Department of Political Science

Political Science
1414 Social Sciences Building
267 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-624-4144
Fax: 612-626-7599
E-mail: polisci@umn.edu

Chair: Raymond D. Duvall

Research Accounts

Each tenured and tenure-track Political Science faculty has a Research Account and support promised in your letter of appointment, as well as an annual travel allotment from the department, will be deposited into this account. You will receive a report from the accountant on a quarterly basis which will provide you with the balance in your account. If you have hired a research assistant, you will usually be provided with a monthly report to avoid "run-away" personnel expenses. You are responsible for maintaining a positive balance in your research account . If you submit a request for reimbursement and the amount exceeds the current balance, your request will be held until there are sufficient funds. Please refer to the Expense Reimbursement section for policies relating to purchasing supplies, services and equipment.

Books and other items relating to your research which are available from the University's Bookstore, can be purchased using an "IV" document. Please ask the accountant for an IV so your purchases are charged to your research account and not the department's general account which is reserved for course-related materials. Provide the accountant with the title and authors as well as the account from which the books are to be paid for books ordered from Amazon or Barnes and Noble so that she/he can place the order using the department purchasing card.

All moving and set-up expenses will be charged to your research account. CLA reimburses us for these expenses once they are known and your research account is credited accordingly.

  • Moving companies should be directed to send an invoice directly to the department accountant. If you receive the invoice, submit it along with your other moving expenses and the University will reimburse you.
  • Moving expenses are divided into two categories: nontaxable and taxable. Nontaxable expenses include airfare, mileage ($.10/mile), lodging, and transportation and storage of household goods and personal effects. Taxable expenses include meals, house-hunting, mileage in excess of the nontaxable rate, temporary livings expenses, real estate expenses and other expenses not previously listed.
  • Once you have compiled all your relocation expenses, complete a travel expense worksheet and submit it, along with your original receipts , to the accountant for reimbursement.
  • If your moving expenses exceed one-ninth of your annual salary or if your computer system exceeds the amount designated in your appointment letter, it will be reflected in your research account balance.

If you use the copier, fax machine, postage or express mail for research-related purposes, please make sure you specify "research" on the sign-in sheets for postage, copying and fax transmissions. For express mail, make sure you write, "research" in item 2, Your Internal Billing Reference on the airbill. If your activities are not related to course work or research and you want to be billed directly, please specify "Professional Reimbursable on the sign-in sheets (item 2 of the Express Mail transmission form). You will receive an Internal Invoice from the accountant which can be paid by check or with cash.