The University may pay institutional memberships and dues in professional associations provided that they are in the name of the University. Memberships in the name of an individual cannot be paid or reimbursed from any fund source unless one of the following circumstances applies:

1. Job Requirement:  The membership is necessary to fulfill the requirements of a job. Justification detailing the necessity of the membership should be documented in the description/comments section of the payment request being submitted for payment.
2. The sole purpose of the membership is to purchase professional journals at a reduced rate that are not available through the University Libraries. The membership must include the cost of the journal and be less than the amount that would be paid if the journal was purchased alone. These journals become the property of the University rather than the individual in whose name the membership is made. The journals must pertain to the mission of the department from which payment is made. Details to show the cost advantage of purchasing the membership must be provided in the description/comments section of the payment request being submitted for payment.
3. If the membership cost is less than the savings realized for a non-member conference/symposium registration, the membership may be paid using a sponsored project. This may or may not be in the name of UGA depending on the suppliers registration form. Sponsored Projects Post Award Accounting approval is required. There are also additional criteria for paying on sponsored projects and these are available at http://spas.uga.edu/?outline=memberships

Note:  Memberships may not be paid using a P-Card, even if the membership is part of a registration for a conference.

Responsible University Senior Administrator: Vice President for Finance & Administration 

Responsible University Administrator: Procurement Officer

Policy Owner: Procurement 

Policy Contact: Robert Currey 

Phone Number: 706-542-2361

Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the requesting department to obtain the necessary approval letter of the cognizant Department Head/Director and the cognizant Dean or Vice President.