University at Buffalo (UB) 
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Glossary of Terms Used in UB Policies
Look up key words used in UB policies to see definitions and links to their associated policies.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bar-Coded Inventory Tag | A decal containing the Real Asset Management (RAM) asset number and the name of the entity to which title vests (i.e., State, RF, or UBF).
In Policy: |
| Benefits | Any item or service provided to a sponsor in return for the sponsorship of a university activity, event, product, or program. Examples may include, but are not limited to, acknowledgement, event tickets, food and beverages, merchandise, or access to university services (e.g., meeting rooms, job boards), or access to students, faculty, or staff.
In Policy: |
| Billing Unit | The unit of service provided by a service center. Examples of billing units include hours of service, animal care days, number of tests performed or machine time used.
In Policy: |
| Biohazardous Agent | A microorganism (e.g., bacteria, virus, fungi) capable of causing illness or disease.
In Policy: • Commitment to Health and Safety in the Working and Learning Environment |
| Biomaterial, Biosample, Biospecimen | Any tissue or analyte that is derived from a human biological sample or animal model.
In Policy: |
| Block List | List of email system providers known to deliver spam or malicious messages. Various organizations maintain such lists and make them available, usually as part of a paid service, to email system providers. Email system providers will often not accept emails from providers on this list.
In Policy: |
| Bullying | Unwelcome behavior that undermines an individual or group through negative verbal, physical, or psychological abuse. Such behavior undermines the health, dignity, and well-being of employees, and can lead to workplace violence. While bullying typically involves repeated behaviors, there are times when a behavior is so egregious that it need happen only once to constitute bullying. Unacceptable bullying behavior may include, but is not limited to: • Abusive expression directed at another person that is outside the range of commonly accepted expressions of disagreement or critique • Threats of imminent or future harm directed toward an individual or group • Screaming and yelling • Unwarranted physical contact • Sabatoge of another's person's work • Abuse of authority • Intentionally and without a legitimate purpose (e.g., to maintain confidentiality) isolating or excluding an individual from work related activities, benefits, communications, locations and/or events •Other severe, pervasive, or persistent conduct that a reasonable person would find to create an intimidating work environment Bullying is not about occasional differences of opinion, employee performance, conflicts, or problems in workplace relationships. It is not considered bullying when a supervisor is firm in instructing or directing a subordinate. Bullying behaviors that are directed at an individual based on a factor listed in UB’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy may also constitute discriminatory harassment.
In Policy: |
| Business Entertainment | The primary purpose of business entertainment is to further business relations; business entertainment is smaller in scale, includes a small number of people, and is fairly low cost; (e.g., business lunches or dinners; tickets to athletic, cultural, or other events).
In Policy: |
| Business Expense | Charges for goods or services, whether paid, committed, or accrued, that foster or support the ongoing mission of the university.
In Policy: |
| Business Meal | A meal attended by faculty, staff, or students, which may or may not include individuals from outside UB, at which a substantive and bona fide business discussion takes place.
In Policy: |
| Business Purpose | In support of the goals, objectives, and mission of the university.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar Year Appointment | Twelve month obligation that can begin on any date.
In Policy: | |
| Campus Security Authority (CSA) | An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings. An official includes any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the university. CSAs include, but are not limited to, athletics directors, coaches, and resident advisors. Advisors to student clubs, including faculty, are considered CSAs. Otherwise, faculty, clerical staff, maintenance workers, food service workers, medical doctors, and mental health counselors are exempt from mandatory disclosure requirements.
In Policy: | |
| Carbon Footprint | The measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions.
In Policy: | |
| Cardholder | Individual who owns and benefits from the use of a membership card, particularly a payment card.
In Policy: | |
| Cardholder Data (Definition 1) | Any personally identifiable data associated with a cardholder including but not limited to account number, expiration date, name, address, social security number, and card validation code (three or four-digit value printed on the front or back of a credit/debit card).
In Policy: | |
| Cardholder Data (CHD) (Definition 2) | Elements of payment card information that must be protected, including primary account number (PAN), cardholder name, expiration date, and the service code. Cardholder Name The name of the individual to whom the card is issued. Expiration Date The date on which a card expires and is no longer valid. The expiration date is embossed, encoded, or printed on the card. Service Code Permits where the card is used and for what.
In Policy: | |
| Cash | Currency, coin, checks, credit or debit card recordings, bank notes, bullion, traveler’s checks, registered checks, and money orders.
In Policies: • Gifts, Prizes, and Awards | |
| Cash Equivalent | An instrument used in lieu of cash but in the same manner. Cash equivalents at UB include gift cards, campus cash, and reloadable debit cards (e.g., ClinCard).
In Policy: | |
| Cash Handling | Includes the responsibility for receiving cash, maintaining accounting records, preparing deposit slips, making bank deposits, disbursing cash, and reconciling cash.
In Policy: | |
| Cash Receipts | Payments received in return for goods or services; includes cash, checks, debit/credit card payments.
In Policy: | |
| Cash Register | Machine used to regulate money transactions with customers.
In Policy: | |
| Category I - Restricted Data | Protection of the data is required by law or regulation. The loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the data or system could have a significant adverse impact on our mission, safety, finances, or reputation. Restricted data includes the definition of private information in the New York State (NYS) Security and Breach Notification Act as a foundation: bank account, credit card, and debit card numbers; social security numbers; state-issued driver license numbers; and state-issued non-driver identification numbers. To this list, university policy adds protected health information (PHI), computer passwords, other computer access protection data, and passport numbers. Category 1 – Restricted Data are exempt from disclosure or release under the NYS Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). The NYS Information Security Breach and Notification Act requires the university to disclose any breach of the data to New York residents. (State entities must also notify non-residents; see the NYS Information Security Policy.) Individuals who access, process, store, or in any other way handle Category 1 – Restricted Data must implement controls and security measures as required by relevant laws, regulations, and university policy. In instances where laws and/or regulations conflict with university policy, the more restrictive policy, law, or regulation governs.
In Policy: • Mobile Communication Devices • Protection of University Data | |
| Category 2 - Private Data | Includes university data not identified as Category 1 – Restricted Data, and data protected by state and federal regulations. This includes Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)-protected student records and electronic records that are specifically exempt from disclosure by the NYS FOIL. Category 2 – Private Data must be protected to ensure that they are not disclosed in a FOIL request. Private data must be protected in order to ensure that they are only disclosed as required by law, including FOIL. Decisions about disclosure must be made by the Records Management Officer. The NIST Special Publication 800-171 Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations maps to the Category 2 – Private Data risk classification.
In Policy: • Mobile Communication Devices • Protection of University Data | |
| Category 3 - Public Data | Includes university data not included in Category 1 – Restricted Data and Category 2 – Private Data, and the data is intended for public disclosure, or the loss of confidentiality of the data or system would have no adverse impact on our mission, safety, finances, or reputation. Public data includes any data that is releasable in accordance with FOIL. This category also includes general access data, such as that available on unauthenticated portions of institution's website. Public data has no requirements for confidentiality; however, systems housing the data should take reasonable measures to protect its accuracy.
In Policy: | |
| Certification Process | A review process designed to ensure that a small business is actually owned, controlled, and operated by the applicants. Most certifications are granted for minority, women-owned, small disadvantaged, service-disabled veteran-owned, and underutilized businesses. Certification agencies implement the processes for government and private sector entities and ensure that only firms that meet the eligibility criteria of the individual programs are properly certified.
In Policy: | |
| Certified Full Time | A graduate student who is registered for less than 9 credit hours must be certified full-time by The Graduate School. The graduate student must also be fully engaged in a UB program in ways recognized by the university as related to progress toward competence in the field of the intended degree.
In Policy: | |
| Charitable Gaming | Occurs in the form of bingo, bell jar sales, the conduct of Las Vegas nights, and operation of raffles in each of the 62 counties of New York.
In Policy: | |
| Charitable Gift Annuity | A life-income gift arrangement that includes a charitable donation and the purchase of an annuity contract.
In Policy: |
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| Charitable Remainder Trust | A life income gift arrangement that allows donors to generate a source of income for self or others while also making a deferred charitable gift.
In Policy: | |
| Chemical Hazards | An element, compound, or mixture that poses a potential health threat to humans or the environment (e.g., poison, carcinogen, mutagen, asphyxiate, sensitizer, oxidizer, corrosive, explosive, flammable).
In Policy: • Commitment to Health and Safety in the Working and Learning Environment | |
| Child | An individual under the age of seventeen years. For the purposes of this policy a matriculated UB student or a person accepted for matriculation at UB is not considered a child.
In Policy: | |
| Child Abuse | Serious physical or emotional mistreatment of a child, and/or engaging in sexual activity with a child. Included are one or more physical acts (i.e., punching, beating, shaking, throwing, kicking, biting, burning) which cause serious physical injury to a child; acts likely to result in the emotional trauma of a child; intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct which creates a substantial risk of such physical or emotional mistreatment; any behavior which results in touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a child for the purpose of sexual gratification of the child and/or adult, including touching by the child and/or adult with or without clothing; and conduct toward children that is otherwise prohibited by Article 130, 235, or 263 of the New York Penal Law.
In Policy: | |
| Children’s Camp | A camp defined under New York Public Health Law §1392.
In Policy: | |
| Clery Act Crime | Crimes within the meaning of the Clery Act include:
In Policy: | |
| Clinical Research | Research based mainly on observation of the patient rather than on laboratory work. It is other used to determine the safety and effectiveness of treatments, the natural history of disease, or the conditions that predispose to illness.
In Policy: • Principal Investigator Effort on Industry-Supported Clinical Trials | |
| Clinical Trial Award | A research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of those interventions on health-related biomedical or behavioral outcomes. In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects | |
| Close Personal Friendship | A relationship that reasonable persons would agree to have the potential to create a real or perceived conflict of interest comparable to those associated with relatives or household members.
In Policy: • Nepotism | |
| College Year Appointment | Ten month obligation used by non-faculty professionals that can begin on any date.
In Policy: | |
| Committee to Determine Gifts or Sponsored Awards | Reviews and determines the appropriate categorization of external funds received (i.e., gift or a sponsored activity). The committee includes members from the Offices of the Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement; Vice President for Research and Economic Development; and Vice President for Finance and Administration.
In Policy: | |
| Common Areas | Space that is readily accessible to the university community and/or the public including lobbies, hallways, study areas, stairwells, and other similar spaces.
In Policy: | |
| Competitive Recruitment | The process of sourcing, screening, and selecting employees for positions with an employer.
In Policies: | |
| Complainant | An individual bringing forward a complaint of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, whether on the individual's own behalf or on behalf of another person or group.
In Policy: | |
| Complainant | A person or persons, who in good faith, make an allegation of research misconduct.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity | |
| Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) | Establishes and outlines the university response to protect life and property during and after an emergency and sets minimum standards for the creation of department emergency plans.
In Policy: | |
| Compromised | For the purposes of this policy, a device is considered compromised once it has been substantiated that: • Its security is breached and that unauthorized processes or user(s) have access to and are able to control its data and/or resources
In Policy: | |
| Confidential Record | Information that specifically identifies and/or describes an employee, student, or UB affiliate; an employee or student’s protected health information, or organization information, which if disclosed or released would result in negative financial, competitive, or productive loss, or other non-beneficial impacts. Specific examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to: • An employee’s name when combined with birth date, race, gender, marital status, disability status, veteran status, citizenship, or social security number • An employee’s home address or telephone number; relatives’ names, addresses, or telephone numbers • Individual employment records of living current or former employees, including records which concern hiring, appointment, promotion, tenure, salary, performance, termination, or other circumstances of employment unless the employee grants access in writing • Individual education records of living students or living former students, as defined by FERPA, unless the student or former student grants access in writing • All regulated private data • Records that have been restricted by contract • Facilities management documentation, including security system information • Auditing information, including internal audit reports and investigative records • Organizational legal documents, including pending lawsuits and attorney-client communications.
In Policy: | |
| Conflict of Interest (COI) (Instance 1) | An interest that has the potential to compromise or bias the professional judgment or objectivity of the holder of the interest, or has the appearance of having the potential to compromise or bias the holder of the interest. A COI may exist when an independent observer might reasonably question whether the individual’s professional actions or decisions are determined by considerations of personal gain, financial or otherwise. A COI may be financial, general, or of commitment: • Financial conflict of interest (FCOI) may arise when an employee or an immediate family member has the potential for financial gain through outside activity and such outside activity is related to his or her job responsibility. • General COI may arise in situations where an employee uses or attempts to use his or her position to obtain personal gain or privileges for himself or herself or an immediate family member. • Conflicts of commitment arise when outside professional activities or other significant commitments, obligations, or responsibilities interfere with an employee’s primary job responsibilities.
In Policy: | |
| Conflict of Interest (COI) (Instance 2) | Any relationship or activity that has the potential to compromise or bias, or appears to compromise or bias, a person’s professional judgment or ability to make objective and fair employment, academic, or procurement decisions. A conflict of interest may exist when an independent observer might reasonably question whether an individual’s professional actions or decisions are determined by considerations of family, personal, or romantic relationships.
In Policy: • Nepotism | |
| Conflict of Interest (COI) Committee | A committee established to evaluate potential conflict of interest situations, develop management plans and assist with monitoring compliance, and serve as a resource for members of the university community.
In Policy: | |
| Conflict of Interest (COI) Officer | The individual assigned responsibility for reviewing and managing potential university conflicts of interest. The COI Officer supports the Conflict of Interest (COI) Committee and determines whether potential conflicts are referred to the COI Committee.
In Policy: | |
| Connected | A device is considered connected to the university network when it is attached: • to a trusted administrative Ethernet port (not requiring authentication for its use) on the network • to a ResNet port in the Residence Halls • to an open Ethernet port (requiring authentication to a firewall for its use) on the network • to a wireless access point (requiring authentication to a firewall for its use) on the network • through an ISP via a VPN (virtual private network) session;via connections established at institutions affiliated with the University, such as hospitals or • by any means that enables its access to the university network.
In Policy: | |
| Contest | As opposed to a raffle where winners are determined by chance, a contest requires skill of some kind to determine the winner.
In Policy: | |
| Cookies | A text file (up to 4KB) created by a website and stored on visitor’s device, either temporarily for that session (session cookie) or permanently on the hard disk (persistent cookie). Cookies provide a way for the website to recognize visitors and keep track of the visitor’s preferences.
In Policy: | |
| Co-Principal Investigator | An individual collaborating with the PI in the scientific development or execution of a project may be a Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI). The designation of a Co-PI does not affect the PI’s role as having primary responsibility for directing the research, financial oversight, and compliance with relevant university policies and sponsor terms and conditions.
In Policy: | |
| Cost Approver | Role assigned to individuals officially designated as authorized signatories on accounts.
In Policy: • Travel | |
| Cost Transfer | An after-the-fact reallocation of expenditures from one account to another account(s).
In Policy: | |
| Counterfeit Currency | Currency that is made in imitation, so as to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine. In Policy: | |
| Course | Classes offered by registration number and available for instructor inclusion on UBlearns using the UBlearns course setup too.
In Policy: | |
| Covered Account | For purposes of the UB Red Flags Identity Theft Prevention Program, a Covered Account includes the following: • an account that receives multiple payments or transactions, deferred payments, extensions of credit, loans, or which establishes a continuing relationship with an individual who has received services from the University (e.g., student accounts, tuition payment plans, patient accounts, accounts associated with student lending activity, debit cards for use at off-campus vendors). Any other new or existing account that may pose a reasonably foreseeable risk to consumers or the institution from identity theft due to information retained and/or maintained by the institution. This includes single transaction, one-time payment accounts or records that may be vulnerable to identity theft because of the information collected and retained such as date of birth, copies of checks, credit card numbers, social security number, and other personal identifying information.
In Policy: | |
| Covered Activity | A program or activity where the custody, control, and supervision of children for the duration of the activity is vested in (i) the university or a university-affiliated organization, or (ii) a vendor, licensee, or permittee for which a license or permit for use of university facilities has been approved. The Covered Activity may occur on or off campus. Each Covered Activity requires a designated Responsible UB Official. For the purposes of this policy, the UB Child Care Center is not considered a Covered Activity. Field trips and similar activities of a short duration are not considered Covered Activities.
In Policy: | |
| Covered Individuals | Persons with direct responsibility for human subjects research who have, or have been delegated, the authority to make decisions on behalf of the university including, but not limited to: • President
In Policy: • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research | |
| Covered Person | A person who is responsible for the custody, control, or supervision of children participating in the Covered Activity and who is: (i) an employee of the university or university-affiliated organization; (ii) a university student; (iii) a volunteer of the university or university-affiliated organization; or (iv) a vendor, licensee, permittee, or other person who is given permission to come onto campus or to use university facilities for Covered Activities; or (v) an employee, agent, or volunteer of (iv) above.
In Policy: | |
| Credit/Debit Card Merchant | A unit that accepts credit or debit card payments.
In Policy: | |
| Credit Distribution | Allocation of an individual’s relative contributions towards project objectives outlined in the proposal; allows the university to recognize and record such contributions, and appropriately distribute recovered F&A costs.
In Policy: • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution | |
| Credited Entity | Unit, college, or school to which a sponsored project is assigned; a sponsored project may be assigned to multiple units.
In Policy: | |
| Criminal History Check | Verification that the selected applicant does not have any undisclosed criminal history in the jurisdiction where the applicant currently resides or has resided in the last seven years. This background check will be initiated after acceptance of the conditional offer of employment.
In Policy: | |
| Crowdsourcing | The practice of obtaining information or input into a task or project by enlisting the services of a large number of people.
In Policy: | |
| Current Use Gift | A charitable donation that the donor intends for the university to fully expend within a finite period in support of current objectives.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Daily Crime Log | Records, by date reported, of all crimes reported to the UPD. This log must be updated within two business days of the crime report and available to the public during business hours.
In Policy: |
| Daily Fire Log | Records, by date reported, of all fires in on-campus student housing facilities. This log must be updated within two business days of the crime report and available to the public during business hours.
In Policy: |
| Data Managers | University officials and their staff who have operational-level responsibility for information management activities related to the capture, maintenance, and dissemination of data.
In Policy: |
| Data Owner | The University at Buffalo is considered the data owner of all university data; individual units or departments may have stewardship responsibility for portions of the data.
In Policy: |
| Data Steward | University officials who have planning and policy-level responsibilities for data in their functional areas.
In Policy: |
| Data Trustee | Senior leader of the university (i.e., vice president, vice provost, dean) who has responsibility for areas that have systems of record.
In Policies: |
| Data User | Individual who needs and uses university data as part of their assigned duties or to fulfill their role in the university community.
In Policies: |
| Dating Violence | Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic and/or intimate nature with the victim.
In Policy: |
| Deficit | The amount determined when costs exceed revenues for a given fiscal year.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events |
| De Minimis | Gifts, prizes, or awards so small in value that it is not reasonable or practical to account for their value. Cash and cash equivalents are never considered de minimis as defined by the IRS. For university purposes, de minimis is defined as noncash items having a value of $100 or less and must be provided on an occasional basis.
In Policy: |
| Department Emergency Plan | Outlines the unit-specific response to an emergency; must be designed to promulgate strategies for protecting people and programs and for coordinating recovery efforts to continue operations.
In Policy: |
| Department or Unit | An academic department or unit or a professional department or unit.
In Policy: |
| Departmental Asset Coordinator | Individual appointed by the department head to maintain the department's asset inventory, track equipment transfer and disposal, and monitor physical security of assets.
In Policy: |
| Departmental Event | An event hosted by a UB department, either on or off campus, where revenue is collected. Events include, but are not limited to a conference, banquet, retreat, outing, or fair.
In Policies: |
| Depreciation | An allocation of the cost of equipment over its useful life. Straight-line depreciation is calculated by dividing the original cost of the equipment by the number of years of useful life.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Service Centers |
| Device (Instance 1) | Institutionally or privately owned computing device (i.e., laptop, desktop, tablet, smartphone) capable of supporting the appropriate VPN software, token key generation software or utilize a hardware token (fob) to establish a work session to university administrative applications through the Internet.
In Policy: |
| Device (Instance 2) | A computer/workstation, server, mobile device, cellular telephone, or any other instrument capable of connecting to and interacting with the university network and other devices on the network.
In Policy: |
| Direct Cost | Costs that can be specifically identified with a sponsored project, instructional activity, or other institutional activity, and thus directly assigned relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy. Examples of direct costs include, but are not limited to, salaries and wages, fringe benefits, equipment, supplies, travel, and publication expenses.
In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects |
| Direct Operating Costs | Costs that can be specifically identified with a service including salaries, wages, and fringe benefits of university faculty and staff directly involved in providing the service, materials and supplies, purchased services, travel expenses, equipment rental, depreciation, and interest associated with equipment acquisitions.
In Policy: |
| Disability | As defined by NYS law: • A physical, mental, or medical impairment resulting from anatomical, physiological, genetic, or neurological conditions which prevent the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques or • A record of such an impairment or • A condition regarded by others as such an impairment.
In Policy: |
| Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) | A for-profit small business that is at least 51% owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged owners.
In Policy: |
| Disclosure Policy | Requires any and all funds derived from or related to sponsored programs, projects, activities, and services which involve university employees in the course of their university duties, or which involve the use of university equipment or facilities to be deposited and expended through an account administered by the RF, UBF, CDS, or the university itself (IFR and SUTRA accounts).
In Policy: |
| Disclosure Statement | Includes information related to an investigator’s significant financial interests and non-university significant obligations.
In Policy: |
| Discrimination | Different treatment of an individual or group based upon a factor prohibited by law, including race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction status, that adversely affects the individual’s or group's employment or academic status. Policies or practices that adversely impact a protected group may also constitute discrimination, even when applied in a consistent manner. Harassment is a form of discrimination. Sex discrimination also includes, but is not limited to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Discrimination may also result from failure of the university to provide accommodations to individuals when required due to the individual's disability, religion, pregnancy status, maternity, or breastfeeding status.
In Policy: |
| Disposal | CHD must be disposed of in a certain manner that renders all data un-recoverable. This includes paper documents and any electronic media including computers, hard drives, magnetic tapes, and USB storage devices in accordance with the Record Retention and Disposition Policy. The approved PCI DSS disposal methods include cross-cut shredding, incineration, and approved shredding and disposal service.
In Policy: |
| Diversity Suppliers | Small business, minority, women, disadvantaged, and veteran-owned business enterprises.
In Policy: |
| Domain Name | The name that identifies and locates an organization or other entity on the Internet.
In Policy: |
| Domain Name System (DNS) | A set of protocols and database definitions. It is a distributed system that translates human-readable hostnames to network-readable IP addresses. It is comprised of name servers, resolvers (clients), and records.
In Policy: |
| Domestic Student | A student who is a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, or holds Refugee, Asylee, or Jay Treaty status.
In Policy: |
| Domestic Violence | A pattern of coercive tactics which can include physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and emotional abuse perpetrated by one person against an adult intimate partner, with the goal of establishing and maintaining power and control over the victim.
In Policies: |
| Duty of Care | The obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety and well-being of a child under an individual’s supervision.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Economically Disadvantaged Individuals | Those socially disadvantaged individuals whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to others in the same or similar line of business who are not socially disadvantaged.
In Policy: | |
| E-Discovery | Process of preserving, securing, reviewing, and exchanging electronically stored information in the context of modern litigation or other legal processes.
In Policy: | |
| Educational Records | Defined by FERPA as those records that contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by the university or by a party acting on behalf of the university. This includes, but is not limited to, transcripts, papers, exams, student databases, class schedules, financial records, correspondence, email, and handwritten notations. Educational records may be maintained in any medium. Educational records do not include law enforcement or physician treatment records that may be protected by other laws or regulations.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | |
| Educational Verification | Confirmation that the selected applicant possesses all educational credentials beyond high school listed on the application, resume, cover letter, or otherwise cited by the candidate that qualify the individual for the position.
In Policy: | |
| Effective Control | Management-directed, -authorized, and -monitored performance, which includes periodically comparing actual with planned performance, and documenting these actions to provide reasonable assurance that organizational goals will be achieved.
In Policy: | |
| Effort | The amount of time spent on an activity, expressed as a percentage of the individual’s total activity for the university. University effort includes all activities for which an employee is compensated by the university and includes research, instruction, other sponsored activities, administration, non-sponsored and departmental research, university service, proposal preparation, and clinical activities. For the purpose of effort reporting and certification, university effort totals 100%, regardless of the number of hours worked or the individual’s appointment percentage. Practice Plan or other university affiliate compensation is not included.
In Policy: • Principal Investigator Effort on Industry-Supported Clinical Trials | |
| Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) | The electronic transfer of money from one back account to another over a computerized network without any paper money changing hands or direct intervention of bank staff. Examples of EFT include credit or debit card payments, direct deposit, wire or ACH transfers. In Policy: | |
| Electronic Record | Information recorded in a format that requires a computer or other electronic device to access it and that otherwise satisfies the definition of a record.
In Policy: | |
| Electronically Stored Information (ESI) | Any information, record, document, file, or data that is stored electronically. ESI may include audio recordings, videotape, voice mail, email, instant messages, text messages, word processing documents, spreadsheets, databases, calendars, telephone logs, contact information, internet usage files, metadata, and all other electronic information created, received, or maintained on computer systems. ESI may reside on a university system, device, or server of any kind or on an employee’s personal device or account if such device or account is used for conducting university business.
In Policy: | |
| Email Filter | Processing email to organize it according to specified criteria. Most often this refers to the automatic processing of incoming messages, but the term also applies to the intervention of human intelligence in addition to anti-spam techniques, and to outgoing emails as well as those being received.
In Policy: | |
| Embargo | Specified period before the preprint, post-print, or final version of a scholarly or creative work that has been deposited into an OA repository is made freely available to the public. Under this policy, university authors may specify the length of an embargo or honor publisher requests or stipulations for them.
In Policy: | |
| Emergency | An event or set of circumstances which:
In Policy: | |
| Emergency Notification | Notice to the university community of emergency events and dangerous conditions occurring on campus or that present a threat to campus.
In Policy: | |
| Emergency Planning Oversight Committee | Serves as a clearing house for all matters related to emergency management. The Emergency Planning Oversight Committee members include, but are not limited to, representatives from: • Office of the President
In Policy: | |
| Emergency Planning Policy Group | Reviews the overall organization of resources and content of the CEMP to assure continuity of university operations. The Emergency Planning Policy Group includes the president, provost, and vice presidents.
In Policy: | |
| Employment Verification | Confirmation that the selected applicant actually worked in the positions listed on the application, resume, cover letter, or otherwise cited by the candidate that qualify the individual for the position, as well as all employment during a period of at least seven years immediately preceding application to UB. This verification includes dates of employment and verification of last position held.
In Policy: | |
| Endowed Chair | An academic position of the highest faculty honor supported by earnings from invested funds.
In Policy: | |
| Endowed Fund | A philanthropy vehicle where a donor stipulates that the gift principal remains intact and invested for the purposes of producing a stream of income.
In Policy: | |
| Engineering Controls | Controls applied to reduce or manage a hazard including process change, isolation, ventilation, and source modifications.
In Policy: • Commitment to Health and Safety in the Working and Learning Environment | |
| eProcurement | Purchasing goods and services using customized online catalogs. Allows users to place orders and allocate expenses to departmental accounts while receiving contract pricing. Transactions are direct billed to Purchasing via a consolidated bill, and automatically charged to departmental accounts. Departments are not required to submit an eReq or enter the receipt of these purchases in the web receiver system.
In Policy: | |
| Equal Employment Opportunity | The concept of providing access to employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or ex-offender status.
In Policies: | |
| Equally Effective Alternative Access | An alternative format or medium that communicates the same information in as timely and effective a fashion as does the original format or medium. For interactive or service pages, equally effective means the end result is accomplished in a comparable time and with comparable effort on the part of the requestor. To provide equally effective, alternative access, alternatives are not required to produce the identical result or level of achievement for persons with and without disabilities, but must afford persons with disabilities equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person’s needs.
In Policy: | |
| Equipment | An item of tangible personal property having a useful life exceeding one year.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Equipment Reserve | The amount of funds accumulated and set aside to cover the cost of purchasing replacement equipment for the service center.
In Policy: | |
| Equity Interest | Any stock, stock option, or other ownership interest as determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value.
In Policy: | |
| Essential Employee | An employee who has been deemed necessary by their supervisor and is expected to report to or remain at work during a change in scheduled operations. Employees who are deemed necessary may vary depending on the conditions.
In Policy: • Adverse Weather Operations | |
| Essential Function (Instance 1) | Fundamental duty of the position. A duty may be considered an essential function if: • The position exists to perform that function • There are a limited number of employees available who could fulfill that function and/or • The function is highly specialized In determining whether a duty is essential, it is also relevant to consider the amount of time spent performing the function, consequences of not allowing someone to perform the function, written job description, work experience of people who are performing the job or who have performed the job in the past, and terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
In Policy: | |
| Essential Function (Instance 2) | A fundamental job duty of an employment position for staff and faculty, or a fundamental academic element of a course or program of study for a student.
In Policy: | |
| Ethics | A moral philosophy or set of standards practiced by a person or group of people.
In Policy: • Ethics | |
| Event Ticket | A slip of paper or cardboard that serves as evidence that the holder has paid a fare or admission or is entitled to a service. Event tickets are pre-numbered and tracked in sequential order for seating and reconciliation purposes.
In Policy: | |
| Exception Approval | The approval required when hiring an individual under the specific situations for which an affirmative action search is not required.
In Policy: | |
| Experimental apparatus, demonstration or art projects, or mechanical or measurement devices | Include but are not limited to:
In Policy: | |
| Express Written Approval | Clear, formal, and explicit permission or consent that is put into writing. Approvals cannot be implied, nor given orally or verbally.
In Policy: | |
| External Audit Activity | Independent and objective appraisal, performed by a non-UB entity. These can include, but are not limited to audits, program reviews, examinations, consulting engagements, site visits, desk audits, fraud and irregularity investigations, and field testing. External audit activity may be mandatory or voluntary.
In Policy: | |
| External Auditor | Any non-UB auditor, agent, consultant, or investigator. External auditors may represent state or federal agencies, certified public accounting firms, legal firms, or grant sponsors including State University of New York internal auditors and RF internal auditors.
In Policy: | |
| External Beneficiaries | Individuals who benefit from goods or services paid for with UB funds but do not have a defined affiliation with the university.
In Policy: | |
| External Participant | Organization or individual whose ultimate source of funds is outside the university. External participants include faculty, staff, and students acting in a personal capacity. Affiliated hospitals and other individuals are also considered external users unless the university has subcontracted with them as part of a grant or contract, in which case they are an internal participant.
In Policy: | |
| External Revenue | Revenue received from any source other than the RF, UBF, or State University of New York (SUNY).
In Policy: | |
| External User | Organizations or individuals whose ultimate source of funds is outside of the university. External users include faculty, staff, and students acting in a personal capacity. Affiliated hospitals and other individuals are also considered external users unless the university has subcontracted with them as part of a grant or contract.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Service Centers | |
| Extra Service | Work performed by the employee must be: 1) performed entirely outside the employee's normal work day or shift; 2) substantially different from an individual's professional work obligation as defined by the employee's performance program; and 3) must not interfere with the employee's regular responsibilities. Additionally, State University of New York policy states that compensation for extra service is not to exceed an amount equal to twenty (20) percent of an employee's base annual salary in a fiscal year beginning on July 1 or academic year beginning on September 1, as appropriate.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| F&A Cost Rate (Instance 1) | The total F&A costs attributable to research are compared to the total direct costs of research to derive the percentage of F&A to direct. This percentage, the F&A cost rate, is then applied to the direct costs of research and is the means by which the university is reimbursed for F&A costs associated with direct cost expenditures. The application of the F&A cost rate allows the university to recover some of the costs of doing research that are not readily identified with a particular project or activity, but are necessary for the general operation of the organization.
In Policy: • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution |
| F&A Distribution Base | A defined group of direct cost expenditures to which the F&A rate is applied to determine the total F&A costs of a research project. The two most commonly used distribution bases are Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) or Salary and Wages (S&W) however, some non-federal sponsors may have developed other distribution bases such as Total Direct Costs (TDC). MTDC - all direct expenditure categories excluding the following: equipment, tuition remission, rental costs, scholarships and fellowships, patient care expenses, and subcontract costs over $25,000. S&W - the direct salary and wage expenditures of the sponsored research agreement.
In Policy: • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution |
| Facilities and Administration (F&A) Costs (Instance 1) | The costs of administrative and support functions of the university including general administration and general expense, operations and maintenance, building and equipment depreciation, library expenses, and interest.
In Policy: |
| Facilities & Administrative Costs (Indirect Costs) (Instance 2) | The costs of administrative and support functions of the university including general administration and expense, operations and maintenance, building and equipment depreciation, and library expenses. Costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be specifically identified with a particular sponsored project, instructional activity, or any other institutional activity.
In Policy: • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution |
| Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate (Instance 2) | An overhead rate, calculated as a percentage of the direct costs of sponsored projects, used to reimburse the university for the infrastructure support costs associated with sponsored research and other sponsored projects.
In Policy: |
| Facilities Use Agreement | An agreement between the Research Foundation (RF) and a non-UB entity for use of specialized university space/facilities which must include a documented research component and expectations. The agreement may be for a maximum of two years, and revenue must be deposited into an RF account. Language regarding liability insurance may also need to be included. These agreements require approval by Real Estate and Property Management (REPM) and Procurement Services. Procurement Services executes the Facilities Use Agreement and is the office of record.
In Policy: |
| Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) | The federal requirement governing the process by which consumer reports may be collected and utilized, including for the purposes of employment.
In Policy: |
| Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) | The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) |
| Family Relationship | A connection between two individuals by virtue of being a spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent, child, legal guardian, grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, first cousin, or any similar connection by marriage (e.g., parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law) or domestic partnership. Family relationships include such connections whether they are biological, by adoption, or through other formal means (e.g., foster parent/child, step family); this may also include past relationships where parties cannot be neutral (e.g., ex-spouse).
In Policy: • Nepotism |
| Federal e-Discovery Rules | The federal court system can rule for the disclosure and production of electronically stored information used as evidence in federal civil lawsuits.
In Policy: |
| Fee | Referring to the event, program, service, or product as a whole. There can be multiple rates for each fee.
In Policy: |
| Final Version | Also known as a “publisher version” or a “version of record.” A post-peer reviewed manuscript that has been typeset and laid out for publication in a journal, book, conference proceedings, or other scholarly product.
In Policy: |
| Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) | Exists when an investigator’s significant financial interest, external obligation, or sponsored travel could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of research or creative activity. SFIs that could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of funded research are considered an FCOI.
In Policy: |
| Fiscal Year | The 12 month period used for accounting purposes; the university’s fiscal year is July 1 to June 30.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events |
| Fixed Price Award | A type of sponsored project account where costs are pre-determined based on a fixed fee per unit of service or product. The total is not subject to any upward or downward adjustment of funds based on actual costs. There is no stipulation or expectation that excess funds be returned to the funding agency. In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects |
| Flooding | Posting a message to multiple list servs or news groups with the intention of reaching as many users as possible.
In Policy: |
| Fossil Fuel | Fuels or hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the Earth’s crust. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form, and reserves are being depleted much faster than new ones are being formed.
In Policy: |
| Foreign National | Person present in a country who does not currently have the right to permanent residency in that country.
In Policy: |
| Fraud and Irregularities• | For purposes of this policy, fraud and irregularities include activities that are: • a misappropriation of assets • in violation of or non-compliant with any university, State University of New York (SUNY), New York State, Research Foundation (RF), or federal law, regulation, policy, or procedure • economically wasteful • an indication of gross misconduct or incompetency • an unethical, improper, or dishonest act. Examples of fraud and irregularities involving any resources of the university, SUNY, RF, UBF, or state include but are not limited to: • theft of any asset including but not limited to money, tangible property, trade secrets, or intellectual property • misappropriation, misapplication, destruction, removal, or concealment of records, funds, supplies, furniture, fixtures, equipment, or other assets • inappropriate use of computer systems, including hacking and software piracy • unauthorized disclosure of confidential or proprietary information • unauthorized disclosure of personal information, medical information, or student educational records • authorizing or receiving compensation for hours not worked or not covered by appropriate and available leave (e.g., falsifying time records) • deceptive financial reporting • credit card and travel expense misuse or fraud • use of staff to perform personal errands, services, or tasks • alteration or falsification of a check, bank draft, account, or other university document • false claims by employees, students, vendors, or others associated with the university • bribery, kickbacks, bid rigging, and conflicts of interest • falsifying research results • violation of donor intent.
In Policy: |
| Full-Time Student | An undergraduate student registered for at least 12 credits. There are a few exceptions for international students that are allowed only if approved by a Designated School Official or (Alternate) Responsible Officer in International Student and Scholar Services. These exceptions include reduced course load due to medical condition, academic difficulty, or final semester.
In Policy: |
| Fully Qualified Domain Names | A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is the complete domain name for a specific computer, or host, on the Internet. The FQDN consists of two parts: the hostname and the domain name.
In Policy: |
| Fundamental Alteration | A change so significant that it affects the essential nature of the instruction, program, or activity provided.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Games of Chance | Include games known as merchandise wheels, coin boards, merchandise boards, seal cards, raffles, bell jars, and such other specific games, in which prizes are awarded on the basis of a designated winning number or numbers, color or colors, symbol or symbols determined by chance, but not including games commonly known as bingo or lotto and also not including bookmaking, policy, or numbers games and lottery. Games of chance do not involve wagering of money by one player against another player.
In Policy: | |
| General University Service Fee (GUSF) | Fee charged against external revenue. The service fee is a flat rate charged across all entities on funds generated through the use of university faculty or staff time or use of university facilities.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Gift (Instance 1) | The voluntary, non-reciprocal transfer of money or property from a funder/donor to the university. The funder/donor may be an individual, corporation, or non-profit organization. Other than an expectation that the university will use the gift for its intended purpose, the funder/donor does not expect anything of value in return besides recognition, and does not have control over expenditures. A gift may meet the interests of the donor and can be restricted or unrestricted. Gifts may be made to UB anonymously. A restricted gift is a contribution designated for a specific purpose, program, or project. If the donor does not specify any restrictions, the gift is unrestricted, and UB may allocate the funds at its own discretion.
In Policy: • Distinguishing Between Gifts and Sponsored Activities | |
| Gift (Instance 2) | Cash or noncash items given to express appreciation or gratitude; not related to job performance and no negotiation conducted in advance. Gifts should be of nominal value and, ideally, bear the university's licensed logo or be UB-themed. Use of UB brand items is not a requirement unless indicated in the Gifts, Prizes, and Awards Funding Chart.
In Policy: | |
| Gift (Instance 3) | Charitable donation made to the university without the expectation of receiving goods or services (quid pro quo) in return.
In Policy: | |
| Gift-in-Kind | Non-cash gift that becomes an inventoried, usable asset of the university (e.g., equipment, artwork, literary collection).
In Policy: | |
| Good Faith (Instance 1) | Honest intent to act without taking an unfair advantage over another person.
In Policy: | |
| Good Faith (Instance 2) | The good faith standard protects individuals who make a report, even if that report turns out to be incorrect; malicious or vindictive reporters who provide false information knowingly are not protected.
In Policy: | |
| Good Faith Allegation | An allegation made with the honest belief that research misconduct may have occurred; an allegation is not in good faith if it is made with reckless disregard for or willful ignorance of facts that would disprove the allegation.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity | |
| Good Faith Effort | Honest intent to act without taking an unfair advantage over another person. It is used as an evaluation tool to determine an employer’s level of commitment to providing equal opportunity to advertised positions.
In Policy: | |
| Guest | Person invited to visit the university or take part in a function organized by the university; the guest visit must be related to a business purpose and support the mission of the university.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Harassment | A form of discrimination consisting of oral, written, graphic or physical conduct relating to an individual's protected characteristics as outlined in UB’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy that has the effect of subjecting the individual to inferior terms, conditions or privileges of employment or interferes with or limits the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from the university’s programs or activities. Such conduct must amount to more than petty slights or trivial inconveniences, but need not be severe or pervasive. Engaging in speech or expression protected by the First Amendment is not a violation of the university's policies against discrimination and harassment.
In Policies: • Discrimination and Harassment |
| Hardware Token | A physical device that is assigned to an authorized individual that is used to prove the individual’s identity electronically.
In Policy: |
| Hate Crime | Clery Act crimes and any incidents of larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation, destruction/damage/vandalism of property that are motivated by bias toward race, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, and disability. Under the SaVE Act, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are also hate crimes.
In Policy: |
| Health Care Professional | For purposes of this policy, a health care professional includes any individual (employee, volunteer, student, resident, intern, and/or trainee) who has responsibility for providing physical and/or mental health care services to students. Examples of physical health care professionals include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, registered nurses, medical assistants, dieticians, radiologists, and health educators. Examples of mental health care professionals include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, and mental health counselors.
In Policy: |
| Higher-Risk Equipment | UB property costing less than $5,000 having a greater potential for theft or that may be easily removed from campus (e.g., portable electronic devices including laptop computers, cameras, projectors), and any items removed from campus. Cost includes the price less any discounts, plus all freight and installation charges; cost does not include warranty, training, maintenance, or trade-in costs.
In Policy: |
| Hosted Event | Any event, hospitality or social activity, held in person or virtually, organized or funded by UB.
In Policy: |
| Household Goods and Personal Effects | All reasonable items of furniture, furnishing, clothing, appliances, tools, and equipment, including necessary expenditures for handling such items as pianos, refrigerators, and deep freezers. For the purposes of moving expenses, the term personal effects includes, but is not limited to, moveable personal property that the taxpayer owns and frequently uses.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Theft | Any use or attempt by an individual to use another person’s identifying information to obtain a thing of value to which the individual is not entitled including, but not limited to money, credit, goods, or services such as education or medical care.
In Policy: | |
| Identity Verification | Confirmation that an individual is who they claim to be.
In Policy: | |
| Immediate Family | The spouse, children (son or daughter), and parents of a staff, faculty, or student employee.
In Policy: | |
| Immediate Family Members | Includes an individual’s spouse, domestic partner, or person in a civil union or similar relationship, dependent children, or any other family members residing in the same household.
In Policies: • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research | |
| Imminent Threat | A situation that is likely to result in injury or death if immediate action is not taken; imminent threats must be reported to UPD immediately.
In Policy: | |
| Inappropriate Conduct | Actions or omissions which do not rise to the level of child abuse, but are otherwise prohibited under this policy (see Conduct Requirements).
In Policy: | |
| Indirect Cost (Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs) | The costs of administrative and support functions of the university including general administration and expense, operations and maintenance, building and equipment depreciation, and library expenses. Costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily assigned to a particular sponsored project, instructional activity, or any other institutional activity. In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects | |
| Inquiry | Preliminary information gathering and preliminary fact-finding to determine whether an allegation or apparent instance of research misconduct warrants an investigation.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity | |
| Institutional Conflict of Interest (ICOI) | Exists where a business and financial relationship between the university and an external entity compromises the integrity of institutional decision-making. Such conflicts may arise in situations: • When covered individuals who act on behalf of the university have personal business and financial interests that may be affected by their administrative decisions; in these situations, an individual’s business and financial relationship also implicates the university’s interests • Where the university enters into a business and financial relationship at the institutional level with an external entity that may bring financial gain to the university or any of its units, such as: • Intellectual property rights owned by SUNY or RF which has been licensed to an outside entity in exchange for equity royalties or other forms of financial remuneration An ICOI may involve any university activity carried out in the pursuit of the university’s mission. Of significant concern are conflicts that create the potential for inappropriate influence over human subjects research, particularly to the safety and care of subjects enrolled in the research and the integrity of the research.
In Policy: • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research | |
| Institutional Responsibilities | An individual’s professional obligations on behalf of UB, which include, but are not limited to, activities such as research, teaching, professional practice, institutional committee memberships, and service on review boards.
In Policy: | |
| Integrity | Strict adherence to a moral code, reflected in transparent honesty and complete harmony in what one thinks, says, and does.
In Policy: • Ethics | |
| Intellectual Property | Patentable inventions, tangible research materials, computer software, and any unique or novel innovation in the technical arts or any new and useful improvements thereof, including methods or processes for creating an object or result (a way of doing or making things), machines, devices, products of manufacture, product designs, or composition, mask works or layout designs for printed circuit boards or integrated circuits, compositions of matter, materials, any variety of plant, and any know-how essential to the practice or enablement of such innovations and improvements, whether or not patentable.
In Policy: | |
| Interactive Process | The method by which an employee and employer explore whether reasonable accommodations can enable the employee to perform the essential functions of a position. The interactive process should involve open dialogue that allows for full participation by both employer and employee, in consultation with AR as requested by any involved party. In the academic context, the interactive process can also be an appropriate avenue for students and instructors to reach agreement concerning academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids necessary to allow the student to complete academic requirements.
In Policy: | |
| Interim Policy or Interim Policy Revision | A provisional policy or policy revision that fulfills an emergent need and requires implementation pending the prescribed review and approval process. An interim policy or revision is effective for six months. The initial interim effective term (six months) may be extended in six-month increments, for a maximum of two six-month extensions, allowing for a maximum interim term of 18 months. An interim policy or interim revision to an existing policy is subject to approval by the responsible executive and Policy, Compliance and Internal Controls and has full authority during its interim status.
In Policy: | |
| Internal Beneficiaries | Individuals who benefit from a good or service paid for with UB funds while maintaining the status of faculty, staff, student, student employee, appointed volunteer, or honoraria.
In Policy: | |
| Internal Control | The integration of the activities, plans, attitudes, policies, and efforts of the people of a department working together to provide reasonable assurance that the department will achieve its mission.
In Policies: • Approval Authority | |
| Internal Participant | An academic, research, administrative, or auxiliary unit whose ultimate source of funds is within or flows through the university, including State and UB Foundation funds).
In Policy: | |
| Internal Service Center Overhead | All costs that can be specifically identified to a service center, but not with a particular service provided by the center, such as the salary and fringe benefits of the director.
In Policy: | |
| Internal User | An academic, research, administrative, or auxiliary unit whose ultimate source of funds is within or flows through the university (including State IFR, RF, UBF, and Faculty Student Association funds).
In Policies: • Financial Management of Service Centers | |
| International Student | A student who is not a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States. International students usually need an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the United States and must have appropriate work authorization to be employed as a student.
In Policy: | |
| Internet Applicant Rule | An employer that accepts employment applications submitted electronically must consider an individual as an Internet applicant if they meet all of the following criteria: • The individual submits an expression of interest in employment via the Internet (only applications via UB Jobs will be considered)
In Policy: | |
| Intimate Partner | Includes persons legally married to one another; persons formerly married to one another; persons who have a child in common, regardless of whether such persons are married or have lived together at any time, couples who are in an intimate relationship, including but not limited to, couples who live together or have lived together, or persons who are dating or who have dated in the past. An intimate partner includes same sex and transgender couples.
In Policy: | |
| Invention | A novel creation, discovery, and/or idea that may be protected by patent or similar United States or international intellectual property rights. “Invention” may also be used herein with respect to making royalty distributions under the Computer Software Policy.
In Policy: | |
| Inventor | Any UB personnel who conceived, authored reduced to practice, designed, developed, or otherwise contributed to the conception or creation of intellectual property. Inventor also includes any:
In Policy: | |
| Inventory Coordinator | Individual appointed by the department head to maintain the department’s equipment inventory, track equipment transfer and disposal, and monitor physical security of items.
In Policy: | |
| Investigation | The formal development of a factual record and the examination of that record leading to a conclusion that the allegation does or does not constitute research misconduct. For a finding of research misconduct, the investigation may include a recommendation for appropriate actions including administrative actions.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity | |
| Investigator | A project director, principal investigator, or any other person (including subcontractors, collaborators, or consultants), regardless of title or position, responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of sponsored projects.
In Policy: |
None Listed
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Key Personnel | The Principal Investigator (PI) and other individuals who design, conduct, and report research, or who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, regardless of compensation.
In Policy: • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS | Comprehensive database of all UB biospecimens accessible to university investigators and collaborators upon request.
In Policy: | |
| Lease | An agreement conveying the right to use property or equipment for a stated period of time.
In Policy: | |
| Legal Hold | The process by which UB Information Technology personnel preserve certain records and ESI pursuant to a Legal Preservation Notice by Counsel.
In Policy: | |
| Legal Name | The name that identifies a person for legal and other official purposes. A person's legal name is generally the name given and registered at birth, and which appears on a birth certificate, but may subsequently change.
In Policy: | |
| Legal Preservation Notice | A set of written instructions that is sent from Counsel to Key Persons and their supervisors, with notice to the E-Discovery Response Team in order to initiate a Legal Hold when an event gives rise to a reasonable anticipation of litigation.
In Policy: | |
| Licensed Provider | Person(s) holding a license to sell and serve alcohol, by the glass, for consumption on the premises.
In Policy: |
|
| License or Copyright License | A grant of rights made in accordance with Copyright Law (U.s., Code, Title 17), allowing specific uses of copyrighted work.
In Policy: | |
| License Verification | Confirmation that the selected applicant possesses all the licenses listed on the application, resume, cover letter, or otherwise cited by the candidate that qualify the individual for the position; also verification of any license required for the position, including verification of the disposition of such licenses. This includes any motor vehicle driver licenses required for the associated position and professional credentials.
In Policy: | |
| Lock Bag | A deposit bag with a lock to transport cash and checks securely between locations. While no bag is completely theft proof, lock bags offer a higher degree of security due to their locking system and construction of the bag.
In Policy: | |
| Lockbox | A post office box established for receiving payments. A lockbox service with a financial institution may be established to process payments and deposit them directly into the university’s bank account.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Management Plan | An action plan that will reduce or eliminate an FCOI, prevent or mitigate the harm that could arise from the conflict, and to the extent possible, ensure that the design, conduct, and reporting of research or other activity is free of bias.
In Policy: |
| Mark | Names, seals, symbols, insignia, logos, original artwork, word marks, signatures or taglines, uniforms, mascots, or other identifying visuals, as well as still and moving images, or any other identifier that represents the University at Buffalo.
In Policy: |
| Mass Digital Communications | Messages sent, unsolicited, to large segments of the university population using email, text messaging, or voice telephony. Does not include digital signage.
In Policy: |
| Means of Egress | A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way. A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts: the exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge.
In Policy: |
| Medical Examination | Verification that the selected applicant can physically perform the duties of the position and/or does not pose a health or safety risk to him/herself or others.
In Policy: |
| Merchant | A department or unit (including a group of departments or a subset of a department) approved to accept payment cards and assigned a merchant identification number.
In Policy: |
| Message Hygiene | Eliminating or quarantining email messages determined to be spam, or which contain malware, viruses, phishing attempts, or otherwise malicious content.
In Policy: |
| Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) | Under Article 15-A of the New York State Executive Law, an MBE is a business enterprise in which at least fifty-one percent (51%) is owned, operated, and controlled by citizens or permanent resident aliens who are meeting the following ethnic definitions: • Black: Persons having origins from any of the Black African racial groups
In Policy: |
| Minority Group Member | An individual who is a U.S. citizen with at least one quarter of the following ethnicities: Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic, or Native American.
In Policy: |
| Mobile Communication Device | Collective term used to describe various types of devices including, but not limited to: cellular and satellite phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDA’s), tablets, pagers, and other similar devices that facilitate voice and data communications.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Names | University at Buffalo, UB, Bulls, UBuffalo.
In Policy: |
| National Weather Service (NWS) | The official government agency tasked with warning the public of pending hazards associated with weather. The NWS issues the following alerts during periods of severe winter weather: • Advisory - Conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences that may be hazardous. If caution is used, these situations should be life-threatening.
In Policy: |
| Nepotism | Favoritism shown on the basis of family, personal, or romantic relationships. This includes research and procurement decisions as well as actions by a university employee that directly or indirectly influence the employment terms and conditions (e.g., appointment, promotion, supervision, evaluation, determination of salary), academic progress (e.g., grading, advising) of any other university member with whom they have a family or personal relationship. This definition also includes instances where there is no direct influence on employment, academics, or procurement, but the relationship has a negative impact on the educational or work environment. It also includes actions that do not involve direct supervision, but where a benefit related to university employment, academic progress, (e.g., research funding, consideration for tenure), or procurement contracts may be conferred or denied.
In Policy: • Nepotism |
| Net Royalty | Royalty less reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by UB and not reimbursed by licensees for the evaluation, marketing, development, protection, maintenance, and enforcement of the subject intellectual property.
In Policy |
| Network Connected Devices | Any Internet capable device that can be attached to the campus network for the purpose of interacting with other devices and services. Typically this connection is through wired Ethernet, but may be extended to include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular connectivity when necessary. Devices include servers, workstations, workgroup printers, “cloud drives”, virtual desktop appliances, media devices, gaming consoles, tablets, smartphones, and controllers.
In Policy: |
| New Employee | An individual appointed to a position, regardless of the funding source, who is not currently employed on any UB payroll. This includes both full and part-time staff positions. Student assistants, graduate/teaching assistants, and volunteer appointments are excluded for purposes of this policy.
In Policy: |
| New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) | Provides the public right to access records maintained by government agencies with certain exceptions.
In Policy: |
| New York State Gaming Commission | Organization which regulates all aspects of gaming and gambling activity in the state, including charitable gaming.
In Policy: |
| Non-Campus Building or Property | Areas that do not fall under the definition of on-campus property, but where the university is still obligated to report Clery Act crimes; these include:
In Policy: |
| Non-Exclusive License | A grant of rights made by authors that can be granted to multiple parties. Non-exclusive rights are granted to the university in this policy.
In Policy: |
| Non-participating UB Department | UB operating unit that did not participate in the 2005/06 permanent transfer of unit funding that was based on the number of active phone lines either by choice or circumstance.
In Policy: |
| Non-proprietary Data | High-level data that is not considered private and confidential including financial sponsored program data at the aggregate level (no detail) and personal data limited to name, work telephone number, department/location, and employee identification number (as long as this number or its placement in a sequence of numbers does not identify the person’s employer as the RF).
In Policy: • Acceptable Use of Research Foundation Proprietary Data Outside the RF Business System |
| Non-qualified Sponsorship | Sponsorship for which the support received from a sponsor is considered income to the university under the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) provisions of the Internal Revenue Code because the sponsor is receiving a substantial return benefit in exchange for the sponsor’s support.
In Policy: |
| Non-UB Department | A public entity, private not-for profit entity, private educational entity, private affiliated entity, or private business located in UB space.
In Policy: |
| Non-UB Employee | Any person who does not have a current official appointment at the University at Buffalo, including students, student club members, vendors, members of public entities, members of private not-for-profit entities, members of private educational entities, members of private affiliated entities, or members of a private business that is located within UB space.
In Policy: |
| Notice of Address Discrepancy | Notice from a consumer reporting agency indicating a substantial difference between the address provided by the employee or applicant and the address the consumer reporting agency has on file.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Office of Management and Budget (OMB) | The part of the executive branch of the federal government that assists the President in the development and implementation of budget, program, management, and regulatory policies.
In Policy: |
| Office of Record | The unit or individual designated as having responsibility for retention and timely destruction of official university records. If you are designated to maintain the original document, you are considered the Office of Record and must maintain the document for the period outlined in the applicable record retention schedule.
In Policies: |
| Official Sponsor | An entity that is given exclusive rights to a university-wide sponsorship associated with the category of business in which the entity operates. Because use of the term "official" in connection with a sponsorship activity may be perceived as an endorsement which is prohibited, the university will permit use of the "official" designation only after special consideration by, and with approval of, the Sponsorship Advisory Committee.
In Policy: |
| Official Station | Generally, the address of the office to which the employee is assigned; an employee can have only one official station. The designation of official station is determined by the university in the best interest of the university and not for the convenience of the employee. The purpose of the official station is to determine when the traveler is in travel status and eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses. Travel between the employee’s home and official station is considered commuting and is not reimbursable.
In Policies: • Travel |
| Official University at Buffalo (UB) Websites | Online content, both publicly accessible as well as material behind an authentication layer, owned or controlled by the university's formal academic and administrative units. These sites typically reside in, or resolve to, the buffalo.edu domain (though some may not, e.g., ubbulls.com, ubcfa.org, and myubcard.com) and may serve any (or all) of the university's stakeholders.
In Policy: |
| Officially Licensed Vendor | A business or corporation that is approved and licensed by the Trademarks and Licensing Program to produce merchandise that bears the University at Buffalo marks. These vendors must meet insurance requirements, show consistent quality, and agree to abide by the university’s Trademarks and Licensing Code of Conduct. Vendors must complete an application to become licensed.
In Policy: |
| On-Campus Property | On-Campus properties include: • Areas owned or controlled by the university within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution’s educational purposes, including residence halls, and
In Policy: |
| Open Access | The free availability of scholarly or creative works on the internet, permitting users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts for any lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than access to the internet.
In Policy: |
| Open Access Repository | A digital archive or platform designed to make scholarly or creative works freely available on the internet with clearly defined legal restrictions on their use or circulation. University at Buffalo repository services are the default for this policy.
In Policy: |
| Ordering Department | The department or unit responsible for initiating the purchasing request and receiving the product or service.
In Policy: |
| Outside Activity | Any activity outside of UB employment including: • Ownership or investment in any outside business or enterprise • Serving as a director, officer, partner, consultant, broker, agent, or representative of any outside enterprise • Outside professional activity or other activity • Other employment
In Policy: |
| Ownership | The university has ownership of all assets purchased or reimbursed with State, RF, or UBF funds, transferred, or otherwise acquired unless specifically stated by a sponsor.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | A parent of a student and includes a natural parent, a guardian, or an individual acting as a parent in the absence of a parent or a guardian.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | ||
| Participating UB Department | A UB operating unit participating in the 2005/06 permanent transfer of unit funding that was based on the number of active phone lines at that time and previously billed annual telephone charges. The permanent transfer was done to pay for the telephone system conversion to VoIP technology. Departments may not be included in the participating group retroactively.
In Policy: | ||
| Password | Consists of a string of letters, numbers, punctuation, spaces, and other characters. The term password and passphrase are often used interchangeably.
In Policy: | ||
| Pastoral Counselor | An individual associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling, and functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.
In Policy: | ||
| Patentable Invention | Any art or process (way of doing or making things), machine, manufacture, design, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, or any variety of plant, which is or may be patentable under the patent laws of the United States or other relevant jurisdiction, and the patent applications or patents that embody them.
In Policy | ||
| Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) | A set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security. The PCI DSS was developed by the founding payment brands of the PCI Security Standards Council including American Express, Discover Financial Services, MasterCard Worldwide, and VISA International to facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures on a global basis. The PCI DSS is a multi-faceted security standard that includes requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design, and other critical protective measures. This comprehensive standard is intended to help organizations proactively protect customer account data and offers a single approach to safeguarding sensitive data for all card brands.
In Policy: | ||
| Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) | The security requirements defined by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Council and the major credit card brands including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JCB.
In Policies: | ||
| PCI Compliance Committee | Group composed of representatives from Financial Management, Information Security Office, Office of the Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Internal Audit, and UB merchants.
In Policy: | ||
| Penny Socials | Events in which a participant pays money for a ticket that will be randomly drawn to determine the winner of a merchandise prize. Penny Socials meet the definition of a Raffle and must be lawfully conducted.
In Policy: | ||
| Personal Identifying Information | Any name or number that may be used, alone or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific person, including:
In Policy: | ||
| Personal Information | Has the meaning set forth in subdivision 5 of section 202 of the New York State Technology Law. Personal information means any information concerning a natural person which, because of name, number, symbol, mark, or other identifier, can be used to identify that natural person. (Source: New York State Technology Law)
In Policy: | ||
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Equipment worn by an individual (e.g., gloves, safety glasses, respirators) that is designed to provide protection from a hazard.
In Policy: • Commitment to Health and Safety in the Working and Learning Environment | ||
| Personally Identifiable Information | Information contained in an educational record that identifies or describes a student, including but not limited to, student name, name of a student’s parent or other family members, address of a student or student’s family, any personal identifier such as a student’s social security number or identification number, person number, or any personal characteristics or other information that would make a student’s identity easily traceable. Personally identifiable information is divided into two categories: Directory Information – student information that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. UB has designated the following as directory information: student name, current address, telephone number, email address, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees, and awards received. Confidential Information – student information that may not be disclosed without the prior consent of the student to whom the information pertains, including directory information that the student designates as non-disclosable.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | ||
| Personal Relationship | A marital or other committed relationship; a family relationship as defined above; consensual sexual or romantic relationship; a close personal friendship; or a significant business relationship. This may also include past relationships where parties cannot be neutral (e.g., former business partner, former romatic partner).
In Policy: • Nepotism | ||
| Personnel | All full-time and part-time employees of SUNY and SUNY affiliates, student employees (including, but not limited to, research assistants, teaching assistants, fellows, post-doctoral scholars, and students providing services under sponsor agreements), and other persons holding any paid appointment or position with SUNY.
In Policy | ||
| Philanthropic Event | Event where the primary purpose is to generate funds for the university (e.g., golf tournament, scholarship fundraising event). Participants are eligible for a charitable contribution receipt as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
In Policy: | ||
| Policy, Compliance and Internal Controls | The office charged with defining, implementing, and overseeing the policy development process and maintaining a central repository of university policies. In Policy: | ||
| Policy Review Group (PRG) | A standing advisory, working group comprised of campus administrators who thoroughly review proposed policies and substantial revisions to existing policies. The PRG provides advice and recommendations as well as a university-wide perspective. PRG meetings are scheduled every other month.
In Policy: | ||
| Policy Writing Group | An ad hoc group comprised of subject matter and process experts, policy users, stakeholders, and others as appropriate that is formed to write and revise a university policy on a given subject. Members are selected by the responsible office.
In Policy: | ||
| Post Dated Check | A check written for disbursement at a future date from the date the check is written because payment is not due until the later date.
In Policy: | ||
| Postdoctoral Associate | Individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a defined temporary period of mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a career path of their choosing. Postdoctoral associates train under the direction and supervision of faculty mentors in preparation for academic or research careers. Postdoctoral Associate and Senior Postdoctoral Associate are titles that can be used for this classification. A senior postdoctoral associate would have three or more years of postdoctoral experience in the field of research or scholarly study. A postdoctoral associate may receive payment through the RF, UBF, or State funds. For the purpose of payment, the postdoctoral associate is considered an employee of the institution and receives a paycheck every two weeks through payroll, payroll taxes are withheld, and may be eligible for certain benefits consistent with the fiscal agent appointment type.
In Policy: | ||
| Postdoctoral Fellow | Appointment of a postdoctoral scholar when the postdoc has been awarded a fellowship or traineeship for postdoctoral study, typically by an extramural agency or intramural resources (internal university programs, university centers, or institutes), and the fellowship or traineeship is paid through an RF account. A postdoctoral fellow is not considered an employee for most extramural funds and taxes are not withheld (exceptions may apply to non-resident aliens) although they may be entitled to certain benefits. The fellow is part of the UB postdoctoral community, with access to the appropriate facilities and resources to conduct scholarly work.
In Policy: |
| |
| Postdoctoral Fellow Paid Direct | An appointment is made as a fellow paid direct when the postdoc has been awarded a fellowship or traineeship for postdoctoral study by an extramural agency and the agency pays the fellowship or traineeship directly to the postdoc, rather than through the RF. Although the fellow is part of the UB postdoctoral community, with access to the appropriate facilities and resources to conduct scholarly work, they are not considered employees of the institution.
In Policy: |
| |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | Competitive award of financial support to an individual which provides a stipend and in some cases money for benefits coverage. Although postdoctoral fellowships may be awarded on the basis of a proposed research program, they are not awarded to accomplish a specific statement of work. Postdoctoral fellowships are awarded on a merit basis to assist a scholar in their professional training and development.
In Policy: | ||
| Postdoctoral Scholar | Individual with the title of Postdoctoral Associate or Postdoctoral Fellow.
In Policy: | ||
| Post-print | Commonly understood as an “accepted manuscript.” A post-peer reviewed manuscript, but not necessarily the typeset or PDF version. Each discipline may have its own standards for what is reasonably interpreted as a final version of a scholarly or creative work. Does not include materials related to patents, trademarks, or comparable kinds of intellectual property.
In Policy: | ||
| Preferred Name | First or middle name by which a student may wish to be known that differs from their legal first or middle name.
In Policy: | ||
| Pre-Numbered Check | A press numbered, triplicate form that acts as a record of receipt when cash is received. The original is given to the payer and copies are retained for accounting purposes.
In Policy: | ||
| Preponderance of Evidence (Instance 1) | Proof by information that, compared with that opposing it, leads to the conclusion that the fact at issue is more probably true than not.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity | ||
| Preponderance of the Evidence (Instance 2) | The standard of proof in discrimination cases, which determines whether it is “more likely than not” that the discriminatory or harassing act(s) occurred.
In Policy: | ||
| Pre-print | Commonly understood as “author’s original manuscript” or “submitted manuscript.” A pre-peer-reviewed manuscript.
In Policy: | ||
| Primary Account Number (PAN) | Number code of 14 or 16 digits embossed on a bank or credit card and encoded in the card's magnetic strip. PAN identifies the issuer of the card and the account, and includes a check digit as an authentication device.
In Policy: | ||
| Principle IT Contact | Any person identified by the administrative head of a Non-UB department whose responsibility is to act as the contact regarding IT support and services for the Non-UB department to UB IT Support.
In Policy: | ||
| Principal Investigator | UB faculty or staff member who bears responsibility for the leadership of a project, program, or activity. The PI accepts overall responsibility for directing the research, financial oversight, and compliance with relevant university policies and sponsor terms and conditions.
In Policies: • Approved Entity for Fiscal Administration of Sponsored Projects • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution • Financial Responsibility for Sponsored Projects • Graduate Student Tuition on Research Awards • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research • Moving Expense Reimbursement | ||
| Principal User | An individual, who owns, is the primary user of a device, or the individual or group to which responsibility has been delegated for the administration of a device. Examples: the person who exclusively uses a laptop, the person who oversees a device shared by others, or the IT Professional charged with administering a publicly available device.
In Policy: | ||
| Prize | Cash or noncash items received as a result of a game of chance, drawing, or contest of skill, either with or without the purchase of a chance or ticket.
In Policy: | ||
| Process Chlorine-Free Paper | Paper that is not bleached with chlorine or chlorine derivatives, avoiding dioxin pollution and other negative environmental impacts.
In Policy: | ||
| Procurement Contract | Agreement in which UB acquires goods or services from a supplier in exchange for consideration. The agreement terms and conditions that outline parties’ responsibilities must be in compliance with the laws of the State of New York and must follow the applicable rules and regulations of the selected funding source.
In Policy: | ||
| Professional Counselor | Person whose official responsibilities include providing mental health counseling to members of the institution’s community and who is functioning within the scope of his/her license or certification.
In Policy: | ||
| Professional Department or Unit | Department or unit devoted to providing professional services to students. This includes, but is not limited to, dining services, facilities services, student life/activities, financial aid, registrar, bursar, career services, library services, residential life, athletics, academic advisement, accessibility resources, counseling services, health center, information technology, and safety, security and police.
In Policy: | ||
| Professional Integrity | Demonstrate behaviors that show a commitment to consistent and willing adherence to guidelines and policies as well as to ethical conduct in support of the mission of the university.
In Policy: | ||
| Professional Responsibility | For the purposes of this policy only, professional staff and other college personnel shall be deemed to have professional responsibility to an undergraduate student or graduate student when that person has a job-related duty that can impact the student’s educational or professional career; specifically, where they have decision-making authority that may impact student learning, student life or student welfare, they have professional responsibility. In addition, a University Police Officer shall be deemed to have a professional responsibility at any time that they are on duty, or when the member is directly involved in an ongoing investigation in which the student is a target, witness, person of interest, or subject of an investigation, criminal matter, inquiry, or campus administrative action, or when the member is involved in an open case or action in which the student or other staff is either the plaintiff/complainant/defendant or potential plaintiff/complainant/defendant. A health care professional working in a campus student health service, counseling service, or wellness center shall not commence a romantic relationship with a student for whom they are providing direct patient medical care or counseling. In addition, such health care provider shall not provide direct patient medical care or counseling to a student with whom they have had or are having a consensual romantic relationship (unless it is an emergency and no other health care provider is available on campus).
In Policy: | ||
| Promotional Item | Product branded with the university logo or slogan and distributed at little or no cost to promote the university, our identity, or a specific event or department.
In Policy: | ||
| Proprietary Data | RF data that is private and confidential. Examples include, but are not limited to: • Biographical data (e.g., age, sex, marital status)
In Policy: • Acceptable Use of Research Foundation Proprietary Data Outside the RF Business System | ||
| Protected Group | A protected group member is an individual who falls within a group that is qualified for protection under equal employment laws. Examples include individuals with qualifying disabilities, veterans with qualifying service, members of minority groups, and women.
In Policy: | ||
| Public Health Services (PHS) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), and components of the PHS including but not limited to the: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Indian Health Service (IHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In Policy: | ||
| Public Property | All public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, that is within the campus, immediately adjacent to, and accessible from campus.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Qualified Employee with a Disability | An individual with a disability who can perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
In Policy: |
| Qualified Sponsorship | Sponsorship for which the support given to the university by the sponsor is not taxable income to the university under UBIT provisions. In general, this means that there is no arrangement or expectation that the sponsor will receive any substantial return benefit (e.g., advertising, endorsement) other than acknowledgement by the university.
In Policy: |
| Qualified Student with a Disability | A student with a disability who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the education program or activity, with or without the provision of academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Radiation | Energy propagated over distance in the form of electromagnetic waves or by the emission of subatomic particles.
In Policy: • Commitment to Health and Safety in the Working and Learning Environment |
| Raffle | Game of chance in which a participant pays money in return for a ticket or other receipt and in which a prize is awarded on the basis of a winning number or numbers, color or colors, or symbol or symbols designated on the ticket or receipt, determined by chance as a result of a drawing from among those tickets or receipts previously sold. (NYS General Municipal Law, Section 186.3-b)
In Policy: • Gifts, Prizes, and Awards |
| Raffle Category | Classification that best describes the type of raffle an authorized organization intends to conduct. Raffle categories are defined by the NYS Gaming Commission Division of Charitable Gaming. Category 1 – Raffle(s) in which the university derives cumulative net raffle proceeds of at least $30,000 from all raffles conducted during the calendar year or between $5,000 and $29,999 for any raffle. Category 2 – Raffle(s) in which the university derives less than $5,000 in net raffle proceeds from any single raffle and less than $30,000 in net raffle proceeds from all raffles conducted during the calendar year. In Policy: |
| Raffle Proposal Request | Form that must be completed and submitted to Financial Management and the UBF for approval prior to the start of raffle ticket sales.
In Policy: |
| Raffle Ticket | Pre-numbered form utilized to identify individuals participating in a raffle.
In Policy: |
| Rate | The individual prices paid or charged (internal, internal +GUSF, external) for all the different pricing options under a fee. There can be multiple rates associated with one fee.
In Policy: |
| Real Asset Management (RAM) | SUNY-wide inventory system used for the purpose of tracking assets. Assets costing $5,000 or more must be entered and maintained in RAM.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable | Those costs which a prudent person would have incurred under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision to incur the cost was made; consider how the public would view the expense if reported in the media.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable Accommodation (Instance 1) | Any modification or adjustment to a job or the work environment that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable Accommodation (Instance 2) | Actions taken which permit an employee or applicant with a disability to perform the activities involved in the position held or sought in a reasonable manner provided that such actions do not impose an undue hardship or eliminate essential functions of the job. These include, but are not limited to, provision of an accessible worksite, acquisition or modification of equipment, support services for persons with impaired hearing or vision, job restructuring, and modified work schedules.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable Assurance | Errors and other deviations are kept to a tolerable level; for example, in the normal course of their assigned duties, employees will prevent errors or improper acts and will detect and correct them within a reasonable time, thereby mitigating their detrimental effects.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable Expectation of Privacy | The reasonable expectation of privacy is an element of privacy law that determines in which places and in which activities a person has a legal right to privacy. Sometimes referred to as the "right to be left alone," a person's reasonable expectation of privacy means that someone who unreasonably and seriously compromises another's interest in keeping their affairs from being known can be held liable for that exposure or intrusion.The reasonable expectation of privacy is an element of privacy law that determines in which places and in which activities a person has a legal right to privacy. Sometimes referred to as the "right to be left alone," a person's reasonable expectation of privacy means that someone who unreasonably and seriously compromises another's interest in keeping their affairs from being known can be held liable for that exposure or intrusion.
In Policy: |
| Reasonable Religious Accommodation | Any change in the work environment for staff and faculty, or academic course or program of study for students, or in the way tasks or responsibilities are customarily done that enables an employee or student to participate in their religious practice or belief without undue hardship in the conduct of the university’s business or operation. A reasonable religious accommodation may include:
In Policy: |
| Recognized Student Organization | Student club or organization recognized:
In Policy: |
| Reconciliation | An accounting process that compares two separate sets of records to ensure the figures are accurate and in agreement.
In Policy: |
| Record | The original copy of any record, document, or information that supports the transaction of university business. Paper or text documents, computer data, electronic records, microfilm, computer tapes, and video or audio recordings are considered records.
In Policy: |
| Record Coordinator | The primary resource in a business office who interprets policies and retention requirements related to the specific record type for which they have been assigned responsibility; also responsible for providing guidance to departmental record custodians pertaining to the retention and destruction of these records.
In Policy: |
| Record Custodian | The individual responsible for oversight of departmental records.
In Policy: |
| Record of Receipt | A document or form that provides an acknowledgment of having taken into possession a specified amount of money.
In Policy: |
| Red Flag | A pattern, practice, or specific activity that indicates the possible existence of identity theft.
In Policy: |
| Refund | To reimburse or give back money that was paid previously for goods or services.
In Policy: |
| Regulated Private Data | Includes bank credit/debit card numbers with or without PINs, social security numbers, driver license numbers, state-issued non-driver identification numbers, protected health information, passwords, and computer access protection information.
In Policy: |
| Religious Practice or Belief | A sincerely held practice or observance that includes moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong, most commonly in the context of the cause, nature and purpose of the universe. Religion includes not only traditional, organized religions, but also religious beliefs that are new, uncommon, not part of a formal religious institution or sect, or only subscribed to by a small number of people. Social, political, or economic philosophies, as well as mere personal preferences, are not considered to be religious beliefs.
In Policy: |
| Remote Deposit Capture | Ability to deposit a check remotely through scanning a digital image of the check and transmitting the image to the bank.
In Policy: |
| Remuneration | Includes salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship).
In Policy: |
| Reported Crime | Clery Act crime brought to the attention of a CSA or local law enforcement personnel by a victim, witness, other third party, or the offender.
In Policy: |
| Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (W-9) | Form utilized to collect the taxpayer identification number for the person who is required to file an information return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to report income paid.
In Policy: |
| Research Misconduct | Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. (Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 93) Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them. Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. Research misconduct does not include honest errors or differences of opinion.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity |
| Research Record | The record of data or results that embody the facts resulting from scholarly inquiry, including but not limited to, research proposals, laboratory records (both physical and electronic), progress reports, abstracts, theses, oral presentations, internal reports, journal articles, and any documents and materials provided to the Office of the VPRED by the individual accused of research misconduct in the course of the research misconduct proceeding.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity |
| Residual Balance | An unobligated cash balance of funds remaining in a fixed price sponsored account at termination of the project. In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects |
| Residual Balance Account | An account established for the purpose of receiving the transfer of a residual balance at termination of a fixed price sponsored project or industry-sponsored clinical trial award and close out of the account. In Policy: • Residual Balance on Fixed Price Contracts for Sponsored Projects |
| Respondent (Instance 1) | An individual or entity against whom a complaint has been filed.
In Policy: |
| Respondent (Instance 2) | The person or persons against whom an allegation of research misconduct is directed or who is the subject of a research misconduct proceeding.
In Policy: • Responsible Conduct in Research, Intellectual and Creative Activity |
| Responsible Executive (Instance 1) | The provost, vice provost, or vice president with jurisdiction over the activity that encompasses a policy, and through whom a proposed or revised policy is developed. Depending on the scope of the subject matter, a policy may have more than one responsible executive.
In Policy: |
| Responsible Executive (Instance 2) | The vice president, vice provost, dean, or their designee with authority over and responsibility for the unit.
In Policies: |
| Responsible Office | The office designated by the responsible executive to develop and administer a policy, communicate with and train the university community in its requirements, and maintain the accuracy of policy content. Depending on the scope of the subject matter, a policy may have more than one responsible office.
In Policy: |
| Responsible UB Official | UB employees who have been designated by the president, provost, vice president, or dean to ensure compliance with one or more Covered Activities in their respective areas.
In Policy: |
| Restricted Revenue | Funds collected on behalf of a third party that must be remitted to the third party in full, in accordance with the terms of a contract.
In Policy: |
| Restrictive Endorsement | The action that limits the negotiability of a check or money order to the deposit of a bank account.
In Policy: |
| Retaliation | An adverse action taken against an individual as a result of complaining about discrimination or harassment, exercising a legal right such as obtaining a reasonable accommodation, opposing discriminatory practices or harassment, or participating in or assisting a complaint investigation. Adverse actions may include, but are not limited to: termination or dismissal, failure to promote or assign salary increases, the assignment of lower grades or performance evaluations than other individuals who perform similarly, attempts to intimidate or harass the individual, the assignment of less desirable work to the individual, or the provision of negative references with respect to academic work or employment.
In Policy: |
| Retention Period | The length of time for which the Office of Record is responsible for the maintenance of specific university records.
In Policy: |
| Returned Check | Check that is returned by the bank to the depositor due to reasoning such as insufficient funds, improper endorsement, amount mismatch between words and numbers, post dated or stale dated checks, or stop payment orders.
In Policy: |
| Revenue Distribution | Process used to prioritize the allocation of revenue to departments based on the type of fee collected through the student account billing system.
In Policy: |
| Revocable Permit/Occasional User Revocable Permit | An agreement between the state and a non-UB entity for use of university space/facilities. Language regarding liability insurance may also be included. Revenue must be deposited into an Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR) account. • The Revocable Permit is utilized when university space/facilities is to be occupied for more than thirty days or the anticipated revenue is equal to or greater than $10,000. This agreement requires prior approval by Real Estate and Property Management (REPM) and Procurement Services. Procurement Services executes the Revocable Permit, and is the office of record. • The Occasional User Revocable Permit is utilized when space/facilities is to be occupied for less than thirty days and anticipated revenue is less than $10,000. The Occasional User Revocable Permit is initiated and approved at the department level and the department is the office of record.
In Policy: |
| RF Data | Corporate, agency, and sponsored program data that is classified into two types: proprietary and non-proprietary.
In Policy: • Acceptable Use of Research Foundation Proprietary Data Outside the RF Business System |
| RF Funded Revenue (also called indirect costs) | Funds generated through the recovery of indirect (facilities and administrative (F&A)) costs charged on sponsored accounts, and distributed per the campus Financial Plan.
In Policy: |
| Risk | A probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, and that may be avoided through preemptive action.
In Policy: |
| Romantic Relationship | An intimate, sexual and/or any other type of amorous encounter or relationship, whether casual or serious, short-term or long-term. Such a relationship exists in a marriage, a domestic partnership, or outside of marriage or domestic partnership between two persons who have a sexual union or who engage in a romantic partnering or courtship that may or may not have been consummated sexually.
In Policy: |
| Royalty | Cash, equity, or other value received by UB as consideration for license of rights to UB intellectual property.
In Policies: • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research |
| Royalty Income | Gross royalty paid as proceeds from the licensing of intellectual property disclosed prior to November 23, 2016.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary Cap | Limitation imposed by the federal government on the amount of salary that may be charged to federally funded grants or contracts.
In Policy: | |
| Scholarly or Creative Works | Generally, articles, books, book chapters, conference papers, or other scholarly, creative works considered finished products by the standards of a discipline. The scope of the policy does not encompass student works produced solely to fulfill course requirements.
In Policy: | |
| Screen Reader | Software that allows a computer to identify and convert text to speech.
In Policy: | |
| Secondhand Smoke | A mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, electronic cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, pipe, beedi, kretek, water pipe, bong, and hookah, and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.
In Policy: | |
| Securely Configured | Adhering to the guidelines and practices within UB’s policy for Securing Network Connected Devices.
In Policy: | |
| Security Camera | A device that records images and which is used to detect or prevent crime.
In Policy: | |
| Security Camera Oversight Committee (SCOC) | Operational committee established by the Vice President for Finance and Administration to oversee implementation of this policy. The SCOC is comprised of the following members: • Chief of Police, chair of the SCOC
In Policy: | |
| Segregation of Duties | The means by which no one person has sole control over the lifespan of a transaction. No one person should be able to initiate, record, authorize, and reconcile a transaction.
In Policy: | |
| Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) | Validation tools to assist merchants and service providers report the results of their PCI DSS self-assessment.
In Policy: | |
| Sensitive Authentication Data | Additional elements of payment card information required to be protected but never stored. These include magnetic stripe (i.e., track) data, CAV2, CVC2, CID, or CVV2 data, and PIN or PIN block. CAV2, CVC2, CID, or CVV2 data The three- or four-digit value printed on or to the right of the signature panel or on the face of a payment card used to verify card-not-present transactions. Magnetic Stripe (i.e., track) data Data encoded in the magnetic stripe or equivalent data on a chip used for authorization during a card-present transaction. Entities may not retain full magnetic-stripe data after transaction authorization. PIN or PIN block Personal identification number entered by the cardholder during a card-present transaction, or encrypted PIN block present within the transaction message.
In Policy: | |
| Service Center | An organization that provides a specific technical or administrative service that supports the internal operating activities of the university. Examples include but are not limited to lab analysis services, print and mail services, instrumentation shops, and animal care services. A service center recovers the cost of its operations through charges to users.
In Policy: | |
| Service Center Billing Rate | The amount charged to a user for a unit of service calculated by dividing the total annual costs of the service center by the total number of billing units expected to be provided to users of the service for the year. See the Billing Rate Development Worksheet.
In Policy: | |
| Service Center Management | Faculty or staff within a department who manage the financial or day-to-day operations of a service center, including the items listed in the responsibility portion of this policy (this does not include staff from the Financial Services Office).
In Policy: | |
| Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) | An independent business that performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans who have served in the active military and have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
In Policy: | |
| Service Provider | Contractor engaged by the university to perform an activity in connection with a Covered Account.
In Policy: | |
| Sex and Violent Offender Registry Check | Verification that the selected applicant does not have undisclosed convictions of certain sex and violent crimes in the jurisdiction where the applicant currently resides or has resided.
In Policy: | |
| Sex Offenses - Forcible | Any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly or against that person's will; or not forcibly or against the person's will where the victim is incapable of giving consent. Forcible sex offenses include: • Forcible Fondling • Forcible Rape • Forcible Sodomy • Sexual Assault with an Object
In Policy: | |
| Sex Offenses - Non-Forcible | Unlawful, non-forcible sexual intercourse. Non-forcible offenses include: • Incest • Statutory Rape
In Policy: | |
| Sexual Assault | An offense classified as a forcible or non-forcible sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In Policy: | |
| Sexual Harassment | Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: • Submission to or enduring such conduct when rejected is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of instruction, employment, or participation in other university activities or Sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sex discrimination are prohibited under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and New York State Human Rights Law. This university definition of sexual harassment is based on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) regulations. Employees who observe or become aware of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sex discrimination or harassment should report this information to the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), who also serves as the university’s Title IX Coordinator.
In Policy: | |
| Sexual Harassment Information Advisors | University personnel who have received extensive sexual harassment training, conducted by the Director of EDI or designee, to act as educators and trainers and provide general information on sexual harassment. These individuals may be designated by the president, provost, vice presidents, or deans to serve as Sexual Harassment Information Advisors in their respective areas.
In Policy: | |
| Significant Financial Interest (Instance 1) | A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of a covered individual (and those of their immediate family members) that reasonably appears to be related to the individual’s institutional responsibilities: • Controlling interest
In Policy: • Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research | |
| Significant Financial Interest (Instance 2) | A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of the investigator (or those of the investigator’s immediate family members) that reasonably appears to be related to the investigator’s institutional responsibilities: • With regard to any publicly traded entity, the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure; and the value of any equity interest in the entity as of the date of disclosure if, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000 • With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure if, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000, or when the investigator or his or her immediate family members hold any equity interest (e.g., stock, stock option, or other ownership interest) • Intellectual property rights and interests (e.g., patents, copyrights), and royalties from such rights, upon receipt of income related to such rights and interest; royalties are included except when received by the investigator from State University of New York (SUNY) or the Research Foundation (RF) if the investigator is currently employed or otherwise appointed by the university • Income received from foreign entities for seminars, lectures, teaching engagements, or service on advisory committees or review panels • Sponsored travel SFI Exclusions The following types of financial interests are excluded from the definition of significant financial interest: • Salary, royalty, or other remuneration paid to an investigator by the university (State, RF, University at Buffalo Foundation (UBF)), if the investigator is currently employed or otherwise appointed by the university • Intellectual property rights assigned to SUNY or the RF and agreements to share in royalties related to such rights • Income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, as long as the investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles • Income received from U.S. based organizations for seminars, lectures, teaching engagements, or service on advisory committees or review panels sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education, an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an institution of higher education
In Policy: | |
| Significant Obligation | Positions held by an individual or his or her immediate family members as an officer, trustee, director, employee, or consultant of an outside entity whether or not the entity is for profit and whether or not the position is paid, that would reasonably appear to affect the individual’s institutional responsibilities.
In Policy: | |
| Small Business (SB) | Size standards define the largest size a business can be to participate in government contracting programs and compete for contracts reserved for small businesses. Size standards vary by industry, and are generally based on the number of employees or the amount of annual receipts.
In Policy: | |
| Smoking | Burning any type of matter or substance that contains tobacco including but not limited to cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, beedies, kreteks, water pipes, bongs, and hookahs.
In Policy: | |
| Social Security Number (SSN) | A nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents. The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration. SSN may be interpreted to include the Taxpayer Identification Number. The SSN (full and partial) is considered Category 1 – Restricted Data, as defined in the Data Risk Classification Policy.
In Policy: | |
| Social Security Number Oversight Committee | This committee includes leadership from units that act as data stewards for SSNs. Membership includes, but is not limited to, leadership or designee from the following offices: Registrar, Human Resources, Controller, and Information Security.
In Policy: | |
| Socially Disadvantaged Individuals | Those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities. The social disadvantage must stem from circumstances beyond their control.
In Policy: | |
| Space Utilization Standards | Approved space allowances based on best-practice utilization rates established per space type.
In Policy: |
|
| Spam | Use of electronic messaging systems (including most broadcast media, digital delivery systems) to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.
In Policy: | |
| Special Handling | Process where employer-sponsored labor certification applications are fast-tracked for teaching positions at qualified educational institutions. This is the most frequently used pathway for international teaching faculty to obtain permanent residency.
In Policy: | |
| Special Handling Request Packet | Packet of forms and documentation submitted by the sponsoring department to UB Immigration Services (UBIS) to request the filing of a permanent resident case with the federal government.
In Policy: | |
| Split-Funding | Funding the purchase of an asset with monies from multiple sources or sponsors.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsor | A person, firm, or organization that enters into a contractual relationship with the university in which the intent of the relationship is to support the university’s goals, typically in a financial capacity.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsor-Defined Equipment | RF property costing less than $5,000 and purchased with funds from a sponsor who requires assets to be inventoried at a lower dollar level. These assets are entered and maintained in RAM.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsor Limitation | Sponsor imposed limitation on the amount of salary that may be charged to sponsored program awards.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsored Activity | Any externally funded research, training, evaluative testing, or public service project directed by UB faculty or staff as part of their university work that requires the university to perform a specified program or deliver a specified product during a specified period of performance. The proposed work requires a specific line of scholarly inquiry such as a work statement, testing of a hypothesis, a model project, or a defined set of deliverables. Deliverables may include programmatic, technical, and detailed financial reports during or at the conclusion of the project. Sponsored activity funding cannot be made to UB anonymously; the sponsor or funder must always be identified.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsored Award | The funding mechanism, usually a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract, used to support a sponsored activity. A sponsored award generally contains expressed terms and conditions governing how the funds are to be administered.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsored Project | Any externally funded research, training, evaluative testing, or public service project directed by UB faculty or staff as part of their university work that requires the university to perform a specified program or deliver a specified product.
In Policies: • Approved Entity for Fiscal Administration of Sponsored Projects • Financial Responsibility for Sponsored Projects • General University Service Fee • Graduate Student Tuition on Research Awards • Indirect (Facilities and Administrative) Cost Recovery and Distribution • Investigator Conflict of Interest | |
| Sponsored Projects | Sponsored Projects:
In Policy: | |
| Sponsored Travel | Travel related to an investigator’s institutional responsibilities that is paid by a non-UB entity on behalf of the investigator, and not reimbursed to the investigator so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsorship | Relationship with an entity where that entity provides money, goods, or services to the university and in return, the entity receives acknowledgement of the sponsorship via signage, tickets, programs, other print materials, or online communications. Sponsorships do not involve messages endorsing or comparing products or messages that relate to the quality of products. Sponsorships differ from corporate gift support, which is generally provided without expectation of tangible benefit or quid pro quo.
In Policy: | |
| Sponsorship Agent Services | Individual or agency that procures sponsorship funding through a sales and management program including entering into sponsorship rights agreements with sponsors on behalf of the university.
In Policy: | |
| Stale Dated Check | A check that was written more than six months prior to being deposited to the bank. The bank is no longer obligated to process this check after this time period.
In Policy: | |
| Stalking | Intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, when the individual engaging in the conduct knows or reasonably should know that such conduct: • Is likely to cause reasonable fear of material harm to the physical health, safety or property of such person, a member of such person's immediate family or a third party with whom such person is acquainted; or • Causes material harm to the mental or emotional health of such person, where such conduct consists of following, telephoning or initiating communication or contact with such person, a member of such person's immediate family or a third party with whom such person is acquainted, and the actor was previously clearly informed to cease that conduct; or • Is likely to cause such person to reasonably fear that his or her employment, business or career is threatened, where such conduct consists of appearing, telephoning or initiating communication or contact at such person's place of employment or business and the actor was previously clearly informed to cease that conduct
In Policy: | |
| State Accounts | State accounts include: • Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable (DIFR) – self-supporting accounts used to administer room rental fees and charges. • Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR) – self-supporting accounts used to track cash collections and the matching expenditures associated with the educational and related activities provided to students and other customers. An IFR account differs from a State Operating account in that it is supported by cash receipts. • State Operating – accounts that are a combination of allocation from state tax dollars and campus revenue from tuition and certain other sources. • State University Tuition Reimbursable Account (SUTRA) – self-supporting programs funded from tuition revenue related to overseas programs, contract courses, summer session, and enrollment overflow. SUTRA accounts operate similar to IFR accounts.
In Policy: | |
| State Funds | Include State Operating, Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR), State University Tuition Reimbursable Account (SUTRA), and Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable (DIFR) funds.
In Policy: | |
| Store Vendor | A retail business that purchases officially licensed product for resale.
In Policy: | |
| Student (Instance 1) | An individual who has reached 18 years of age or is attending a postsecondary institution at any age and for whom the institution maintains education records.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | |
| Student (Instance 2) | An individual who is either an undergraduate or graduate student. Undergraduate Student An individual whose primary relationship to the campus is in their role as a matriculated or non-matriculated student in a Bachelor level program, including certificates and other traditional and non-traditional academic programs. This definition does not include employees who are taking a non-matriculated course that is not part of an academic program. Status begins at payment of deposit to enroll or equivalent and continues through completion of all academic requirements and graduation. This applies regardless of the age of the Undergraduate Student and age of the faculty or staff member. Graduate or Professional Student An individual whose primary relationship to the campus is in their role as an enrolled or non-matriculated student in a Masters, Doctoral, post Bachelor Certificate or Professional level program. It also includes such individuals in the status of academically-required employment, such as residency, internship, practicum, fellowship, and equivalent. Depending on employment status, this group of students may also be covered employees as professional staff or other college personnel.
In Policy: | |
| Students | Individuals enrolled in SUNY, including but not limited to, continuing education, undergraduate, graduate, professional, non-degree, and not-for-credit students.
In Policy: | |
| Subsidized User | User who is charged at a lower rate or not charged at all.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Subsidy | Additional funding provided by a department or the university that assists in covering costs.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Supervisor | Role assigned to individual officially designated as the employee’s time and attendance supervisor. Generally, the supervisor is one level senior to the employee.
In Policy: • Travel | |
| Supervisory Relationship | A relationship in which an employee has the authority to make, recommend, or impact decisions regarding hiring, termination, appointment, reappointment, promotion, assignment of duties, evaluation, or changes in compensation or benefits for another individual.
In Policy: | |
| Supplies | Personal property that is expendable with a useful life of less than one year, and that cannot be classified as equipment.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Surplus | The amount determined when revenues exceed costs for a given fiscal year.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events | |
| Sustainably-Managed Renewable Resource | A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans or other users. Some natural renewable resources such as geothermal, fresh water, timber, and biomass must be carefully managed to avoid exceeding the environment's capacity to replenish them. Sustainable management of these resources meets the needs of the present without compromising the social, economic, and ecological needs of future generations.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Technical Proposal | The Technical Proposal is one portion of the overall proposal that generally includes the goals and aims of the research and other technical information in narrative form. Specific requirements may vary with each sponsor. Also referred to as a Scientific Proposal.
In Policy: |
| Temporary Appointment | An appointment which may be terminated at any time. Temporary appointments ordinarily will be given only when service is to be part-time, voluntary, or anticipated to be for a period of one year or less, or when an employee’s initial appointment is made to a position vacated by an employee serving a probationary appointment, or by an employee on an approved leave.
In Policy: |
| Temporary Salary Increases | An increase in the base salary for a limited period of time, associated with a temporary increase in assigned duties and responsibilities that are within the scope of duties normally associated with the position.
In Policy: |
| Testing Instrument | Any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity, memory, speed, intelligence, aptitude, or personality etc.
In Policy: |
| Third Party Revenue | External revenue generated through a contractual agreement.
In Policy: |
| Third-Party Web Applications | Any vendor-created, -provided, or -hosted technology solution that conducts official business for, or provides official service(s) to, the university or its constituents through an explicit contractual relationship.
In Policy: |
| Timely Warning | An alert about a potentially dangerous criminal situation that gives sufficient time and information to take appropriate precautions.
In Policy: |
| Title | Title will vest with the entity (i.e., State, RF, UBF) that funded the purchase unless otherwise specified in the terms of a sponsored agreement.
In Policy: |
| Title IX | Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that receives federal financial assistance.
In Policy: |
| Tobacco-related | Applies to the use of a tobacco brand or corporate name, trademark, logo, symbol, motto, selling message, recognizable pattern or colors, or any other indicia of product identical to or similar to, or identifiable with, those used for any brand of tobacco products or company which manufactures tobacco products.
In Policy: |
| Torchiere Lamps | Typically, floor lamps with a high temperature halogen bulb, drawing 300-500 watts of power, at approximately 970 to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and mounted at the base of an opened top globe.
In Policy: |
| Tracking Codes or Beacons | An often-transparent graphic image, usually no larger than 1-pixel x 1-pixel, placed on a website or in an email that is used to monitor the behavior of the user visiting the website or sending the email. Tracking codes or beacons do not contain personally identifiable information. Tracking codes collect traffic data and click information. This information is used to prioritize tasks, record visitor-specific web traffic, and associate web traffic history with unique visitors.
In Policy: |
| Traveler | Individual who travels on behalf of UB.
In Policy: • Travel |
| Travel Status | A traveler is in travel status (i.e., eligible for reimbursement of lodging and meal expenses) when he or she is engaged in official university business at a distance of more than 35 miles from the designated official station and place of residence.
In Policy: • Travel |
| Tuition Remission | For the purpose of this policy, the payment of part or all of the required tuition due for education rendered as compensation for graduate students employed as Research Project Assistants (or equivalent) and for performing work on research awards.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| UB Identification Tag | Non-bar-coded decal that reads “Property of University at Buffalo” that is affixed to higher-risk equipment costing less than $5,000.
In Policy: |
| UBIT Digital Credential | Composed of both a UBITName and its associated password. A UBIT digital credential is classified as Category 1- Restricted Data. • Is used to partially or fully validate (authenticate) identity in order to access online IT resources and information systems In Policy: |
| UBITName | University username used to log into a variety of campus services that require authentication or identify verification.
In Policy: |
| UB Person Number | A unique, eight-digit number assigned by UB to all students, employees, and others, as appropriate, upon initial association with the university. The UB person number is a mechanism to identify, authenticate, and provide services to individuals.
In Policy: |
| UB Policy Library | A web-based system containing the most current version of a university policy.
In Policy: |
| UB Swap | Website listing surplus equipment available to university departments.
In Policy: |
| Unallowable Costs | Costs that cannot be included in calculating the cost of a service or activity.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events |
| Unclaimed Check | Check held by a university department for issuance or delivery to the payee, including checks mailed to a payee that were returned to the university.
In Policy: |
| Undue Administrative or Financial Burdens | A significant disruption, expense, or difficulty posed by the provision of accessible information technology. When a department is concerned that the provision of accessible information technology will pose undue financial or administrative burdens, it must proceed according to the Exception procedure in this policy.
In Policy: |
| Undue Hardship (Instance 1) | A significant disruption, expense and/or difficulty posed by an accommodation. It should be noted that the issue of whether a requested accommodation poses an undue hardship must be based upon an individualized assessment of current circumstances regarding the position and accommodation. When a department is concerned that a requested accommodation will pose an undue hardship, it must proceed according to the procedures in this policy.
In Policy: |
| Undue Hardship (Instance 2) | A significant cost or other burden that would cause a fundamental disruption to the university. The determination of undue hardship is dependent on the facts of each individual situation. An accommodation will be considered an undue hardship if it will result in the inability of the employee or student to perform an essential function of the position, course or program of study, or result in any safety hazards for students or staff.
In Policy: |
| Uniform Guidance | Document issued by the Office of Management and Budget that establishes uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for federal awards to non-federal entities.
In Policy: |
| University Assets | Programs, services, or activities owned by the university that provide a benefit to sponsors. These include, but are not limited to the university name, marks, logos, signage, websites, materials related to activities supported by the sponsor, venues, media, events, programs, tickets, hospitality opportunities, and merchandise.
In Policy: |
| University Author(s) | University at Buffalo faculty or staff, or affiliated students, who author scholarly or creative works. University authors are covered by this policy whether or not they own the copyright to a scholarly or creative work.
In Policy: |
| University Closing | Only the governor can officially declare that the University at Buffalo is closed or direct early departure and only the governor can authorize employees to remain away from work without charge to leave accruals. A declaration of emergency, even by the governor, does not automatically mean the closure of the university.
In Policy: |
| University-Managed Property | Property or facilities either owned, leased, or controlled by the University or its related entities.
In Policy: |
| University Official | A person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, support, academic, advising, or research position (including law enforcement and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (e.g., attorney, auditor, collection agent); a person serving on the UB Council; or a student serving on an official committee (e.g., disciplinary, grievance), or assisting a school official in performing his/her tasks.
In Policy: • Access to Student Information Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) |
| University Policy | A directive that states the university’s official position on a particular issue and: A policy that does not meet all of the above criteria is a departmental, office, or unit policy. A departmental, office, or unit policy may be more restrictive, but not less restrictive, than a university policy. University policies must not be independently published or republished on departmental websites; departmental websites must link to the UB Policy Library.
In Policy: |
| University Policy Proposal | A document that describes the need, evaluates risk, and documents initial legal review of a proposed university policy.
In Policy: |
| University Policy Template | A standard format for drafting university policies that facilitates consistency, clarity, and conciseness.
In Policy: |
| University Vendor | A vendor that does business with the university.
In Policy: |
| University-wide Asset | University asset whose ownership or responsibility to maintain is not specific to one unit or department but spans over multiple units or departments.
In Policy: |
| Unrelated Business Income | Income from a trade or business, regularly carried on, that is not substantially related to the charitable, educational, or other purpose that is the basis of the organization's exemption.
In Policy: |
| Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) | Taxes that result from income produced by the sale of goods or services to external users not substantially related to the university’s tax exempt purpose.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events |
| Useful Life | The period of time over which a piece of equipment is expected to provide service.
In Policies: • Financial Management of Departmental Events |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Valid Business Need | The need to be readily accessible for contact with the public or with university faculty, staff, or students, coupled with the impracticality of a regular land-line telephone for required or essential business communication needs due to one of the following: • The need to receive or initiate communication in an emergency or time sensitive situations
In Policy: |
| Vendor | Commercial service or repair vendors or contractors.
In Policy: |
| Victim | The person against whom an abuser directs coercive or violent acts. This person is typically an adult; however, domestic violence also affects many children.
In Policy: |
| Virtual Private Network (VPN) | An encrypted communications channel between the device and the university network. VPN access is specific to the role of the individual (AdminVPN for HUB administrative users; CITVPN for system support staff).
In Policy: |
| Visitor (Instance 1) | For the purposes of this policy, visitor includes anyone, other than a student or employee, who sets foot on campus (e.g., vendors, licensees, permittees, volunteers, guests). A visitor who uses university property to participate in programs responsible for the custody, control, and supervision of children is a Covered Person.
In Policy: |
| Visitor (Instance 2) | Natural person who uses the internet to access official UB websites and third-party websites associated with the university.
In Policy: |
| Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) | Communications services such as voice, fax, and voice-messaging that are transported via the Internet, rather than the public switched telephone network.
In Policy: |
| Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) | A document which evaluates how accessible a particular product or service is. It is a self-disclosing document, produced by a vendor, which details each aspect of web accessibility requirements and how the product adheres to each criteria.
In Policy: |
| Vulnerable | A device is considered vulnerable once it has been substantiated that known actions necessary to prevent it from being compromised have not been taken - despite those actions having been recommended by the Office of the CIO or by entities charged by the CIO to secure the University's computing and networking infrastructure.
In Policy: |
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| Wager | Ticket Price.
In Policy: |
| Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite Guidelines (WAI-ARIA) | A series of standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the primary international standards organization for the internet, that promotes ways to make web content and web applications more accessible to people with disabilities. WAI-ARIA focuses on dynamic content and advanced user interface controls developed with Ajax, HTML, JavaScript, and related technologies.
In Policy: |
| Web Content | The textual, visual, or aural content that is encountered as part of the user experience on websites. It may include, among other things, text, images, sounds, videos, and animations. For purposes of this policy, web content also includes forms and documents accessible through UB websites.
In Policy: |
| Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) | A series of standards developed by the W3C that promotes usability and best practices to ensure web access for individuals with disabilities.
In Policy: |
| Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) | Under Article 15-A of the New York State Executive Law, a WBE is a business enterprise in which at least fifty-one percent (51%) is owned, operated, and controlled by citizens or permanent resident aliens who are women.
In Policy: |
| Workplace Violence | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines workplace violence as “violent acts (including physical assaults and threats of assaults) directed toward persons at work or on duty.” Workplace violence is any physical assault, threatening behavior, aggressive behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting.
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| Workplace Violence Prevention Risk Evaluation | An employer’s inspection or examination of their workplace to determine if existing or potential hazards exist that might place employees at risk of occupational assaults or homicides. NYS Labor Law requires all public employers to perform a risk evaluation of their workplace. Risk evaluation techniques include:
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| Workstation | A university owned or provided computing device such as a desktop, laptop or notebook computer typically assigned to a particular individual, role or location.
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