WHITE PAPER
ON
UNRELATED BUSINESS INCOME TAX
(UBIT) QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR
MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS CONFERENCE
December 2013
Unrelated Business Income Tax Questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed to assist campuses in identifying common activities that have the potential
to be considered unrelated income for tax purposes. There are potential income tax consequences to
generating unrelated income. Generating unrelated income is not necessarily a bad thing - and with
advanced planning sometimes these activities can be designed to meet one of several exceptions to
minimize or eliminate taxation.
To be considered unrelated the activity must meet all three of the following:
1. The activity is a trade or business.
2. The activity is regularly carried on.
3. The activity is not substantially related to the exempt purpose of the organization.
The questionnaire is designed for MnSCU colleges and universities to review campus activities and then
have further discussion with Tax Services as to whether the proposed activity is indeed unrelated and
whether there are possible exceptions to consider and/or capture the activities income/expenses for tax
reporting.
Please complete this MnSCU UBIT questionnaire annually and share it with
steve.gednalske@so.mnscu.edu for further discussion.
College/University Name
Questionnaire Contact Name
Questionnaire Contact Phone #
Date
Does your campus receive advertising income?
Facilities (scoreboard/billboard) advertising
Program advertising
Campus directory advertising
School newspaper advertising
Coupon book advertising
Other printed material advertising
TV/radio advertising
Internet/web site advertising
Other advertising income arrangements
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
1
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Does your campus receive income from corporate sponsorships?
Facilities (scoreboard/billboard)
Yes
Printed materials/publications
Yes
Events
Yes
Internet/web site corporate sponsorships
Yes
TV/radio corporate sponsorships
Yes
Other corporate sponsorship income
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Does your campus receive rental income?
Classroom rental
Athletic facilities rental
Fitness center rental
Parking lot rental
Residence hall/room rental
Personal property (equipment) rental
Tower rental
Telecom/fiber optic rental
Conference center rental
Other rental income
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Campus Bookstore/Computer store
Operate campus bookstore
Contract with third party to operate bookstore
Contract with third party to operate Computer store
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Food Service
Operate campus food services
Contract with third party to operate food services
Concession sales to the public
Catering service income/commissions
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Do you receive income from any of the following sources?
Sports camps
Yes
Travel tours
Yes
Exclusive provider contracts (including pouring
Yes
contracts)
Catalog sales
Yes
Internet sales
Yes
Royalties
Yes
Licensing agreements
Yes
Copyrights
Yes
Patents
Yes
2
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Commercial research
Broadcast rights
Parking lot operations
Power generation
Publishing activities
Printing activities
Day care center
Other unrelated activity income
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Any activity generating income not listed above that you feel might be considered unrelated – please
list and describe:
Submitted by Steve Gednalske, System Director, Tax & Financial Services
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