University employees, students, volunteers, and other authorized individuals traveling on official university business are eligible for travel expense reimbursement.  As provided in RCW 28B.10.029, institutions of higher education may use all appropriate means for making and paying for travel arrangements to support student, faculty, staff and other participants travel in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible. Methods used must be based on standard industry practices and be compliant with federal accountable plan requirements (SAAM 10.10.05).  CWU travel regulations are applicable to vendors under contracts unless there are specific contractual arrangements covering travel reimbursement.

(1) Travel is authorized as follows:

(A) All employees – (faculty, administrative exempt, civil service) travel is authorized by your direct supervisor.
(B) All non-employees – (students, interview candidates and other authorized travelers) travel is authorized by the sponsoring department head/chair.
(C) Travel outside the continental United States, except Alaska and British Columbia, requires additional authorization by the appropriate vice president or chief of staff.

(2) Travel expenses are approved by the funding department project manager(s) or grant manager(s).

(3) The CWU Travel Authorization is required prior to travel as follows (SAAM 10.10.50, SAAM 10.30.20/30):

(A) Approval for a maximum lodging exception
(B) Exception to the 50-mile lodging Rule
(C) All out-of-state travel
(D) All foreign travel
(E) All travel advance requests

(4) The CWU Travel Expense Voucher/Report is required as follows (SAAM 10.80.10):

(A) Document the authorization for travel within the state of Washington
(B) Document the approval of travel related expenses for all travel

(5) Traveler Responsibilities (SAAM 10.10.15, SAAM 10.80.20)

All travelers shall obtain approval before traveling on official CWU business. It is the travelers’ 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. It is the travelers’ responsibility to prepare and/or certify travel expenses being claimed are true and accurate. The traveler is responsible for providing detailed supporting documents for travel expenses to the person authorized to approve travel.

(6) 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

[Responsibility: BFA; Authority: BAC; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/ Effective Date: 02/01/2017; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]