Travel for Persons Other Than Faculty and Staff Does Not Apply to State Accounts
Responsible Officer: Vice President for Business Affairs and Controller
Sponsoring Department: Travel
Revision Date: 30 August 2010
Errors or changes to: netsolutions@uta.edu
Contents
- Procedure Objective
- Rationale
- Scope
- Website Address For This Procedure
- Related Statutes, Policies, Requirements or Standards
- Contacts
- Definitions
- Responsibilities
- Procedures
- Section I. Prospective Employees
- Section II. Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
- Section III. International Travel for Prospective Employees/Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
- Section IV. Voucher Processing for Prospective Employees/Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
- Section V. Student Group Travel/Team Travel
- Forms and Tools/Online Processes
- Appendices
Procedure Objective
Procedure 2-87 provides procedural guidelines for UT Arlington prospective employees, non employees and students who are traveling for UT Arlington business with applicable laws and rules. This procedure details which forms to process for reimbursement, billing arrangements and which accounts to charge when these groups travel for UT Arlington business. In addition, this procedure explains the rules for UT Arlington prospective employees and non employees who are traveling internationally and UT Arlington students that are traveling internationally on university-sponsored trips.
Rationale
Rules and policies governing the approval and billing of travel for persons other than faculty and staff come from a variety of sources including the State of Texas Travel Regulations Act (Chapter 660 of the Texas Government Code) and the Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations. It is essential that the correct process and forms be completed for such travel and that student travel expenses can never be charged to a state account beginning with 14.
Scope
All UT Arlington prospective employees, non employees, and students who are traveling for UT Arlington business.
Website Address For This Procedure
Related Statutes, Policies, Requirements or Standards
| UT System Administration Policies and Standards | Other Policies and Standards |
|---|---|
|
Request for Travel Authorization and Obtain Permission to Travel (Procedure 2-80) International Travel (Procedure 2-83) Texas Travel Regulations Act Chapter 660 of Texas Government Code Texas General Appropriations Act, Article IX., Part 5 Texas Administrative Code, Title 34, Part 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Rule 5.22, State of Texas Travel Guidance |
Contacts
If you have any questions about Procedure 2-87, Travel for Persons Other Than Faculty and Staff (Does Not Apply to State Accounts), contact the following departments:
| Subject | Office Name | Telephone Number | Email/URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| All topics in procedure | Procurement Services | 817-272-2194 |
travel_help@uta.edu
http://www.uta.edu/policy/bac/travel |
| Website access | Net Solutions | 817-272-0222 |
netsolutions@uta.edu
http://www.uta.edu/netsolutions |
Definitions
Local Funds: All accounts that are not State Funds accounts. Please check with the head of your department or the account administrator for specific travel or entertainment restrictions which may be placed on individual accounts within the Local Funds accounts.
State Funds: Accounts that are funded by State general revenue. Most State Fund accounts begin with "14" and are referred to as "14 accounts". State Fund accounts also appear in other numbered account series.
The Request for Travel Authorization (VE5): This document is used in *DEFINE to authorize travel for employees, prospective employees, students, and non-employees who are traveling for UT Arlington business.
Travel Payment Voucher (VP5): This document is used in *DEFINE to reimburse business travel expenses. The VP5 document is used to provide a detailed record of the travel expenses as well as identify the nature of the business conducted.
Responsibilities
Individual(s) and/or University Department Responsible for Travel Planning
Prepares a Request to Travel (VE5) prior to the travel date and a Travel Voucher (VP5) after travel has occurred.
Processes an Authorization for Professional Services (Form 1-8A) via Travel Services prior to travel dates if the consultant/speaker/independent contractor is not incorporated or does not have a Federal Identification Number.
Informs prospective employees, consultant, speaker, and independent contractor in advance that telephone charges, movies, room service and other miscellaneous charges are not reimbursable by the University.
Students or University Employees Traveling for University Business
Obtain approval from the UT Arlington International Oversight Committee before traveling to any country listed on the U.S. State Department Travel Warning list.
Obtain International SOS registration prior to traveling internationally.
Travel Services
Reviews all submitted travel vouchers, APS forms (if required) and receipts to insure the travel expenses are in accordance with University travel policy.
University Faculty/Staff Member Responsible for Student Group Travel/Team Travel
Includes all receipts from the trip.
Procedures
Section I. Prospective Employees
Travel reimbursements for prospective employees are processed on a Travel Voucher (Form 2-92). The department should prepare a Request to Travel (VE5) prior to the travel date and a Travel Voucher (VP5) after travel has occurred. An Authorization for Professional Service (APS) is not required. Prospective Employees are required to follow guidelines for Employee Travel Vouchers.
Section II. Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
If the Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor is not incorporated or does not have a Federal Identification Number, the department must process an Authorization for Professional Services (Form 1-8A) via Travel Services prior to travel dates, even if travel is the only reimbursement. If they are incorporated, an APS is not required. If the consultant travel is a mileage only reimbursement, an APS form is not required.
Section III. International Travel for Prospective Employees/Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
Prospective employees, consultants, speakers and independent contractors do not have to seek approval from the UT Arlington International Oversight Committee (IOC) when traveling to countries where a travel warning has been issued by the U.S. Department of State. Moreover, prospective employees, consultants, speakers and independent contractors do not have to register with International SOS when traveling internationally.
Section IV. Voucher Processing for Prospective Employees/Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor
An Authorization to Travel (VE5) should now be created using Traveler Type "P" for Prospective Employees and Traveler Type "N" for Consultant/Speaker/Independent Contractor.
The department must arrange for the hotel bill to be direct billed to the department. Telephone charges, movies, room service and other miscellaneous charges are not reimbursable by the University. The traveler and the hotel should be informed of these restrictions in advance by the department making the arrangements. When the direct billed invoice is received from the hotel, the department will process an Electronic Reimbursement Voucher (VP2), attach the invoice, and send to Travel Services.
The department may arrange for the airline ticket to be direct billed to the University by use of the CBA (Corporate Business Account) through the University authorized travel agency, when there is a benefit to the University for travel. The travel agency is contacted and airfare booked by providing the Travel Authorization number (TV#). The Travel Desk will use TV# to charge the appropriate department. Exception: International consultant payments must be processed through the Payroll Office.
Upon completion of travel, an Electronic Travel Payment Voucher (VP5) should be processed. Attach all receipts to the APS form (if required) and forward to Travel Services. Travel Services will review to insure the expenses are in accordance with University travel policy.
Coding the Voucher: Prospective Employee's travel is code to the 75 budget line and 1270 is the object code. Consultant, speaker, and independent contractor travel is coded to the 75 budget line and 1260 is the object code.
Section V. Student Group Travel/Team Travel
Regulations for Student Group Travel follow local travel rules for Faculty and Staff. Student travel expenses can NEVER be charged to a state account beginning with 14.
When a faculty or staff member takes students on a trip, the benefit to the University must be clearly stated on the Request. The student expenses may be included in the encumbered amount on the Travel Request of the sponsoring faculty member. The names of all students must be included on the Request in the NOTES section of the voucher, or as an attachment to a paper voucher.
Electronic documents cannot be used for student travel when an advance or a direct payment is involved.
A Request for Travel Authorization (Form 2-91) is required prior to making travel arrangements. A Travel Voucher (Form 2-92) is needed for each faculty or staff member traveling. Student expenses may be included on the travel voucher of the sponsoring faculty member that accompanies the students on the trip. The faculty/staff member responsible for this travel is responsible for including ALL receipts for the trip.
Students who are traveling internationally on university-sponsored trips must obtain approval from the UT Arlington International Oversight Committee (IOC) before traveling to any country listed on the U.S. State Department Travel Warning list. Moreover, programs or travel in progress when a travel warning is issued will be evaluated by the UT Arlington IOC to determine whether the threat is imminent and if students should be recalled. Last, students traveling internationally on university-sponsored trips must register with International SOS. For more information about the International Oversight Committee and registration with International SOS please see International Travel (Procedure 2-83)
A Travel Advance Voucher (Form 2-93) is permissible on student group travel up to the amount on the Travel Request minus any direct payments made (i.e. airfare charged to the CBA account). Reminder: Repayment of advances or a Travel Voucher accounting for the use of funds is due within 15 days upon return from travel.
Direct payment for room and room tax can be processed to pre-pay the hotel. When foreign travel is involved documentation from the hotel is required. Any cancellation or penalty fees must be taken into consideration before arrangements are made. Reminder: Pre-paid expenses should not be claimed on the Travel Voucher for reimbursement. However, receipts pertaining to the pre-pay should be obtained while in travel status and sent to Travel with notation that this is the receipt for the pre-paid expense. These receipts will be attached to the original voucher that authorized the direct payment
Original receipts are required for all expenses claimed for reimbursement. This rule also applies to meals whenever student group travel is involved. When this is not feasible, a signed acknowledgement from each student specifying the date and amount given them is considered acceptable for documentation purposes.
Attending special events is a reimbursable expense only when there is a stated benefit to the University for such expenditures. Entertainment costs are not considered as a benefit and therefore would not be reimbursable.
Forms and Tools/Online Processes
Appendices
None