Skip to main content

Travel

Employees who are going to be “in travel status” overnight must complete an Authorization to Travel (aka Travel Authorization or TA) prior to departure. Travel Authorization is an estimate of the expenses to be incurred while traveling and it should be as accurate as possible and contain as much information as possible.  It is not required to complete a TA for day trips. However, it is advisable so there is a record of the travel with the supervisor’s approval. The Authorization to Travel needs to be submitted and approved prior to any expenses are incurred for the trip – at least one week prior to the start of the travel up to one year prior.

Being “in travel status” means being away from the employee’s duty station or home, while traveling and acting in an official capacity as approved by the employee’s supervisor.

University travel should be conducted in the most efficient manner and at the lowest and most reasonable cost to the university.

If you would like to stay in a non-commercial lodging establishment such as AirBnB be sure to review the policy regarding prior approval.

Upon returning from the trip, the employee will need to do one of two things:

  • If reimbursement is required they will need to process a Travel Reimbursement (TR) – Note – per Diem for meals cannot be requested if there is not an approved Travel Authorization already on file.
  • If no reimbursement is required the employee should make sure all prepaid expenses are referenced on the TA (this includes all charges on your Purchase Card) and then check the box on the TA that says “No reimbursement needed” to close it out.
  • Completing a Travel Reimbursement

Departments are responsible for processing travel requests for non-employees such as students or job candidates.

Here is some helpful information and answers to frequently asked questions concerning:

When preparing to travel out of the country be sure to check for any travel warnings and alerts for your destination.

Helpful Links

University Controller’s Office Travel Center