Hospitality at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) encompasses the use of university or auxiliary funds to support events and activities that help advance the mission of the university. These may include business meetings, official gatherings, community outreach events, ceremonies, donor engagements, and activities involving students, employees, and guests.
Hospitality expenses may cover meals, refreshments, promotional items, and other allowable costs when such expenditures serve a clear business purpose and contribute to building relationships, enhancing engagement, or supporting recruitment and retention efforts.
Examples of hospitality include:
- Hosting prospective employees or students
- Employee recognition events
- Donor receptions and fundraising events
- Meetings involving external partners or collaborators
To ensure proper use of funds and compliance with university guidelines, all hospitality-related purchases must follow the procedures outlined below.
Submitting Hospitality Expenses
All hospitality-related expenses—including requests for purchase orders, Corporate Card reconciliations, or reimbursement claims—must be submitted using the CSUSB Hospitality Worksheet. Submissions must be approved by a designated official responsible for the area hosting the event or activity.
To determine if a purchase order is required for a specific expense or business unit, please consult the Direct Pay Matrix. For Corporate Card usage, refer to the Corporate Card Handbook available on the Procurement & Contracts website.
Bulk Purchases and Hospitality Classification
Campus departments may occasionally purchase items in bulk to support general programming or outreach efforts. While this can offer cost savings or convenience, most purchases should be tied to a specific event to comply with CSU and campus Hospitality policies.
Hospitality purchases require documentation such as a list of attendees, invitations, or agendas. When items are bought in advance and not linked to a specific event, this documentation is often unavailable, making it difficult to classify such purchases as “hospitality.” In these cases, the purchase may be more appropriately categorized as “supplies.”
Bulk purchasing may be allowed when it is clearly more cost-effective or operationally efficient to support multiple events. However, departments should avoid mass purchases that may result in unused or excess inventory. Whenever possible, departments are encouraged to purchase only what is needed for a particular event and reserve bulk purchases for well-justified exceptions.
Important: The following items are considered event-specific and cannot be purchased ahead of a confirmed event. These must be directly tied to a scheduled activity and documented accordingly under Hospitality:
- Refreshments or meals for a planned event
- Décor for a specific recognition ceremony
- Awards or plaques for a named event
- Branded items for a scheduled recruitment fair
- Signage for a specific conference or campus event
Examples of Bulk Purchases Classified as “Supplies” (Not tied to a specific event):
- Promotional items used year-round (e.g., pens, tote bags, empty reusable water bottles)
- Paper goods stored for general future use (e.g., napkins, plates, utensils)
- Blank certificate paper intended for creating recognition awards as needed for future events
- Branded materials used across multiple outreach efforts
- Bulk orders for multiple events when volume pricing or planning efficiency justifies the purchase
Helpful Tools and Resources
- Quick Reference Guide - Hospitality versus Sustenance: A simple, side-by-side comparison to help distinguish between hospitality, travel meals, and sustenance purchases.
- Hospitality Workflow Diagram: A visual overview of the approval and processing steps for hospitality-related purchases.
- Field-by-Field Guide for Hospitality Worksheet: Provides guidance on what information to include in each field when completing the Hospitality Worksheet form.
Hospitality Worksheet and Direct Pay Training
Trainings are typically scheduled twice a month. The Staff Development Center sends out emails on CAMPUS with the dates/times and registration information. All Sessions will be offered in a HYBRID modality. Register via CSULearn by searching in the library, or with direct link.
For questions and/or accommodations please the Staff Development Center at x73125 or staffdevelopmentcenter@csusb.edu. Accommodation requests must be received at least 72 business hours prior to event.
Need Assistance?
If you have questions about allowable expenses, procedures, or need further clarification, please contact:
We're here to support you in ensuring compliance and smooth processing of your hospitality-related purchases.