University R&R, Wellness and Team Events Guidance

Goals

• Modernize guidance to meet current campus needs
• Maintain and expand local decision making by providing guiding principles
• Enable flexibility to meet department/employee needs

Guiding Principles

• Encourage use of UI services, events, and venues.

• Be inclusive of all team members
• Ensure minimal risk of physical/mental injuries to the employees.
• Cost should be fiscally responsible and justifiable from a cost perspective.
• Events that focus on education (academic, cultural, etc.) and learning are favorable; activities that spur conversation, reflection and analysis are encouraged
• Extreme/considerable risk activities discouraged. Seek additional guidance from Risk Management as needed.
• Hosts/Planners should be aware that the University will likely be responsible for any liability, injury or damage that occurs during these events; therefore, the events should be structured to not increase liability to the University.

Guidance on Funding Source

Based on the Operations Manual V.11.25 policy for the purchase of alcohol, only funding from a fiduciary fund 952- 989 or from a gift fund 520 may be used for the purchase of alcohol. Any use of funding from a fund 500 or 510 account for University events or wellness activities would need to be specifically permitted by the sponsor in the contract or would not be allowed. Other University funding sources may be used for wellness activities such as organized activity funds (Funds 240-245 and Funds 950, 951, 990, 991, 993) and other funds (997).

Existing Funding Sources to Explore:

• Staff Appreciation Grant Program
• Wellness Grants

Current Policies and Guidance

These are policies that are considered when making recommendations. All recommendations follow policies:

• V. 11.22 Items That May Not Be Purchased
• V. 11.25 Food, Beverage, Flowers, Gifts, and Similar Incidental Expenses
• III. 26.3 Attendance at Non-Credit Conferences and Workshops That Are Not Work Related
• VI. Services – Reward and Recognition
• Taxation of Gifts, Prizes, and Awards to Employees
• Cash Awards and Gift Certificates

The following examples are provided for reference only, but not intended to be an exhaustive list.

 Examples of Events

• Offerings from UI Recreational Services.
• UI Pentacrest Museums: Tours and Game Nights
• Various UI Athletics spaces for rental
• Walking / “Destination” Events
  •               Art on Campus – Facilities Management
  •               UI Stanley Museum of Art – Group Tours
  •               UI Libraries Collections and Iowa Women’s Archives
  •       University of Iowa Law Library
  •               Pentacrest Museums (Old Cap, Museum of Natural history) – guided and virtual tours
  •       Hancher Auditorium Tours
  •       Voxman Music Building
• Other museums/libraries on campus or within Iowa.
• Local and state parks
• Golf/Mini golf
• Laser Tag
• Game night/Escape rooms
• Cooking/drink mixing classes
• Picnics
• Dinner events/Happy Hour
• Speaker
• Sporting events - IOWA Sporting events or within Iowa (i.e. Kernals, Xtreme Arena)
• Movie theater / movie nights
• Organized group excursions
• Fitness challenges offered outside of the University of Iowa as a part of wellness or campus recreation

Examples of Events which are not advisable

• Open water sports (jet skis, boating, etc...)
• Hatchet throwing
• Paintball
• Bungee jumping
• Sky diving
• Mountaineering
• Paragliding
• Scuba Diving
• Professional Sports Events – NBA, MLB, NFL, etc.