Travel Manual

Travel Process Overview

Refer to Travel Manual – 2.0 Travel Components (Page 2)

Before Travel

• A Travel Authorization Form (TA) should be completed and approved at least two weeks before University-related travel.
• Late submissions must be documented on the Travel Policy Exception Request Form and approved by the traveler’s supervisor before consideration by the Travel Office.
• Exceptions: In-state mileage-only travel and non-mileage expenses of $50 or less per trip do not require a Travel Authorization.
• Travelers requesting mileage reimbursement must have a current certificate of automobile insurance on file with the Travel Office that meets the minimum liability requirements. Refer to Insurance and Use of Personally Owned Vehicle for detailed information.

During Travel

• Keep all required receipts and supporting documentation.
• Document changes to the approved itinerary or anticipated expenses.
• Keep track of any meals provided by a conference, hotel, or other source, as these may affect meal reimbursement.
• When applicable, retain proof of payment for expenses being claimed for reimbursement.

After Travel

• Submit actual reimbursable travel expenses to the Travel Office using the Employee Voucher CO-17XP, along with all required supporting documentation. Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 30 calendar days following completion of the trip. A Travel Policy Exception Request Form is required for all late submissions.
• Once processed, the Travel Office will send confirmation of the reimbursement.

Requirements for Original and Revised Submissions

Refer to Travel Manual – 4.0/10-11.0 Travel Authorization (Page 4 and 6)

• A Travel Authorization Form (TA) should be completed and approved at least two weeks before University-related travel. Submissions as early as possible are encouraged.
• An approved Travel Authorization is required for:
  • Virtual conferences/classes
  • Out-of-state travel 
  • In-state travel involving any non-mileage expense greater than $50.00 per trip (or any travel paid for using a p-card)
• A Travel Authorization for out-of-state travel at "no cost to the University" must also be on file in the Travel Office
• Supporting documentation must be attached to the Travel Authorization as substantiating information to the travel expenses requested. This may include the conference announcement/agenda showing the conference name, location, dates, registration fee, and conference hotel rates.

Approval of a Travel Authorization establishes authorization to travel and the approved estimated travel amount. Final reimbursement is based on actual allowable expenses and required supporting documentation.

Revisions of Travel Authorization forms

• Not required for inconsequential additions or deletions, less than 10% of the original approved Travel Authorization (TA) amount. Example: If the original approved TA is $2,000, a revision is required when anticipated expenses increase by $200 or more.
• A revision is required for material changes to the approved travel dates, destination, or purpose of travel.
• All original signatures must be secured on the revised Travel Authorization.
• New funding sources or increasing funding amounts require a revision. 
• The originally approved Travel Authorization number must be indicated on the revision.

Travel Authorization Cancellation

• If approved travel is canceled, the traveler must notify the Travel Office by email as soon as possible. Please include the TA number in the subject line.
• All noncancelable costs of the trip will be the personal responsibility of the traveler unless the reason for cancellation is approved by the traveler's supervisor.
• It is the traveler's responsibility to ensure that airline or rail tickets are canceled.

Eligibility and Requirements

Refer to Travel Manual – 9.0 Travel Advance (Page 5)

• A Travel Advance may be requested if funds are available. 
• The Travel Authorization must indicate that an advance is being requested and include the amount requested. The completed request must be received by the Travel Office at least two (2) weeks prior to departure.
• Travel Advances are limited to 80% of the total approved amount eligible for reimbursement.
• Expenses paid in advance using a P-Card are included when calculating the 80% maximum Travel Advance.
• A Travel Advance Agreement Form must be included in the Travel Authorization Submission. 
• Travelers requesting a cash advance are encouraged to enroll in Direct Deposit to ensure timely receipt of funds.

Travel Advance Reconciliation 

• A completed Employee Voucher CO-17XP Form must be submitted within thirty (30) calendar days after completion of the trip to reconcile the Travel Advance. 
• If the Travel Advance exceeds the traveler’s actual eligible expenses, the excess funds must be returned to the Travel Office with the completed Employee Voucher CO-17XP. 
• Checks for excess funds must be made payable to Southern Connecticut State University.

Documentation and Best Practices

Refer to Travel Manual – 25.0 Travel Reimbursement – Supporting Documentation (Page 18)

Reimbursement Submission Requirements

• Submit a completed Employee Voucher CO-17XP Form, signed by the traveler and supervisor/budget authority, within thirty (30) calendar days after completion of the trip.
• Include your TA number on the Employee Voucher CO-17XP and in the subject line when submitting reimbursement documentation to the Travel Office
• Each claimed expenditure must be supported by a legible receipt showing proof of payment.

Required Travel Documentation

• Air/Rail/Bus: Submit the itinerary and receipt regardless of whether reimbursement is being requested for the expense. 
• Lodging: Submit an itemized lodging receipt showing the dates, charges, and proof of payment.
• Conference/Workshop Registration: Submit proof of registration and payment.
• Third-Party Booking Sites: For reservations made through Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, or another online travel agency, submit an itemized cost breakdown identifying each travel component, such as airfare, lodging, and car rental.
• If any of the required receipts are missing or lost, a Travel Policy Exception Form must be attached to the Travel Reimbursement form along with supporting documentation.

Acceptable Proof of Payment

Acceptable documentation may include:

• A paid receipt. 
• A copy of a bank statement or printed electronic bank statement identifying the transaction. 
• A copy of the front of a canceled check along with the applicable bank statement. 
• A printed online banking record identifying the payee and amount paid.
• Best Practice: Submit all supporting documentation together whenever possible to help avoid processing delays.

Automobile Insurance Requirements

Refer to Travel Manual – 12.0 Insurance and Use of Personally-Owned Vehicle (Page 6)

• Employees seeking mileage reimbursement for use of a personally owned vehicle must have a current Certificate of Insurance on file with the Travel Office before mileage reimbursement can be processed.
• The insurance Declaration Page must show:
  • Policy coverage limits
  • Names of the insured
  • Effective dates of coverage 
• Required minimum liability of insurance:
  • Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000 each person/$100,000 each occurrence
  • Property Damage: $5,000
  • OR: A combined $105,000 minimum for bodily injury and property damage is acceptable
• Travel Authorization Exception: Mileage-only travel and in-state travel involving non-mileage expenses of $50 or less per trip do not require a Travel Authorization.

How to Calculate Mileage Reimbursement

• Review the current mileage reimbursement rate
• Mileage reimbursement covers vehicle operating costs such as gas.
• Parking and tolls can be addressed separately when allowable. 
• Mileage documentation via Google Maps/MapQuest must be provided as reference when submitting the Employee Voucher CO-17XP.

Home-to-Work Mileage Deduction

An employee's normal commute between home and their official duty station is not reimbursable.

When University-related travel occurs on a normal workday, the employee's regular commuting mileage must be deducted from the applicable business mileage.

• Same-day travel from home: Deduct the employee's normal round-trip commute when applicable.
• Multi-day travel: Apply the normal commute deduction separately to the departure and/or return travel segment when that segment occurs on a normal workday.
• Non-workday travel: No normal commuting mileage deduction applies.

The following examples illustrate how the home-to-work mileage deduction is applied:

1. Leaving from SCSU:
   SCSU → Business Destination → SCSU = 40 miles
   Reimbursable mileage: 40 miles
   No home-to-work deduction applies because the business travel begins and ends at SCSU.
    

2. Leaving from home: Same-Day Trip
   Normal roundtrip commute:
   Home ↔ SCSU = 30 miles

   Business travel roundtrip:
   Home ↔ Business Destination = 50 miles

   Calculation:
   50 business miles – 30 normal commuting miles = 20 reimbursable miles
   Reimbursable mileage: 20 miles

    

3.  Leaving from home: Multi-Day Trip

   Departure – Normal Workday

   Normal one-way commute:
   Home → SCSU = 15 miles

   Business travel:
   Home → Airport/Hotel = 50 miles

   Calculation:
   50 business miles – 15 normal commuting miles = 35 reimbursable miles
    

   Return – Weekend/Non-Workday

   Business travel:
   Airport/Hotel → Home = 50 miles

   No normal commuting mileage deduction applies because the return occurs on a non-workday.
   Total reimbursable mileage: 35 + 50 = 85 miles

Important Reminder

Transportation between an employee's home and official duty station is considered normal commuting and is not reimbursable, except for part-time supervising faculty (e.g., student teaching supervisors, cooperating student supervisors, and clinical education supervisors).

When calculating mileage, employees should consider each travel segment separately and determine whether a normal commuting deduction applies based on the day and location from which University business travel begins or ends.

Refer to Travel Manual – 13.0 Airfare Travel & 14.0 Baggage Fees (Page 9 -10) 

• Employees should purchase the lowest commercial fare available.
• Lowest reasonable commercial fare is the least costly, coach-class fare that uses a regularly scheduled commercial carrier.
• Travelers should not consider their preferences for airline, type of aircraft or connecting airports
• Travelers may not insist on non-stop flights; as a trip may require one plane transfer both departing and returning to meet the lowest fare requirements
• Baggage fees will be reimbursed for one (1) piece of checked baggage each way

Refer to Travel Manual – 16-17.0 Car Rental (Page 11-12)

• The request to rent a vehicle must be justified in writing and will be considered if public transportation is unavailable or if automobile rental results in a cost savings, which must be documented by the traveler and included as part of the justification on a Policy Exception Request form
• If a traveler is staying at a conference, rental vehicles are not allowed.
• State employees renting a vehicle for use on state business shall use existing state contracts for vehicle rental. The current agreement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car under contract does not require the purchase of any additional insurance. 
• For any other type of vehicle, OR if the state contract is not used, collision and personal accident insurance offered by the rental company must be purchased by the employee and will be reimbursed as a regular travel expense.
• Travelers should only rent vehicles in the following classes: Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full Size, Mini-Van, Cargo Van, and Pick-up Truck.
• The University or System Office will not pay penalties, fines, fees, fuel service, fuel surcharges, or extra cost options.
• Travelers are advised to park in an open lot (shuttle lots 3 and 4) and retain receipt for reimbursement. Garage parking is prohibited
• Reasonable use of taxis, airport shuttles and similar transport to and from the airport or common carrier terminal and the conference site will be reimbursed at cost if included on the Travel Authorization. The lowest cost option should be chosen.
• The cost of taxis to and from places of lodging to take meals or participate in non-conference-related events is part of the incidental expenses component of the meal per diem and is not a reimbursable expense.

Refer to Travel Manual – 18.0 Lodging (Page 12)

• A University traveler is normally not entitled to lodging when travel distance is less than 75 miles one way.
• Lodging costs may be reimbursed at the single room rate up to the actual amount incurred by the traveler.
• The traveler should make every effort to obtain the lowest cost of lodging possible.
• In the case of a conference, each university may choose to permit the employee to stay at the conference hotel instead of seeking the lowest rate available.

All claims for lodging, with or without meals, must be supported by an original receipt.

Refer to Travel Manual – 19.0 Meal Reimbursement and Incidental Expenses (Page 12)

• Reimbursement for meals and incidentals will be based on current GSA rate broken down as specified in the Federal Travel Regulations.
• For both in-state and out-of-state meal reimbursement, eligibility for meal allowance reimbursement is determined by the following schedule:

Refer to Travel Manual – 21.0 Combined Business & Personal Time (Page 17)

• When combining personal pursuits with business on a trip, indicate the dates (and location, if alternate destination routing) of the personal time on the Travel Authorization.

Refer to Travel Manual – 24.0 Conference & Registration Fees (Page 18)

• P-Card is the preferred way to purchase conference and registration fees.
• It is possible to have the University prepay a conference fee if requested on the Travel Authorization at least two (2) weeks prior to the sponsoring organization’s payment due date
• No reimbursement can be made for any social events or tours that are not related directly to the purpose of the trip.
• If any meals are included in the registration fee, it must be noted on the Travel Authorization, and the daily subsistence allowance must be reduced accordingly.

Refer to Travel Manual – 20 ALLOWABLE REIMBURSEMENT (Page 17)

• For non-foreign out-of-state travel, reimbursement of expenses is allowed for one travel day preceding a conference and for one travel day following the conference.
• An exception may be made when the traveler can demonstrate a cost savings by arriving earlier or departing later than the allowable travel days.

Refer to Travel Manual – 26.0 Limitations of Reimbursement (Page 19)

• Costs for tickets, guest meals and similar extraordinary expenses will not be reimbursed unless such charges relate directly to the purpose of the trip and are on the approved Travel Authorization.
• Expenditures for non-business-related personal expenses such as theater tickets, entertainment, toiletries and liquor are not reimbursable.
• Occasionally, an employee may purchase books, videos or audio tapes at a conference or workshop that was not included on the original Travel Authorization. A revised Travel Authorization form must be submitted in order to claim reimbursement.

Refer to Travel Manual – 27.0 Foreign Travel Reimbursement (Page 19)

• All travel policies apply when undertaking foreign travel.
• Special care must be taken regarding exchange rate and types of currency and labeling of receipts.   Refer to manual for detail.
• Currency converter is available on Oanda.
• Persons in travel status in “Foreign” areas may be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses associated with their travel. Such expenses include, but are not limited to, the cost of:
  • Visa
  • Airport taxes
  • Excess baggage
  • Inoculations
  • Currency exchange
  • Departure taxes
  • Prepaid calling cards

Review Travel Manual 28.0 (Page 22) - for approval of and payment for travel by student athletes and employees traveling as a team.

Review Travel Manual 29.0 Travel Expenses for Students (Page 22) for policies that govern students' reimbursement for expenses while traveling on University business using University funds (as opposed to using the Student Activity Fund)