1. All new departments will be activated by Financial Services.
   
 
2. The organization desiring to open a department should obtain an APPLICATION FOR NEW DEPARTMENT NUMBER OR CHANGE TO EXISTING DEPARTMENT NUMBER.
    
   1. Any changes to the department must be communicated to Financial Services with an APPLICATION FOR NEW DEPARTMENT NUMBER OR CHANGE TO EXISTING DEPARTMENT NUMBER.
       
      Changes include sponsorship changes, name changes, inactivating, changes in reporting levels, and changes in how the department is being used. It is the responsibility of the sponsor to authorize by memorandum to Financial Services a full-time faculty or staff member to sign in the temporary absence of the sponsor. The temporary sponsor's signature must also be on file in Financial Services.
       
      Use the APPLICATION FOR NEW DEPARTMENT NUMBER OR CHANGE TO EXISTING DEPARTMENT NUMBER and specify on the form the dates the temporary sponsor will be signing invoices and other documents. The organization should prepare a memorandum setting forth the reason for the change. The memorandum must state the resignation of the old sponsor (with signature) and provide the name and address of the new sponsor. A co-sponsor may also be designated, if approved by the sponsor. The new sponsor and co-sponsor must be full-time faculty or staff members.
    
   2. A memorandum bearing the signature of the sponsor must be forwarded to Financial Services in order to close a department.

Specific instructions for the APPLICATION FOR NEW DEPARTMENT NUMBER OR CHANGE TO EXISTING DEPARTMENT NUMBER:

Enter the name and the phone number of the individual completing the form. Financial Services will contact this individual if there are any questions or concerns regarding the form.

1. Indicate the desired addition or change to the department by marking the appropriate box. Please note the specific instructions beside each selection to determine which items must be completed.
   
   
2. Enter the proposed name of the department (e.g., Chemistry Research).
   
   
3. State the purpose of the organization or unit (e.g., to research the reactions of different viruses under changing temperatures and conditions). Please be specific in describing the purpose. Note: There are specific award documents required prior to opening a grant or contract department. Please contact your grant specialist directly for instructions on opening this type of department.
   
   
4. Indicate the reporting levels for this department. Include the Vice President, Dean/Director, and sponsor Name, as well as a home department number.
   
   
5. Check if deposits will be made to this department and if so, the source.
   
   
6. The sponsor's signature, title, and employee id (6 digit EMPLID from the HR system) must be provided in this space. It should also contain the signature and EMPLID of any co-sponsor approved by the sponsor.
   
   
7. The signature of the appropriate Vice President, Director or Dean recommending the new department is required.
   
   
8. After the form is completed and approvals obtained, the form should be submitted to Financial Services.
   
   
   1. If the sponsors and co-sponsors of the department are permanently assigned to an office that has direct daily Central Mail service, the original form, containing original signatures, must be submitted.
      
      
   2. However, if you are an individual that is permanently assigned to a remote location that does not have direct Central Mail Service daily,such as Tulsa or the Biological Station, you may submit a scanned copy.  In this case, the Application for New Department Number or Change to Existing Department Number can be completed, approved, scanned in a single PDF file, and forwarded to the next individual for approval.   If the next approver also works in a remote location, the file should be printed, approved, scanned once again in a single PDF file, and forwarded to the next approver.  When the form reaches an individual for approval that does have direct Central Mail Service such as someone that works on the Norman campus, the form must be printed, approved, and forwarded to the next approver or Financial Services on paper.  The PDF file or a PDF approval will not be accepted for individuals working in departments located on the Norman campus or the Moore location.  FS reserves the right to refuse any scanned forms that they deem not to be legible.  Faxes are not legible enough; therefore, any form that has been faxed at any time during the routing process will be denied.
      
      
   3. In either case, a single signature form should be submitted to FS, containing both the sponsor and co-sponsor signatures.  This allows FS to know that the sponsor has approved all of the co-sponsors.