Administration & Finance

Boston University and BU Wheelock have many resources and information available to faculty and staff. Below is a partial list of some of these resources. BU Wheelock faculty and staff who have questions about human resources-related topics may also reach out to Payroll & Human Resources Administrator Linda Rhodes.

BU Wheelock

For a complete, searchable listing of BU Wheelock faculty, staff, and doctoral students, visit the Directory.

For a listing of BU Wheelock departments and offices, visit the Administrative Directory.

Hiring & Onboarding Faculty and Staff

Hiring & Appointing Students and Temporary Employees

Sponsoring Visiting Researchers

The Office of the Provost plays a role in issues such as compensation, University resources, promotion, tenure, and recruitment. Learn more about the Office of the Provost.

Boston University Human Resources

For information about employment at BU, visit Careers.

BU employees receive many benefits as part of their employment, including health, dental, retirement, and more. Visit BU Benefits.

Learn about the many benefits to being a part of the BU community. Visit Life@BU.

Disability & Access Services provides resources to the University community so that events and opportunities can be made accessible.

The Equal Opportunity Office (EEO) promotes and realizes Boston University’s commitment to provide equitable access for all employees. It ensures employees can access reasonable accommodations within their work environment, and the University meets its obligations under applicable federal and state laws.

The Faculty & Staff Assistance Office offers confidential conversations about any distressing or challenging topic. These may include personal or work-related issues. This service is completely free and is open to any full-time or part-time faculty or staff and to their family members as well.

The Office of the Ombuds is an independent, impartial, informal problem-solving resource serving BU faculty, staff, and students. The Ombuds maintains strict confidentiality and provides a safe place for off-the-record conversations on issues related to life, work, or study at Boston University. If you contact the Ombuds, you do not have reveal your name or any identifiable information.

The BU Faculty Assembly includes all faculty members who are of professorial rank and have at least a quarter-time appointment. There are at least two meetings each year of the Faculty Assembly.

The BU Faculty Council consists of members of the Faculty Assembly who are elected to represent their individual school or college, either as representatives or as alternates. The Faculty Council meets monthly and also sponsors committees who work on a wide variety of faculty governance issues, including work-related issues and faculty grievance.

The Faculty Grievance Committee is a standing committee of the BU Faculty Council and consists entirely of members of the faculty. The grievance process provides a means to resolve disputes that have not been resolved through the normal process of reasoned discussion. Learn more about the grievance procedure.

The BU Staff Advisory Council identifies and assesses the activities, events, and programs that inform the culture of Boston University.

Open Access: 
The building is open to all BU community members during these hours. 

Card Access Mode with Approved Clearance: 
Wheelock faculty, staff, and doctoral students can access the BU Wheelock building through BUID swipe access during the schedule(s) outlined below.  

To request swipe access to enter buildings, please email the Administration & Finance team at wheops@bu.edu.  

2 Silber Way and 621 Commonwealth Avenue Building Hours:  

• Open access: 
  • Monday–Friday: 7 am–10 pm 
  • Saturday: 7 am–7 pm 
• Card Access Mode with Approved Clearance: 
  • Monday–Friday: 5–7 am and 10–11 pm 
  • Saturday: 5–7 am and 7–9 pm 
  • Sunday: 7 am–9 pm 
• BU observed holidays and Intersession: 
  • Card Access Mode with Approved Clearance only during the following times: 
    • Monday–Friday: 7 am–10 pm 
    • Saturday: 7 am–7 pm 
    • Sunday: 7 am–9 pm 

Earl Center and 180W Riverway:  

• Card Access Mode with approved clearance (including intersession and BU observed holidays): 
  • 24 Hours / 7-Days a week 

To report an issue with BU Wheelock facilities, (such as power outages, temperature concerns, or being locked out), please follow the steps below to help us document and track facility requests.

1. Call the facilities hotline at 617-353-2105 to report the issue
2. Email wheops@bu.edu to notify the Administration & Finance team

To maintain the updated and professional look of BU Wheelock common areas, all faculty, staff, visitors, and student organizations are asked to follow these guidelines. To discuss any specific needs, proposals for temporary displays or items, and questions about where/how to post promotional materials properly, contact the Administration & Finance team at wheops@bu.edu.

Hanging/Displaying Items

• Do not hang, tape, nail, or otherwise affix any items to the walls, doors, ceilings, or architectural surfaces in common areas without prior approval from the Operations Team. This includes pictures, artwork, signs, decorations, flyers, posters, etc.

Placing Items in Common Areas

• Do not place freestanding items like furniture, plants, equipment, boxes, etc., in hallways, lobbies, lounges, or other common areas.
• Common areas must remain clear of obstructions and clutter for safety reasons and to maintain an organized, clean appearance.
• Any unauthorized items left in common spaces will be removed and discarded.

Designated Areas for Flyers/Postings

There are designated areas for posting flyers and promotional materials for events/clubs/activities: bulletin boards in front of the auditorium and in the student lounge at 2 Silber Way. These locations were chosen as high-traffic areas to maximize visibility for students. Unauthorized postings or those outside the designated areas will be removed and discarded.

• Do not post on walls, doors, windows, inside the elevators, or other common area surfaces
• Refrain from using tape, as it can damage surfaces and leave behind difficult-to-remove residue
• If you need pushpins to post on the boards, please stop by the front desk in the lobby of 2 Silber Way

Furniture Arrangement

• For events where the facilities team did not move furniture based on an approved facility service request (FSR), event organizers are responsible for restoring the common area furniture to its pre-event arrangement after the event concludes.
• For events where the facilities team moved furniture based on an approved FSR, the facilities team will return the furniture to its original layout.

Keys are monitored by Finance &  Operations. If you need an extra key (replacement or spare) to your office, contact Brenda Gutierrez.

• If you have locked yourself out of your office, contact the BU Facilities Hotline at 617-353-2105.
• If someone needs to get into your office while you are out, please make arrangements directly by giving them a key yourself. Staff will let a person in your office/lab with your written authorization as a one-time occurrence, but they cannot do so repeatedly.

If you need a key for a shared space with multiple people, the Administration & Finance team will provide you with a Master Lock to house the key. Once you have programmed a code for the lockbox, please share the code with the Administration & Finance team so they can track it on their end.

When sharing the new code with your team, it’s important that everyone is following the correct procedure. Team members should not remove the circular tag from the key or change the code.

To dispose of large items (e.g., bookcase, chair, desk) or large quantities of books, email the Administration & Finance team at wheops@bu.edu to request disposal. BU Wheelock custodians do not dispose of these items.

Kitchens at 2 Silber Way and 621 Commonwealth Ave. are for faculty and staff use only. Faculty and staff provide their own dishes, mugs, and silverware.

2 Silber Way

• 1st Floor, Room 104: microwave, toaster, mini fridge, and sink are available
• 2nd Floor, Room 251: microwave, toaster, fridge, coffee machine, tea, water cooler, and sink are available

621 Commonwealth Ave.

• 2nd Floor
  • Water cooler is available to the right of the elevator
  • Fridge and microwave are available by room 203
• 3rd Floor
  • Water cooler is available to the right of the elevator
• 4th Floor
  • A microwave, mini fridge, and coffee machine are available in room 417

Faculty and staff mailboxes are located on the 3.5 floor at 2 Silber Way, across from room 342.

The executive assistant to the dean manages faculty and staff mailboxes for BU Wheelock. If one has not been created for you, email the executive assistant to the dean to request one and use the subject line “Requesting Mailbox for Faculty.”

Please remember to regularly check your mailbox.

For BU Wheelock staff meetings, committee meetings, and one-on-one meetings, visit How to Reserve a BU Wheelock Room. For details about BU Wheelock rooms that are available to be reserved, visit Room Descriptions.

If you need to reserve a room for academic purposes, change rooms, need breakout spaces, or have any questions, visit the Data & Enrollment Management Office (DEMO).

• For a classroom technology emergency, call the LETS Hotline at 617-353-3227.
• To report a facility-related emergency in a classroom, call the Facilities Operations & Service Center at 617-353-2105.

For reservations or questions regarding non-academic function space (e.g., receptions, guest lectures, community events), visit Event Planning.

Important Reminders:

• Space is limited. We encourage you to submit room reservation requests five business days before an event.
• Hosts are responsible for restoring the furniture to its original configuration and cleaning up before the end of the reservation.

Faculty Purchase Request form

This form is for BU Wheelock faculty members within the Teaching & Learning, Language & Literacy Education, and Counseling Psychology & Applied 人类发展 departments to request purchases of equipment, supplies, or services necessary for their teaching or administrative duties.

For assistance with booking travel, please contact your department administrative coordinator.

Purchases related to centers and institutes using non-sponsored funds should be handled by the administration of the center/institute. For research-related purchases using sponsored funds, please speak to your Shared Services team or email the BU Wheelock Research Office.

To ensure timeliness of response, we recommend the following lead times for your submission:

• Supplies and gift cards: Four weeks in advance of desired delivery date
• Travel: Three months before travel dates
• Honoraria and guest lecture payments: Two months before desired payment date

Please be as thorough as possible when submitting the requested information. By providing comprehensive information in all fields, you enable our administrative coordinators to offer you the best possible support and partnership. Please note that incomplete forms or those missing critical information may require follow-up or resubmission, which could result in delays.

The following provide guidance on the use of gift cards at Boston University

 IRS Treatment of Gift Cards

Gift cards are cash equivalents and, therefore, a form of payment. Per IRS Regulations, gift cards are taxable to the recipient and must be reported as income to the IRS—as outlined below.

• Employees and student workers who receive gift cards will have the value of the gift card reflected on their W-2.
• Non-employees who receive gift cards may receive a 1099-MISC form recognizing the value of the gift card as payment. This may include individuals engaging in activities such as guest lecturing, providing a keynote at a conference or event, and participating in research studies.
• Because gift cards are equivalent to cash, cash (in the form of ACH or other funds transfer) is preferred over gift cards for guest lecturers and other non-employees who provide services to the University.

Purchasing Gift Cards

1. If the source of funding for a gift card purchase is a grant, submit your request to your grant’s GFA. If the funding source is a designated account (research account, discretionary account, departmental account, et cetera), submit your request via your academic department or your center/institute leadership.
2. Gift cards must be purchased via the Blackhawk Network catalog in Guided BUying by approved individuals who have Guided BUying access. In Guided BUying, locate the Blackhawk Network and then select the “Buy from Supplier” option. Follow this guide to complete the requisition: /sourcing/wdyn/giftcards/
3. Gift card requisitions for distribution to students or employees must include a list of recipient names and BUID numbers within the purchase requisition.
4. Requisitions for gift cards for human subject payments should include a comment in the PR to the effect of “for human subject payments.”
5. All final approvals of gift card requisitions are made at the University level.

Gifts or Awards to Recognize Employees or non-Employees

Gift cards should not be given as a gift or award to employees or non-employees. Gift Cards in any amount are subject to taxation per IRS regulations.

Gift Cards as Payments to Human Subjects

1. When using gift cards as a form of payment to human subjects, University best practices for Human Subject Payments must be followed.
2. Specifically, a log of payments must be maintained and reconciled per the steps outlined here. For confidential studies, tracking logs can be deidentified (e.g. you may assign a number to each participant and use that on the log in lieu of their name or any other identifying information).

Additional Resources

• Gift Card Policy
• Taxability of Gifts, Prizes, and Awards to Employees, Non-employees, and Students policy
• Sourcing and Procurement Gift Card Guide
• Human Subjects Payments Best Practices
• Blackhawk Marketplace Catalog Announcement

To obtain business cards, email the administrative coordinator for your department. The BU preferred vendor is Artcraft, which can be found in Ariba Guided Buying. The administrative coordinator will place the order and charge to the department account.

Find templates at Business Cards and Stationery.

The preferred method of ordering products and services is from a registered supplier via a Purchase Requisition (PR) in Guided BUying. For additional information, review the Ordering Method Matrix or visit the policy website for information on the Ordering and Contracting Policy.

This procurement guide provides guidance to faculty for determining the appropriate process and method for making purchases at Wheelock. The process and method is most commonly contingent upon the source of funds to be used in making the purchase. An additional consideration that will determine the method to be used when making a purchase is the nature of the goods or services being purchased.

External Award Funds

To make a purchase using external award funds, fill out the Shared Services Request Form Link or contact the post-award administrator assigned to the grant/project. For more information on making purchases with external award funds, please contact Wheelock’s associate dean for research.

Internal Awards

Faculty may receive funds through grant and incentive programs that are internal to Boston University. The management of internal award funds will vary based on the following:

• If the recipient already has a research account, the funds may be credited to that account.

• If the recipient does not already have a research account, and the amount awarded is $10,000 or greater, and the funds will be spent across more than one fiscal year, the recipient may request a separate discretionary account to manage the award.

• If the award amount is less than $10,000 or the awards will be spent within a single fiscal year, the award will be credited to the research office and faculty will work with the research office to spend from the award.

For assistance with an internal award, contact wheops@bu.edu.

Center/Institute Discretionary Funds

When making purchases for center/institute business using unrestricted, designated, or restricted funds:

• Each Center/Institute should have at least one faculty or staff designated as a purchasing agent for the center or institute
• The method of purchase should follow the Ordering Method Matrix

Faculty Discretionary Funds:

When making purchases using faculty discretionary funds, (including research and/or start-up funds):

• Submit their purchase request via the Wheelock Faculty Purchase Request form OR
• Use a university-issued P-card or T-card (please refer to the Ordering Method Matrix to determine which purchasing method is the appropriate method of payment)*

More information on the use of research and start-up funds is available here.

*Faculty in the ELPS department should contact the department administrative coordinator instead of using the purchase request form. 

Departmental Funds

Faculty seeking to make purchases using departmental funds can use the Wheelock Faculty Purchase Request form.

Process for Faculty seeking to use departmental funds:

• Complete the Wheelock Faculty Purchase Request Form
• Obtain approval before making a purchase, even if they have a purchasing card or plan to use personal funds and later seek reimbursement.

Purchases made with Personal Funds

When faculty make purchases on behalf of BU with personal funds, they may seek reimbursement by submitting an expense report in Concur. Purchases that do not comply with the University’s Travel and Business Expense Policy will be declined for reimbursement. Be sure to review the policy and the University Reimbursement FAQ to ensure your purchase aligns with University policy prior to committing personal funds.

To submit a reimbursement through Concur, BU Wheelock employees must:

1. Create an expense report, which should include the following: report name, trip purpose, start and end dates of your travel, cost center, expense type (i.e., grant number, start-up/research account information, discretionary account, etc.), traveler type, and destination. The comments section should include a description explaining the travel and expenses. If there is a discrepancy between your receipt and the amount requested, this information should be noted in the comments section.
2. Add all travel card transactions related to trip expenses to the expense report and complete the report.
3. Submit the completed report. It will be reviewed and approved by the finance manager of administration & finance. An e-check will be delivered to the employee’s bank account once approved.

Honoraria

Faculty may engage guests in a variety of capacities, including as guest speakers, panel participants, and classroom guests. Individuals serving in these capacities receive a token payment (honorarium) in exchange for their services. Honoraria payments are made via disbursement or payroll depending on whether the recipient is a “U.S. Person” or foreign national, as defined by the IRS.

Honoraria requests related to departmental activity should be submitted via the Faculty Purchase Request Form. Review and approval of an honoraria request are required before an invitation to speak is extended

The academic department, center, or institute receiving the service is responsible for the paperwork necessary to process an honorarium payment, including invoice creation. Once the disbursement request is submitted by the department, Wheelock’s finance manager is responsible for approval.

For assistance in processing honoraria payments, please contact your departmental administrator or coordinator. Departmental administrators and center/institute administrators should contact wheops@bu.edu. For more information on honoraria at Boston University, please review this guide.

Consultants and Other Independent Contractors

To engage a consultant or independent contractor, a performance contract must be completed prior to any work beginning with the consultant/IC. Contract request forms are completed at the departmental level and approved by the finance manager of Administration & Finance. For more information on engaging consultants, please review this guide.

Consultants and ICs cannot begin work until an agreement has been reached and executed at the Unviersity level. Wheelock Faculty and Staff are not authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the University or any of its colleges/institutes/centers/departments. All contracts must go through Unviersity review, including procurement-related contracts. 

Allowable expenses

Ask the following questions when attempting to determine if an expense is allowable:

• Complies with the University Travel and Business Expense Policy?
• Approved by the department? (if using departmental funds)
• Aligns with the terms and conditions of the award? (if related to an external award, internal award, or contract)
• Follows Wheelock Research and Start-up Funds Guide? (if using research or start-up funds)
• Have I confirmed or received confirmation that funds exist in the account that I am anticipating will fund this expense?

Acquiring a Travel Card or Purchasing Card

Faculty who travel or make frequent purchases may request a P-card or T-card, depending on their needs. To request a card, please write to wheops@bu.edu.

Important Links

• Ordering Method Matrix
• P-Card vs T-Card Usage Chart
• Reimbursement FAQ
• Shared Services Request Form
• Travel and Business Expense Policy
• Travel Card Application 
• Travel Card Cardholder Agreement
• Travel Card Policy
• Travel Card Training
• Travel Services Training
• Wheelock Faculty Purchase Request Form
• Wheelock Research and Start-up Funds Guide

Last updated February, 2025

Research accounts and startup accounts are two common types of designated accounts at Boston University. This guide describes how research and startup accounts work and outlines best practice and policies related to their use. 

Research and startup funds (“faculty discretionary funds”) are unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the University for a specific purpose or project. Unlike restricted funds, there is no legal requirement that designated funds be used according to a donor-specified purpose.  

Designation of funds is an internal budgeting tool that allows the University to earmark funds toward certain projects, initiatives, or for spending at the discretion of a given faculty member, PI, center, or institute. 

Threshold to establish a startup or research account
If faculty receive research or startup funds in the amount of $10,000 or greater, and those funds are expected to cross fiscal years, then Wheelock may request the budget office establish a separate startup or research account for the faculty member. If the amount or funding is less than $10,000 or is expected to be spent down in the current fiscal year, then the funds will be tracked centrally by the faculty member’s department administrator/coordinator. 

Difference between startup and research accounts 
Startup accounts are provided to some faculty at the point of hire. Startup accounts receive funds one time only and are closed once funds are depleted. 

Research accounts may be established at or after the point of hire. New funds may be added to the account from a variety of sources including designation of Wheelock funds, internal grants, awards, and residual balances from external sources. 

Use of funds
Discretionary funds should support the faculty member’s research, scholarship, or teaching practice and should be spent only on non-personal items that are allowable per BU policy.  

In some cases, the manner in which funds may be used will be outlined with greater specificity in a faculty member or PI’s offer letter or other agreement where the awarding of funds is noted. 

Funds may be used to hire personnel; requests to do so will be reviewed according to standard college and university protocol. Positions may be subject to compensation evaluation, and positions must be designed appropriately according to best practices. All new positions are subject to approval of the Wheelock administration. 

Funds may be used for buyouts/off-loads. However, faculty must request buyouts/off-loads and such requests will be subject to approval in accordance with Wheelock’s policies and procedures regarding course buyouts. Approval or declination will be based on a range of factors including timeliness of the request and the nature of the activity that will replace the faculty’s teaching obligation. 

Funds may also be used for summer salary. Like buyouts, requests to use summer salary are subject to approval. Faculty must be able to describe the effort occurring over the summer when requesting to use funds for summer salary and requests are subject to approval of the department chair and dean’s office. 

Funds may not be used to compensate other faculty, including paying overbase or funding course buyouts of other faculty.  

Personal expenses such as home internet, cell phone bills, child-care costs, and personal travel (including commuting costs) may not be charged to research or startup accounts. 

Ownership of materials purchased with startup or research funds
Faculty with designated accounts are stewards of those funds and do not own the funds. When faculty leave Boston University, unspent funds remain with the institution. Items purchased from funds are University property. Faculty are required to return items under their use at the time of their departure. This includes computers, peripherals, furniture, equipment, supplies, and materials. 

Disposition of funds upon departure, retirement, or transition to emeritus status 
When faculty depart, retire, or transition to emeritus status, the faculty discretionary account is closed, and funds are returned to the college’s general pool of funds. Faculty who transition to emeritus status who may benefit from funds to support continued activity at the college should submit a project-based request for funding to the Dean’s Office.  

Procurement
Faculty should follow standard procurement processes and procedures when using their start-up or research funds. Use of personal funds should be a last resort and should only occur when approval has been sought and granted to do so. If purchasing on a personal card prior to approval, faculty do so at their own risk and reimbursement is not guaranteed if the purchase falls outside of guidelines for reimbursement. 

Boston University is a located in a busy city and is open to everyone during business hours. Please lock all valuables at all times. Office/lab doors should be locked anytime the area is empty. If you should work late/weekends in an office, please lock the door and use extra precautions.

Situations that require police services include any criminal incident, suspicious activity on campus, medical emergencies, fire emergencies, and possible bomb or weapon on campus. For information, protocols for reporting and responding, and more, visit the Boston University Safety Website.

Boston University encourages the prompt and accurate reporting of all criminal incidents and safety-related emergencies on university property to the Boston University Police Department. In case of emergencies, call 617-353-2121 (or call 911 if off campus).

Contacts

• Fire Safety
• BU Environmental Health & Safety Website
• Campus Safety
• Medical Emergencies (Student Health Services)
• Bomb Threats and/or Suspicious Packages
• BU Alert (Emergency Notification Systems)
• Sexual Misconduct
• Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP)
• Helping Someone in Distress

In the event of a campus emergency, BU Alert contacts the entire campus community immediately through a variety of electronic means, including text messaging, email, and voice mail. The system transmits information describing the situation and providing instructions on what to do.

In the event that weather or other emergency conditions warrant the all-day closing, delayed opening or early closing of the university, closing information will be provided using the BU Alert Notification system and posted on the BU Homepage. Early release decisions are usually made by 3 pm.

For snow emergencies, call 617-353-SNOW (617-353-7669) to hear a recorded message regarding the closing or delayed opening of Boston University.