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Travel

CSUSM Travel Guidelines

CSUSM, CSUSM Corporation, and CSUSM Foundation, hereafter referred to as CSUSM (unless noted otherwise) follow the current California State University (CSU) Travel Policy as well as its Travel Procedures and Regulations. 

According to the CSU Travel Policy, campuses of the CSU can elect to apply more restrictive guidelines than those articulated in that document. CSUSM has elected to apply the following (more restrictive) exceptions to the CSU Travel Policy: 

  1. Travel must be authorized prior to travel utilizing the Travel Request Form. Excludes service providers, candidates, and non-employee students. The approved Travel Request must be attached to the Travel Claim form.  
  2. Blanket Travel Requests may be requested for mileage, tolls, and parking for a specific fiscal year or less. Hotel can be included for in-state trips that are reoccurring at the same location, with the same business purpose and scope.   
  3. CSU's Travel Policy states that a traveler can submit a travel expense claim prior to the completion of travel for expenses incurred before the completion of travel. Effective April 1, 2020, CSUSM only accepts supplemental claims for airfare. CSUSM has several mechanisms for assisting travelers in paying for travel costs, such as a ProCard for registration (use CPO when applicable) and travel advances. For more information on these options, please contact the Travel Office. 
  4. Prepaid hotel expenses are strongly discouraged and not reimbursable prior to the travel event. 
  5. According to the CSU Travel Policy, designees of the campus president may authorize exceptions to its policies and procedures. CSUSM has elected to apply the following exceptions to the CSU Travel Procedures and Regulations: 
    1. PAT Members may approve exceptions to the nightly lodging cap of $275 with a valid business justification prior to booking and incurring travel expenses.
    2. All other CSU Travel Policy exceptions may only be granted by the Associate Vice President of Administration.   
  6. Airport parking beyond a period of five days is prohibited unless the traveler requests and is pre-approved for an exception with specific business justification prior to incurring the expense.  
  7. Refundable airline tickets are not permitted. Travelers may only choose non-refundable tickets. 
  8. Airline upgrades (including Southwest Early Bird Check-in) are prohibited and non-reimbursable. 
  9. Executive-style transport service is not permitted.  
  10. Utilizing broker sites such as CheapOAir, Expedia, Hotels.com, etc. is not advised. Itemized receipts are required, and often these sites do not provide adequate detail.