Travel

You are authorized to travel on official University business at your discretion and to approve your own reimbursement requests. Travel Supplement #1 applies to you as a senior-level staff member, with other requirements in Policy FI0705.

The University will pay travel expenses directly billed or as a reimbursement. The University will not pay a personal credit card statement issued to you even if it includes travel expenses incurred on UT business. The University provides travel cards through the Concur travel system and are approved by the Campus/institutes Chief Business officer. The cardholder is responsible for all charges placed on the card, obtaining acceptable receipts, ensuring that the purchases comply with policy, and processing the transactions in the travel expense system.

Itemized and dated receipts must be submitted with the signed Travel Expense Report for all expenditures of $10 or more. Receipts are also required for lodging, registration fees, airline tickets, rental cars, and fuel purchases, regardless of amount. The traveler must complete their expense report in Concur to reimburse them for their expenses.

Note: Gasoline convenience fees for rental cars are not reimbursable unless allowed by a UT contract.

The UT travel card can be used for travel expenses such as airline tickets, hotels, registration fees, automobile expenses, and meals.

Note: The UT procurement card is not to be used for travel expenses. The UT travel card cannot be used for gas, personal expenses, travel expense for family or guest, cash, etc. A list of excluded travel card purchases can be found in FI0531.

 

Transportation

The University will reimburse you only for economy airfare. No exception may be made without advance approval of the state comptroller, and then only in an emergency.

 

Mileage Reimbursement

When you use your personal vehicle for official University duties, you may be reimbursed for UT business use. The following limitations apply when claiming mileage for reimbursement.

  • Commuting (from home to business site) is not reimbursable, regardless of when or how often you commute.
  • A trip itinerary should be included in the reimbursement claim. If using an indirect route, indicate mileage from the Rand McNally Road Atlas, Google Maps, MapQuest, or other comparable mileage table.
  • Local mileage (within a 75-mile radius) should be logged and submitted for reimbursement monthly in the Concur Expense system. (You may use the sample log at the end of this guide.)

Note: UT’s travel reimbursement rate schedule in Policy FI0705 contains the most current information.

 

Lodging

Reimbursement for lodging expenses is allowed up to the federal CONUS/OCONUS rates. Using the Concur system allows the lodging to be more easily added to your expense request in Concur.

Note: Expenses for checking into lodging facilities, such as baggage handling and valet service, are included in your per diem and are not an individually reimbursable expense.

Exception

When attending conventions and conferences, you will be reimbursed for your room and taxes if you stay in the designated conference or overflow hotel. The conference brochure/agenda must be attached to the Travel Expense Report and contain the name of the conference/overflow hotel. In the absence of a brochure/agenda, you will be reimbursed the CONUS/OCONUS rate.

 

Meals

Reimbursement for meals is allowed up to the federal CONUS/OCONUS maximum daily rate, with partial per diems provided for days of departure and return.

Exceptions

  • Meals on one-day trips with no overnight stay and less than 12 hours of travel will not be reimbursed.
  • Meal per diems must be reduced for meals provided as a part of a registration fee for a conference, seminar, or workshop or as part of entertainment. No meal per diem is available if the registration fee includes all meals for that day. Continental breakfasts included in a registration fee are not considered a meal.

 

Spouse Traveling with You

When your spouse travels with you to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees, Development Council, Alumni Board of Governors, and similar events, the University will provide transportation or reimbursement of transportation expenses to and from the meeting site. If your spouse’s attendance serves no documented official UT business purpose (i.e., is primarily social in nature), the value of the travel expense is considered a taxable fringe benefit. Expenses incurred for meals, lodging, ground transportation, and other incidental travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with University travel policy. For questions about taxable benefits, contact the UT Controller’s Office.

 

Exceptions to Travel Policies

The University’s chief financial officer (CFO) or designee approves exceptions to UT travel policies
for senior-level officials. The president approves exceptions for the CFO, and the CFO or chair of the Audit and
Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees approves exceptions for the president and employees in the
president’s office.

All such exceptions must be in writing, submitted in advance of reimbursement, and reported to the Audit and Compliance Committee at its next meeting. The CFO is not authorized to approve any exceptions contrary to state law.