TRAVEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Introduction

Travel by university employees is governed by the State of Texas Travel Regulations Act, the General Appropriations Act, the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, official interpretations of the Travel Act as made by the State Comptroller of Public Accounts, and by these policies. Generally, Textravel is the authoritative website regarding state travel rules and regulations.In case of conflict between the Guide and this policy, this policy takes precedence.

This policy applies to employees and prospective employees traveling in a university capacity. Members of the Board of Regents and the President are exempt. Travel policies affecting students can be found in the student travelsection of these policies.

This policy applies to all local university funds. Travel using state appropriated funds is prohibited. The reimbursement limits established by this policy may be exceeded only if approval is obtained in advance of the travel. The applicable account manager may limit or prohibit reimbursement of any travel expenditure provided the traveler is notified in advance.

Authorization

All employees are required to be aware of the state laws, and the rules and regulations governing travel by state employees. Failure to comply could result in non-reimbursement of travel expenses.

Prior supervisory approval for all business travel is required for absences from the campus (or other designated headquarters) for periods of half a day or more during the normal working period, whether or not there is a cost to the University.

A Request for Travel Authorization must be completed prior to travel, and approval is delegated to the immediate supervisor. Travel requests must be routed through the department chair or director, and forwarded to the appropriate dean or other administrative office, with final approving authority by the appropriate Vice President/Provost/President. However, all foreign travel and travel to Washington D.C. will require final approval from the President’s Office. The approved travel request will then be forwarded to the Controller’s Office/Travel Coordinator for review to ensure the request is consistent with MSU travel policies and procedures.

The Request for Travel Authorization must state the traveler’s name, dates of travel, destination, purpose and benefit of travel, and the account to be charged. Appropriate arrangements for disposition of duties must be made in advance of the travel. Travel requests by faculty members must contain a statement describing the disposition of work and/or classes missed during the period of travel. If classes are to be missed, the departmental Chair must identify how they will be covered. Under normal circumstances, classes should not be rescheduled.

Meals and Lodging Reimbursements

In-State Rates for Meals and Lodging:

Employees traveling within the State of Texas may be reimbursed for actual meal and lodging expenses not to exceed the state allowable rates listed at: www.gsa.gov/perdiem. Meal receipts are not required, but the employee must attach the original lodging receipts to the employee’s travel voucher in order to be reimbursed. For areas not listed, the rates are $85.00 per day for lodging and $36.00 per day for meals.

Hotels that have a contract with the State of Texas are listed in the State Hotel Directory or at the University’s travel website. Employees should always request a state rate at the convention hotel first. There are often a limited number of rooms available at the state rate so employees should make hotel reservations far in advance of travel dates.

Employees are exempt from paying state occupancy taxes when they are traveling on official state business within the State of Texas. Employees should notify the hotel at check-in of the tax exemption by presenting a tax exemption form. The exemption forms are available in the Controller’s Office and the University’s travel website. Employees will not be reimbursed for state occupancy taxes charged by hotels in the State of Texas.

Out-of-State Rates for Meals and Lodging:

Employees traveling to out-of-state locations may be reimbursed for actual meal and lodging expenses not to exceed the state allowable rates listed at: www.gsa.gov/perdiem. Meal receipts are not required, but the employee must attach the original lodging receipts to the employee’s travel voucher in order to be reimbursed. For areas not listed, use the standard rate for the state in which the travel occurred.

Excess Lodging Expense:

“Excess” lodging expenses for amounts higher than the state-specified rate may be reimbursed under certain circumstances as follows:

a. The employee attends a conference or mandatory training and the conference hotel rates exceed the state rates for that
     locality; or

b. State rate hotels are unavailable and traveler documents quoted internet rates available for the locality; or

c. The employee can justify that the excess is less than staying in a state rate hotel when other travel costs, i.e., taxi or rental
    car, to and from the hotel are considered; or

d. The President, Vice President, or Provost determines that the additional cost is beneficial to the traveler and to the
    University and approves the overage.

Failure to obtain prior approval for excess lodging expenses may result in disallowance of the “excess” portion for reimbursement.

Other Meals and Lodging Information:

Only single occupancy rates can be claimed. If two or more employees share lodging, the expense should be divided equally between the employees and documented on both reimbursement forms. Excess meal and lodging expenses for one day may not be carried forward or backward to another day. Expenses incurred more than one day before official business begins or more than one day after official business ends are reimbursable only if the expenses are incurred to qualify for a discount airfare and results in a savings to the University.

Employers are required to report per diem payments not involving an overnight stay as “Other Compensation” on the employee’s W-2 form. All requests for per diem not involving an overnight stay are paid through the payroll department. These requests are still submitted to the Controller’s Office on a travel reimbursement request form and are then forwarded to payroll. Mileage and partial per diem should not be combined on the same travel reimbursement request form.

Only transportation expenses will be paid to an employee who is away from designated headquarters for a period of less than six (6) hours.

An employee may not be reimbursed for meals or lodging expenses incurred within the employee’s designated headquarters unless the expenses are mandatory and connected with training, a seminar, or a conference.

Meals and lodging expenses may not be reimbursed for any days the employee is absent from duty for personal reasons. Personal reasons include, but are not limited to, illness, a family emergency, breakdown of a motor vehicle, and any occurrence not connected with official duties.

An employee can only be reimbursed for his or her own expenditures. Employees are not allowed reimbursement for expenditures incurred by other individuals. State funds cannot be used to reimburse alcoholic beverage purchases. Tips/gratuities are reimbursable only if documented and reasonable.

If an employee is paid per diem for meals, he/she may not also be paid or reimbursed on a direct payment voucher for group meals or business meals. Any employee on travel status who purchases or participates in meals for an entire group of employees will not receive both per diem and the payment of the meal.

Conference agendas are required to be attached to the travel reimbursement request form. The conference fees paid often include the cost of certain meals provided during the conference. An employee is not also paid per diem for the meals that are included in the cost of the conference.

Foreign Travel

The President must approve all foreign travel in advance. Foreign travel is defined as all countries outside the 50 states, Mexico, Canada and U.S. possessions.

When properly approved, the University may reimburse an employee for actual meals and lodging expenses when traveling to foreign countries, not to exceed the maximum travel per diem allowances for foreign areas which can be found at www.gsa.gov/perdiem. All travel expenses must be converted to U.S. dollars and each exchange rate used for the conversion specified on the voucher. Appropriate lodging and meal receipts must be attached to the reimbursement vouchers. Expenses eligible for authorized travel reimbursement for travel in foreign countries are transportation, lodging, and meal expenses.

In lieu of reimbursement of meals based on actual receipts, the University may reimburse an employee up to 100% of the maximum travel per diem allowances for foreign areas which can be found at the above web site. The employee must still document lodging expenses based on actual receipts. When requesting reimbursement based on per diem rates, the employee may not also request reimbursement for actual meal expenses. If requesting reimbursement based on per diem rates in lieu of maintaining actual cash receipts, the entire trip will be based on per diem rates and the employee cannot alternate meals with actual receipts and per diem rates unless the actual meal cost is less than the per diem rate.

Employees who travel to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Guam, Puerto Rico, or any U.S. possession, may also be reimbursed for actual expenses for meals and lodging in accordance with the above guidelines, if prior written approval is received from the President or President’s designee. The Request for Travel Authorization must state, “Authorization for actual expense is requested.” Lodging and meal receipts are required and may not exceed the maximum travel per diem allowances for these areas as defined at www.gsa.gov/perdiem. In lieu of actual receipts, 100% of the maximum travel per diem allowance for meals may also be used for these areas in accordance with the above guidelines.

Transportation

Personal Vehicles:

An employee operating a personal vehicle must carry insurance as required by state law. An employee operating any non-University owned vehicle, including his own personal vehicle or a personally rented vehicle, does so at his own risk. The University accepts no responsibility for vehicle or damage, personal injury, claims filing, vehicle repair, maintenance, insurance costs, towing or citations.

Mileage:

Mileage in a personal (not rented or University-owned or leased) vehicle while on University travel may be reimbursed. The number of reimbursable miles traveled by an employee may not exceed the number of miles of the most cost-effective route between two duty points. The shortest route is presumed to be the most cost effective route. The number of miles traveled will be determined using the mapping service MapQuest at www.mapquest.com. The number of miles driven inter-city may be reimbursed based on the employee’s odometer reading. The odometer reading beginning and ending must be provided on the request for reimbursement in order to claim inter-city mileage.

The mileage reimbursement may not exceed the product of the actual number of miles traveled for business and the maximum mileage reimbursement rate.

No additional expenses incidental to the operation of the employee’s personal vehicle shall be reimbursed.

Motor Vehicle Rentals:

Most expenses of renting a motor vehicle are reimbursable. The following expenses are not reimbursable: insurance, liability insurance supplement; personal accident insurance; safe trip insurance; or personal effects insurance.

The Texas Building Procurement Commission has established contracts for vehicle rentals. When using the state contracts for rental vehicles, the rental rate includes liability and Loss/Damage Waiver insurance. The above website has links to contact Avis and Enterprise rental agencies. The State of Texas rate identifier number for each agency is also located on that website and must be used when renting a vehicle.A detailed receipt from the vehicle rental agency is required for reimbursement and must be attached to the employee’s Travel Voucher.

Parking Expense:

Employees may be reimbursed for parking expenses incurred when traveling by personal vehicle, MSU vehicle, or a rental vehicle.

Out of State Travel by Personal Vehicle:

Employees who travel out of state by personal automobile receive mileage limited to the average coach air fare plus the reasonable expenses of transportation to the airport and the parking expense the employee would have incurred at the airport except where the cost of mileage is less.

Public Transportation:

The cost of air transportation must be equal to the lowest rate available. First class airfare may be paid if it is the only available airfare. Employees are encouraged to book airline tickets far enough in advance of their travel dates so as to secure the lowest available rates. It is recommended that employees check the state’s contract rates for airfare prior to booking flights over the internet or with a travel agent at non-contract rates.

Advance Purchase of Airline Tickets:

If airline tickets are purchased 30 or more days in advance of the travel date, the employee or travel agency may be reimbursed through the use of a purchase requisition with appropriate payment documentation attached. After the trip, the employee will note that airfare was paid in advance and not include the cost of the airfare when completing the Travel Voucher.

Taxi, Limousine, Train, or City Bus:
Receipts are required when available and must be attached to the Travel Voucher. City bus travel must be itemized on the Travel Voucher for reimbursement.

Prospective Employees

When a prospective employee is requested to travel for an employment interview, he or she may be reimbursed for travel expenses in the same manner as a state employee. A travel advance may not be issued to a prospective employee. Prospective employees are not exempt from hotel occupancy taxes and may be reimbursed for those taxes.

Disabled Employees

A disabled employee who is required to travel on official state business may be reimbursed for attendant care travel expenses. The attendant travel expenses are subject to the same rules as all other employees. First class airfare for disabled employees is allowable only if it is medically necessary.

Student Travel

When a student group travels together they must be “sponsored” by an employee of the University. The student’s expenses will be on the employee’s Travel Voucher and must be notated. The students may be given funds for their meals by signing individually on a list of the names of all travelers that they have received a certain sum of money for their meals. (Not to exceed University per diem rates per day.) If the sponsor pays for all meals, the itemized receipts must be attached to the Travel Voucher in order to be reimbursed.
Student group sponsors may request a travel advance to pay expenses for the group. Students may not receive travel advances.

Travel Advances

Travel advances are not available unless the Request for Travel Authorization form has been properly completed and submitted to the Travel Coordinator in the Controller’s Office. Travel Advance forms are available in the Controller’s Office and should be completed and submitted at least five (5) working days prior to travel.

Cash advances for travel are normally limited to those employees who do not have a travel card. Travel Vouchers will still need to be completed to substantiate the travel expenses paid for with a cash advance. Any excess money from an advance is due back to the Controller’s Office as soon as the employee returns from the trip. If the extra advance money is not returned within 30 days, the employee’s supervisor will be contacted.

Travel Card

Each University employee who travels on a regular basis (at least twice a year) should obtain a State credit card. There is no fee for the card. The card is issued in the name of the employee and the limit is based on the employee’s credit rating. Employees may use the card for the purchase of all airline travel, rental vehicles, lodging and meals. The card is to be used by employees on travel status for any University business related travel expense.

An application can be obtained for the credit card from the Controller’s Office. When the application is completed, it should be returned to the Controller’s Office for processing.

Incidental Expenses

Incidental expenses are reimbursed when necessary for the employee to conduct state business while in travel status. Receipts are required when available. When not available, each expense should be itemized on the Travel Voucher.

Allowable:

1. Phone calls for official business, local and long distance.

2. Money orders used for official business.

3. Gasoline for rental or state-owned vehicles.

4. Parking fees for personal vehicles, rental or state-owned vehicles.

5. Toll charges for all vehicles.

6. Repair parts and labor plus towing charges to repair state-owned vehicles.

7. Required copies made by an employee for business purposes.

8. Freight charges to ship state equipment or materials.

9. Admittance fees to function while accompanying clients of the state.

10. Visas for foreign travel and airport boarding passes or departure taxes in foreign countries.

11. Emergency purchases of postage not to exceed $25.00.

Not Allowable:

1. Repair costs for personally owned vehicles.

2. Tips or gratuities of any kind without a receipt.

3. Excess baggage charges for personal belongings.

4. Side trips or tours while attending conferences.

5. Passports or passport photos required for foreign travel.

6. Inoculations required for foreign travel.

7. Personal expense items such as dry cleaning or laundry

8. Alcoholic beverages

Travel Voucher Preparation

This form is used by Midwestern State University to reimburse employees from local funds for travel expenses incurred while they conduct University business. The Travel Voucher is a single form with two sides. The original copy of the Travel Voucher and any necessary attachments are to be sent to the Controller’s Office to be processed.

(FRONT OF FORM)

1. Pay To (Name, Address, City, State, Zip)	Required Record the name and address of the employee to whom the travel reimbursement is to be paid.
2. Employee’s Title or Position	Required Record the title of the employee named in Section #1.
3. Employee’s Phone Number	Required Record the phone number of the employee named in Section #1.
4. MSU Local Account Number(s)	Required Record the six digit MSU Account Number(s) that the Travel Voucher is to be applied against
5. Banner Identification Number	Required Record the Banner Identification Number of the employee named in Section #1.
6. Service Date – From	Required Record the day of departure from headquarters.
7. Service Date – To	Required Record the day of return to headquarters.
8. Travel Purpose	Required Record a brief description of travel purpose (e.g., STTA Conference)
9. Destination	Required Record the destination city, state, and country (if out of country).

Distribution of Expenses For In-State Travel

10. Public Transportation	Use if applicable To record the payment of public transportation fare costs incurred during in-state travel by state employees. Includes commercial air, railroad, bus, car rental, taxi, limousine, boat, subway, bicycle, or other mode of mass transit.
11. Personal Car  Mileage	Use if applicable To record the payment of mileage incurred while using personally owned or leased motor vehicles in-state by state employees. Multiply total mileage by current state rate.
12. Per Diem Meals & Lodging	Use if applicable To record the payment of meal and lodging expenses incurred by state employees during overnight travel.
13. Actual Meals & Lodging	Use if applicable To record the payment of actual expenses for state employees traveling overnight.
14. Actual Meals	Only Use if applicable To record the payment of actual expense meals incurred during non-overnight travel, in-state.
15. Partial Per Diem Meals	Only Use if applicable To record the payment of in-state, non-overnight travel (meals).
16. Parking	Use if applicable To record the payment of parking expenses incurred while engaged in in-state travel on official business.
17. Other Incidental Expenses	Use if applicable To record the payment of other expenses incurred while engaged in in-state travel on official business. Expenses may include telephone calls, cashier’s check or money order fees, toll charges, gasoline for state owned or rented vehicles, and hotel occupancy and similar taxes that a state employee is not exempt from paying.

Distribution of Expenses For Out-Of-State Travel

Travel in the United States (except Texas), Mexico, U.S. possessions, and Canada are considered out-of-state.

18. Public Transportation	Use if applicable To record the payment of public transportation fare costs incurred during out-of-state travel by state employees. Includes commercial air, railroad, bus, car rental, taxi, limousine, boat, subway, bicycle, or other mode of mass transit.
19. Personal Car Mileage	Use if applicable To record the payment of mileage incurred while using personally owned or leased motor vehicles out-of-state by state employees, not to exceed average coach airfare plus the reasonable expenses of transportation to the airport and the parking expense the employee would have incurred at the airport, except where mileage is less.
20. Per Diem Meals & Lodging	Use if applicable To record the payment of locality-based allowances for meals/lodging paid to state employees traveling to out-of-state localities overnight.
21. Actual Meals & Lodging	Use if applicable To record the payment of actual meal and lodging expenses for state employees traveling overnight.
22. Actual Meals Only	Use if applicable To record the payment of actual expense of meals incurred during out-of-state non-overnight travel.
23. Partial Per Diem Meals Only	Use if applicable To record the payment of out-of-state, non-overnight travel (meals).
24. Parking	Use if applicable To record the payment of parking expenses incurred while engaged in out-of-state travel on official business.
25. Other Incidental Expenses	Use if applicable To record the payment of other expenses incurred while engaged in out-of-state travel on official business. Expenses may include telephone calls, cashier’s check or money order fees, toll charges, gasoline for state owned or rented vehicles, and hotel occupancy and similar taxes that a state employee is not exempt from paying
26. Less Travel Advance	Use if applicable To record the amount of travel advance received before trip.
27. Claimant Signature	Required Record signature of employee listed in Section #1 to certify the travel was performed for University business and the expenses listed are true, correct, and not previously paid.
28. Supervisor Signature	Required Record signature of the supervisor certifying reimbursement.
29. Approved	Required Signature of person required to approve Travel Vouchers.
30. Prepared By / Ext.	Required Record the name and extension of person that prepared the Travel Voucher to assist the Business Office if a problem occurs with the voucher.
31. Travel Clerk Received	For Business Office Use Only
32. For Business Office Use Only	For Business Office Use Only

(BACK OF FORM)

IN-STATE

a. Leave / Arrive Headquarters	Required Date: Day travel began. Hour: Hour travel began Min.: Minute travel began m.: a.m. or p.m. Date: Day travel ended Hour: Hour travel ended Min.: Minute travel ended m.: a.m. or p.m. Note: If travel occurred over consecutive days, the Hour/Min/m section is not completed for the days in between the first and last day of travel.
b. Partial Per Diem - Meals	Use if applicable Reimbursement for Partial Per Diem must be requested on a separate Travel Voucher separate from other expenses. The IRS has deemed this reimbursement subject to Payroll taxes. This is for travel that does not involve an overnight stay. Record the requested reimbursement amount for the day; reimbursement may not exceed the current state per diem rate.
c. Partial Per Diem – Please specify	Use if applicable To specify what meal of the day: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
d. Per Diem Expense – Meals	Use if applicable This is for travel that involves an overnight stay. Record the requested reimbursement amount by day; reimbursement may not exceed the current state per diem rate.
e. Per Diem Expense – Please specify	Use if applicable To specify what meal of the day: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
f. Per Diem Expense – Lodging	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount by day; reimbursement may not exceed the current state per diem rate
g. Actual Expense – Meals	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount for actual meal expenses; reimbursement may not exceed the current state per diem rate.
h. Actual Expense – Lodging	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount for actual lodging expense if amount is other than the per diem rate. If lodging amount is over the per diem rate, the University will allow the full cost of lodging under the following conditions. 1. The employee must attend a conference or mandatory training and the conference hotel rates exceed the state rates for that locality. 2. State rate hotels are unavailable. Documentation of unavailability is required by attaching internet rates of hotels in the locality for the dates of travel. 3. The employee can justify that the excess is less than staying in a state rate hotel when other travel costs, i.e., taxi or rental car to and from the hotel, are considered. 4. The President, Vice President, or Provost determines that the additional cost is beneficial to the traveler and to the University and approves the overage.

OUT-OF-STATE

i. Leave / Arrive Headquarters	Required Date: Day travel began Hour: Hour travel began Min.: Minute travel began m.: a.m. or p.m. Date: Day travel ended Hour: Hour travel ended Min.: Minute travel ended m.: a.m. or p.m. Note: If travel occurred over consecutive days, the Hour/Min/m section is not completed for the days in between the first and last day of travel.
j. Partial Per Diem - Meals	Use if applicable Reimbursement for Partial Per Diem must be requested on a separate Travel Voucher from other expenses. The IRS has deemed this reimbursement subject to Payroll taxes. This is for travel that does not involve an overnight stay. Record the requested reimbursement amount for the day; reimbursement may not exceed the current federal per diem rate.
k. Partial Per Diem – Please specify	Use if applicable To specify what meal of the day: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
l. Per Diem Expense – Meals	Use if applicable This is for travel that involves an overnight stay. Record the requested reimbursement amount by day; reimbursement may not exceed the current federal per diem rate.
m. Per Diem Expense – Please specify	Use if applicable To specify what meal of the day: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
n. Per Diem Expense – Lodging	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount by day; reimbursement may not exceed the current federal per diem rate.
o. Actual Expense – Meals	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount for actual meal expenses; reimbursement may not exceed the federal per diem rate.
p. Actual Expense – Lodging	Use if applicable Record the requested reimbursement amount for actual lodging expense if amount is other than the per diem rate. If lodging amount is over the per diem rate, the university will allow the full cost of lodging under the following conditions. 1. The employee must attend a conference or mandatory training and the conference hotel rates exceed the state rates for that locality. 2. State rate hotels are unavailable. Documentation of unavailability is required by attaching internet rates of hotels in the locality for the dates of travel. 3. The employee can justify that the excess is less than staying in a state rate hotel when other travel costs, i.e., taxi or rental car to and from the hotel, are considered. 4. The president, vice president, or provost determines that the additional cost is beneficial to the traveler and to the university and approves the overage.
q.	Required This section is a travel itinerary. Complete date(s), location(s), and means of travel, reason for travel, and mileage. Any unusual circumstance (e.g. – shared rooms, lost agenda, etc.) should be noted in this section.

NOTE: For those attending conferences or seminars, you must include a copy of the agenda/schedule to be reimbursed for your travel. Meals paid with a registration fee will be deducted from the daily reimbursement rate for meals.

Forms: Travel Guide;Request for Travel Authorization; Travel Voucher; Tax Exemption.