revised 1/03
GENERAL STATEMENT
Students traveling on Law School-sponsored business are expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that they would exercise on personal travel at their own expense.
Students must obtain authorization for a Law School-sponsored trip from the appropriate administrator/faculty member. Authorization must be obtained prior to travel by completion of a Travel Request Form.
At the conclusion of a Law School sponsored trip, a student must submit original receipts with a Travel Expense Report outlining his or her expenses. Reimbursement for travel will be made by the Law School on the basis of the Travel Expense Report form signed by the student and approved by the appropriate administrator/faculty member. The Travel Expense Report form must be filed within seven (7) business days of return from the trip. It must detail the expenditures for which reimbursement is requested and their nature and purpose; the expenditures must be supported by original receipts. Expense reports that are not legible, or are inappropriately explained and supported, will be returned to the preparer.
Expenses not covered include, but are not limited to: bar tabs (alcohol), personal telephone calls, laundry, hotel movies and non- preapproved car rental.
TRANSPORTATION
As a general rule, students should travel by the most economical means consistent with professional dignity. When public transportation is used, round trip tickets must be obtained unless valid reasons are presented for other arrangements. Travel by privately-owned vehicle may be authorized when it is the most economical means of transportation; the cost of travel should not exceed that of air transportation.
Air Transportation
Tickets must be purchased from one of two Law School approved travel agencies. An approval code is required before travel arrangements can be made through these agencies. A Travel Request Form and the Student Travel Policy Acknowledgment Form must be submitted to the administrative secretary in the Office of Student Affairs who is responsible for assigning approval codes. (The Travel Request Form should be obtained from the administrator/faculty member authorizing the travel. This individual will provide an account number to which travel expenses, including the airline tickets, will be charged.)
Air travel should be the most direct route, by coach class and at the lowest available fare provided that the fare does not result in (1) greater total cost due to increased costs for meals and/or lodging, or (2) undue hardship to the student. The student is expected to make his or her travel arrangements at the earliest possible date in order to take advantage of available discount fares. The student is responsible for complying with airline regulations concerning cancellation and for avoiding the penalties associated with them, unless this situation results from circumstances beyond the traveler's control.
Reasonable cost of transportation to and from the airport (usually by airport shuttle) is reimbursable.
Usage of "frequent flyer" mileage is not reimbursable.
Automobile Transportation
When a privately owned vehicle is used for University business, reimbursement will be at the IRS standard Mileage allowance – currently 58.5 cents per mile. (mileage traveled during the 1/1/08 – 6/30/08 period will be reimbursed at 50.5 cents per mile). IRS mileage rates are subject to change. Reimburseable mileage is based upon the starting point of the trip or the campus whichever is less. The traveler will be reimbursed for parking and toll fees incurred in the course or the trip. The mileage reimbursement is intended to cover all other costs of vehicle operation.
Generally, students traveling on Law School-sponsored business would not require a rental car. Rental cars may only be authorized when such rental is based upon "savings" accruing to the Law School from corresponding non-usage of other means of transportation ( e.g., taxi, shuttle). Car rentals must be pre-approved by the administrator/faculty member.
In those instances when car rental is authorized, the most economical package available -- which meets the business requirement -- must be selected. When renting a car in connection with Law School business within the United States, no insurance coverage should be purchased as the University provides collision and liability coverage through its master policies. In addition, the fuel surcharge option should be avoided; individuals should ascertain the agency's fuel replacement policy (e.g., full tank or only the amount of gas that was in the tank at the time of rental) and make appropriate arrangements to insure the gas tank is refilled prior to returning the car to the agency.
LODGING AND MEALS
Lodging
The choice of accommodations must be reasonable and ordinarily will be that recommended by the conference organizers or comparably priced lodging. When making arrangements for lodging, such issues as quality and location should be checked. Student safety is a prime concern.
Hotel reservations should be made as early as possible to ensure the availability of lodging. When reasonable, students are expected to share rooms.
A Hotel Reservation fax form should be submitted to Ms. Vlasta Lebo (Dean's Office). Ms. Lebo will make arrangements with the hotel for pre-payment of the hotel room on a Law School authorized charge card. Only room and tax are pre-paid. Within seven (7) business days of return from the trip, students must submit directly to Ms. Lebo the hotel bill which reflects the pre-payment charge for the hotel room and tax. (The Hotel Reservation fax form should be obtained from the administrator/faculty member authorizing the travel. The individual will provide the account number to which lodging will be charged.)
When pre-payment arrangements for the hotel room are made on the Law School's authorized charge card, it is expected that a student will make appropriate personal arrangements with the hotel to pay for any additional charges incurred. In most cases, hotels will require a student to provide his or her own credit card to which additional expenses ( e.g ., telephone, mini-bar, movie) can be charged.
Receipts must be attached to the Travel Expense Report form for all hotel bills and other permitted reasonable expenses to obtain reimbursement.
It is expected that lodging expenses will only be approved for those nights that are directly attributable to the purpose of the trip. Approval of "extra" days of meals and nights of lodging is based upon "savings" accruing to the Law School from discounted hotel/airfares. For example, when an airline requires a Saturday night stay for the discounted airfare and the airfare savings exceeded the extra lodging costs for the weekend stay, the weekend lodging costs are reimbursable.
Personal telephone calls, laundry, hotel movies, mini-bar items and other such expenses are not reimbursable.
Meals
Receipts for all meals must be attached to the Travel Expense Report form to obtain reimbursement. Meals will be reimbursed at the actual cost up to a maximum of $50 per day, including gratuities not to exceed 15%, based on service. This maximum daily meal allowance will be reduced for meals provided by a conference or another institution/organization, based upon $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $25 for dinner.
Alcohol and bar tabs are not reimbursable.
ADVANCES
Generally, students traveling on Law School-sponsored business would not require a travel advance. Only when a student can show extraordinary need will the administrator/faculty member authorize a travel advance.
Request for a travel advance is made using the Travel Advance Request form, which is available from the administrator/faculty member authorizing the travel. The Travel Advance Request must be approved by the administrator/faculty member.
The Travel Advance Request must be submitted to Ms. Marti Reynolds (Fiscal Affairs). Upon submission of the form to Ms. Reynolds, seven to ten (7 to 10) business days are ordinarily needed prior to a University check being issued.
All advances must be cleared by a Travel Expense Report within seven (7) business days of return from the trip. If a travel advance was provided and approved expenses are less than the advance, a check for the difference must be submitted with the original receipts and the Travel Expense Report . No additional advance may be given to the student until the previous advance has been cleared.
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
Reasonable and customary gratuities are considered an expense of travel and are reimbursable.
Expenses such as entertainment, sightseeing, hotel movies, personal telephone charges, bar tabs and excessive gratuities are not reimbursable.
Travelers who combine a personal trip with official Law School travel are responsible for transportation costs in excess of the round-trip discount fare to the business destination. If a student's family accompanies her or him on a trip, all expenses applicable to the family must be excluded from the Travel Expense Report.
*This form must be signed and submitted with the Travel Request Form. Travel arrangements will not be authorized without submission of the completed forms.)