E. Faculty Travel Policy

1. Purpose

   The University supports a broad range of research, teaching, and other travel activities ranging from individual travel to travel by groups of faculty. The following paragraphs specify the reimbursement policies for faculty travel expenses.

2. Prior Approval

   Prior to any travel and the actual incurring of expenses, all University‐ sponsored travel requires written approval by the appropriate designated authority (i.e. academic deans and associate deans). If the travel involves international travel, the approved travel report form must also be forwarded to the International Programs Office in order to monitor any travel advisories.

3. Faculty with U.S. Passports

   In planning for international travel, faculty with U.S. passports should be diligent in checking the expiration date on their passports. Travel can be denied if a passport will expire within 6 months of the date of return from travel. It is also the responsibility of faculty holding U.S. passports to arrange for all necessary travel visas, travel immunizations, re‐entry documentation and/or other essential documentation prior to travel. It is the responsibility of each faculty member to officially register with the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country or countries he/she is visiting at www.travel.state.gov. Confirmation and proof of the registration process must be forwarded by the traveler to the International Programs Office.

4. Travel Reimbursement

   Travel can be divided into three categories: travel for faculty development, travel to present a paper at a conference, and international travel to present a paper at a conference Travel reimbursement will include the following:

   1. Registration cost of conference
   2. Personal accommodation/hotel/motel costs
   3. Personal airline travel. Airport parking fees of personal auto will be reimbursed
   4. Personal car mileage in lieu of air fare but not to exceed equivalent coach airfare
   5. Personal meal allowance for breakfast, lunch and dinner (no alcoholic beverages allowed)
   6. Public transportation (taxis, buses, airport limos and trains) at destination. Rental cars may be used if justified by cost savings and/or the requirements of the trip.
   7. Passport and visa costs

      The amount that will be reimbursed is dependent upon the type of travel and is exclusive of any additional financial assistance the faculty member may receive from the University or other sources. The reimbursement for a faculty member is limited each year to one of the following three cases (i.e. the reimbursement per year is not the sum of the three cases):

      1. Domestic travel for faculty development is the lowest level of reimbursement
      2. Domestic travel for presentation at a conference will be 125% of the lowest level of reimbursement
      3. International travel for presentation at a conference will be 175% of the lowest level of reimbursement

         Each college will have a travel budget each year based upon the number of full‐time faculty in the College. At the end of a budget year, if all of the money has not been distributed, the College may reimburse those faculty members who exceeded their reimbursement limit with additional amounts in equal portions.

         Travel expenses for recruitment, grants, or business of the University will be reimbursed from the recruitment, grant or business budgets and not the colleges’ travel budgets.