Travel

 

Policy Number

OPER_0081

Policy Statement:   

Employees attending and participating in professional meetings approved by the President, or his/her designee, shall receive payment for actual expenses incurred during attendance at such meetings. All costs associated with travel must be approved in advance by the immediate supervisor and are subject to the availability of funds.  College reimbursements are for employees and students only.  Expenses incurred by non-employees (spouses, family and others) are not reimbursable.

The college will not reimburse any employee for any expenses related to alcohol at any time.

Procedures:

Pre-Trip Steps (as appropriate):

• Complete any pre-trip requirements specific to the trip (i.e. registrations, hotel, airline tickets)
• Complete requisition or college purchase card for required registration fees, airline tickets, hotel accommodations or other pre-trip expenses.
• Schedule college vehicle or request gas cards from the Business office. Travel Advance and Expense Form must be routed through Facilities. Please allow an extra day for processing.  For more information, see Transportation Policy.
• Complete Trip Request. Obtain required signatures and forward to the Business Office for processing (must be complete and to Business Office a minimum of one week before any advance cash is needed.)

Employees may claim up to three (3) meals per day subject to the actual travel time of the employee.  The College adheres to IRS regulations to determine when meals are non-taxable or taxable income to the employee.  For more information see the Meal Reimbursement Policy.

The College provides a vehicle fleet to be used for College-related travel.  In the event College-provided transportation is not available or the employee opts to use a personal vehicle, the employee may use college gas cards for actual fuel expenses. For more information see Transportation Policy

College employees are not allowed to take their underage children on a trip if the employee is chaperoning students.

Conference Registration Details

• Conference registration may be completed using college purchase cards, a personal credit card or requisition/purchase order.
• For direct payment or purchase order number, the organization must be entered into Datatel as a vendor. If the business appears to be in Datatel, verify by address that it is the correct organization.  If the organization is not set up in Datatel, a Vendor Information Form must be completed by the organization and returned to the Business Office before the requisition can be completed.
• The requisition must include the name of the conference, location and the dates in the description field.
• The Business Office will submit a check directly to the conference headquarters upon employee request. The employee must submit the conference registration form to the Business Office to be included with the check.
• If conference registration fees are paid with a personal credit card, a completed Expense Report form and itemized receipts must be submitted to receive reimbursement.

Hotel Reservation Details

Hotel reservations may be made with a personal credit card, a college purchase card, or with a requisition/purchase order (if the hotel accepts a PO for registration).

• For direct payment or purchase order number, the hotel must be entered into Datatel as a vendor. If the hotel appears to be in Datatel, verify by address that it is the correct hotel.  If the hotel is not set up in Datatel, a Vendor Information Form must be completed by the hotel and returned to the Business Office before the requisition can be completed.
• The requisition must include the dates of the stay in the description field including check-in and check-out dates and confirmation number.
• Indicate in the “Comments” section of the requisition whether the expense will be direct bill by the hotel, the employee will hand carry the check or if the business office is to mail the check.
• An itemized receipt for the stay is required regardless of whether there were additional charges
• Additional business charges are reimbursable with the itemized hotel receipt.
• Hotel charges paid-in-full with a personal credit card are reimbursable with an itemized receipt submitted with the Travel Advance and Expense Form.

Airline Ticket Details

Airline tickets will be prepaid by purchase order through the Business Office or by college purchase cards, pending availability of budgeted travel funds as approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor.

Airline tickets can be purchased online.  You can either purchase tickets and get reimbursed by the college or a purchase card may be used. Travel insurance is not an allowable expense

• You must show proper receipt for reimbursement. This may include a printed receipt from online purchase. 
  • Must include ticket #, booking #, or confirmation #. Itinerary # is not acceptable.
  • Total amount of purchase must be on receipt.
  • Boarding pass needs to be included with receipt.
• Flights may be booked through NEW WEST TRAVEL.
  • Call New West Travel to make a flight reservation.
  • Enter Requisition and follow up with supervisor for approval.
  • Business Office will fax PO to New West Travel to complete the reservation.
  • New West Travel will hold a reservation for 24 hours. If PO is not sent to them within 24 hours, the reservation will be cancelled.
  • The Business office will complete provide you with pink copy of PO which will need to be signed when you receive invoice and are ready for the PO to be paid.

Post-Trip Steps (within 3 business days of return)

Reconcile trip receipts, complete Expense Report form, obtain required signatures and submit to Business Office with all receipts and any cash due back to the college.

All actual expenses (meals, lodging, parking, highway tolls, etc.) must be verified by written/printed itemized receipt, attached to the Travel Advance and Expense Form and submitted to the Business Office within three (3) business days of return from the trip.  Receipts must clearly show date, time and vendor for reimbursement.  Employees must have all prior trip expenses, including reimbursement of excess cash advance, reconciled with the Business Office before additional cash advance requests will be approved.

Contacts:

Chief Financial Officer

Related Forms:

• Expense Report Form
• Vendor Information Form
• Student Cash Advance Meal Form

Policy History:

July 2, 2026: Revised to include policy number

December 19, 2025: Reviewed for accessibility and formatting

March 1, 2017: Reviewed

September 1, 2016: Approved

May 1, 2006: Version 1