Travel

University Travel Policy IV:06

University Travel Facts

Out-of-State Travel Reimbursement Checklist

In-State Travel Reimbursement Checklist

Form 19 - Request for Out-of-State & International Travel Authorization

Form 21 - Air Fare-in-Lieu of Mileage Worksheet

Form 23 - Request for In-State Travel Reimbursement

Form 24 - Request for Out-of-State & International Travel Reimbursement

Form 25 - Lost Receipt Report

Questions? Please email travel@jsu.edu for assistance. 

You must obtain the prior approval of your immediate supervisor for all out of state travel (Form 19). In addition, authorization to travel needs to be obtained prior to any prepayment of registration fees or airline reservations using a university purchasing card or personal funds.

The university does not provide advances for individual travel. With the exception of those travel related expenses that can be charged to the Purchasing Card, you should pay all costs for your travel and seek reimbursement after the travel has been completed.

Conference registration fees and airfare can be prepaid using a purchase order or purchasing card if available. If airfare is billed to your personal credit card, you may seek reimbursement by submitting copies of the airline itinerary to support the amount claimed.

JSU does not have a contract with a car rental vendor. However, JSU has an agreement with Enterprise for a reduced rate. If a car rental is obtained for university business, documentation needs to be included to insure the renting of a vehicle is less than driving a personal vehicle.

The University does not require the use of a travel agency.

The University does not require the use of a travel agency.

Call the Controller’s Office for guidance before you travel.

Travel connected to a contract or grant must be authorized by the funding agency. Reimbursement is made at whichever rate is lower, the University rate or the rate set out in the contract or grant.

Approved registration fees are authorized travel expenses. Registration fees can be paid using the purchasing card, purchase order or paid personally. If using a purchasing card, attach a copy of the approved travel form for documentation. If using a purchase order, attach a copy of the purchase order to the travel reimbursement form. If paying personally, attach a copy of the receipt indicating the amount paid for the registration fees.

Depending on the location of your conference/meeting, it may be necessary to travel the day before the meeting begins or to remain at the meeting site the night the meeting ends. If that is the case, reimbursement will be made for lodging and meal costs the day before and/or the night the meeting ends. As a general rule, the University will not reimburse travel earlier than the day before or the day after a conference/meeting.

Some examples of allowable hotel charges include: lodging, lodging taxes, parking and business phone calls. The parking and business phone call should be broken out separately from the lodging costs on your travel reimbursement form. Meals charged to your room must also be broken out separately from the lodging costs and documented on the out-of-state travel form as meals. Charges for personal phone calls, laundry, movie rentals, bar/lounge charges, gift shop purchases, spa/fitness center fees and other personal expenditures are not reimbursable.

It is generally a good idea to obtain receipts for all expenditures which may be chargeable to the University. That includes lodging, telephone calls, and faxes. Phone calls should be itemized including the person called, purpose and cost of the call. Fax charges must be itemized on the receipts or listed under miscellaneous expenses on the travel reimbursement form. Include the person who received the communication, and the purpose and cost of the communication.

Current travel policy requires original receipts for meals claimed on out-of-state travel forms to be attached if claiming up to $75.00 a day for all meals claimed. If the traveler decides not to attach original meal receipts, they can claim up to $45.00 per day. In both cases, actual expenses are required to be reported.

You will need to complete a travel reimbursement form and attach the appropriate documentation. After proper signatures are obtained, forward the package to the Controller’s Office for processing.

Each person must file an individual travel reimbursement form. Sharing expenses is a private matter and doesn’t affect procedures for seeking reimbursement.

Travel costs of an employees’ spouse or dependents will not be paid by the University. Jacksonville State University assumes no liability or responsibility for travel by spouses or dependents.

The JSU Purchasing Card can be used to pay for the following travel expenses for employees only:

• Conference registration fees
• Airline tickets

For student travel only, hotel charges can be charged to the purchasing card. No other travel related expenses can be charged to the card. For more information regarding use of the card, please contact the Director of Procurement and Fixed Assets.

When a trip is cancelled after a non-refundable ticket has been issued, the ticket can be applied to a trip in the future by that traveler on that airline minus a change or cancellation fee. The unused ticket value must be used toward a business trip for the University in the future.

Responsibility for monitoring use of unused tickets and/or airline credits resides with the Department Head. Change fees are not reimbursable unless the trip was changed/cancelled for a business related purpose.

Yes. State statute requires that these requests be certified by the traveler and be actual and necessary expenses in connection with official University business.

Mapquest or similar computer based program must be attached to support the mileage claimed. Reimbursement is based on the shortest distance between JSU or the employee’s official work base and the destination.

Conference

If traveling to a conference, attach a copy of the front of the conference brochure along with a copy of the Itinerary/Schedule at a Glance. The conference brochure is not required to be attached. If the conference registration fee was prepaid, attach a copy of the purchase order or receipt if using a university purchasing card or personal funds.

Meeting

If traveling to a meeting, attach a copy of the meeting agenda and/ or email invitation.

Other expenses

Receipts are required for items $25.00 and over. Please tape all receipts to a piece of copy paper for scanning purposes.

Daily per diem rates for overnight travel within the state of Alabama are as follows:

• One overnight stay - $85.00 per day
• Two or more overnight stays - $100.00 per day or part of a day