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Equipment - Property Control and Transfer

Purpose

  1. Provide guidance for SUNY Canton and its departments in establishing and maintaining control over equipment as authorized and required by the New York State Department of Audit and Control.
  2. Establish objectives and standards of equipment control.
  3. Improve and expand existing equipment control to provide better security, utilization, maintenance, and disposal of equipment.
  4. Provide a basis for projecting and budgeting future capital replacement and additional needs to meet academic standards and objectives of SUNY.

Standards

  1. The departmental property control designee is responsible for equipment assigned to each room in the department and assists the Property Control Officer in maintaining equipment, inventory, and control.
  2. Departmental personnel assistance for the annual inventory is needed for assisting in sensitive areas and providing access to locked or normally inaccessible areas.
  3. In order to comply more fully with procedures, it will be necessary for each School/Department Head to designate a person (by name and corresponding department account numbers for each department) who will assume the duties concerning property control spelled out in these procedures.
  4. Any transfer of equipment, regardless of value or source of purchase, out of the department or out of the building for longer than 24 hours requires a completed Equipment Control Form (E-1) with the signature of the Department Head or his/her supervisor.
  5. Method of inventory shall be to maintain the existing computerized departmental inventory and to process the E-1 for all transfers and changes in status of equipment.
  6. Annually a computer printout of equipment inventory for each department will be brought around by Property Control staff to perform our annual physical inventory. Property Control staff will require assistance from the Department designee to complete the inventory.

Definitions for Inventory Purposes

  1. Department
    Administrative level within SUNY Canton to which the responsibility of equipment is to be maintained.
  2. Equipment
    All equipment that has a probable life of two (2) years with a value of $250 and over, or a high-risk item shall be included in the inventory. Ownership of equipment is classified SUNY, Research Foundation, Canton College Foundation, or other. Equipment that meets the aforementioned criteria and is acquired through the following is to be included in the inventory: Capital Budget, Operating Budget, Research Funds, Canton College Foundation, Federal Funds, Income Reimbursable, Equipment Replacement, mixed source or other funds, and equipment received as gifts or grant are also to be included.
  3. Utilization of Equipment
    If equipment is assigned to a department, it is assumed it has a function of being regularly utilized. Equipment that is not in use due to obsolescence or condition should be disposed of by notifying the Property Control Office via an E-1.
  4. Condition of Equipment
    All equipment should be maintained in a safe, operable condition. If the condition of a piece of equipment changes due to obsolescence, accident, or normal wear and tear, notify the Property Control Office via an E-1.

Implementation

  1. The Campus Control Program coordination will be administered by the Stores and Mail Operations Supervisor supervising Property Control.
  2. Departmental control is managed by the departmental person designated by the Department Chair, School Dean, or Administrative Director.
  3. All new, incoming equipment will be asset decaled by personnel in Central Receiving.
  4. Annual inventories are to be performed by the persons designated in #2 above and Property Control personnel. The computerized, departmental equipment inventory printout, reflecting the results of previous annual inventory, will be used as a check reference. Changes in equipment location, status, or condition within the department must be recorded by the department via an E-1.
  5. Transfer or change in status of equipment, including temporary or permanent transfer, storage, off-campus repair, lost, stolen, and surplus disposal, shall be recorded on an E-1 on the date of the transaction. The processing of an E-1 allows the Property Control Office to update the inventory record, provide an authorized documentation for temporary loan of equipment, and assist the Department Administrative Official in maintaining an accurate record of condition and location of equipment.
  6. New equipment additions and equipment location and status changes are processed periodically via terminal entry at the Cooper Service Complex. The computerized inventory is part of the Albany-based SUNY Property Control System, in which all campuses participate. All printouts and annual reports are generated from the Albany Database on items over $5,000. For items under $5,000, reports are generated from our SUNY Canton database. Printouts of data will be provided to appropriate departmental officials in the following formats:
    • Department, building, and room
    • Building, room, and department
    • Numerical sequence by asset decal (on request)
    • Equipment type by class code (on request)
    • Ownership, i.e., fund code (on request, for items over $5,000)
    • Equipment type by condition (on request)
    • Equipment type by life expiration date (on request, for items over $5,000)
  7. Set procedures have been established for each of the following equipment control situations. Detailed guidelines follow in Procedures, Section E:
    • Asset decaling and adding new equipment
    • Surplus transfer
    • Loan or commercial repair of equipment
    • Repair of equipment – on campus
    • Permanent disposal
    • Lost or stolen equipment

Procedures

  1. The purpose of established procedures for handling all equipment-control situations is to provide a uniform system to be efficient and effective. All procedures must be followed. If there are questions, contact Central Receiving.
  2. Data Printouts and Forms
    • All asset numbers listed on computer-generated reports are ten-digit numeric or alpha-numeric characters. The first two digits are “36” which signifies the SUNY Canton campus. The middle six characters represent the asset-decal numbers. The last two digits are “00” which indicates the asset is decaled or engraved. “RO” indicates a Research Foundation item. “MO” indicates the asset is a machine-originated number, and the item is not recorded by a decal number. Carpet, draperies, and fragile, technical equipment are examples of equipment that may be shown as an “MO” number.
    • The report lists quantity, asset-number description, manufacturer, model number, serial number, purchase order number, acquisition date, estimated life of the item along with the source of funding, condition, and status. Each report reflects the original cost of an asset along with the cost of replacement. The cost of replacement is adjusted programmatically each year. Departmental reports can be obtained in formats specified in Section D5 above.
    • The Equipment Control Form (E-1) is a multiple-use form that is revised as necessary by the Property Control Office. The implementation of the use of an E-1 is necessary to formalize the recording of the movement or change in status of college-owned equipment. The main objectives are to provide better safeguards against loss, to monitor the movement of equipment, and provide a formal means to dispose of equipment. This form is to be completed by the Department Chair, School Dean, or Administrative Director with copies distributed to the Property Control Office on the day of the transaction.
  3. Equipment Control Procedures
    • Asset Decaling and Adding New Equipment
      All new equipment is received and distributed from Central Receiving. The Business Office sends one copy of the purchase order to Central Receiving. When an item is received at Central Receiving, they are alerted to the fact that the equipment listed on a purchase order is to be decaled. Upon delivery of the equipment, Central Receiving decals the equipment and records the manufacturer, model, serial number, and location where the equipment will be used (i.e., building and room). In cases of special or sensitive equipment, the Department Property Control Designee will assist. The Property Control Office will prepare an equipment addition form, and add the equipment to the Property Control System.
    • Permanent Transfer
      When equipment is being transferred to another department or an off-campus location, an E-1 must be completed in full with the appropriate copies being distributed to the Property Control Office. University Police Officers are authorized to confiscate any equipment left outside of the buildings that is not accompanied by a completed E-1 or an appropriate Physical Plant work order. With the receipt of the original copy of the form, the Property Control Office will formally record the transfer on the Property Control System Departmental Inventory.
    • Repair – Off Campus
      When equipment is being moved off campus for repair, an E-1 and a purchase authorization must accompany the equipment.
    • Permanent Disposal
      When equipment is damaged, inoperative, obsolete, or no longer required by the department, the appropriate data will be entered on an E-1. Enter the condition and reason for disposal in the remarks area (i.e., unit stripped for parts, surplus to department needs, inoperative non-repairable). Upon receipt of an E-1, the Property Control Office will initiate appropriate action to reassign, trade in, or dispose of the equipment.

      The Department of Audit and Control mandates that all equipment be disposed of by following the proper procedures of the Office of General Services.

    • Lost or Stolen
      When equipment is missing, complete an E-1 immediately, and forward the appropriate copies to the University Police Department and the Property Control Office. The basic information contained on the form will aid University Police Officers in their investigation. The Property Control Office will update the departmental inventory to show the loss or pilferage of the equipment.
    • Returns
      When property is returned, the E-1 will be notated and returned to the Property Control Office for a status update.