The following is a list of College of Liberal Arts travel policies. Please review them carefully and share this information with staff, students and faculty.
• University Policy states that an RTA (Request for Travel Authorization) is to be requested prior to travel. In recognition of this policy, if authorization has not been requested prior to travel the faculty member will be asked to complete a signed memo acknowledging that he/she did not previously know that an RTA was necessary and submit this with the reimbursement request. Three exceptions (at most) will be allowed per fiscal year (per faculty). The fourth request will be denied.
• In order to be reimbursed for travel, receipts must be processed within 60 days of return date. Reimbursements are routinely denied for receipts submitted later than 60 days after faculty member has returned from travel.
• We cannot reimburse you for personal travel. If you expect to conduct research while on personal travel, the specific work dates have to be indicated prior to the travel in the notes of the RTA.
• We cannot reimburse you for payments to non-commercial lodging without prior authorization.
• For travel during the first or last week of classes and finals periods, prior approval from the Chair is required. This approval can be obtained via email between the traveler and the Chair. Chairs must review travel dates, missed classes, name of faculty member who will oversee missed classes, final exam dates and how exams will be administered, a plan for on time grade submission, and a method of contact for student queries. The TAR document notes must confirm the Chair's approval. If the travel will be to a restricted region, a copy of this documentation will need to be included in the Restricted Regions request. If a faculty member is on research leave during travel to a restricted region, that information will need to be included in the “Traveler’s Additional Comments” section of the Restricted Regions request.
• For Chairs or Directors traveling during the first or last week of classes, finals period, or longer than a week, prior approval from the Dean’s Office is required. This approval can be obtained via email between the Chair or Director and the Dean or Associate Dean they report to. They should indicate the reason for travel, who will be assuming their administrative duties, if any, method of contact during their travel either for the representative assuming the administrative duties or themselves, as well as any information regarding missed classes or finals as listed above. Once the approval is obtained, if the travel is to a Restricted Region, a copy of this documentation will need to be included in the Restricted Regions request.
• If you will be out of town for more than 30 days and wish to be paid for a meal allowance beyond the 30 days, you need approval from your department. The College will now allow these payments if they are approved internally.
• We strongly encourage faculty who will be paying for extraneous research needs to request a Cash Advance before travel. If a trip will include group travel and/or research payments, please ask about the possibility of a cash advance.
Travel Cash advances provide the convenience of receiving funds before travel begins.
Study cash advances are also available for payments made to study participants.
Travel involving payments made to workers, non-commercial lodging, group travel, entertainment, and program expenses can be made via a travel cash advance with prior authorization.
With a Cash Advance, you are able to pay third party consultants or pay for group travel. Please remember that without a Cash Advance we cannot reimburse faculty directly for these payments.
For example: You cannot be reimbursed for paying for travel expenses for others, however you can pay expenses for other researchers on your team with your Cash Advance.
Cash advance requests should be submitted within 2 to 4 weeks before the date funds are needed, and receipts are due 14 days after travel has been completed.
If you or your faculty member are unfamiliar with the ease in which Cash Advances can cover your travel expenses, please ask to meet with us and we will go over the pros and cons for your particular situation.
• You cannot be reimbursed for travel to a Restricted Region unless you have received advance approval from the International Oversight Committee in the International Office for such travel.
For more information about international travel requirements and precautions for travel to Restricted Regions, see https://global.utexas.edu/risk/travel/policies.
For example, anyone traveling on University business or programs must be enrolled in the International SOS system. The International Office has automated registration for faculty and staff who purchase travel through a
UT-contracted travel agency. Students in Study Abroad programs register in the Study Abroad Portal or in the International Travel Registry at the International Office website. All other UT travelers are required to complete travel registration with International SOS. Failure to register travel with International SOS may result in program suspension or the IOC decision to withdraw approval.