Authority to Serve Coffee and/or Light Refreshments

Policy

It is the policy of Tacoma Community College that coffee and/or light refreshments may be served for special situations or occasions, with proper approval, where:

• The purpose of the meeting is to conduct College business, provide formal training sessions that benefit the College or State or recognize College or employee accomplishments; and
• The meeting involves elective or appointive officials, state employees, or others the College is legally authorized to reimburse; and
• The coffee and/or light refreshments are an integral part of the meeting; and
• The College obtains a receipt for the actual costs of the coffee and/or light refreshments, and
• The College employee responsible for the meeting receives College approval for the serving of coffee and/or light refreshments prior to the event.

The College Board of Trustees may provide coffee and/or light refreshments at their official public meetings including executive sessions.

Exclusions:   This policy does not include authority to serve coffee and/or light refreshments in the following situations:

• Hosting
• Normal daily business at TCC
• Anniversaries of the College or individual employees
• Receptions for new and or retiring employees

Purpose

This policy is intended to provide the authority to serve coffee and light refreshments in the conduct of official state business at certain College sponsored meetings.  The College, however, is not required to provide coffee and/or light refreshments at meetings.

To Whom Does This Policy Apply

This policy applies to all employees at the college.  Additionally, the policy applies to all expenditures made for this purpose from any funds that are deposited by the College.  This policy does not include funds deposited for the express purpose of funding coffee and light refreshments for a meeting.

References

S.A.A.M.  70.10 – Coffee and Light Refreshments

RCW 43.03.050 - Subsistence, lodging and refreshment, and per diem allowance for officials, employees, and members of boards, commissions, or committees.

Coffee and Light Refreshment Form - http://online.tccnet.edu/forms/BusinessOffice 

Definitions

Coffee -   any non-alcoholic beverage, such as tea, soft drinks, juice, milk, or coffee.

Light refreshments - edible items that may be served between meals, such as doughnuts, sweet rolls, pieces of fruit, or cheese, etc.

Hosting – includes, but is not limited to, those activities that are intended either to lobby a legislator or a government official, or are to be a social rather than governmental business event and include expenditures for coffee and/or light refreshments for those whom agencies are not legally authorized to reimburse.

Procedure

Prior to serving coffee and light refreshments at an event, the Coffee and Light Refreshment Request form must be completed by the College employee responsible for the meeting.  The completed form must be approved by the College President or his/her designee.  The completed and approved form is then submitted to the Business Office two working days before the event takes place. 

The College employee responsible for the meeting or formal training session must obtain receipt(s) and/or invoice(s) for the actual cost(s) of the coffee and/or light refreshments.  Reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses may be submitted through a petty cash voucher or a voucher distribution.  Invoices for outside catering should be submitted on a voucher distribution.  Food service provided by the TCC dining services will follow normal billing and transfer procedures.

Expenditures for coffee and/or light refreshments will be accounted for under object code "GD" (other travel expenses).

The Coffee and Light Refreshment Request form can be accessed at:  http://online.tccnet.edu/forms/businessoffice/coffee and light refreshment request.xls.