301.0 VIII-11.00 - POLICY ON UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TRAVEL
(Approved by the Board of Regents, February 28, 1992)
The University of Maryland System's travel policies are intended to
facilitate travel and travel arrangements; to provide full
reimbursement for all necessary expenses; and to protect travelers
against the risk of loss, while simultaneously maintaining the
necessary controls for accountability.
1. TRAVEL APPROVAL
All travel is to be documented. Pre-approval is required for
out-of-state travel. Required approvals may vary according to
the travel destination and sources of funds as determined by
each institution. For purposes of clarity, University System
business conducted in the "Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area"
is classified as in-state travel.
2. RESERVATIONS AND TICKETING
Travelers and travel arrangers should ensure that all
arrangements are reasonable and appropriate and be alert to
possibilities to obtain air, hotel and rental car services at
the discount rates available to the University System or
institution. Travelers are expected to make advance bookings,
using the least expensive logical fare via the most direct route
(or other reasonable routing that results in a lower fare) and
are encouraged to purchase air and rail tickets and reserve in-
trip services through the contract travel service vendors
identified by each institution. Travelers should consult
institution procedures governing non-contract travel purchases
in advance of committing personal funds to determine if they
will be reimbursable.
In the event of changed plans, cancellation and other penalties
will be paid by the institution provided that the cancellation
or change was made for the convenience of the institution or was
necessitated by circumstances of an emergency nature affecting
the traveler, in accordance with policies or procedures
established by the institution.
3. HOTEL, MEAL, AND OTHER EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
The cost of hotel accommodations will be reimbursed on the basis
of receipts. Any overage above the single room rate, which is
a result of non-official travelers utilizing the accommodations,
will be the personal financial responsibility of the traveler.
Institutions are responsible for procedures to establish that
the room rate reimbursed is appropriate.
For domestic travel, meal expenses will normally be reimbursed
on per diem rates for Standard and High-cost areas as those
rates are established in Attachment VIII-11.10 to this policy.
The Chancellor will identify the locations designated as high
cost and this information will be included in Attachment VIII-11.10.
Foreign travel is reimbursed at actual cost with receipts or at the applicable U.S.
Department of State meal and incidental (M&IE) rate without receipts.
The Board of Regents will review the rates biennially.
Travelers are not required to provide individual meal receipts
or to show a per meal breakdown for daily travel using the
Standard and High-cost rates for domestic travel or the U.S.
Department of State M&IE rate. A partial day's travel is
eligible for the appropriate meal(s) consumed when travel time
encompasses a period of two hours before and two hours after
that (those) meal(s). Institutions have the authority to
determine which circumstances may warrant a higher level of
reimbursement and the procedure for approval. Such transactions
must be accompanied by receipts.
Reimbursement of miscellaneous expenses such as telephone calls,
laundry/valet, parking fees, and the like are reimbursable.
Institution policies and procedures will define reimbursable
miscellaneous expenses and specify receipt requirements.
Institution funds may not be used for the purchase of alcoholic
beverages or additional flight insurance.
Institutions should encourage the use of their credit card
programs for the payment of in-trip expenses such as hotels and
car rentals. Institutions have the authority to determine if
special circumstances may warrant the issuance of travel
advances, if such funds are available.
4. USE OF INSTITUTION AND PERSONAL VEHICLES
State (i.e. institution- and System-owned) vehicles may be
driven only by University System officers and authorized
institution and System personnel and only when acting within the
scope of their public duties. Students for whom the State
Treasurer has issued an insurance certificate are considered
authorized personnel for this purpose. A volunteer may be
considered authorized personnel only when he or she is engaged
in providing a service to the institution, is not paid by the
institution, and is providing the service as part of a formal
volunteer program.
Any person driving a State-owned vehicle must have a valid
driver's license, comply with all traffic laws, and obtain
approval as required by University of Maryland System, or
institution policies and procedures.
Properly insured personal vehicles may be used for travel on
institution business. The use of a personal vehicle will be
reimbursed at the rate established in Attachment VIII-11.10 to
this policy when travel is in compliance with institution
procedures.
Where a car rental is deemed necessary, the institution expects
the lease of the least expensive car which will accommodate the
trip's requirements. Travelers should take advantage of
University System, Federal and State Government, and institution
vendor discount rates which are available.
Travelers should consult institution policies or procedures
governing reimbursement of Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) car
rental insurance coverage.
5. TRAVEL WITH SPOUSES
When spouses travel with institution employees but are not
themselves serving as agents of the institution, travelers
should be careful to maintain a record of individual expenses.
The institution will not reimburse any expenses incurred on
behalf of the spouse. Likewise, airfare or any other travel
expense that is directly billed to the institution should not
include expenses for the spouse.
6. INVITATIONAL, EXTENDED TRAVEL, AND OTHER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Institutions may establish appropriate criteria and
authorization, and reimbursement procedures for invitational
travel, extended field and research trips, sponsored travel, and
authorized non-employee travel consistent with general
University System and institution policies.
7. HOTEL, MEAL, MILEAGE RATE AND OTHER SPECIFIC REIMBURSEMENT
The approved rates for hotels, meal expenses, mileage rate for
the use of personal vehicles, the designation of high-cost
locations for travel, and other rates will be specified in
Attachment VIII-11.10 to this policy. The Chancellor will
review the information in Attachment VIII-11.10 as a minimum
during the first quarter of the fiscal year and provide the
institutions with a current schedule of reimbursement rates.
At the same time, a schedule of current rates with changes
annotated will be provided to the Chairperson of the Committee
on Finance of the Board of Regents for information.
8. INSTITUTION AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
Each institution will publish clear and concise information on
institution policy, requirements, and procedures consistent with
the System-wide travel policy. Where there is cooperation
between institutions in processing travel documents, consistent
policies will be established. Each institution should identify
a Travel Coordinator to work directly with travelers, the
contract travel services, and other Travel Coordinators at other
institutions to secure the best possible travel service across
the University System. Routine procedures and posture toward
the consideration of exceptions for special circumstances as
outlined in this document are the responsibility of the
institution.
Replacement for: BOR VI - 27:00