Mobile Phone
1. PURPOSE
The primary purpose of the Brigham Young University–Hawaii ("BYU–Hawaii" or "university") mobile phone program is to provide the most consistent, convenient and cost-effective mobile telephone services possible to its employees who need them for business use.
2. POLICY
A university-funded mobile phone should only be issued if it is required for the job – not as a perk, benefit, or recruiting tool.
3. IMPLEMENTATION
3.1 ELIGIBILITY
Directors evaluate and request mobile phones on behalf of employees only when a mobile phone is truly necessary to do the work assigned. Employees in hourly staff or faculty positions will typically not be provided with a university-funded mobile phone. Mobile phones are typically not necessary for work by employees who have access to a desk phone and a computer. Examples of justifiable exceptions include the following:
- Employees who are regularly required to have mobile communication from multiple locations for their job.
- Employees who are regularly required to have access to the internet/university systems from multiple locations for their job.
- Employees who are regularly on-call and need a mobile phone to be contacted when they are away from the office.
- Employees in roles that require frequent travel or work off-campus.
- Employees who must be accessible to students for urgent or extremely serious concerns 24/7.
3.2 APPROVED DEVICES AND CARRIERS
The BYUH Store will maintain a record of standard models and prices that should be evaluated regularly. If a business purpose requires an upgraded phone outside of the standard, preapproved guidelines, these upgrades must be approved by the department’s line vice president and the BYUH Store.
Employees who wish to upgrade to a more expensive phone will be required to fund the difference between the standard approved phone and the upgrade.
The university will only purchase mobile phones and service agreements from contracted vendors; unless a specific exception is granted. All mobile phone acquisitions will be coordinated through Financial Services. Request for a university-funded mobile phone must have written approval of the line vice president.
3.3 REPLACEMENT CYCLE
Unless defective, mobile phones may not be replaced earlier than 36 months after purchase. When a request is made to replace a phone, the department will decide whether to recycle the used phone within their department or allow the employee to purchase the phone at the current resale price determined by the BYUH Store. When the department retains the phone, an employee who paid to upgrade a mobile phone will receive a reimbursement equal to a pro-rated share of the current resale price. If the employee purchases the phone from the university, the current resale price will be reduced by the pro-rated portion the employee already owns. The pro-rated portion is equal to the percentage of the original sale price the employee paid when the new phone was purchased.
3.4 FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY
All costs associated with mobile telephones will be borne by the department ordering the equipment. Such costs include but are not limited to the following: equipment acquisition and accessories; monthly fees for mobile service; insurance, maintenance, and repair of equipment; and, replacement of lost or stolen equipment. Cost center managers will be responsible to review and approve additional charges on top of the monthly mobile service charges.
3.5 PERSONAL USE
Any overage, long-distance, roaming, or other charges realized by the employee for personal calls will be the employee's responsibility. Personal charges must be reimbursed by the employee. The university department is responsible for ensuring that personal charges are reimbursed.
3.6 DISPOSITION OF PHONES FOR EMPLOYEES WHO NO LONGER QUALIFY
Employees with university-funded mobile phones who change roles or have duties that no longer require a mobile phone, may return the phone to the university or retain the phone at no charge and switch to the ohana payment plan.