7 - 02.8

Administrative policy regarding travel

  1. Purpose. The university recognizes that travel is required in order to fulfill its mission and objectives. This policy establishes the framework for the university’s travel regulations, the procedures for which are documented in the university travel manual.
  2. Definitions.
    1. “University business travel” for the purposes of this policy means travel that is undertaken to fulfill the university’s mission and objectives. It includes movement from home or the primary work location to another destination and return to home or the primary work location. University business travel does not include the commute between an employee’s home and primary work location.
    2. “University approved travel services provider” for the purposes of this policy means any vendor that the university has sourced, negotiated, and contracted through procurement to manage travel arrangements.
    3. “Travel expenses” for the purposes of this policy includes any travel-related expenses paid directly to a vendor by the university or reimbursed to a traveler.
    4. “Reimbursement” for the purposes of this policy refers to a payment made by the university to a traveler for expenses incurred while undertaking university business travel.
    5. “Travel services” for the purposes of this policy includes arrangements for air and ground transportation and lodging.
  3. Scope.
    1. This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, and third parties who undertake university business travel.
    2. This policy applies to all sources of funds expended by the university.
      1. More restrictive travel policies and procedures may be specified by programs, schools, departments, centers or divisions. Restrictions on the payment of travel expenses may not be imposed that conflict with the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
      2. When sponsored program guidelines are more restrictive than this policy, the sponsored program rules apply. Travel expenses that do not conform with both this policy and the sponsored program guidelines will not be expensed to the sponsored program.
  4. Implementation.
    1. Authority and responsibility.
      1. All travel must be preauthorized by the traveler’s department.
      2. All travel services must be purchased from a university approved travel services provider when one exists.
      3. Travelers must submit reimbursement requests within sixty days of incurring the expenses and no later than their last dates of employment with the university.
      4. Travel expenses must be supported with both statements of business purpose and itemized receipts or invoices that have been provided by the vendor for the services or products. Credit card statements or vouchers do not constitute “receipts” or “invoices.”
      5. Departmental approvers are responsible for reviewing travel expenses to ensure policy compliance, accuracy, reasonableness, and proper documentation. Approvers are required to deny travel expenses that do not meet these standards.
      6. Principal investigators and others traveling on sponsored funds are to be familiar with the allowable cost provisions of their sponsored programs.
    2. University travel manual. All travel guidelines and procedures, including those governing travel expenses and university approved travel service providers, are in the university travel manual. The manual is located on the accounts payable website.
    3. Travel advances. Advances for a group or student travel must be authorized by the senior vice president for finance and administration. Advances of university funds for individual travel purposes are not permitted (exceptions to this rule are addressed in the university travel manual).
    4. All payments issued for travel advances and reimbursements will be issued via ACH (direct deposit).
    5. The university may designate third-party or procurement-contracted travel agencies as its exclusive travel agents. In such cases, university travelers must comply with the terms of the agreements with the travel agencies.
    6. Spousal and domestic partner travel. Travel expenses for an employee’s spouse or domestic partner may be reimbursed if the spouse or domestic partner has a significant role in the proceedings or is involved in fundraising activities and the activities constitute a valid business purpose. Spousal and domestic partner travel expenses require approval of the president or the president’s designee on a case by case basis.
    7. Exceptions. Exceptions to the rules set forth in this policy may be granted by the appropriate executive officer. Approval delegees are allowable provided they meet the requirements as defined in rule 3342-5-04.1 of the Administrative Code.
  5. Violations. When a traveler fails to follow this policy or the procedures in the university travel manual, the university may refuse to issue direct payment or reimbursement for related travel purchases.
Policy Effective Date:
Jun 15, 2024
Policy Prior Effective Dates: 
7/9/1998, 10/25/2000, 6/4/2003, 9/20/2005, 1/5/2007, 6/1/2007, 7/4/2008, 2/15/2021
© 2024 All rights reserved.