3-50-205 Travel Authorization

University employees, students, volunteers, and other authorized individuals traveling on official University business are eligible for travel expense reimbursement. CWU travel regulations are applicable to vendors under contracts unless there are specific contractual arrangements covering travel reimbursement.

Traveler Responsibilities

All travelers shall obtain prior approval before traveling on official CWU business. It is the traveler´s responsibility to be familiar with CWU travel guidelines and policies. The University will not reimburse unauthorized travel expenses. The traveler is expected to pay excess costs for personal preference, convenience, and unnecessary expenses while in travel status.

Travel is authorized as follows:

• In-State travel:
  
  • Academic Affairs personnel-appropriate department chair. If a Travel Authorization is required, it must be signed by the Dean.
  • Administrative exempt - appropriate administrative officer.
  • Civil service employees - department supervisor.
• Out-of-State travel - appropriate Vice President or designee.
• Travel outside the continental United States, except Alaska and British Columbia, the President.

The CWU Travel Authorization form is required as follows (SAAM 10.10.50):

• In-State travel when any of the following apply:
  
  • when lodging expenses for two or more consecutive nights will be incurred
  • when approval for a maximum lodging exception is required
  • for exceptions to the 50-mile lodging rule
  • as an authorization document for commercial transportation (air, bus, rail)
  • for approval for car rental
  • for group travel
• ALL out-of-state travel
• ALL foreign travel
• All Travel Advance requests - the original travel authorization form shall be attached to all travel advances.

Department Responsibilities

It is the departments´ responsibility to authorize all travel within their areas. Before placing an employee in travel status, a department is to determine for each occurrence whether it is more economical or advantageous to reimburse the employee for subsistence and/or lodging or require the employee to return to the official station or residence daily or on weekends.

Departments are encouraged to develop and implement alternatives to travel as well as less expensive means of travel. These methods may include, but are not limited to (SAAM 10.10.25):

• Teleconferencing, video conferencing
• Video recordings, published reports
• Car pooling and greater use of public transportation
• Reduced frequency of regularly scheduled out-of-town meetings
• Restrictions on the number of staff traveling to the same destination
• Coordinating between agencies for joint travel arrangements when more than one agency is involved.

Revised 02/13/2007