Travel Policy





Travel Policy Important information regarding airline booking: click here! Forms and other information you will need: Travel Request Form Travel Claim Automobile Insurance Certification Travel Allowance Guidelines In accordance with the requirements of The California State University (CSU)¹, the CSU San Marcos Foundation has adopted this policy for the administration of Foundation travel. This policy applies to Foundation employees and all individuals whose approved travel will be administered by the Foundation. For sponsored projects, all travel must be allowable by the project sponsor and will be expended according to the travel policy of the Foundation, unless the project specifies a lower rate. Reimbursement of travel expenses under this policy shall be comparable to the reimbursement normally provided by the CSU. Exceptions to the Travel Policy require prior approval of the Foundation Executive Director or designee. Travel Approval Prior approval by a Supervisor, Department Chair, or Dean ("One-Up Signature") is required for travel and a Travel Request form must be submitted to the Foundation no less than five (5) business days prior to the travel date and at least ten (10) business days if requesting pre-payments or travel advances. Exceptions to the approval periods require approval of the Executive Director or designee. Travel taken without prior approval may not be eligible for reimbursement. Trips involving out-of-country travel require Dean's or appropriate administrator's approval prior to submitting the Travel Request to the Foundation. Lodging Each traveler is responsible for making his/her own lodging reservations and arranging for payment. If reservations are made at a hotel where the traveler is attending a conference, the conference's special lodging rate must be requested. When a double or higher occupancy rate is charged, only covered travelers' lodging costs will be reimbursed. Transportation (Foundation Approved Group Transportation Vendors) Airline Tickets. Each traveler is responsible for making his/her own airline reservations and arrangements for payment. Reimbursement for travel will be at economy or coach class rate, and special low-cost government rates should be used when possible. Airline tickets can be purchased by the traveler and reimbursement requested after the travel is completed, or can be direct-billed to the Foundation by providing vendor information on the Travel Request Form. Alternate vendor bids are not required for airline tickets. Private-vehicle Mileage Reimbursement. The IRS Mileage reimbursement rate will be the rate used by the Foundation. (To certify a private vehicle for business use see Automobile Insurance Certification). If the traveler can use air travel and chooses a private vehicle, reimbursement will be at the IRS rate per mile or the equivalent of a round-trip airfare, whichever is less. Commercial Automobile Rental. Reimbursement will be for actual and necessary costs of such rental when substantiated by a receipt. The Foundation will pay compact or intermediate rates. Where it is necessary to pay extra charges or premium rental rates, a full explanation shall accompany the expense claim. If you are NOT a Foundation employee, Collision Insurance must be purchased and will be reimbursed. Medical and/or personal accident insurance is not an allowable business expense and, if purchased, the expense shall be the sole responsibility of the traveler. Shuttle Bus Service. Shuttle bus service should be used where possible for travel to and from airports instead of taxi service or rental cars. Fifteen (15) Passenger Vans. To drive a 15-passenger van on Foundation business, the driver must possess a valid Class B driver's license and an endorsement for operating a vehicle as required by the State of California. Current Travel Allowance Rates - See Travel Allowance Guidelines All claims must be itemized for each individual expense for each day of travel. Please refer to the allowance guidelines for travel time periods and allowable expense amounts. · Meal expenses are allowed on a per diem basis only, and no receipts are necessary. · Incidental expenses are allowed on a per diem basis, and no receipts are necessary. · Original receipts are required for lodging, airfare, ground transportation and other business expenses. The CSUSM Foundation Travel Allowance for each complete 24-hour travel period and partial (less than 24-hour) travel period conforms to the current CSUSM rates. Travel Advance An advance may be requested for up to 90 percent of the estimated out-of-pocket expense (but no less than $100) for travel in excess of 24 hours. To request an advance, mark the appropriate box on the Travel Request form. Requests for advance payments should be received at the Foundation at least 15 business days in advance of the date of travel. If travel arrangements are canceled, the advance check must be returned or reimbursement made to the Foundation within 10 business days. Expenses paid prior to travel may be reimbursed as a travel advance with appropriate documentation is requested by traveler. The traveler is responsible for clearing the advance by submitting a completed Travel Expense Claim form to the Foundation. Travel advances must be cleared within 30 calendar days of the ending date of travel. Failure to clear advances in a timely manner may result in suspension of Foundation travel advance privileges. Reimbursement To be reimbursed for travel expenses, the traveler must prepare a Foundation Travel Expense Claim form by itemizing all travel expenditures and attaching all required receipts and documentation. In cases where receipts cannot be obtained or have been lost, a statement to that effect may be made on, or attached to, the Travel Expense Claim form and the reason given. In the absence of satisfactory explanation, the amount involved may not be allowed. The Travel Expense Claim, signed by both the traveler and project director or appropriate administrator, must be forwarded to the CSUSM Foundation for processing within 30 calendar days of the ending date of travel. ________________________ ¹ Section 9.7 - Travel, Manual of Policies and Procedures for Auxiliary Organizations of The California State University, March 1988 (Auxiliary and Business Services, Office of the Chancellor, The California State University). Ref. B-11 Issue Date: March 1992 Rev. 3/25/99, 4/23/03, 10/27/05, 4/21/06, 8/30/06