Bemidji State University is required by Minnesota law and MnSCU Board policies to establish and maintain records and enact procedures to track and account for all university fixed assets.

The BSU Inventory Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the campus records and facilitating the procedures, but requires the cooperation of all university personnel to ensure accuracy of inventory records. Each department is accountable for all equipment assigned to the unit.

Since July 2009, MinnState has directed that fixed assets shall include both revenue and non-revenue fixed assets within the 4000-object code that have a value of more than $10,000 and a life expectancy of more than two years. In addition, MinnState has directed that all computers and weapons, regardless of price, age and current value, must be kept on inventory.

The Inventory Coordinator shall exercise his/her discretion in adding other items below $10,000 to inventory, such as printers, TVS, video cameras, high-tech computer peripherals or other items that might be considered “sensitive.” Equipment received valued at over $1,000 that does not meet these definitions and is not deemed necessary to be added to inventory will receive an unnumbered “Property of the State of Minnesota” sticker.

Review BSU/NTC equipment thresholds.

Contact the Inventory Office at (218) 755-2776 with any questions.

Asset Management Instructions

When fixed asset purchases arrive at Central Receiving, the Inventory team applies an asset number sticker and marks the item for BSU Inventory before delivery. For items that are too big or sensitive to be unpacked and repacked in Central Receiving or items that require set-up by a factory technician, they are marked after delivery and set-up is completed. Items that do not go through Central Receiving must also be marked at the department site. If you receive equipment that has not been marked for inventory, please inform the Inventory Coordinator at (218) 755-2776.

If you need to return a marked asset to the vendor/manufacturer for replacement, repair or return, please contact the Inventory team to remove the asset number sticker from the equipment and inventory records before returning it. If you are uncertain about keeping the asset and are taking it for a trial basis, please indicate this on the purchase order so that the asset will not be marked until you decide to keep it.

To determine whether an asset donated to the university should be assigned an asset number and added to inventory, please inform the Inventory Coordinator.

The Inventory Coordinator must be notified of any assets donated to the university.

When creating a purchase order of $10,000 or more to upgrade or improve an existing fixed asset, list the asset number on the purchase order. The cost of the upgrade/betterment must be added to the value of the existing asset, and object code 4000 must be used.

Please inform the Inventory team if you are moving a fixed asset to a new campus location or transferring ownership to another department on campus. You may email the Inventory Coordinator or use the attached form to report this information, so that the record for that asset can be updated.

Usable assets should first be made available to other departments on campus.

If you wish to make usable assets available to other departments on campus, contact the Inventory Coordinator. Assets that are no longer usable should be disposed of according to state law and the guidelines set forth by the Department of Administration and the MNSCU Board. Assets that are not hazardous and cannot be recycled shall be disposed of according to instructions by the local waste disposal authority at the local facility.

Assets that are no longer usable shall be recycled to the full extent possible. All equipment with electronic circuit boards and all video display terminals and televisions are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed through a licensed hazardous waste recycler. These items are to remain in the Department until recycling is coordinated by Inventory Control with the Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator. Unusable assets that are not hazardous and cannot be recycled shall be disposed of according to instructions by the local waste disposal authority at the local facility.

If you wish to dispose of a fixed asset, please use the attached form to request disposal. The asset number must be removed from the inventory system. In some instances, approval must first be obtained from Materials Management, Department of Administration. This is handled by the Inventory Coordinator after a request for disposal is received.

Physical inventory shall be taken at a minimum every two years, or more often if deemed necessary by the University or the Inventory Coordinator. (The exception is dormitory rooms, which shall be inventoried whenever required by the Board Office.) “Spot checks” may be ordered by the Board Office or performed by the Inventory Coordinator as often as deemed necessary. A department that has unsatisfactory physical inventory accuracy will be subject to more spot checks until acceptable accuracy is achieved. During physical inventory, Inventory Office personnel visit every building and room, recording asset numbers, brief equipment descriptions and locations across the entire campus. The new date of the physical inventory is entered in the computer system for each asset number found and the location is changed if necessary. After all asset numbers found are updated in the computer inventory system, a computer printout is run for each department. Each department will then be contacted to find or account for any assets that were not found and updated by Inventory.

Please inform the Inventory Coordinator of any missing or stolen assets and provide copies of any Security Report or Police Report.

Please inform the Inventory Coordinator of any property removed from campus for use at home or other locations. Obtain written permission from a university administrator or college dean to use university property off-campus, and file a copy of the written permission with the Inventory Office.

For faculty and staff who wish to keep personal property on campus, personal property stickers and forms are available from the Inventory Coordinator.