed to address unique needs of the University (e.g., shift differential). Special pay is not included as part of the employee’s base pay.

Special Program Participant

An individual who is enrolled in a special program sponsored by a University department.

Special Status Organizations

Special status student organizations act as agents of the University in carrying out a University function(s) through authority delegated by an authorized University official. The manner in which the function(s) is conducted is subject to the supervision and control of the University. The special status student organization is solely responsible for activities conducted by the organization that have not been officially delegated to it by the University. When conducting non-University authorized activities, the student organization is considered by the University to be non-special status and, therefore, not acting as an agent of the University.

Specialized Skills or Training

Specific, definable skills or training that enables an individual to provide certain identified emergency services requested by public officials during a disaster. These skills and training may or may not be related to the qualifications used in the individual’s University job.

Specialty Vehicle

A vehicle designed to transport 10 or more passengers.

Spend Category

Provides a lower level of detail from the Ledger Account needed for operational reporting. Used to identify and categorize the different types of expenditures reported by the entity (i.e., Academic Division, Medical Center, College at Wise, etc.).

Spending Authority

The permission to make expenditures from a particular fund source for a specific period of time up to an established level, provided with the management of fund balances.

Splitting Purchases

Separating transactions to circumvent established procurement and expenditure guidelines.

Sponsor

An individual or group that provides support financially or through the provision of products or services for an event, activity, person or organization.

Sponsor Salary Caps–National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Salary caps are limitations, sponsor-imposed ceilings, on the amount of an individual’s salary that a sponsor will directly support. When an employee’s institutional base salary (IBS) exceeds the effective salary cap the University must fund the difference from non-federal sources. This difference is considered cost share (this cost share is solely for purposes related to the Indirect/Facilities and Administrative – F&A- cost rate calculations and is not to be counted/claimed/reported toward mandatory or voluntary cost share commitments) to that sponsored activity. The associated effort is expected to be captured on the effort report for certification purposes (toward 100% ‘University effort’). Annual salary caps can be found at the NIH website.

Sponsor-Owned Equipment

Equipment purchased using sponsored program funds for which the title is retained by the Sponsor.

Sponsored Program

Any externally funded research, public service, or scholarly activity (including hosting or attending conferences) at the University that has a defined scope of work often including a set of specific programmatic objectives and/or deliverables, and line-item-based budget, providing the basis for sponsor expectations and awardee accountability (i.e., a reciprocal transfer of something of value). Sponsored programs are funded through agreements that usually include terms and conditions for the disposition of tangible properties and outcomes (e.g., equipment, records, specified technical reports, theses, or dissertations) or intangible properties and outcomes (e.g., rights in data, copyrights, and inventions). Note: The terms sponsored program, sponsored project, and/or sponsored activity are often used interchangeably.

Sponsoring Manager

The individual employed by the University of Virginia with overall responsibility for identifying, screening, placing, training, and supervising a volunteer.

Sponsoring Unit

An academic or administrative unit that is responsible for the coordination of space usage and/or for conducting the covered program activity.

Sponsor–Owned Equipment

Equipment purchased using sponsored program funds for which the title is retained by the Sponsor.

Sponsor–Provided Resources

Funds and facilities provided by governmental, commercial, industrial, or other private organizations which are administered and controlled by the University shall be considered University resources.

Spouse

Husband or wife as recognized under the laws of the Commonwealth for the purpose of marriage.

Staff Employees

Classified employees who are:

  1. Employment Category:
    Salaried or Wage

  2. Payment Type:
    Restricted (positions with limited funding where funding has an expiration/stop date) or Unrestricted

  3. Full Time Equivalency:
    Full-time or Part-time

  4. Exemption Status:
    Exempt: Not subject to (i.e., they are exempt from) the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime provisions. Employees are typically paid on a salaried basis; or
    Non-Exempt: Subject to the minimum wage and overtime pay provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Staff Wage Employee

A staff employee who is hired to perform a short-term work assignment and is ineligible for leave or other benefits, except for pre- and post-tax savings plans, and the Wage Health Plan when requisite criteria are met. These employees are not covered by the Virginia Personnel Act and may be compensated in one of two ways:

  1. Hourly: The terms and conditions of employment stipulate an hourly rate of pay rather than a fixed salary and paid on an hourly basis for actual hours worked. Positions paid on an hourly basis are, in most cases, non-exempt.
  2. Period Activity Pay (PAP): The pay structure used to pay employees a lump-sum over a period of time for fixed-term activities. It is administered outside of the formal Compensation Package. The lump sum payment will be equally distributed over the pay cycles included in the payment timeframe.
Standard Measurement Period (SMP)

The retroactive measurement or “look back” period established by the University as October 3 to October 2 as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Standard Workweek

The University standard workweek (for payroll purposes) is seven consecutive days commencing at 12:01 a.m. Monday and ending at 12:00 midnight the following Sunday.

Standards of Conduct

Rules of personal and professional conduct, standards of acceptable work performance, and procedures for corrective discipline.

State Agency

Any authority, board, department, instrumentality, institution, agency, or other unit of state government. "State agency" does not include any county, city, or town.

State Funds

Restricted and unrestricted financial resources generated from tuition and fee revenues, Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost recoveries, state tax dollars, sales and services activities, grants and contracts, and auxiliary activities.

State of Emergency

As defined in Va. Code Ann. §44-146.16,means the condition declared by the Governor when in his judgment the threat or actual occurrence of an emergency or a disaster in any part of the Commonwealth is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant disaster assistance by the Commonwealth to supplement the efforts and available resources of the several localities and relief organizations in preventing or alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering threatened or caused thereby and is so declared by him.

Status

A student may be enrolled or affiliated.

Enrolled students pay tuition and fees and may register for credits. An enrolled student may be enrolled full-time, three-quarter time, half-time, or less than half-time.

Affiliated students are absent temporarily from the University for educational purposes and expect to complete their degree. Affiliated students are not enrolled, pay the affiliated status fee, and may not register for credits. Affiliated status must be approved by a student’s dean and may be used only for the purposes defined in this policy.

Straight-Time Pay

The total earnings of an employee for time worked and authorized paid time off in a service week (pay period) excluding overtime, special, or premium pay. Straight-time pay is calculated based upon the employee’s hourly rate of pay.

Student (1)

A person enrolled in one or more courses at the University of Virginia.

Student Financial Services (SFS)

The University department with the responsibility for billing, management, collection, and reporting of student receivables. SFS is also responsible to act as the University’s agent for receivables assigned to collection agencies or credit reporting bureaus.

Student Groups or Organizations (Student Groups/Organizations)

Student groups or organizations that have an active Contracted Independent Organization Agreement, Fraternal Organization Agreement, or Special Status Organization Agreement with the University.

Student Information System (SIS)

An internal system that is the source for admission, academic, and financial information.

Student Location

A student’s physical location (address) which forms the basis for state protection. The term “location” is used in place of the term “residence” because a person may be a legal resident of one state for purposes of voting, driver’s license, etc., but be physically “located” in another state, as is commonly the case for University students. For a prospective student, the student location is the address they provide prior to enrollment. For enrolled students, the student location is the student’s mailing address in the Student Information System.

Student Organization

A general term that refers to all Contracted Independent Organizations (CIOs), Fraternal Organizations (FOs), Special Status Organizations, and Agency groups.

Student Resource Guide for Prohibited Conduct

The University’s Resource and Reporting Guide for Students, providing complete information for students about how to locate and access University and community resources for medical and mental-health assistance and support, how to obtain supportive measures, how to report Prohibited Conduct to the University and to law enforcement, and other information that may be useful to University students who have experienced or witnessed an incident of Prohibited Conduct.

Student(s)

An individual who either has been admitted to a degree or certificate program at the University or has received permission to enroll and is registered for coursework (including credit or non-credit) at the University during any given academic session (including fall or spring semesters, Summer Session, or January Term).

Subaward

An enforceable agreement, issued under a Federal Award or a Non-Federal Award between a Pass-through Entity and a Subrecipient for the performance of a substantive portion of the program. (Note: These terms do NOT apply to the procurement of goods or services from a Vendor.)

Subcontract

Any contract entered into by a third party to furnish supplies or services related to a discreet portion of a University contract, grant, or award.

Subcontractor

Any supplier, distributor, vendor, or firm that is party to a subcontract.

Subrecipient

A non-Federal entity that receives a Subaward from a Pass-through Entity to carry out part of a federal or non-federal program as opposed to providing goods and services but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such a program. Subrecipients have responsibility for programmatic decision-making and for adherence to applicable program compliance responsibilities.

Substance Abuse Professional

The individual who evaluates employees who have violated a Department of Transportation drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning prescribed educations, rehabilitative treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.

Substantial Misrepresentation

Any misrepresentation on which the person to whom it was made could reasonably be expected to rely, or has reasonably relied, to that person's detriment concerning the nature of an institution’s educational programs, financial charges, or the employability of its graduates.

Substantive Change

A significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive changes can impact the quality of educational programs and services (see Code of Federal Regulations § 602.22 Substantive changes and other reporting requirements). Actions that fall under substantive change include:

  • Substantially changing the established mission or objectives of an institution or its programs.
  • Changing the legal status, form of control, or ownership of an institution.
  • Changing the governance of an institution.
  • Merging / consolidating two or more institutions or entities.
  • Acquiring another institution or any program or location of another institution.
  • Relocating an institution or an off-campus instructional site of an institution (including a branch campus).
  • Offering courses or programs at a higher or lower degree level than currently authorized.
  • Adding graduate programs at an institution previously offering only undergraduate programs (including degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other for-credit credential).
  • Changing the way an institution measures student progress, whether in clock hours or credit-hours; semesters, trimesters, or quarters; or time-based or non–time-based methods or measures.
  • Adding a program that is a significant departure from the existing programs, or method of delivery, from those offered when the institution was last evaluated.
  • Initiating programs by distance education or correspondence courses.
  • Adding an additional method of delivery to a currently offered program.
  • Entering into a cooperative academic arrangement.
  • Entering into a written arrangement under 34 C.F.R. § 668.5 under which an institution or organization not certified to participate in the title IV Higher Education Act (HEA) programs offers less than 25% (notification) or 25-50% (approval) of one or more of the accredited institution's educational programs. An agreement offering more than 50% of one or more of an institution’s programs is prohibited by federal regulation.
  • Substantially increase or decreasing the number of clock hours or credit hours awarded or competencies demonstrated, or an increase in the level of credential awarded, for successful completion of one or more programs.
  • Adding competency-based education programs.
  • Adding each competency-based education program by direct assessment.
  • Adding programs with completion pathways that recognize and accommodate a student’s prior or existing knowledge or competency.
  • Awarding dual or joint academic awards.
  • Re-opening a previously closed program or off-campus instructional site.
  • Adding a new off-campus instructional site/additional location including a branch campus.
  • Adding a permanent location at a site at which an institution is conducting a teach-out program for students of another institution that has ceased operating before all students have completed their program of study.
  • Closing an institution, a program, a method of delivery, an off-campus instructional site, or a program at an off-campus instructional site.
  • Participating in the federal Prison Education Program providing Pell Grant access to confined or incarcerated students.
Suitable Means of Verification

The process through which one receives assurance that work was performed so as to provide a certification of effort on the periodic effort reports. This process must take into consideration other university records and provide for the documented review of such records in support of work performed. Some examples of these records might include: calendars, teaching schedules, logbooks, or sponsor budgets. Other means of verification may also suffice, including e-mails attesting to effort devoted based upon firsthand knowledge. Oral verification from the employee/Principal Investigator or others fulfilling the role of a responsible person to an administrator will not suffice as a suitable means of verification.

Supervisor

Any person who has authority to undertake or recommend tangible employment decisions affecting an employee or academic decisions affecting a student; or to direct an employee’s work activities or a student’s academic activities. Examples include faculty members to whom work-study students report and team lead workers who, from time to time, monitor other employees’ performance or direct their work.

Supervisor1

A University employee charged with responsibility for managing another employee’s performance, including conducting performance evaluations.

Supplier

Any entity that provides goods or services. (Previously referred to as a vendor.) For credit card transactions, commonly referred to as a merchant.

Supplier Invoice Request

A task in the finance system used to submit payment requests for suppliers and non-employee individuals for transactions not required on a Purchase Order or Travel and Expense Card (previously referred to as Payment Voucher.)

Surplus Property

All University General Assets, Electronic Devices, and Electronic Media that are moveable from one location to another, including abandoned property, that is unwanted, worn-out, obsolete, excess to the University’s needs, or otherwise unsuitable for intended use.

Suspension

An employee’s absence from work without pay that is imposed as part of a disciplinary action.

Sustainability
The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ¹

¹From the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), now known as the Brundtland Commission.