- Travelers
- Budget Administrator/Budget Executive
- Financial Manager and Financial Officer
- Travel Coordinator
TRAVELERS:
Business travel creates unique issues relative to other aspects of the workplace. Those who travel on behalf of the University hold a position of trust and responsibility. There is a need to be accountable for spending University and public monies which requires that the traveler:
- Demonstrate integrity in making travel plans, especially in clearly separating costs for travel related to outside business interests or personal travel
- Accept responsibility to assure that travel costs are reasonable in the eyes of the University’s various stakeholders, and to charge expenses to University accounts accordingly
- Expect that all travel expenses will be scrutinized and possibly disallowed if unreasonable or unallowable
The traveler must avoid extravagance. The University assumes no obligation to reimburse employees, students, and nonemployees for expenses that do not comply with the principles of this policy.
The traveler is granted permission to spend University funds and is obligated to be familiar with the policies governing such expenditures. A summary of traveler responsibilities is listed below:
- Clearly state the business purpose of the trip
- Avoid impropriety or extravagance
- Understand and comply with University and program sponsor’s policies
- Ensure expenses are clearly documented, accurate, reasonable, and submitted within 30 calendar days of trip completion
- Certify that the traveler will not retain duplicate reimbursements for the same travel expense
BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR/BUDGET EXECUTIVE:
Approval of the Budget Administrator and at times the Budget Executive is required for payment of travel expenses. A summary of their responsibilities is listed below:
- Verify the business purpose of the travel and that budgeted funds are appropriately spent for that purpose
- Establish limits for a budget’s contribution to overall cost of a trip
- Ensure that expenses are reasonable for the nature of the work
- Ensure that expenses are charged to appropriate budgets
- In cases of international visitors, verify each individual is eligible for reimbursement
- Refer travel expenses for one’s self or those of one’s supervisor to a higher level approver
FINANCIAL MANAGER AND FINANCIAL OFFICER:
Following approval of the Budget Administrator, the Financial Manager and Financial Officer are responsible for the following:
- Verify and review documentation
- Verify compliance with University Policies and sponsor regulations
- Verify proper classification of general ledger accounts
- Ensure availability of funds
- Forward exceptions to Office of Corporate Controller
- Refer travel expenses for one’s self or those of one’s supervisor to a higher level approver
TRAVEL COORDINATOR:
The Travel Coordinator has the following responsibilities:
- Track all Requests for Travel
- Process all Travel Reimbursement Checklists
- Work with Financial Manager and Financial Officer to arrange reimbursement payment
- Maintain travel expenses incurred by all employees – Employees wishing to know the status of their professional travel account should consult with the coordinator.
- Arrange for direct billings (i.e. lodging, fleet vehicles)
- Assist travelers with pre-payment of the following expenses:
- Registrations
- Lodging (traveler must make reservation and provide Travel Coordinator with the credit card authorization form from the hotel in order to transfer charges to the Travel Arranger Credit Card)
- Transportation – (i.e. air, rail, shuttles)
- Communicate pertinent travel information such as special rates and policy changes.
It is not the responsibility of the Travel Coordinator to book flights or hotel rooms, only to facilitate in the payment of such expenses.
CROSS REFERENCES:
Other Policies/Guidelines in this manual should also be referenced, especially the following:
UL-TR01 – Types of Libraries Travel
Guideline UL-TRG01 – Requests for Travel
Guideline UL-TRG02 – Making Travel Arrangements
Guideline UL-TRG05 – ERS Travel Reimbursement Checklist
Form: Travel Request Form (staff only)
Form: Employee Travel Reimbursement Form (staff only)
Effective Date: July 2002
Date Approved: July 2002 (Dean)
Revision History (and effective dates):
- February 2017 – Revised; removal of UL-TRG04
- June 2014 – Revised; clarification on roles
- July 2002 - Revised
- July 29, 1997 - New guideline
Last Review Date: November 2021