Definitions

Equipment is defined as tangible, non-expendable, personal property having an anticipated life of one year or more with a unit acquisition cost of $1,000 or greater. This definition is used for purchasing equipment, tagging equipment, recording equipment in the fixed assets system and reporting inventory on the University’s financial statements (if over $5,000). Equipment includes, but is not limited to, furnishings, scientific apparatus, machinery, library volumes, artwork, motor vehicles, boats, and livestock.
Effective July 1, 2010, equipment is categorized as either capital or non-capital. Capital equipment has a cost of $5,000 or over, and is capitalized and depreciated on the University’s financial statements. Non-capital equipment has a cost between $1,000 and $4,999.99. Per Connecticut State Statute 4-36, the University is required to tag and inventory all capital and non-capital equipment.
Attached equipment is fixed to the building and entered into the fixed assets system with a designation of “attached.” Examples of attached equipment include air conditioners, built-in shelves and built-in projectors. Attached equipment is handled in a manner similar to other equipment. The University may create a system of several items to make one tagged piece of equipment. An example is purchasing a computer along with a monitor, keyboard and additional memory. There would be one cost associated with the “system.”
The “system” may be established with the original purchase. It may also be established later by enhancements to an existing item of equipment. In the case of the enhancements, we would need the tag number of the existing item of equipment to increase the value of that item of equipment in the Fixed Assets System. The tag number should be recorded on the Purchase Order.