Learn about best practices, Michigan State University standards, and available tools for accepting credit and debit card payments at MSU.
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Spartan Merchant Connection - Vol 4 - December 2023
Administrative Fee Increase
As budget planning for fiscal year 2024-25 begins, please be advised that the MSU Administrative Fee will increase from 2% to 3% effective July 1, 2024.
Many MSU departments engage in auxiliary and other activities, such as non-credit instruction, which generate revenues unrelated to student tuition, research grants, gifts, or investment income. Most of these departmental activities receive centralized MSU administrative services such as Human Resources, Payroll, Accounting, and certain central Information Technology systems/support, etc., without directly paying for these services. The administrative fee is assessed to encourage departments to develop recharge/contract rates that include both direct and indirect costs when providing services to customers outside the University.
The MSU Administrative Fee rate has remained 2% since fiscal year 2010-11, and over a decade plus, costs for central services have increased. As part of the overall University budget model redesign, the administrative fee rate is expected to increase in future fiscal years in recognition of the need for a modern funding model for providing these central services. Exact administrative fee rates for fiscal years ending beyond June 30, 2025 will be announced at, or near, the commencement of budget planning for each fiscal year.
For questions, please contact Christine Mossner in the Office of Financial Reporting at : mossnerc@msu.edu.
PCI Training Requirement
Each person with access to payment card data, applications, or systems, or who is the PCI Steward for their department, is required to take PCI training at the point of hire and annually, at a minimum. This action is required for MSU to assert compliance to our bank and the card brands.
This training is for anyone who has access to a Transact Payments store, operates a Credit Card Terminal on campus, helps reconcile credit card revenue, manages operations dealing with credit card revenue, or is a PCI Steward. This does not apply to P-Card holders or activity.
What do I need to do?
Please select the elevateU icon in EBS under the “My Career& Training” section. In the Search Box, simply search “PCI”. The first course listed will be “PCI Compliance”. Select “Launch”. The training will pop up in a separate window.
This training is expected to take about 20-30 minutes and will have quiz questions throughout. The quiz results will not be tracked and you are allowed to retake the questions as many times as you like. Your training must be completed before the last business day of September each year.
Do I have to?
Yes, if you and/or your staff meet the criteria listed above, it is mandatory. The PCI training is required by the Controller’s Office, MSU IT Security team, and the PCI team. The University attests overall compliance yearly to our acquiring bank, training is a mandatory requirement and MSU cannot attest compliance until training is complete. If you are a PCI Steward, you are responsible for ensuring that all applicable staff receive training.
Disclaimer: If you manage a location with volunteers, who by nature do not have a MSU Net ID but are trained to operate credit cards devices on behalf of the University, you should have them sign an updated Employee Security Statement during the year in which they volunteer.
Please contact the Cashier’s Office at 517-355-5023 or pcidss@ctlr.msu.edu if you have any questions.
Thank you for your continuing efforts to keep MSU compliant!