The organization of the Materials Management Department (formerly known as Supply Department) serving AUB since 1969, follows the modern concept of "functional" organization, where each organizational component or individual is responsible for performing one or more specific functions for all types and categories of materials, rather than for performing all functions for one or more specific categories of material.
The logic for this organizational concept is that the basic principles of the inventory management do not vary, whether we are dealing with eggs or with pig iron; similarly, the basic methods for lifting, moving, stacking, and handling material vary only in the degree of care that must be exercised for each particular type of material. The Materials Management Department with all its divisions (including its 12 different stores of about 4500 items of a value $2,500,000), offers services to various departments in both AUB and AUBMC campuses:
- Inventory Control Division is responsible for inventory control, for ensuring that new stock is ordered in time to arrive at the same instant, figuratively, that the last unit of old stock is being issued; and for ensuring that the stocks on hand are not excessive in relation to actual usage.
- Receiving Division is responsible for the physical handling custody of material from the time it is received, until it has been delivered to the ultimate user.
- Equipment Control Division performs similar functions for equipment in use throughout the University and initiates action to redistribute and/or dispose of items no longer required.
- Customs Clearance Division The Customs Clearance Control Division receives the documents of incoming foreign shipments, completes necessary formalities by securing corresponding licenses and coordinating with clearing agencies and the Supply Manager. It also processes all received documents and sends them to the Comptroller's Office for payment.