RadfordUniversity Travel Policies
Overview
The Commonwealth of Virginia limits travel costs to expenses necessary for providing essential services tothe Commonwealth’s citizens. Use of state funds to accommodate personal comfort, convenience, or tasteis not permitted. Entertainment expenses are not reimbursable. Expense falsification will be treated asfraud.
Individuals who travel on official university business must exercise economical judgment in making travelarrangements and travelers and travel planners must seek ways to reduce the costs of essential travel. Theprior written approval of the University President is required for travel by four or more individuals tomeetings and conferences.
All travel, by any means, must be by most direct, practical route. Any deviation must be explained inwriting and submitted with the travel reimbursement voucher.
Exceptions to lodging guidelines and other items that require President or designee approval must bejustified in writing and granted prior to the travel.
International Travel
International travel consists of all travel outside of the 48 contiguous United States and requires the priorwritten approval of the University President. Please contact Accounts Payable at 831-7616 to obtaininternational lodging and M&IE rates before making travel arrangements.
Request for Travel Form-Required for All Travel
A Request for Travel Form must include all associated costs such as direct-billed car rental, airfare,registration fees, lodging, meals, incidentals, etc., and be approved in writing before making any travelcommitments.
All travel requests require entry into Self-Service Banner to encumber expenses and to obtain necessary approvals. Eachday’sexpenses must be listed separately.
The printed COGNOS form with actual amounts, signatures, originalreceipts, and supporting documents becomes the official travel reimbursement voucher.
Send the original Request for Travel form and the approved Travel Voucher as well as all original receipts to Accounts Payable –Box6906.
Personal Owned Vehicle (POV) Usage
Effective 7/1/11, until December 31, 2011, the Internal Revenue Service will increase the standard mileage reimbursement rate from 51 to 55.5 cents per mile. Accordingly, the mileage reimbursement rates for privately owned vehicles used on official university business will be as follows:
- Trips averaging 100 miles or less per day, or when an Enterprise Rental car was requested but not available, will be reimbursed at 55.5 cents per mile.
- Trips averaging more than 100 miles will continue to be reimbursed at 24.6 cents per mile.
- The reimbursement rate is reduced 13 cents per mile for travel in excess of 15,000 miles per year in a privately owned vehicle, unless an Enterprise Rental car is not available. In such cases, the rate shall be the IRS rate.
Rental Vehicles
The Enterprise Rent-A-Car contract should be used. Othercommercial rental agencies may be used, when warranted after reaching destination. Request thegovernment or commercial rate. Premium cars are discouraged. Before returning this type of rental car,refuel the vehicle or attach a justification to the travel voucher. Optional insurance must be declined bystate employees if within the USA, as a State policy provides coverage. Outside the USA, accept LDW &CDW only. Non-employees may be reimbursed for LDW & CDW only. DO NOT ACCEPT PREPAID FUEL OPTIONS.
To obtain Enterprise Rental car rates and access the on-line reservation system, please go to the Facilities Management webpage.
Motor Pool
RU maintains large passenger vans. Contact the Motor Pool to make advance reservations and enter a PR inSelf-Service Banner to encumber expense.
Air Travel
Tickets can be purchased by RU through the university’s travel agency, Christian Travel,Radford, VA. Generally, air travel is limited to tourist/coach fare. First class travel is prohibited. Directpayment to non contract travel agencies and airlines by the university is not permitted. Traveler is responsible for payment of tickets purchased through other vendors and reimbursement will be included on the Travel Reimbursement form.
Effective 4/1/2009, travelers have the option of procuring tickets from sources other than Christian Travel.
Private/chartered air travel requires prior approval by the Governor’s Chief of Staff.
Internet Usage Requirements
Travelers must comply withprocurement guidelines. Suggested sites are: Priceline.com, Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, or Travelocity.com.Hardcopy final page from Internet site showing total cost and confirmed service must be provided. Airline confirmation (ticket stub, i.e., copy of the electronic ticket) of the type of ticket purchased (e.g., coach, business) must also be provided.
Once the Request for Travel form is approved, payment methods may include either a university travelcharge card (BA/MasterCard) or a personal credit card. Hardcopy documentation that confirms services,costs and travel class must be printed and submitted with the travel voucher.
Caution: Reimbursement of travel expenses, including airline ticket charged to the Bank of Americatravel charge card, cannot be
processed until after the travel is completed.
Refunds for unused ticketspurchased by other than the Air Travel Charge Card (through Christian Travel) are the responsibility of thetraveler and may result in a personal expense.
Lodging
Overnight lodging for approved, official business away from the traveler’s official station is reimbursable.Expenses must be necessary and reasonable and an original itemized hotel receipt must be provided withthe travel reimbursement voucher. Government rates must be requested and confirmed at reservation and atcheck-in.
The President or her designee is responsible for ensuring travelers understand their responsibilities to makea good faith effort to secure lodging within the guidelines before requesting exceptions. Expenses in excessof the guidelines will not be reimbursed unless pre-approved, written justification has been obtained.Written approvals must be submitted with the travel reimbursement voucher.
Lodging/Meals & Incidental Expense (M&IE) Per Diem Guideline Tables provide in-state and out-of-staterates. The lodging guidelines exclude reimbursable taxes/surcharges. Taxes and surcharges must beprorated in cases where rates exceed those allowable.
Direct agency billing of lodging expenses (room and tax only) is permitted for non-employees. A universitypurchase order is required. These types of purchases should be entered into eVA. Provide the hotel with the purchase order number and request the government rate when making reservations.
The purchase order number should be included on the bill from the hotel.
Charges for cancelled reservations may not be reimbursed.
Alternate Lodging (e.g. apartments)
A comparison statement along with President or designee approval is required for use of alternate lodging.The traveler should document the total cost of both alternate and usual accommodations and savings.
Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE)
M&IE, including all taxes and tips, is based on a fixed allowance and is paid only for overnight traveloutside the official station. The maximum reimbursement for departureand return travel days is 75% of theappropriate M&IE. It is based on where you spend the first night for departure day and where you spendthe previous night for return day.
Direct agency billing of meal expenses during overnight travel is not permitted.
If meals are included with registration or lodging, the traveler must record the number of meals on thevoucher, indicating breakfast, lunch, or dinner for each day. The M&IE claimed shall be reduced by theamount shown for the applicable meal in the M&IE rate table.
Incidental travel expenses are reimbursed as the incidental portion of M&IE ($5 per day) and are notprorated for departure and return days. The $5incidental allowance is paid only for overnight officialbusiness travel. This includes all service fees and tips (including but not limited to bellhops, skycaps,maids, waiters/waitresses, taxi and limousine drivers), laundry expenses, personal
telephone calls andtransportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken.
Business Meal Reimbursement
Official business meals must involve substantive and bona fide business discussion and: have the writtenapproval of the University President or designee; list by name all persons involved in the meal; and,state the reason for the meal.
The original itemized restaurant receipt is required with all business meal reimbursement requests.The per diem allowance applicable to the business meal must be excluded from any daily M&IEreimbursement requests and be clearly identified on the travel voucher by the traveler in overnight travelstatus. The individual requesting reimbursement will be paid for actual expenses up to the M&IE rate thatcorresponds to cost and location for the applicable meal.
The President or designee may authorize justified business meal reimbursements up to 150% of thestandard meal guideline. Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable.
For Hire Transportation
Receipts are required for taxis, shuttle vans, and other “for hire transportation” if the charge exceeds $10.The business related necessity of the transportation must be identified on the reimbursement voucher.
Public transportation to restaurants is allowed only for official business needs.
Non-reimbursable expenses include but are not limited to the following:
• Day meals not involving bona fide business discussions
• Lost or stolen articles
• Alcoholic beverages
• Excessive meals, lodging, tips, etc.
• Damage to personal vehicles
• Services for entry to locked vehicle
• Movies charged to hotel bills
• Entertainment expenses
• Towing charges
• Expenses for children, spouses and companions
• All expenses related to traveler’s personal negligence, such as fines
The above list is not all-inclusive. Travel expenses are open to the public and must sustain the test of publicreview.
Travel Credits
Travel credits, reduced rates, or free services received from public facilities (i.e., airline, car rentalagencies, motels, etc.) by individuals for whatever reason accrue to the Commonwealth.
Any credit,reduced rate, or free service must be reported to the agency fiscal office and must be deducted from theamount of travel expenses claimed.
Other travel expenses that may be reimbursable with a furnished receipt include:
• Business telephone calls, telegrams & faxes
• Traveler’s checks, passport and visa expenses
• Funeral attendance expenses for one employee selected to represent RU outside the employee’sbase point.
Some expenses not previously addressed may be reimbursable if reasonable and necessary. A fullexplanation of the charges must be stated on the travel voucher, accompanied by supporting documentationand any required approvals.
CONTACT ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
AT 831-7616
FOR ADDITIONAL TRAVEL GUIDANCE
THE COMPLETE STATE TRAVEL POLICY AND OTHER TRAVEL RELATED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE AT:
RADFORDUNIVERSITY
Travel Policy
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Issued by
RadfordUniversity
Accounting Services
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Revised
7/18/2011