Cash Security

Scope

To provide guidance for physically securing the University’s monetary assets. 

Reason for Policy

The purpose of this policy is to protect University monetary assets from theft and loss.

Policy Statement

Risk Classifications
The campus Division of Finance must evaluate each operation that receives, stores, or disburses money for the University and must assign a risk classification based on a number of factors:

• Amount of money accumulated
• Environmental factors
• Hours of operation
• Past loss experience
• Number of employees

Classifications and their associated security standards are:

• High Risk
  • Safes protected with capacitance burglar alarms connected with the University Police Department
  • Area alarms to protect all doors, windows and other entrances
  • A Class ER or TL-30 burglary-proof safe
  • A hold-up alarm system that can be activated at the counter and at a supervisor’s desk
  • Other deterrents required by the Campus Division of Finance, such as camera surveillance equipment
  • Cashier cages which meet the construction standards required or determined appropriate by the Campus Division of Finance.  After review of the location, the need for bullet-proof cages should be determined by the Campus Division of Finance.
• Medium-High Risk
  • A Class ER or TL-15 burglary proof safe
  • Adequate construction standards as established for medium-high risk cash handling locations
  • A manual hold-up panic alarm system with buttons for activating the system located at the counter and at a supervisor’s desk.  Employees should be carefully instructed on the use of these alarms.
  • An alarm system to protect all doors, windows and other entrances against burglary
• Medium Risk
  • A locking safe, chest or cabinet rated fire resistant and equipped with at least one combination lock
• Low Risk
  • A storage container equipped with at least one locking device which cannot be easily removed from the premises or which can be secured in a larger, locking device (desk, vault, etc.)

Physical Facilities Construction
For operations with risk classifications of High or Medium-High, to the degree possible and practical, as determined by the Campus Division of Finance, the design of the physical facilities of each cash handling operation may incorporate any or all of these construction features:

• Interior entrance doors with key lock or combination lock
  • Electric door switch with automatic closing mechanism
  • Bullet-proof windows for recognition of authorized personnel
  • Sheet metal reinforcement
    • Dead bolt locks with pin tumbler cylinders which are key operated from both inside and outside
    • Perimeter walls constructed from floor to ceiling
    • Provisions to physically separate the cashiers and those counting and handling money from other office employees
  • If bullet-proof glass is determined necessary by the Campus Division of Finance for the cashiering station, it will also include
    • Speaking slots
    • Openings for passing money in and out which are small enough or properly protected to prevent a gun from being inserted or pointed at an employee inside

To maximize the deterrent benefits of various security devices used, appropriate signs should be posted in conspicuous locations throughout each cash handling unit, such as:  “Burglar Alarm” and “Two Keys Required to Open Safe”.

Minimum Standards for Safekeeping Devices

• Cash till lockers must be equipped with a combination lock and key change tumblers or, if dual key control is desired, with a dual key lock.
• Coin and storage lockers securing bulk storage of coins or valuable items must be equipped

with combination or key locks.

• Cash protectors used to secure excess operating cash during the day must be equipped with a combination lock and a key locking door handle.
• Under counter lockers used to secure operating funds during the day must be made of steel and equipped with a combination lock and a key locking door handle.
• Cash safes, money safes and receiving safes located outside of a vault must be equipped with a combination lock.
• Containers for transporting funds must incorporate a locking device that can be unlocked only by authorized personnel.

Proper Use of Safekeeping Devices

• During business hours, all safes and vaults must be kept locked when not in use.  At all other times, all safes and vaults must be locked.
• Where possible and practical, all safes and vaults must be situated so as to be easily visible from outside the room and building in which located.  At night, a safe or vault and the immediate surrounding area must be well lit.  Any dark areas should be investigated and reported to the police.
• Security checks should be made by police foot patrol and patrol cars during their tour of duty.  Security watchmen should make periodic floor and room inspections.
• The amount of funds secured in a safe or vault overnight, over a weekend, or over a long holiday, must be kept to a reasonable minimum.  Excess funds must be deposited with the Campus Cashier or, when authorized, with the depository bank, and may be reduced by making more than one deposit per day.
• When cash turn-ins are required after normal business hours, a night depository must be provided.
• Except for patients in a University medical facility, personal funds and property are not to be secured in a University safe or vault.
• During business hours, unattended cash registers containing cash funds must be locked and the keys removed.  During non-business hours, cash register funds must be secured in a safe or vault with the cash register drawer left open.

Safe Combinations
Walk-in Vaults: The Campus Division of Finance will establish and maintain a record of the location and combination for all walk-in vaults.  Each combination is recorded and sealed in a separate envelope with the following information entered on the outside:

• Campus
• Location of vault (room number and building)
• Description of vault (make, model, serial number and University inventory number)
• Date envelope was prepared
• Signature of person responsible for the vault
• When a change in combination is being reported, “CHANGE” is also entered on the outside of the envelope
• One or more envelopes are sealed in a larger envelope, marked “TO BE OPENED ONLY BY THE CAMPUS DIVISION OF FINANCE” and hand-carried to that office.

Individual departments are responsible for maintaining records in a secure manner for smaller combination safes.

For both walk-in vaults and smaller combination safes:

• Combinations are to be given only to a minimum number of employees required to have access.
• Combinations are to be memorized and not written down except as required for reporting combinations of walk-in vaults to the Campus Division of Finance.
• Safes are to be opened in such a manner that other persons cannot observe and determine the combination.
• When a person knowing the combination is no longer to have access to the safe, the combination should be changed immediately.
• Each department having a combination safe must establish and maintain a record of each person given the combination, dates the combination was last changed, and the reason the combination was changed.

Key Control
In addition to standards already set forth in other University policies regarding keys to University buildings:

• Campus Division of Finance is responsible for determining the requirements for the issuance and control of keys to cash boxes and overnight depositories.
• The Cashier must authorize the issuance of any key for entry to the room in which the Campus Cashier’s Office is located.
• The Cashier must be kept advised regarding individuals issued keys for entry to the building in which the Campus Cashier’s Office is located.

Cash Registers
At a minimum, cash registers must include these features or capabilities:

• Production of a customer receipt tape
• Automatic imprint of consecutive numbers on both the register tape and the customer receipt tape.  For campus Cashier’s Offices, an electronic log must be kept.
• Ring-up windows visible to both the customer and the cashier
• Separate lockable cash accumulating key, cash register drawer and cash drawer insert for each cashier
• A “CLEAR” or “ESC” key

Cash registers must not be left with the total amount of receipts showing in the cash register window.  The cash register must be cleared to zeros, or the window must be covered.

Additional Practices to Reduce and Reconstruct Losses

• Checks and credit card sales slips must be kept separate from cash
• All checks must be logged or scanned if the accounting detail does not contain sufficient information to obtain replacement checks
• Access to areas where money is counted or handled must be restricted to those persons directly involved.  Visibility by the general public must be restricted for those areas where large volume money-counting activities take place
• Two persons must be present at all openings and closings
• At the end of the business day, all doors, windows or other entrances must be securely locked and all alarms turned on.

Definitions

High Risk classification - any operation which consistently accumulates over $25,000 in cash and other securities daily or, regardless of the amount, is considered subject to a high incidence of loss based on environmental factors, loss experience or operating hours.

Medium-High Risk classification - any operation which consistently accumulates over $10,000 but not more than $25,000 in cash and other securities daily or, regardless of the amount, is considered subject to more than a medium incidence of loss based on environmental factors, loss experience or operating hours.

Medium Risk classification - any operation which consistently accumulates over $1,000 but not more than $10,000 in cash and securities daily or, regardless of the amount, is subject to more than a minimum incidence of loss based on environmental factors.

Low Risk classification - any operation where cash and other securities of not more than $1,000 are stored, including small petty cash or change funds.

Accountabilities

Campus Division of Finance:

• Evaluate and assign risk classifications for operations that receive, store or disburse money
• To the extent possible and practical, assist with the design of physical facilities for operations with risk classifications of High or Medium-High
• Maintain records of locations and combinations for walk-in vaults
• Determine requirements for issuance and control of keys to cash boxes and overnight depositories

Campus Cashier’s Office: 

• Authorize the issuance of any key for entry to the room in which the Campus Cashier’s Office is located
• Stay current regarding individuals issued keys for entry to the building in which the Campus Cashier’s Office is located.
• Properly use safekeeping devices
• Provide location and combination records to the Campus Division of Finance Office for walk-in vaults
• Post appropriate signage

Departments:

• Maintain records in a secure manner for small, combination safes
• Deposit excess funds with Campus Cashier’s Office, as needed
• Properly use safekeeping devices
• Provide location and combination records to the Campus Division of Finance Office for walk-in vaults
• Post appropriate signage, as needed

Additional Details

Forms

Related Information

Policy 24003 on Keys to University Buildings

History

This policy combines the following former policies:

• Cash Receipts Manual 401 – Risk Classifications (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 402 – Physical Facilities – Construction (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 404 – Minimum Standards for Safekeeping Devices (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 405 – Proper Use of Safekeeping Devices (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 406 – Safe Combinations (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 407 – Key Control (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 408 – Cash Registers (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 409 – Signs (effective 2/28/1997)
• Cash Receipts Manual 411 – Minimizing and Reconstructing Losses (effective 2/28/1997)

Procedure