Law Finance Office

Here we have gathered a list of frequently asked questions and answers. If your question is not answered here, please contact us and we will assist you.

How do I get reimbursed?
If you are a Law Faculty or Staff (employee), you will need to process your reimbursement through Workday. Refer to Workday Expense Report Guide for further details.

If you are a Law student, you will need to complete the appropriate form and deliver it to the Law Finance Office for processing. 

How do I pay a vendor?
Send the invoice to lawfinance@scu.edu. If this is a new vendor, please ask the vendor to provide you with a W9 and include that in your submission.

If this is a new vendor, please ask the vendor to complete a self registration portal link.  For more information about the link, please contact lawfinance@scu.edu.

What is the payment process? 
From initial submission to receiving a check in the mail, it will take roughly 14-21 business days. This timeline may be extended due to additional processes. Common additional processes are a new vendor request, if the payment request is over $5k as additional approvals are needed, or if an approved contract wasn’t completed prior to a payment request. 

Do I have to be paid via check? I would like to be paid via ACH. 
If you are an SCU employee and would like to get paid via ACH, you need to log into Workday to update your payment method.  If the vendor would like to get paid via ACH, they need to complete the Accounts Payable Direct Deposit Form and send to accountspayablehelp@scu.edu with supporting documentation.

What do I do if a receipt isn’t available?
A Missing Receipt form is used for the loss of a meal receipt during travel time and could not obtain a copy. A proof of payment is also required beside the Missing Receipt Form.

When an original receipt is required but has been lost, please attempt to obtain a copy of the receipt from the vendor. If a copy cannot be obtained, please complete and attach a missing receipt form. Without a satisfactory explanation and enough detail, the amount will not be reimbursed. 

How do I get a contract approved?
Submit your vendor’s contract to kspence@scu.edu. The contract review process is around 12 business days so plan accordingly especially if you have event deadlines.

How do I hire an independent contractor?
If you would like to hire an independent contractor, please complete the Independent Contractor Request Form. 

No one is allowed to engage or pay an independent contractor on behalf of the University. All independent contractors must be reviewed and approved by the University. They will be paid directly by the University.

How do I deposit money?
Please bring all revenue to the Law Finance Office for processing. You will need to provide the business reason behind the revenue and the budget string that it should be deposited to. 

How do I purchase office supplies?
Submit links to the items and specify the quantity that you want to purchase to lawfinance@scu.edu. You will need to provide the business reason behind the purchase and the budget string that the items should be charged to.

How do I get a purchasing or travel card? 
All purchasing and travel cards must be requested through the P Card/T Card Request Form. 

How do I get reimbursed for travel?

A Travel Reimbursment Form must be filled out completely and also signed by a professor or a coach. 

All receipts being submitted for reimbursement must be kept (especially transportation, lodging and meals). The receipt must include the following:

• Name of business where purchase was made or service was performed
• Transaction date (when purchase was made)
• Detail of items/service purchased (taxes, tips, subtotal, total, etc.)
• Amount paid
• Method of payment (receipt should denote how you paid - cash, check, or last 4 digits of credit card)
• Airline tickets: itinerary/invoice, e-receipt, showing proof of payment
• Mileage: a map printout showing the starting point and destination
• Restaurants: must provide the itemized receipt. The guest receipt where only total and tip is shown is not sufficient.

Please submit all receipts and a completed travel reimbursement form to lawfinance@scu.edu.

How do I get reimbursed for a non-travel purchase?

A Non-Travel Reimbursement Form must be filled out and also signed by your faculty advisor, club’s treasurer and/or the SBA’s treasurer.  

All expenses being submitted for reimbursement must have a receipt. The receipt must include the following:

• Name of business
• Transaction date (when purchase was made)
• Detail of items purchased
• Amount paid
• Payment method (receipt should denote how you paid - cash, check, or last 4 digits of credit card)
• Gifts: must be tangible gifts and a list of recipients.
• Restaurants: must provide the itemized receipt. The guest receipt where only total and tip is shown will not be accepted.

Please submit all receipts and a completed non-travel reimbursement form to lawfinance@scu.edu.

For LSO’s - Should my reimbursement form be signed by the SBA treasurer, LSO treasurer, or both?

A reimbursement form must be signed by the SBA treasurer only when expenses are charged to the SBA’s budget account.

A reimbursement form must be signed by the LSO treasurer only when expenses are charged to the LSO’s fundraising account.

A reimbursement form must be signed by both treasurers only when expenses are split between both the SBA’s budget account and the LSO’s fundraising account.

How do I provide a guest speaker with an honorarium?

A Guest Speaker/Honorarium Form must be filled out and signed by a treasurer. 

Attach a copy of the event flyer.

Please submit everything to lawfinance@scu.edu.

Guest speakers have to complete a self registration portal link and are responsible to upload all the required documents such as a W-9 form.

Can I get reimbursed for paying a third-party service provider?

No SCU constituent is allowed to pay an individual for services performed and seek reimbursement afterwards. An independent contractor request must be completed prior to hiring a third-party service. Please reach out to the Senior Director of the Law Finance Office, Krissy Spence at kspence@scu.edu for more questions.

My club has an event which involves alcohol, how do I get reimbursed for alcohol purchase?

The Alcohol Agreement Form must be filled out completely and approved/signed by the Senior Assistant Dean of Law Student Services or the Director of Student Life.

Alcohol can only be reimbursed from fundraising funds. Alcohol may not be purchased as a gift regardless of the funding source.

Can I get reimbursed from the SBA account for donating money/supplies to a charity?

The University does not allow the usage of school-allocated funds for a charitable donation as this can be potentially using SCU money to support a person's personal beliefs. LSOs are allowed to make charitable donations if they were funds that were raised by the students (raffle, bake sale, or other fundraising activities) or if they were donations made in-kind while being supported by an activity (ex. LSO event making blessing bags). 

School-allocated funds may not be donated to other charitable organizations because of Santa Clara University’s status as a non-profit organization. Donations may lead to potential ramifications regarding our non-profit status and tax if we do so. 

What is the maximum tip allowance reimbursable?

The maximum tip allowance reimbursable per SCU policy is 20% and it is calculated off the pre-tax/fees subtotal.  

Can I get reimbursed for purchasing gift cards?

Gift cards of any kind or amount are not allowed. It does not matter whether the recipient is a student, staff, faculty member or third party. Under University policy, you may gift a tangible gift but not a gift card. If you purchase gift cards and request subsequent reimbursement, you may be denied.

How does my club get an invoice paid?

Please check with the law finance office if a vendor is available in the payment system. If it's not, they have to complete a self registration portal link.

In order to pay for an invoice, the following information is required:

The vendor’s completed W-9 form

An actual invoice must include:

• an invoice number
• a company name, address and contact information
• a description of the goods/services
• invoice date
• the total amount payable  

My club has an event on campus, and we want to order some food from SCU Bon Appetit.  Can we have it paid directly from our budget account? 

Yes, you can. First, you need to contact Bon Appetit for a BEO#. Then please email it along with the budget string to lawfinance@scu.edu.

What is the process of authorizing a transfer of $ from one club to another?

This authorization applies only to LSOs within SCU. Simply send an email to lawfinance@scu.edu with the following information:

• $ amount that needs to be transferred 
• Business purpose
• Which budget account does the money come out of?
• Which budget account should the money be transferred to?

My club anticipates receiving checks/cash, what steps need to be completed?

*This does NOT apply to gifts/donations. This applies ONLY to sponsorship and sales event

1. Check should be made out to “Santa Clara University - School Of Law”, indicate your club under memo
2. Please have a check mailed to: Santa Clara University - Law Finance Office, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053
3. Email lawfinance@scu.edu to inform the Law Finance Office that a check has been received
4. If you have already received the check/cash directly, please complete the check deposit form or cash deposit form and bring it along with checks/cash to the Law Finance Office, Charney 112.
5. Checks/cash will then be processed and deposited into the respective student organization.