Transcript travel procedures for recognized student organizations

TRAVEL PROCEDURES
FOR REGISTERED STUDENT
ORGANIZATIONS
2014-2015
WELCOME
 This presentation is intended for Registered
Student Organizations (RSOs) with members
who plan to travel and expect to be
reimbursed for some or all of their travel
expenses.
 Note: All travel expenses are paid by the
traveler and reimbursed after the trip.
Basics
 The State requires that travel be conducted in the most
economical manner possible.
 For this reason, requests for reimbursements for travel by
GMU employees and students are closely reviewed for
accuracy and appropriateness.
 If you do not follow proper procedures, it may be
impossible for you to receive your travel reimbursement.
Basics
 Reimbursements for travel expenses such as
transportation, lodging, and meals are processed using
forms created in the GMU Travel Request System (TRS).
 Travelers seeking reimbursements only for conference
registration fees do not have to use the GMU Travel
Request System (TRS). They can request reimbursement
using a RSO Payment Request Form.
 It makes no difference whether the reimbursement will be
paid with funding (SFB) or with self generated revenue
(SGR). The required paperwork is the same.
First things first
 Make sure you have either funding or selfgenerated revenue before you make any travel
arrangements for which you expect to be
reimbursed.
 If applying for funding from the Student Funding
Board, be sure to apply well in advance.
Reimbursements from more
than one organization

Students who expect to receive portions of their reimbursement from
multiple organizations (for example, part from the RSO, part from the
College of Science) should bring this to the attention of the Student
Involvement Business Manager well before the trip so that a plan can be
made for processing the reimbursement.

Multiple forms should not be submitted for a single trip. Instead, only
one Request and Authorization to Travel Form and only one Travel
Expenses Reimbursement Voucher should be prepared and submitted,
listing all of the organizations from which the reimbursement will be
paid.

These forms will need to be approved and signed by all organizations
paying part of the reimbursement, so coordination is needed from the
outset.
Before the trip
 At least 7 days before your trip, submit to Student
Involvement:
 1) Request and Authorization to Travel Form, and
 2) Risk Assessment Form.
 Very Important: You will not be reimbursed for travel
expenses if you do not complete and submit these forms
BEFORE your trip.
Request and Authorization to
Travel Form
 You must access the GMU Travel Request System (TRS) to
create the Request and Authorization to Travel Form. Use
your GMU user name and password.
 Find the TRS at https://travel.gmu.edu
 You can find links to the TRS in the Fiscal Management
section of the Student Involvement website and on the
GMU Fiscal Services website.
More about Travel Authorization
 Create the Request and Authorization to Travel Form with
your personal information, organization number, and
information about the expenses you expect to incur for
your trip (transportation, hotel, conference fee, etc).
 When finished, print out the form.
 Sign the form, then have your advisor sign the form.
 Submit the form to the Office of Student Involvement at
least 7 days before your trip.
More about Travel Authorization
 Complete and submit a Risk Assessment Form along with
the Request and Authorization to Travel Form.
 The Risk Assessment Form can be found in the Fiscal
Management section of the Student Involvement website.
Approval
 Your Request and Authorization to Travel
Form must be approved BEFORE your trip.
 Without prior approval, you will not be able
to be reimbursed after the trip.
Calculating the amount
 The Commonwealth of Virginia has set limits on the
amount travelers can be reimbursed for travel to, and daily
expenses in, any given location.
 These limits are embedded in the Travel Request System
(TRS).
 When completing forms in the TRS, some areas of the
forms will automatically populate with these limits.
More Calculating
 For example, if you travel to Minneapolis, the
maximum amount you will be reimbursed for
lodging is $121 per day (excluding taxes and
surcharges). For Manhattan, the rate varies from
$204 to $295 per day, depending on the time of year.
 So, if you choose to stay in the most expensive hotel
at your destination, you will not be reimbursed for
the full cost if it exceeds the limit set by the state.
While traveling
 Travelers must have original receipts for all expenses, except for
meals which are reimbursed on a per diem basis.
 One example of the per diem rate for meals: in Minneapolis, the
rate is $71 per day. Regardless of how much you actually spend,
you will be reimbursed $71 if the length of your stay qualifies for
reimbursement for all three meals in one day in Minneapolis.
 Be sure to save your receipts for parking fees, tolls, and
transportation to and from the airport if flying.
After the trip
 Within 3 weeks after your trip, use the Travel Request
System to create a Travel Expenses Reimbursement
Voucher.
 Print out the Reimbursement Voucher and sign it.
 Have your RSO advisor sign the Reimbursement Voucher.
 Attach your original receipts and submit to Student
Involvement for approval.
Traveling by surface transportation
 When driving, students may use their own cars or lease vehicles
through Enterprise, within these guidelines:
 If the travel is under 100 miles per day, a personal vehicle should
be used. (For example, for a 3-day trip, 300 total miles.)
 If the travel is over 100 miles per day, an Enterprise rental should
be used.
 If you choose to drive your own car when your trip is over 100
miles per day, your reimbursement may be affected.
Enterprise
 Students must be 21 years old to rent from Enterprise.
 There is a link to the Enterprise site in the Fiscal
Management Section of the Student Involvement website
and also on the GMU Fiscal Services website.
 RSOs may not use Mason Motorpool vehicles.
Check with the Travel Office
 Because the rules and procedures are complicated,
we recommend that students check with the Travel
Office when deciding whether to drive a personal
vehicle or lease from Enterprise.
 Working with the Travel Office will help ensure that
everything is done correctly so that a
reimbursement can be paid.
Conference Registration Fees
 Travelers who wish to be reimbursed only for conference
registration fees (and no travel expenses) do not have to use the
Travel Request System to create their requests.
 Instead, submit an RSO Payment Request Form to seek
reimbursement for the conference fee.
 Attach proof of your registration (usually an email confirmation)
and proof of payment.
 Proof of payment could be a copy of a cashed check (front and
back sides) or a bank or credit card statement showing the
transaction.
The End
 This concludes the Travel Procedures presentation.
 If you have questions about using the Travel Request System,
contact the Travel Office.
 For questions about forms and reimbursements, contact the
Student Involvement Business Manager.