University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Telephone Use Policy
Policy #65

General Telephone Use

Local telephone calls made for personal reasons should be limited to essential and/or emergency situations only. Long distance (i.e. STS) telephone calls should be related to university business. The STS network is intended for governmental use and not personal use. Personal use of the state telephone system is addressed in the ethics code under Wisconsin Statutes S.19.45(5) and DER rules under ER PERS 24.4. If an emergency long distance call is made at work for personal reasons, the employee should charge the call to an individual home telephone or to a personal credit card. The university must be reimbursed for the long-distance calls not charged in this manner (see use of cellular telephones). Personal long distance charged to the university without express permission must be reimbursed and the employee may be disciplined accordingly. The only exception to this policy is when traveling on university business. Employees are allowed to charge one personal telephone call on a travel expense form if there is an overnight stay involved. Additional information is available in FPPP #36 under miscellaneous expenses, XIII. B. for conditions allowing telephone call reimbursement.

Authorization and Use of Cellular Telephones

1. Cellular telephones may be used by UW-Parkside personnel who travel extensively and whose responsibilities would be enhanced by use of a cellular telephone. Assignment of cellular phones should be made primarily by the appropriate supervisor/departmental director who can justify the benefits to the university.

2. Personal telephone calls are to be avoided. It is absolutely necessary to use a cellular telephone for personal calls, the costs are to be reimbursed by the billing period following the call. The Business Services Office can provide assistance in the procedure for reimbursement.

3. Assignment and use of cellular telephones will be reviewed monthly by the Business Services Office.

4. Questions on this policy should be directed to Jim Marks, Assistant Director of Business Services, extension 2255.