6.4 Travel Guide and Checklist

Official travel requires prior approval by an appropriate administrator and is subject to General Travel Policies of the university (BPPM 95.01).

Authorizations

1. Traveler submits a SDC Spend Authorization Request to sdc.admin@wsu.edu.  This form (and relevant examples) is also available in Microsoft Teams > SDC Faculty and Staff.

  • The Spend Authorization Request is a pre-travel budget and requires all estimated expenses as a separate line item (including, but not limited to, airfare, conference registration, lodging, rental car, Uber, and per diem meals).
  • Once received, the SDC Administrative team will create a formal Spend Authorization (SA) in Workday.  The traveler will be notified via e-mail that the process has been completed and traveler approval is needed in Workday.

2. SA approval process routes automatically in Workday to the SDC Administrative Assistant, Director, and Administrative Manager for each approval level.

  • NOTE: This takes time so please start this process early.  Actions indicted in item #3 (below) will NOT be taken until the SA is approved by all parties.
  • NOTE:  See travel considerations section below when planning travel.

3. Per information provided in the SDC Spend Authorization Request, the Administrative team will:

  • Coordinate with the Traveler to ensure proper conference registration and/or entry fee and maintain purchasing card usage protocols.
  • Authorize and arrange airfare on Central Travel Account (CTA).
    • NOTE: Traveler who is an employee of WSU can book and pay for their own airfare (see below for appropriate “class”) and request reimbursement once the trip is completed. To do so, Traveler must provide:
      • Copy of the itinerary AND
      • Receipt showing proof of payment.
  • Create and authorize WSU motor pool, charter bus, or rental car reservation.
    • NOTE: If the Traveler chooses to make their own rental car reservation with the WSU contract rate, additional insurance coverage MUST be declined as it is already included in the contract rate. More information is available at Travel Services.
    • NOTE: If WSU vehicle is needed, please see the WSU Motor Pool section below. 
    • NOTE: Traveler may also use their own personal vehicle when a motor pool vehicle is not available or when it is more advantageous or economical to the university to use a privately-owned vehicle. Travelers are reimbursed for vehicle miles only. Mileage may be claimed by using maps, highway guides, or actual odometer readings to determine mileage. Access to the Mileage calculator for traveling within Washington State or anywhere in the United States and Canada.
  • Advise the Traveler, if necessary, on guidelines and per diem rates for lodging
    • NOTE: Traveler must book their own lodging and submit receipt/folio (showing proof of payment) for reimbursement once the trip is completed. 
    • NOTE:  Whenever possible, use this NASPO tool to find lodging at per diem rates.

4. All SDC Faculty and Staff need to create a Global Travel – Traveler Profile

  1. Allows for easier travel coordination by SDC Administrative team: Traveler Profile includes this info for travel agent to book itinerary
    1. Name as matches passport / driver’s license
    1. Seat preferences assigned
    1. Mileage plan entered so miles applied to each itinerary
    1. Link to Global Travel – Traveler Profile
    2. Email sdc.admin@wsu.edu when this has been completed; we will keep a list so that we can communicate appropriately with Global Travel when booking airfare.

5. The SDC Administrative team will email the traveler with all travel details when finalized.

Reimbursements

1. Traveler submits SDC Travel Reimbursement form to sdc.admin@wsu.edu.   This form (and relevant examples) is also available in Microsoft Teams > SDC Faculty and Staff.

  • The SDC Travel Reimbursement form must be
    • submitted within ten (10) days of completion of travel. Any requests that are submitted after that timeframe are subject to delayed processing.  Additionally, any reimbursement requests submitted after 60 days become taxable income per IRS Publication 463.
    • accompanied by all receipts that Traveler wishes to submit for reimbursement, e.g., lodging, local transportation, tolls, parking fees.
      • NOTE: Meal/food receipts are not needed as this travel expense is subject to per diem rates.  The exception to this would be receipts for a business meeting or similar (meal) that can be reimbursed as an allowable expense.
  • Once received, the SDC Administrative team will create a formal Expense Report (ER) in Workday.  The traveler will be notified via e-mail that the process has been completed and traveler approval is needed in Workday.
    • NOTE:  Travel expenses submitted for reimbursements that do not have an approved SA in Workday may not be approved.  Justification must be submitted to the Director and/or Program Head (depending upon funding source) to determine if approval is warranted.

2. ER approval process routes automatically in Workday to the SDC Administrative Assistant, Director, and Administrative Manager for each approval level.

  • NOTE: This takes time so please start this process early.

3. Travel reimbursements usually take two weeks from the time the ER has received the final SDC approval. However, these times can vary depending on the number of ER’s in the WSU Travel Workday queue.

  • If you have not received reimbursement within two weeks of the ER being submitted and approved, e-mail sdc.admin@wsu.edu for assistance.

Necessary Forms

  1. The following forms are to be supplied to students, completed, and provided to the Program Head and Administrative Manager:
    1. Class absence request form that students can provide to faculty of all other courses (including those in the SDC).
    2. Travel student conduct form that students sign thereby agreeing to conduct themselves in an appropriate matter.
    3. Participation agreement form for study tour courses if appropriate.
    4. Travel assumption of risk and release of liability form for students who elect to not use the university provided transportation.  NOTE:  students are expected to travel with the group though it is understood that unexpected circumstances may arise.

Motor Pool information

i. The following must be included in the request for Motor Pool reservation:

              * type of vehicle(s)

              * names of all drivers, including student drivers

              * contact information (phone and email) for all drivers

              * date and time of vehicle pick up

* date and time of vehicle drop off

ii. All drivers picking up vehicles must have a valid driver’s license, be over 18 years of age.

iii. Driver(s) may be required to complete a special safety course to operate a WSU Motor Pool vehicle, for example an 8-passenger van. The “Coaching the Van Driver” safety course is offered once a month. Drivers must plan accordingly and sign up in advance on the HRS Percipio training website.

iv. Motor Pool is located at 2325 E. Grimes Way in the Markley Service Complex and is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Vehicle pick up is not possible outside of these hours, while drop off is available via key drop box and a time-stamp machine. For more information regarding WSU Motor Pool operations and rates, visit the WSU facilities website.

Travel considerations

Use the following criteria when securing travel on official state business:

  • Economical: All travelers are to select the travel alternative that is most economical to the state. All costs, e.g., travel, labor, should be considered when making the determination. For example: Is it less expensive to drive than fly out of Spokane? Is it cheaper to fly out of Spokane than out of Pullman?
  • Advantageous: All travelers are to select the travel alternative that is most advantageous to the state. An agency may use this advantageous criterion only in the following situations:
    To ensure the health and safety of agency travelers
    To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
    To process approval for meals with meetings
    To authorize the use of privately-owned motor vehicles
    The personal travel plans of the traveler are not to influence this criterion.

Alternatives to travel. Before requesting travel, all travelers are to evaluate travel alternatives which may achieve the same result for less money, i.e., teleconferencing, video conferencing, mailing video recordings or published reports, reducing the frequency of scheduled out-of-town meetings, carpooling, or use of public transit.

Limit numbers. The number of sponsored travelers attending a meeting should be the minimum necessary, consistent with the benefit to WSU.

Special Considerations for Study Tour and Field Trip Travel

1. Lead faculty member(s) submit an SDC Group Travel Authorization Request form on behalf of course involving study tour/field trip travel.

2. Travel request forms must be submitted no later than 8 weeks prior to trip —and as early as 6 months prior to the trip, depending upon extent of logistics to be coordinated. Travel request must include:

  • Name(s) of traveler(s)
  • Purpose of trip, travel destination, dates of travel, and method of travel (flight, bus, etc.)
  • Grant, Program or Gift account being charged

3. Lead faculty member(s) are responsible for researching flights, hotels, transportation, meals (if included), and admission passes or tour fees. Administrative staff are available only to facilitate purchasing and contracts; they should be consulted in advance for information about contacts (hotels or transportation services used in the past, depending upon location), university resources, and policies related to travel.

  1. Contract negotiations are done outside of the SDC and can take up to 8 weeks to process.  Please allow sufficient time.

4. Faculty leader (and any other faculty/staff involved with travel) must submit an SDC Travel Reimbursement form along with all required receipts within ten (10) days of completion of travel. Any requests that are submitted after that timeframe will be subject to delayed processing.  Additionally, any reimbursement requests submitted after 60 days become taxable income per IRS Publication 463.

Use of Course Fees

Special course fees may be used to cover expenditures related to travel1 including:

  1. The cost of contractual services in connection with carrying persons from place to place (e.g., flights, charter buses, motor pool)
  2. Furnishing of accommodations for travelers (e.g., hotels, hostels, or other lodging)
  3. Other expenses necessitated by travel

The course fee must cover all projected expenses for students and faculty/staff involved in the travel unless otherwise stated. Students are typically responsible for all meals and personal incidentals associated with travel; faculty/staff may be reimbursed up to appropriate per diem rates for travel city.

For ease of reservations and payments, and with respect to liability, it is expected that students, faculty, and staff will stay at the same accommodations and will participate in group transportation for the duration of the travel. Any exceptions must be approved by the Program Head and/or Director (depending upon course under which travel is occurring). Additional information is available in the Course Fee Expenditure Guide (8.2).

1 All employees must exercise care in incurring expenses and accomplishing the purposes of the travel that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business. Excess costs, circuitous routes, delays, or luxury accommodations unnecessary or unjustified in the performance of official state business travel are not acceptable. Employees will be responsible for paying any excess costs and any additional expenses incurred for personal preference or convenience.