The problem is even worse than that: The desire for fiscal accountability within universities is so high, there is little room for trust. My documentation and

The problem is even worse than that: The desire for fiscal accountability within universities is so high, there is little room for trust. My documentation and compliance burden was as high for a $5 purchase as a $5k purchase. My estimate of the salary cost (neglecting overhead) of approving a single purchase (my approval, electronic documentation, paper documentation, front-office approval, and PI oversight) was ~$80. That doesn't account for the impact of lost time on other tasks. For a $5 purchase. The true accountability -- If I consistently spent money on something contrary to the aims of the lab? I'd be either out of a job or deprived of tools necessary to get the work done.