Property Control

Each year, an annual physical inventory of tagged assets is performed by many on campus who are responsible for assets/equipment. Inventory records are captured and stored in PeopleSoft FMS Asset Tracking.

At the start of the physical inventory cycle, responsible/secondary officers will receive an email containing information regarding the inventory cycle (due dates, missing asset reporting, etc.) and their asset listing in Excel format. A separate email is sent for each sector, so you will receive multiple emails if you have multiple sectors.

If you have multiple sectors that you are responsible for, you can add together your total assets from all sectors to help you determine your inventory due date. Inventory due dates are divided into four groups based on the total number of items assigned to each responsible officer. The total amount of assets determines the due date of the inventory:

• 1–100 items
• 101–300 items
• 301–600 items
• 601 items or more

The more items, the longer the responsible officer will have to complete their inventory.

Training Materials

Three manuals have been created, along with reference guides and tools, to assist you with the new process:

• Lesson 1: NIU Inventory and Property Control Overview (DOCX)
• Lesson 2: Asset Scanning (DOCX)
  • Perform Physical Inventory Quick Reference Guide (DOCX)
  • MyNIU Query/Viewer Quick Reference Guide (DOCX)
  • Find an Asset Tile Quick Reference Guide (DOCX)
• Lesson 3: Scanning Apps (DOCX)
• Building Abbreviations
• Annual Inventory Best Practices (DOCX)

Equipment is a movable or fixed unit of furniture or furnishings, an instrument, a machine, an apparatus, or a set of articles that generally retains its original shape and appearance with use, has a normal useful life of more than two years, is non-consumable, costs greater than $2,500 and does not lose its identity through incorporation into a different or more complex unit or substance.

NIU uses tags to identify and monitor equipment.

Equipment Worth Greater Than $2,500

The Property Control Department tags equipment greater than $2,500 with a white bar-coded label including a six-digit identification number and the words "Property of Northern Illinois University." Numbers are applied to equipment with a label and/or an indelible marking pen.

Items with High Theft Potential

Property Control tags all items identified as "high theft," regardless of cost. More information is available in the High Theft Items Policy below.

When a move of assets occurs and the assets remain in the same sector, responsible officers must change the location of the item in the PeopleSoft Asset Tracking system.

For assets being transferred to another department/sector, please follow the Transfer of Equipment procedure below.

For assets being transferred to surplus, please see the Surplus or Scrap Equipment webpage.

Transfers/Changes Within the University

• Transfer from one room to another room or to change the Custodian
  • Complete the electronic Asset Changes/Transfer form in PeopleSoft Financials Asset Tracking system
• Transfer permanently to another NIU department/sector
  • Complete the electronic Asset Changes/Transfer form in PeopleSoft Financials Asset Tracking system
  • A Delegations (DOCX) tile has been added to Asset Tracking to delegate others to approve on your behalf
• Surplus and remove from department inventory (see Surplus or Scrap Equipment webpage)
• Transfer from the surplus equipment pool in the Dorland building to a department inventory location (Property Control personnel will complete the necessary paperwork for the transfer and coordinate delivery through Distribution Services)

Transfers Outside of the University to Another Agency or Organization

• Appropriate authorization from a dean, chair, assistant or associate vice president and responsible officer must be received by the Property Control department to initiate an exemption request from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS).
• Information required to process the request includes, but not limited to:
  • Reason(s) as to how this benefits the university and state
  • Name of organization to receive property along with the address and contact information
• CMS has 30 days to rule on the request for exemption. If an exemption was denied, we have seven days from receipt of the denial to supply additional information to make a case that the transfer would be the best benefit to the state and university.
• For more details see Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) exemption information

The private and/or personal use of university property is expressly prohibited; however, situations may arise where university responsibilities can justify the temporary use of portable equipment off-campus. The criteria for off-campus usage is more efficient utilization of university resources and not the personal convenience of the employee.

Off-campus Property Control Procedure

JCAR Title 44, Section 5010.470, "Reporting ‘on location’ equipment for annual inventory report" requires that property used off-campus be documented to ensure appropriate control is maintained. Realizing that most equipment taken off-campus for university missions are either used for long periods under one borrower/holder or used for short and/or frequent periods by multiple borrowers/holders, two control forms are available for use.

• Long-term off-campus property control form
  • Intended for durations longer than a semester (three-year maximum)
  • Property loaned to non-NIU personnel (form must be completed by NIU employee, one year maximum)
• Short-term/frequent off-campus property control log
  • Intended for durations of up to one semester

Responsible officers have the following responsibilities regarding the off-campus use of university equipment:

• Ensure that forms are completed properly and renewed in a timely manner.
• When renewing the long-term request, a new form must be completed to maintain the accuracy of records.
• Monitor use of short-term/frequent off-campus property control logs.

Long-term Off-campus Property

Long-term off-campus Property Control forms are used to track in-service tagged items. Instructions for completing the Long-term Off-campus Property Control form:

1. Complete all information. Items should not be removed from campus prior to receiving approval from the dean or associate vice president (or designee).
2. There is a delay between when an asset is tagged and when that tag number is entered into PeopleSoft. If the tag number you are trying to enter is not available, please contact Property Control via email at property_control@niu.edu.
3. Be specific about the purpose of borrowing university equipment for off-campus use.
4. Complete anticipated return date with a date that is within three years or less from the request date.
5. If the equipment is used in multiple locations, a home address may be used as a default address.
6. After the form has been submitted and approved by your dean or associate vice president, it will be routed to the responsible officer for approval.
7. When equipment is returned to campus the responsible or secondary officer will fill in the actual return date.

Links to Instruction Materials

• Delegations
• Long-term Off-campus Equipment Form: Data Entry
• Long-term Off-campus Form: Approvals
• Long-term Off-campus Form: Enter Return Date and Query

Notes

• The form has been moved from OnBase to the MyNIU Employee Human Resource System.
• Please submit a separate request for each piece of “in service” NIU-tagged equipment.
• For property loaned to a non-NIU employee, justification must accompany the request explaining the need for NIU property to be used by non-NIU employees. These requests must be completed by an NIU employee and renewed annually by an NIU employee, so the anticipated return date should be one year or less.
• Form approvers can delegate a proxy approver in the MyNIU Employee Human Resource System.  
• A query can be run by responsible officers to find a form or query for a list of forms.

Short-term/Frequent Off-campus

Instructions for short-term/frequent off-campus use of property:

• The responsible officer (or designee) must maintain a log of equipment that is checked out for short periods of time.
• Items should not be removed from campus prior to recording all information with the department-authorized log. A sample log can be obtained from Property Control.
• Responsible officers should retain the logs for a period of one year from the last entry on the log.

Under both long and short-term off-campus use of university property, the person borrowing the equipment is responsible for reasonable care. To emphasize this responsibility each form contains the following acknowledgment:

"I understand by providing my full name below, I acknowledge responsibility for safeguarding the equipment and the potential liability for any costs of damage or replacing the equipment if it is lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair. I also acknowledge that equipment is being used for official purposes and not for private/personal use. Additional acceptable-use guidance for information, computing and communication resources is located in the Acceptable Use Policy."

Responsible officers have the following responsibilities regarding university equipment:

• Off-campus use of equipment
  • Ensure that long-term off-campus forms are completed properly and renewed in a timely manner.
  • When renewing the long-term authorization, a new form must be completed to maintain the accuracy of records.
  • Monitor the use of short-term/frequent off-campus property control logs.
  • Assure that assigned equipment is being used in the best interest of the university.
• Annual Physical Inventory
  • Enter asset locations into PeopleSoft Asset Tracking. In the custodian field, put the employees' name whom the equipment is assigned. It is also encouraged that the comments field be utilized for a better understanding of equipment location.
  • Complete an annual inventory verification of equipment as required by Property Control and complete the Form 15 by the due date.
  • Complete "Missing Asset Internal Investigation" form for all items marked as missing or stolen on Form 15 by the inventory due date.
  • Know the location of all equipment inventoried and ensure that the equipment is reasonably secure from possible theft or hazards.
  • Know the IT person who is assigned to your department. They may be able to assist you with locating computer assets.

Report to Property Control any items you wish to transfer to another agency, donate or surplus.

Departments receiving any gift of equipment must notify the NIU Foundation of the donation and provide that office with the following information:

• College and department
• Date gift was received
• Fair value of the gift determined by appraisal of current market value
• Description of gift
• From whom the gift was received

The Foundation office will notify Property Control if the gift is to be tagged and registered as state property with the Department of Central Management Services - Property Control Division in Springfield. Once tagged the equipment becomes the property of the State of Illinois and Northern Illinois University, and it cannot be disposed of without written authorization by the Property Control Department.

University personnel who bring personal property to campus do so at their own risk. Personal property of any individual brought to university premises is the responsibility of the individual. The university can assume no liability for loss, theft or damage. Such property should bear a note or tag showing that it is personal property and listing the owner's name. Employees desiring to protect their personal property from damage or loss should make their own arrangements for insurance.

When equipment appears to be stolen, a report must be filed immediately with the NIU Police Department, with a copy submitted to the Property Control Department, indicating the NIU tag number, description of the missing item(s) and circumstances leading to the disappearance. If the item is later located, both the NIU Police Department and the Property Control Department must be notified. For items that have gone missing, responsible officers must complete a "Missing Asset Internal Investigation Form" in OnBase within the annual physical inventory cycle.

Last updated: Feb. 17, 2023

Marking of State-Owned Equipment (JCAR Title 44, Section 5010.210.c)

Equipment with a value that is greater than the nominal value and equipment that is subject to theft with a value less than that nominal value must be marked with a unique identification number to be assigned by the agency holding the property. The administrator has determined that all agencies shall consider all vehicles and firearms to be subject to theft. Additionally, each agency is responsible for adopting policies clearly delineating categories of equipment considered to be subject to theft. (Updated 5/3/19)

According to JCAR, it is up to each agency to determine what items are considered high theft. PerJCAR, vehicles and firearms must be included in the high theft list (5010.210.c). Based on inventory reported missing through the annual inventory process the following items are considered high theft and must be tagged regardless of acquisition value. These items will be inventoried each inventory cycle to ensure that the items are accounted for.

• Portable electronics – laptops, notebooks, netbooks, tablets
• Computers (PC’s)
• Firearms
• Vehicles

Please follow Commercial Card Programs policies and procedures for all equipment purchases (account code beginning 88).