Author: Fiscal Services Communication Team

uStore Category and Product Labels

Store Managers can now choose and manage their own Top-Level and Sub-category labels for their uStore.

Go to Categories from the left menu Select Add Top-Level Category or Categories > Add Top-Level Category

Select the category you wish to edit or add a Sub-Category to by selecting the gear icon and selecting your option.

No Storefront Labels

If you prefer not to display “Category” and “Product” on the storefront follow the instructions below.

uStore Name > Store Settings > Store Template Setup

Select the Single Store Branding > Headings > <h2>
You will see the font color is listed as #222222 (black)

Select the drop down arrow to the right to select your font color option. Enter #ffffff, and select the color (white) box to the right. You can preview your changes to see how it looks. Select Save if you are satisfied with the results.

Essentially, the labels are still there, but changing the font to white makes it so the labels cannot be seen against the white background. Remember, if there are any other text areas in the store using <h2> formatting, that heading will be affected by this change as well.

How to Handle Chargebacks

What happens during a chargeback dispute in Marketplace?

Occasionally, Mason will receive notice that a Marketplace customer has disputed a charge. A copy of the chargeback notification will be forwarded to the Marketplace Store Manager. The department is required to provide all requested information in response to the notification by the due date indicated. Even when adequate documentation is provided the credit card provider may proceed with the chargeback. If the chargeback is accepted the sales transaction will be reversed.

What you can do to help reduce chargeback disputes.

Add a statement to the bottom of your Refund policy stating transactions from this uStore will appear on your credit card statement as GEORGE MASON UNIV MKTP. The refund policy will always appear during checkout.

You can set up your uStore so that users have to acknowledge the return policy by checking a box or receiving a message stating “By clicking Submit Order, I agree to the above Refund Policy.”

You can require users to acknowledge the return policy by selecting “Yes” in the Admin Settings under Store Settings > General.

Incoming and Outgoing Sponsorships

All George Mason University employees who request, accept or approve incoming or outgoing sponsorship activity with State funds should follow the guidance provided for Incoming and Outgoing Sponsorships. Click on a topic below for additional information.

Sponsorships may not:

Involve the sponsorship of individuals, including employees, for their participation in a personal fundraising activity or event
Utilize symbols or copyrights not owned by the university, unless written permission is obtained from the owner of said symbol or copyright
Contain obscene, indecent, profane or other material that may violate the Code of Conduct
Violate the Conflict of Interest policy

All Sponsorships must:

Be approved, by all parties, prior to the acceptance/distribution of funds. A sponsorship request will not be approved after an event has occurred
Be expressed in writing
Meet the criteria for Outgoing, Qualified or Non-Qualified sponsorship
Meet the criteria established by The Office of Communication and Marketing for trademark usage

Outgoing Sponsorship

An Outgoing Sponsorship may be provided by Mason to a non-Mason entity for an external event. The value of an Outgoing Sponsorship must result in a tangible benefit to the university. A Qualified Sponsorship may meet the definition of a philanthropic sponsorship. Please contact the George Mason University Foundation for guidance related to philanthropic activity.

Outgoing Sponsorships must:

Align with and support the university mission
Align with the university brand communication (logo, trademark, )
Provide a tangible benefit to the university that can be quantified financially (return on investment)

Tangible Benefit: the total quantified value received by Mason as a result of an Outgoing Sponsorship. The total value of tangible benefit(s) must equal or exceed the amount of the Outgoing Sponsorship.

Submit a Request for Outgoing Sponsorship at least 30 days prior to the event or sponsorship deadline. If approved, an eVA purchase requisition must be submitted in all cases. Units may use the P-Card to pay for sponsorships under $5,000. Guidance is available in Appendix A of the Sponsorship Guide.

Incoming Sponsorship

An Incoming Sponsorship is the provisioning of goods or services received by Mason from a non-Mason entity. Incoming Sponsorships are classified as Qualified, Non-Qualified, or Procurement.

Qualified Sponsorship: goods or services received by Mason from a non-Mason entity in support of one or more mission related-activities, events or programs that is not subject to Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT). A Qualified Sponsorships must not provide a substantial return benefit to the non-Mason sponsor and may not be contingent on the level of attendance.
Non-Qualified Sponsorship: goods and/or services received by Mason from a non-Mason entity that provides a Substantial Return Benefit to the sponsor or contains qualitative statements in support of the sponsor. Non-Qualified Sponsorships may be subject to UBIT and/or qualify as Procurement. In order to be exempt from UBIT, the sponsorship must clearly be 100% integral to the college experience.
Procurement: When a sponsor provides a Gift-in-Kind of goods or services to the university that would ordinarily be obtained through the purchasing system, providing tangible return benefits to the sponsor has the potential to be seen as circumventing purchasing requirements. If the return benefits provided to a sponsor are valued at $5,000 or less, the transaction is exempt from purchasing requirements. If the return benefits to the sponsor are valued at more than $5,000, and the value of the return benefits provided to the sponsor is 10% or less of the value of the goods or services provided by the sponsor, the transaction will still qualify as a sponsorship and not a purchase. If the return benefits to the sponsor are valued at more than $5,000 and exceed 10% of the value of the goods or services provided by the sponsor, then the purchasing rules apply to the transaction.

Substantial Return Benefit: the total value of any item or service that Mason provides to a sponsor, in return for the sponsor’s contribution(s). The total value of the return benefit may not exceed 2 percent of the contribution amount. Acknowledgment is not considered to be a substantial return benefit.

Utilize the How to Classify an Incoming Sponsorship guide to assist with determining the nature of the sponsorship. Guidance is also available in Appendix B of the Sponsorship Guide.

Gift Cards for Research Subject Payments

*Please note that the purchase of gift cards is restricted to research subject payment. Units may not purchase gift cards for any other reason.*

Academic Units may purchase gift cards for research subject payments using a Mason P-Card. The gift cards must be physically secured at all times by lock and key. Gift cards should be used only for research subject payments in accordance with the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Benefits of utilizing gift cards for research subject payments:

No check to cash/deposit
Less lead time required
No out of pocket expense
PI/Custodian determines gift card denomination
Academic Unit controls ordering, disbursing, and reconciling of gift card purchase

Permission from Fiscal Services is not required. All purchases must be in compliance with Fiscal Policy and procedures for eVA/P-Card. The Academic Dean/Department Head is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control procedures for their unit.

Please review the Gift Cards for Research Subjects Guide to learn about department responsibilities and obtain standardized forms to assist in managing the process. Click here to download all the related documents as a Zip file.

Purchasing Promotional Items

Mason has awarded contracts to multiple sources for promotional items. The following procedures are required for all purchases:

Promotional Orders Under $5,000

Select any one vendor under contract (list available below)
Ensure the price is at or below the maximum agreed pricing
Follow the recommended ordering method for the vendor
Follow the purchasing procedures for eVA and/or P-Card

**Do not select a vendor outside of the contract unless:

The department obtains a waiver from the Purchasing Office. This will not be considered solely on the basis of price.
The required items are not covered under the contract (e.g., embroidery items, uniforms promotional jackets, etc.)

You must be logged in using your Mason Single Sign-On (SSO) to view the following table, Purchasing Promotional Items Guide

Promotional Orders Above $5,000

Select a minimum of two vendors under contract and obtain bids (list available here). Lowest prices responsive, responsible bid receives the award
Provide identical detail of needs to both vendors via email

**Do not solicit a vendor outside of the contract unless:

The department obtains a waiver from the Purchasing Office. This will not be considered solely on the basis of price.
The required items are not covered under the contract (e.g., embroidery items, uniforms promotional jackets, etc.). Items that are not covered under the contract are subject to standard competitive requirements. See Purchasing Snapshot for details

Banner 9 is Here

Banner 9 Admin Apps is available and finance users should now be utilizing Banner 9 exclusively.

The direct link to Banner 9 Admin Apps is https://patriotnav.gmu.edu/applicationNavigator. You must use this link to connect to Banner 9 – the current link on Patriot Web will open Banner 8 INB and will not be updated until later this year. The updated Electronic Journal Voucher Guide is available as a reference.

As a reminder, Mason is migrating from Banner 8 INB to Banner 9 Admin Apps. This information page provides an overview of the transition timeline. Banner consists of two major components, Internet Native Banner (INB) and Self-Service (Patriot Web.) Mason is transitioning in stages and many of the features, including Self-Service, are not being upgraded at this time. The primary focus of the current upgrade activity is migrating from Banner 8 INB to Banner 9 Admin Apps, which provides a modern user interface designed to improve navigation and allow mobile friendly access. This short video title Getting Started provides an overview of the new Banner 9 Admin Apps interface, highlights terminology differences and includes some keyboard shortcuts.