Travel

All information on this page including travel documents, traveler responsibilities, pre & post travel information and more are thoroughly detailed in our Travel Guidelines. The CSUSM Corporation Travel Guidelines will defer to the CSU System Travel Policies when applicable. For Academic Affairs information on travel please visit Planning and Academic Resources Travel Information.

If you have questions that are not detailed in our Travel Guidelines, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions. If you need further assistance, please contact CSUSM Corporation via phone or email at 760-750-4700 or corp@csusm.edu.  

Before Travel

CSUSM Corporation guidelines require submission of a Travel Request Form at least ten (10) days prior to travel and prior to incurring any travel expenses. Supporting documents to the Travel Request may include a conference agenda, a printout of an estimated cost for airfare, rental car, and a printout of mileage if you are driving. If traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, or internationally, travelers will use the Federal per diem rates for lodging, meal, and incidental expenses. 

                

After Travel

CSUSM Corporation guidelines require a submission of a Travel Expense Claim Form for all reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) days of return.  If no reimbursable or ProCard expenses were incurred, a Travel Expense Claim form still needs to be completed and signed by the traveler indicating that no expenses were made.

International Travel

Employees planning to travel internationally must request approval from the CSUSM campus President prior to making any travel arrangements and must contact Safety, Risk & Sustainability for information on requesting the mandatory Foreign Travel Insurance. All travelers are required to obtain Foreign Travel Insurance from the University for security purposes.  

For more information on mandatory international travel requirements, visit Procurement & Support Services: International Travel. For Academic Affairs International Travel information, please visit Academic Affairs International Travel Protocol.

Travelers will receive a fixed amount per diem for lodging, meals and incidentals in accordance with the International Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowance - U.S. Department of State. 

Affiliated Policies, Procedures, and Forms

• CSUSM Student Conduct Agreement
• Hospitality Policy
• Release of Liability Form (Docusign) 
• Travel Claim Form & Instructions
• Travel Guidelines
• Domestic Travel Request Form & Instructions (Docusign- preferred)
• Domestic Travel Request Form & Instructions (paper- not preferred)
• International Travel Request Form & Instructions (paper- preferred)
• Travel Policy

Signature Requirements

Both the travel claims and travel requests require specific authorizing signatures. Please note that the signature requirements differ between  sponsored projects travel and non-sponsored projects travel. 

 Sponsored Projects Travel  (85xxx)

TYPE OF TRAVEL	NECESSARY SIGNATURES FOR TRAVEL REQUEST	NECESSARY SIGNATURES FOR TRAVEL CLAIM
Domestic Travel	PI/Funding Authority Supervisor/Dean Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Sponsored Projects Analyst (OSP Only)	PI/Funding Authority Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Sponsored Projects Analyst (OSP Only)
International Travel	PI/Project/Funding Authority Supervisor/Dean Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Sponsored Projects Analyst (OSP Only) VP/Provost CSUSM President	PI/Funding Authority Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Sponsored Projects Analyst (OSP Only)

Campus Programs and CSUSM Corporation Administration Travel  (86xxx & 81xxx)

TYPE OF TRAVEL	NECESSARY SIGNATURES FOR TRAVEL REQUEST	NECESSARY SIGNATURES FOR TRAVEL CLAIM
Domestic Travel	Supervisor Funding Authority CSUSM Corporation (if applicable)*	Supervisor Funding Authority CSUSM Corporation (if applicable)*
International Travel	Supervisor Funding Authority Vice President/Provost CSUSM President CSUSM Corporation (if applicable)*	Supervisor Funding Authority CSUSM Corporation (if applicable)*
* CSUSM Corporation Executive Director approval is required only if exemptions to travel policy and/or expense limits are being requested and/or claimed (ex. exemption to $275 per night lodging limit).

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I fill out a Travel Claim Form?

  Please refer to our Instructions for filling out the Travel Claim.

• The individual traveling is not an employee. What do I need to do?

  Allowable travel for non-employees include prospective employees, independently contracted consultants, and students. All travel must be pre-approved.  You can find more information about non-employee travel on page 8 of our Travel Guidelines.

• Can I use my ProCard to purchase expenses related to my travel?

  Yes, travel expenses can be charged to a ProCard. Please refer to our ProCard Manual and coincide with associated policies, such as our Hospitality Policy. For more information on ProCard expenses, please visit the CSUSM Corporation ProCard site.

• Can I fly in business or first class?

  No, only coach or economy-class fare shall be used whenever ticketing restrictions are reasonable. Tickets should be purchased in a timely manner; last minute purchases will require a justification including the reason why the ticket was not purchased in a timely manner and may not be reimbursable without prior approval. Upgrades for premium seats or other add-ons are not reimbursable.

• Are my meals covered during travel?

  Meals are considered an allowable travel expense for travel that is over 24 hours, and/or includes an overnight stay. Meals provided as part of the event or conference are not allowable expenses. The maximum daily allowance for meals is $55.  Meals must meet the following criteria:

  a) Breakfast (maximum $11): May be claimed only if travel begins before 7:00am onthe departure  date, or ends past 9:00am on the return date.

  b) Lunch (maximum $17): May be claimed for travel that begins before 11:00am on the departure date, or ends past 1:00pm on the return date.

  c) Dinner (maximum $27): May be claimed when travel begins before 4:00pm on the departure date, or ends past 6:00pm on the return date

  Daily maximum allowance for meals when traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, U.S. Possessions or internationally are based on the federal per diem rates.