Accounts Payable
The Accounts Payable Department remit all College Tax Lewy expenses incurred for goods and services. In addition, the Department monitors and processes employees’ travel and expense reimbursements.
Medgar Evers College, a senior college within the City University of New York ensures vendor payments and employee reimbursements are made in accordance with the State of New York, CUNY, Finance laws and regulations.
Please browse this page for information about Accounts Payable, and travel and expense reimbursements. If you have any questions, please contact our office.
| Accounts Payable Department Staff | |||
| Name | Telephone | Room | |
| Account Payable Manager | 718-270-6114 | (Vacant) | C-200 |
| John Thompson Finance Payment Specialist |
718-270-6115 | jthompson1@mec.cuny.edu | C-200 |
| Jean Patrick Milord Finance Accountant |
718-270-6119 | jmilord@mec.cuny.edu | C-200 |
| REQUEST | Department creates a requisition, with detailed specifications. Department supervisor approves the requisition. |
| BUDGET CHECK | CUNYFirst performs a budget check to verify availability of funds. There is no notification, if requisition has failed the budget check. The department must ‘manage the requisition’. |
| PROCUREMENT | Purchasing Department receives and reviews the requisition and follows appropriate procurement methods. A Purchase Order is generated and sent to the vendor. The PO is a one-time or one-year contract. |
| RECEIPT OF GOODS/SERVICES | The vendor delivers/provides the goods or services. The department should inspect their deliveries. |
| RECEIPT OF INVOICE | The vendor submits an invoice to Accounts Payable. The department requestor must create a receipt in CUNYFirst for A/P to pay. |
| PAYMENT | Accounts Payable perform a three-way-match of the PO, invoice, and receipt. A/P creates a voucher to pay the vendor. |
| INFORMATION FOR DEPARTMENTS |
| The fiscal year begins July 1, and ends June 30th. |
| Department heads should know their budget. How much funds do you have available? |
| What types of funds does the department have – Tax Levy, Non-Tax Levy, RF? |
| What goods or services do you need for the month, semester, or year? |
| The Department must have a requester–the employee who enters a requisition in CUNYBuy. |
| The requester must report to the department head in CUNYBuy. |
| To purchase goods or services for the department, the requester enters a requisition in CUNYBuy. |
| The requisition will encumber funds from the department’s budget, and reduce the available balance. |
| The department must monitor the requisition to ensure that it completes the approval and passes the budget check cycles. |
| v After the vendor delivers the goods or the service is completed – the department must enter a receipt in CUNYBuy for Accounts Payable to pay the vendor. |
| March 31st is the final deadline to enter a requisition to purchase goods or services in the fiscal year. |
| June 30th is the last day to receive goods or services from a vendor for the fiscal year. Deliveries after June 30th will be charged to the next fiscal year’s budget. |
- When goods are received or services completed, the department requester must complete the procurement process by creating a receipt:
- Verify that all goods have been received or services rendered
- Inform the Purchasing Department if there are any damaged, defective, or missing goods
- Scan the packing slip from the delivery or service documents. Save the file on your computer
- Find your purchase order number
- Log on to CUNYBuy to create the receipt:
- Create the receipt, upload the scanned file (packing slip), and SAVE
| INFORMATION FOR VENDORS |
| Vendors should deliver goods or services after obtaining a Purchase Order number. |
| Vendors must list the Purchase Order number should appear on the invoice. |
| Vendor’s name on the invoice must match the Purchase Order. |
| Vendor should verify that their remit to address is updated in the NYS Vendor Management Unit.
The VMU website is: https://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendor_management/forms.htm |
| Invoices should be sent to the Accounts Payable Department, not the requesting department |
| Invoices can be emailed to: invoices@mec.cuny.edu |
Additional Resources:
Did You Know – Create Receipts
- TRAVEL STATUS – To be on college business assignment at a location 35 miles from the employee home address AND college workstation. You are then eligible for expense reimbursements, such as lodging, transportation, and meals.
Faculty and staff who travel on behalf of the college must abide by New York State and CUNY policies and procedures. Please read the Office of the State Comptroller Travel Manual and the Travel Guidelines for MEC Employees on this website.
The CUNYFirst Travel and Expense Module is a self-service system where employees create travel authorization and expense reports (with managerial approval), provided the department has available funds.
Faculty and staff must consult their department head and obtain approval before all travel. The department head must ensure that there are adequate funds available for reimbursement.
Faculty and staff must complete a Travel Authorization (TA) in CUNYFirst, and approved, PRIOR to all travel. This is a mandatory New York State and CUNY policy.
Creating a Travel Authorization will set aside funds to reimburse the faculty or staff traveling upon their return. TA should include:
- Estimates of all necessary and reasonable expenses to be incurred
- Attached is the event’s official notice, program, agenda, etc.
- Must be approved by all managers before the travel date. TA cannot be back-dated
Note 1: If the Approve icon is gray, the TA is in budget error. The department head should contact the Budget Office to transfer funds to the travel account.
Faculty and staff will pay for their travel expenses and be reimbursed upon their return.
Employees should be mindful to stay within the estimates approved in the Travel Authorization.
When an employee returns from a trip, the travel reimbursement procedure is as follows:
- Gather all receipts. Scan and save them on your computer
- Log on to CUNYFirst to create an Expense Report
- Ask the department head to approve the Expense Report
- If the Approve icon is gray, the department head should contact the Budget Office to transfer funds to the travel account
Note: There will be no reimbursement without a receipt.
Guidelines
Office of the State Comptroller Travel Manual
Travel Guidelines For MEC Employees
Travel Reimbursement Checklist
CUNYFirst Job Aids
Approve a Travel Authorization – For Supervisors
Approve Expense Report – For Supervisors
Additional Resources
To obtain meal per diem rates, visit: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
To obtain mileage rates (for business use of privately owned vehicle), visit:
https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates
Faculty and staff may be reimbursed for valid expenses incurred while performing college business. Employees must obtain approval from the department manager before the purchase. The department head must ensure sufficient funds are in the budget to process the reimbursement. The college does not reimburse any taxes paid on purchases in New York State.
To receive an expense reimbursement:
- a) Fill out a Personal Expense Form signed by the unit head
- b) Write a brief justification stating the reason for the purchase
- c) Scan the form, justification, and all receipts for uploading in CUNYFirst
- d) Log on to CUNYFirst to create an Expense Report
- e) Ask the department head to approve the Expense Report
Note 1: If the Approve icon is gray, the requisition is in budget error. The department head should contact the Budget Office.
Additional Resources:
