[ASA-Official] Letter from the Student Activities Office

[Rebecca E Krentz-Wee]

The Student Activities Office (SAO) is being integrated into an initiative by
the Vice President for Finance to modernize MITs administrative systems. You
can read more about this effort to forge a "digital MIT" here:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/letter-ruiz.html

This integration will improve our services while aligning our systems with the
rest of the Institute. Although MIT will shift to a digital system next week,
SAO and student groups will migrate to the new system at the start of the
academic year, September 7, 2010. What does this mean for your group or
organization? Among the most significant changes are the closing of the MIT
Cashier's Office and new processes for payments (vouchers), purchase orders,
and travel vouchers. For example:

- Students will enter their vouchers online.
- Receipts will be scanned and attached to the voucher forms.
- Event descriptions will need to be more detailed. For example, general body
meeting and date will no longer be sufficient. We will need to know: date,
location, and number of attendees, relation to group (student, alumni, staff,
and community).
- Purchase orders will be required for all payments/reimbursements over $500,
rather than the current threshold of $5,000.
- Travel reimbursements will be processed online.
- The Cashiers office will close. Deposits will pass from Bank of America to MIT
and then to your student group accounts.

We understand that some adjustments and policy changes may pose questions and
present challenges for your group. Please know that the SAO will work to
resolve any difficulties as quickly as possible and to keep your group informed
of all relevant changes. The SAO website (http://studentlife.mit.edu/sao ) will
be the main source for the most up-to-date information about the new policies
and procedures. In addition, to ease the transition, we will offer online and
in-person training sessions and create information sheets for your guidance.

As always, feel free to stop by the office or e-mail us to learn more and to let
us know how we can make this easier for you and your organizations.

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer. We look forward to seeing you in
the fall.

Thank you,

Kerri Mills
Assistant Director of Finance
Student Activities Office
kamills at Mit.edu