University Policy
Northeastern Illinois University (”University”) maintains an accurate database of its movable assets. The
database is the official record of asset location and attribute information.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the University is compliant with state and federal property control
regulations and to provide a means of recording the location and attributes of movable assets.
University Faculty, Staff, and Students.
Gross Negligence – The failure to exercise reasonable and proper care for University property.
Inventory Manager – Dedicated person responsible for maintaining a department’s inventory records. Most
often the Department’s Financial Manager but also can be someone designated by the Financial Manager to
fill this role. Financial Managers have the ultimate responsibility over property purchased with funds they
administer.
Inventory Database (InCircuit Database) – Online database (product of Assetworks named either Asset
Management Platform (AMP) or InCircuit); serves as the primary tool used to track and keep departmental
inventory information for those assets with numeric Property of NEIU tags/stickers.
Movable Assets - University property that can be moved, is tagged, and inventoried as per State of Illinois
Property Control Act (30 IL 605).
Off Campus - Anywhere other than the main University campus located at 5500 N. St. Louis Avenue and all
University locations, including: El Centro, Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS), Center for
College Access and Success (CCAS), and the University Center of Lake County.
Property Change Notice (PCN) – Online form used to request non-numerically tagged asset(s) be
relocated.
Tag – A numeric or non-numeric label that is affixed to University movable assets.
Transfers – The process by which assets are recorded when they are relocated or reassigned.
Volume G2:
General
Administrative
G2.02.2
Property Control
Effective Date: 02/01/2009
Last Revised: 06/07/2019
Responsible
Office:
Property Control
Chapter 02:
Auxiliary
Services
Responsible
Officer:
Property Control
Manager
POLICY STATEMENT
PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
WHO IS AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY
DEFINITIONS
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 2 of 7
30 ILCS 605/
State Property Control Act
Property Control “Title 44 – JCAR Administration Code” administered by DCMS:
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html
Financial Managers have the ultimate responsibility over property purchased with funds they administer.
INVENTORY MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Implement internal controls and procedures to account for University movable assets.
• Interact with the Inventory database to keep an accurate record of the department’s inventory.
• Notify Property Control when property is received so it can be identified for tagging.
• Alert Property Control when property tags have been removed or damaged.
• Contact Property Control to report lost/missing and/or stolen property.
• Inform Property Control of all asset location changes using the Inventory database or PCN, as
outlined in the Procedures section below.
• Complete the Annual Inventory Certification of all departmental movable assets with numeric
Property of NEIU tags/stickers.
• Ensure all deadlines are met.
• Certify accuracy of inventory by signing property control documents.
• Be accountable for Audit findings specifically related to their area and formulate corrective
action plans.
ANNUAL INVENTORY CERTIFICATION
NEIU is required by the State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services (DCMS) to conduct an
Annual Inventory Certification. All University departments are required to assist with the annual certification.
• Departmental inventories will be conducted annually and each Inventory Manager must submit
Inventory Certification Documents. During the certification, Inventory Managers are
responsible for meeting assigned deadlines.
• Inventory Managers have access to the Incircuit, online database, to review their department
inventory. A manual on how to use the database is available on the Employee Resources
channel on NEIUport.
• Inventory Managers are responsible for completing transfers to correct any location
discrepancies and report any lost/missing and/or stolen assets to Property Control.
PROPERTY TAGS
All University property valued at $1,000 or greater must be identified and tagged with “numeric NEIU
tag/sticker”, and all University property valued less than $1,000 must be identified and tagged with non-
numeric “Property of NEIU” tags/stickers.
• Movable assets valued over $1,000 must be tagged by Property Control as soon as received
by NEIU. If assets are received and not tagged, it is the department’s Inventory Manager’s
responsibility to contact Property Control to coordinate the tagging of the property.
• Departments are responsible for tagging assets with values under $1,000 with a non-numeric
“Property of NEIU” tag/sticker available through Property Control.
• Departments may attach additional identification to assets for internal departmental tracking
purposes.
REGULATIONS
PROCEDURES
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 3 of 7
INVENTORY DATABASE
For all numerically tagged assets, Inventory Managers use the InCircuit Database to change location
information, initiate transfers of assets to other departments, and to receive assets that are being transferred
from another department.
• User credentials are provided by Property Control and assistance with the database is
available through Property Control, when needed.
• Inventory Managers are required to use the Inventory Database to correctly submit any
changes to their departmental inventory.
• Use of the database is required to complete the Annual Inventory Certification.
PROPERTY CHANGE NOTICE (PCN)
A PCN must be completed for:
• Relocating movable assets with a value less than $500 that do NOT have a “numeric” NEIU
property tag.
• Donations received by the University.
• Trade – Ins.
• Lost/Stolen Property.
LOST, MISSING, OR STOLEN PROPERTY
• LOST OR MISSING ITEMS
o Report as missing in the inventory database.
o Contact Property Control for further instructions.
• STOLEN PROPERTY
o Immediately contact University Police to complete a police report.
o Complete and submit a PCN. Provide the police report number within the
“justifications” section of the PCN.
PROPERTY RELOCATION
A transfer must be initiated or a PCN must be submitted to Property Control each time University property
changes location.
• This includes internal moves within the department and external moves to another department
or to Property Control.
• It is the responsibility of the department moving the asset to initiate a transfer and for the
receiving department to accept the transfer.
• Numerically tagged property worth $500 or greater is to be transferred via the InCircuit
Database.
• Property worth less than $500 with a non-numeric NEIU tag/sticker is to be transferred using a
PCN.
o Clearly state if the asset needs to be moved/removed; to where the asset will be
relocated; or if the asset has already been moved.
o Departments should print a copy of the PCN for their records.
USE OF UNIVERSITY PROPERTY “OFF CAMPUS”
University property may be taken off campus only for conduct of official University business.
• Inventory managers are responsible for authorizing and tracking all property taken off campus
except for electronic equipment as outlined below.
• The University Help Desk oversees the off-campus use of laptop computers, digital cameras,
and other personal electronic devices and equipment.
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 4 of 7
O The equipment is released to a requestor upon completion of the Laptop Equipment
Agreement incl. Off-Campus Use form.
The Signed agreement will be valid until the equipment is returned to the
department for reassignment or returned to the University Help Desk.
Upon receipt of replacement devices, a new contract must be filed with the
University Help Desk.
The user, by signing the form, agrees to take full responsibility for the equipment
and is financially responsible for the equipment.
BROKEN, OBSOLETE, OR UNWANTED PROPERTY
University property CANNOT be sold, thrown away, or donated. Only Property Control can authorize the
removal or disposal of property.
• A transfer must be completed/initiated to have the items removed from the department
inventory.
o Keys or broken parts, if any, should be included when transferring items to Property
Control.
• Unused or broken property must not be removed from the University without notifying Property
Control and submitting required documents.
• Employees are expected to properly utilize and safeguard University property.
o Employees are personally responsible for reimbursing the University for property lost or
damaged through gross negligence. Cases where gross negligence has occurred will be
directed to the University’s Risk Manager.
PROPERTY TRADE – INS
Trade-Ins are typically items returned to vendors for replacement; for example, printers, monitors,
cars/trucks, etc…
• A transfer must be completed to document the transaction.
• Vendor documents and trade-in agreement documents must be submitted to Property Control.
GRANT FUNDED PROPERTY
Property purchased from grant funding falls under specially administered procedures and may be subject to
certain exceptions.
• Items purchased with grant funds are subject to the same tagging requirements as items
purchased with other funds (See Property Tags section above).
• When purchasing items using grant funds, the Grant’s Program Director/Principal Investigator
(PD/PI) should observe the policies and procedures of the Controller’s Office Department, and
the Department of Grant and Contract Administration regarding the reporting of any acquired
assets.
• The PD/PI of the grant shall have a control system in effect to ensure adequate safeguards to
prevent loss, damage, or theft of the property.
o Any loss, damage, or theft of property shall be reported, investigated, and fully
documented.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Property Control does not handle or receive hazardous material.
• Financial/Inventory Managers are to contact the Safety Coordinator in Facilities Management
x5240 for further instructions.
• Items containing or believed to contain hazardous material should not be moved until
authorized by the Facilities Management Safety Coordinator.
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 5 of 7
EMPLOYEE PERSONAL PROPERTY
The University assumes no responsibility for these items.
• Employee personal property (purchased with employee personal funds & not reimbursed by
the University) such as fans, space heaters, coffee makers, radios, etc… should be labeled:
Personal Property of: __________________________________
Phone or email: ______________________________________
06/07/2019 – Revised equipment reporting threshold to comply with 30 ILCS 605/6.02
05/20/2017 – Revised and updated policy with new database instructions
11/06/2013 – Revised; revised history with Fiscal Agent Handbook information
08/27/2013 – Revised; revised policy code number
01/19/2012 – Revised; entire revision to policy
12/10/2009 – Revised; reformatted document
Formerly Fiscal Agent Handbook:
• H1 – Property Change Notice, effective dated April 27, 2005
• H2 – Physical Inventory of Property, effective dated January 3, 2005
• H3 – Tagging University Property, effective dated January 2, 2005
• H4 – Off Campus Use of Personal Electronic Devices, effective dated April 27, 2005
• H7 – Use of University Property, effective dated January 3, 2005
• H11 – Overview of Property Control, effective dated September 8, 1997
A. Property Change Notice (PCN): Located on NEIUport
, under “Employee Forms”
B. Laptop Agreement incl. Off-Campus Use (Available under “Technology Applications” on the NEIU
Document Server or from the HELP Desk)
• InCircuit/Assetworks User Guide
• Assetworks InCircuit Database (AMP Asset Mgmt. Platform)
http://ams5.incircuit.com/eams2/f?p=1010:101
(NOTE: This link may change without prior notice.
Please contact Property Control if link does not work.)
• University Policy G1.3 Reporting and Filing Insurance Claims
Please direct questions or concerns about this policy to:
Contact Phone Email
Property Control 773-442-5130 Property-Control@neiu.edu
The University reserves the right to modify or amend sections of this policy at any time at its sole discretion.
This policy remains in effect until such time as the Responsible Officer calls for review. Requests for
HISTORY
APPENDIX
RELATED POLICIES AND OTHER INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL
CONTACT INFORMATION
DISCLAIMER
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 6 of 7
exception to any portion of this policy, but not to the policy statement, must be presented in writing to the
Responsible Officer.
APPENDIX A: PROPERTY CHANGE NOTICE
Property Control Responsible Officer: Property Control
Policy G2.02.2 Manager
Effective Date: 02/01/2009 Responsible Office: Property Control
Page 7 of 7
APPENDIX B: LAPTOP EQUIPMENT AGREEMENT INCL. OFF-
CAMPUS USE
