Policy 1210
Title: E-Commerce

Current Version Approved: October 2007
Primary Responsible Officer: Assistant Vice President for Finance
Secondary Responsible Officer: Assistant Vice President for Technology


1. PURPOSE

This policy outlines the criteria for James Madison University to ensure all university E-Commerce applications have been approved, implemented and maintained in conformity with applicable federal and state laws and regulations and university policies.

2. AUTHORITY

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Accounts and Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) have authority for issuing requirements related to cash management and management of technology projects, respectively, in state agencies and institutions of higher education. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council has authority for issuing the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The assistant vice president for finance and the assistant vice president for technology are required to enforce these policies and standards.

3. DEFINITIONS

University E-Commerce:
Financial transactions involving the sale of merchandise or services by departments or student groups or the receipt of contributions to the university over the Internet.

E-Commerce Oversight Committee:
A group that is jointly appointed by the AVP for Technology and AVP for Finance and charged with establishing parameters for JMU E-Commerce applications.

4. APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all E-Commerce at the university. It applies to all employees and students engaged in such practices.

5. POLICY

It is the policy of the university to initiate adequate controls when implementing and maintaining E-Commerce. These controls will ensure compliance with state cash management requirements and provide assurance that university and customer financial information is properly secured. No new or revised E-commerce activities shall be established without prior written approval by the AVP for Finance.

Sale of university merchandise or merchandise bearing the university name or logo on the Internet requires prior approval by the AVP for Business Services.

Fundraising in the name of the University, including collecting contributions on the Internet, requires prior approval by the Senior Vice President for University Advancement.

6. PROCEDURES

University departments and organizations shall prepare and submit an application for new or revised E-Commerce activities to the AVP for Finance. The department head or director is responsible for the submission of the E-Commerce activity application. The application is attached as appendix A. Until approval is received from the AVP for Finance, no procurements may be completed and no E-commerce activity may begin.

7. RESPONSIBILITIES

The assistant vice president for finance shall review and evaluate the application for all university e-commerce business activities in accordance with this policy and shall make final recommendation to the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance as to authorization of requested e-commerce business activity.

This policy also places responsibility on department heads and directors to 1) operate within the parameters specified by the E-Commerce Oversight Committee, 2) require appropriate computer use as specified in JMU Policy 1207: Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources and 3) require appropriate information security as specified in JMU Policy 1204: Information Security and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) as specified by the PCI Security Standards Council. Reference the current PCI Data Security Standard at: https://pcisecuritystandards.org/index.htm.

8. SANCTIONS

Sanctions will be commensurate with the severity and or frequency of the offense and may include termination of employment.

The assistant vice president of finance will terminate the e-commerce business activity if it does not comply with the requirements of this policy.

9.EXCLUSIONS

None

10. INTERPRETATION

Authority to interpret this policy rests with the president and is generally delegated to the assistant vice president for finance.

Previous Version: October, 2005 by
Approved by the President: October, 2005



Application for E-Commerce Business Activity