Mobile Communication Device Usage Policy Revised
Date: December12TH, 2007
To: NMSU Campus
From: Michael Hites, Vice President and CIO
Subject: Mobile Communication Device Usage Policy (Revised)
On May 8th, the Administrative Council approved a revision of the University Cellular & Mobile Data Usage Policy hereafter referred to as the Mobile Communication Device Usage Policy. This revision makes cellular, pagers and mobile data service and equipment a taxable benefit to ensure compliance with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code.
Effective on January 1st, 2008 employees requiring Mobile Communication services will be provided an allowance under the new policy. Employees will be required to coordinate for their own services directly with vendors including the receiving and payment of the associated billing for equipment and services received. The allowance will be based on the amount of usage required for the employees to complete their job requirements for the university as approved by the area supervisor and with Department Head and Director approval. Employees and departments will no longer be allowed to charge departmental indexes for Mobile Communication equipment and services that will be issued to an employee for an extended or unlimited period of time. Employees will be provided an allowance that will be included in regular paychecks.
A transition period of 60 days will be implemented to allow employees with existing services to move the existing service from the NMSU account to a personal account. Employees will be allowed to keep their existing cellular and pager numbers however they will not be required to keep the current service provider. Employees will also be allowed to keep their existing Mobile Communication equipment at no charge and will be eligible for a replacement allowance two years from the departmental acquisition date. At the end of the 60-day transition period, NMSU will turn off any existing cellular and mobile data lines that have not been transitioned to a personal account. Departmental lines identified for use during on-call periods or identified for use as research equipment carrying data and emergency traffic only will remain active and billed to the associated department.
ICT will coordinate with selected providers to be on-site to assist employees with the transition to a personal account. ICT will also have forms available to provide to employees who wish to port their existing NMSU cellular number over to a different provider.
Employees will be subject to all requirement and restrictions in place by service providers. Employees choosing to stay with the current service provider may be eligible for current NMSU Employee discounts currently an 18% service discount and 25% equipment discount with Verizon. Alltel provides a 15% service discount and 25% equipment discount to NMSU employees.
Effective immediately, ICT will no longer activate Mobile Communication services for NMSU Staff. ICT will no longer provide replacement equipment for existing services unless it is for on call or research use. Employees will be required to work directly with the vendors for assistance except for department owned devices.
ICT will provide the campus community with notification of the dates Verizon wireless and Alltel will be on-site at ICT to assist employees with the transition during the 60-day transition period. Included with this correspondence are a copy of the Mobile Communication Device Allowance Authorization Form, and a copy of the Mobile Communication Device Usage Policy. Also included is a copy of the notification form required by ICT for lines which will remain in service for research and on call use only.
The staff of ICT Business Operations will be available to assist employees with this transition and can be reached at 646-4241.
If you have general questions please contact ICT at 646-1840 or Payroll Services at 646-1713. ICT can also be reached via email at help@nmsu.edu and Payroll Services at payroll@nmsu.edu.
Visit the Mobile Communication Device Usage Policy for more information.