Quick link to Travel Request Form

 

FY2010 Travel Committee Guidelines

This elected committee is charged with the fair allocation of financial resources available for professional development and discretionary travel. These travel requests are forwarded to the committee for review. After deliberation, the committee decides by simple majority, what level of funding is appropriate. Business travel is not covered by the Travel Committee.

The Travel Committee sets provisional travel fund allocation limits. The Committee continually assesses travel requests for the professional library staff and may then reconsider how funds are apportioned, depending on the number of trips and the amount of funding requested and available. This is a transitional year and funding levels may change as the year progresses. The overly question for all travel is "are requesters doing a trip in the most economical way possible without sacrificing quality or safety."

If funding is not provided, a brief explanation will be given. The committee's decision is final and will not be reconsidered.

Although no per-person funding limit has been established by the Travel Committee, in order to equitably provide funding to all eligible professional staff, the Committee may decide to limit the total amount of travel funds awarded to a single person during a given fiscal year. This decision will be based on total funding.

The procedure covers travel throughout the world but trips outside of North America may not fully follow the guidelines laid down.

It is possible for a single trip to be defined as a combination of two types of travel, e.g. professional development for two days and discretionary for three days. The AUL's will make such a determination.

See the Travel policy for a detailed description of all travel types, and for special circumstances applied for Junior Librarians.

Professional Development Travel:

For meetings, which a number of staff attend, such as ALA, ELUNA, MELA/MESA, SAA, the Travel Committee will research the trip ahead of time and provide some ranges for reimbursement. Coverage will depend on what is reasonable and how thrifty the individual traveler is. Some travelers may get nearly 100% reimbursement; others less. For example a traveler, who travels by regular train, registers at the early membership rate and shares a room may get 100% coverage. But someone who drives on their own, registers late and rooms by themselves will get less coverage.

Reimbursement details:

Transportation:

Airfare - 100% - travelers are asked to search for the most economical flight available. If, the request is judged to be excessive the travel committee will research the trip and provide a range for the reimbursement.

Train - 100% - standard fare is coach.

Auto - Reimbursement will depend on the situation. For those going to a meeting were travel by car is the only reasonable mode of transportation, the mileage will continue to be covered at the going rate per mile. Mileage will also be reimbursed per mile if several people are driving together to the same meeting, and thus saving an overall transportation costs. If, however, it is cheaper to travel by train or plane and the traveler chooses for some reason to drive, the lowest cost of transportation will be reimbursed rather than the going rate per mile.

Ground Transportation:

Costs of getting to and from an airport or train station will be reimbursed up to $60.

Parking:

For persons driving, the $60 ground transportation reimbursement will be applied to parking fees. In some cases the full parking fees will be paid especially where a number of people are traveling together or driving is the only option.

Registration:

100% - of any early registration rate offered. If travel is approved after the early registration date is passed then the next level of registration will be covered. Note - For ALA we will not consider the joint registration rate offered for Midwinter and Annual to be the lowest rate reimbursed as not everyone attends both meetings and cannot take advantage of this offer.

Lodging:

Reimbursement will be made at the rate of $100 per night for most cities and $150 per night for high cost cities (see high cost city list) Exceptions may be made for very high cost cities where few alternatives are offered. The committee will look at the number of nights requested. Sharing a room is one way of staying within the reimbursement guidelines.

Meals:

The per diem ($36/$46) is the maximum that can be claimed without receipts. More can be approved with proper documentation. Reasonable requests for the amount spent, with receipts, are more desirable than just claiming the per diem. Reimbursement will not be made for meals covered by registration or sponsored by the meeting. Meal rates are based on the high/low cost cities table.

* If a receipt for a meal or other expense is not available then you must use the Missing Receipt Form when making your claim.

Discretionary Travel

For travel not defined as business or professional development travel.

Transportation:

Airfare -80% - travelers are asked to search for the most economical flight available. If the request is judged to be excessive, the travel committee will research the trip and provide a range for the reimbursement.

Train - 80% of the standard fare in coach.

Auto - 80% - Reimbursement will depend on the situation. For those going to a meeting where travel by car is the only reasonable mode of transportation, the mileage will continue to be covered at the going rate per mile - The amount of reimbursed will be 80% of the total. If it is cheaper to travel by train or plane and the traveler chooses for some reason to drive, 80% of the lowest mode of transportation will be reimbursed rather than 80% of the going rate per mile.

Registration:

80 % of registration will be covered. When possible staff should take advantage of any early registration rate offered. If travel is approved after the early registration date is passed then the next level of registration will be covered.

Lodging:

Will be covered at $50 per night for most cities and $75 per night for high cost cities. Exceptions may be made for very high cost cities where few alternatives are offered. The committee will look at the number of nights requested. Sharing a room is one way of staying within the reimbursement guidelines.

Ground Transportation:

Will not be covered.

Meals:

Will not be covered.

Resources:

Library Travel Policy July 1st 2009

University Guidelines provide a detailed guide to travel procedures. But the level of reimbursement in the library may vary for some categories.

High Cost Cities list

Kayak is a good site for comparing flights and finding hotels. They are not a booking agency.

Expedia is good for flights, but take care that they do not charge a booking fee. It is often cheaper to book a flight directly through the airline

Continental is the main airline flying out of Newark

Amtrak for travel by train

 

The FY2010 Discretionary Travel Committee is comprised of: