9.4.5 Procedures for Long Distance Business Related Telephone Authorization Codes and Calling Cards

I. Introduction

To place a long-distance call using a campus telephone, a University provided long distance authorization code is required. To place a long-distance call that will be billed directly to the University using an external telephone, a University provided calling card is required. Long distance authorization codes and calling cards are for business-related use only. Both can be obtained from Telecommunications and Networking for use by employees who are required to place long distance business-related calls or faxes as part of their job responsibilities.

II. Acquiring Codes and Calling Cards

Long distance business-related telephone authorization codes and calling cards are issued to individuals upon written authorization from their area or departmental fiscal agent. The person to whom these codes or cards are issued is responsible for all calls placed on the code or card number. Codes or cards may not be used by anyone other than the person to whom they are issued. Charges incurred by the use of these codes or cards will be automatically billed by Telecommunications and Networking to the department on a monthly basis.

A long distance authorization code or calling card can be requested for faculty, staff, or graduate students through an online web form at the Help Desk Website Click the link "Campus Telephone Service Request Forms" and then select "Authorization Codes/Calling Cards Request Form for New Service" to access the form. If there is need to change the account that is being billed at a later date, select "Authorization Codes/Calling Cards Request Form for Account Transfer of Service". If a department needs to reassign an existing authorization code or calling card to another employee, select "Authorization Codes/Calling Cards Request Form for Personnel Transfer of Service".

III. Fiscal Agent Responsibilities

Fiscal agents are responsible for approving all requests related to long-distance authorization codes and calling cards as well as conducting compliance reviews of long distance bills issued by Telecommunications and Networking to a department. Fiscal agents are also required to regularly conduct a reasonable review of the electronic itemized monthly and summarized annual billing reports produced by Telecommunications and Networking in order to identify potential abuse of long distance service by employees. A companion report will be provided as a tool for fiscal agents to help identify this abuse.

All activities identified as potential abuse must be evaluated by the fiscal agent to determine if actual abuse occurred. Patterns of potential abuse identified in these reports will be communicated to Internal Auditing by Telecommunications and Networking and may be used in future audits. Fiscal agents may request additional detail reports to further assist in the identification of abuse.

Fiscal agents are required to notify Telecommunications and Networking if abuse has been confirmed by completing the "Reporting Abuse" form located on the Telecommunications and Networking website The form needs to be submitted for each billing period when abuse has occurred.

IV. Restriction on Personal Calls

Long distance business-related telephone authorization codes and calling cards may not be used for personal calls or personal faxes. Collect calls may not be accepted and toll calls from a third number may not be charged to a University telephone. University calling cards may be used for placing calls to the employee’s residence to report safe arrival when travel is required. Such calls should be limited to a few minutes.

V. Employee Charge for Placing Personal Calls

If an employee self-reports abuse, the employee is required to contact their fiscal agent so that abuse can be reported as required by these procedures. If personal calls are placed using a University authorization code or calling card other than the authorized calling card exception referenced above, the employee becomes responsible for reimbursing the University for the cost of these calls plus a $25.00 processing fee.

Reimbursement must be made by check payable to Illinois State University and delivered to Telecommunications and Networking within 10 business days of notification of the charges by the area or departmental fiscal agent to the employee. A copy of the call detail from the area or departmental fiscal agent must accompany the check. The employee also must be advised to restrict future personal calls. If an employee continues to abuse their authorization code or calling card, details surrounding the abuse will be communicated to Internal Auditing by Telecommunications and Networking and may be used in future audits.

VI. Cancellation of Codes or Calling Cards

If an employee leaves the University, it is the responsibility of the department to cancel all authorization codes and/or calling cards that have been assigned to the employee. This request must be submitted within 10 business days of the employee's separation date. An online web form is available to submit this request and can be found on IT Help website.

If a long distance business-related telephone calling card is lost or stolen, the employee must notify their supervisor immediately. Within 10 business days, lost of stolen calling carad must be cancelled by the departmental fiscal agent. Telecommunications and Networking will cancel the calling card the same day the department calls about the loss. An employee may not charge calls to a calling card number after it has been reported lost or stolen.

Last Review: July 2010