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Custodians & Responsibility

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(Updated Aug. 1, 2023)

Equipment Custodians

Equipment Custodians are responsible for the following duties:

 

▼ Managing, Maintaining, & Monitoring Inventorial Equipment

 

  • The Equipment Custodian monitors all inventorial equipment within the department throughout its capital asset life cycle, from acquisition to final disposition.
▼ Processing Inventories

 

  • The Equipment Custodians physically locate inventorial equipment & update the EMS online database.
    • Equipment Custodians must annually verify online records in the EMS database.
    • Equipment Custodians must conduct a complete physical inventory to locate and verify the entire equipment inventory every two years.
▼ Recording & Reporting Transfer/Disposition Transactions

 

  • The Equipment Custodian utilizes the Online Equipment Inventory Modification Request (EIMR) to report equipment transfers and dispositions.

  • These transactions often require approval from various entities, such as:
    • Outside Funding Agency, Equipment Manager
    • Surplus Administrator
    • Sponsored Programs Administrator
    • Any other parties involved
▼ Recording & Reporting changes in Equipment

 

  • The Equipment Custodian updates the EMS online database with any changes to equipment data resulting from known changes, inventories, or sample audits.
▼ Locating and Tagging New Equipment

 

The Equipment Custodian serves as the department's contact person - When new equipment is added to the department's inventory, Equipment Management will provide property tags and an Inventory Information Sheet to the custodian.

Responsibilities:

  • Locate new equipment
  • Verify accuracy of the Inventory Information Sheet
  • Attach Property Tags
  • Obtain Serial Number & Room Location
▼ Controlling Agency Equipment

 

  • The Equipment Custodian collaborates with Equipment Management to tag newly acquired agency equipment. Additionally, the Custodian coordinates any activity changes related to agency equipment with Equipment Management or Sponsored Programs Administration, ensuring that the sponsor's approval is o btained for any disposition or transfer actions.

 

Equipment Responsibility

The head of the custodial department and the Principal Investigator bear primary responsibility for the care, maintenance, record-keeping, physical inventory, control, and disposal of inventorial equipment and other property owned by the university or funded by external sources.

Departments that possess inventorial equipment must assign custodial responsibility for the equipment to a staff member.

The Department Equipment Custodian will be responsible for:

  • Tagging & Tracking Inventorial Equipment
  • Performing Biennial Inventory
  • Handle/Assist with other equipment related matters (eg. transfers, loans, and disposal) in compliance with related equipment policy

Additionally, departments are assigned custody codes, and each custody code must be assigned to a Department Equipment Custodian. It is possible for a Department Equipment Custodian to have multiple custody codes. Every piece of equipment is associated with a specific custody code.

To obtain a current list of custody codes, you can make a request through the Service Catalog.

Manage Changes

To manage changes in the custodial responsibility of equipment within your department, you can submit a request through the DFA Service Catalog. The following actions can be requested:

  • Appoint a new custodian
  • Remove an existing custodian
  • Request a new custody code
  • Discontinue an existing custody code
  • Move a custody code from one division to another

To initiate these changes, please complete the Custody Code and Custodian Maintenance Form and submit it via the Service Catalog.

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