Travel
- Erik Felthauser
- Nickolas Nobel
- Patricia Semenov
Prior approval for all business travel (whether or not it is funded), is required for a faculty/staff absence from campus for periods of half a day (4 hours) or more during normal working periods. This includes Aug 16 to May 15 for all faculty. If you have a summer teaching or admin appointment, it includes those dates as well.
Additionally, for faculty, an RTA must be done whenever you will miss a class you are teaching, regardless of the purpose of travel (personal travel, medical leave, etc.). The reason is to document the “disposition of duties” plan. (If personal travel does not impact any classes, an RTA should not be completed.)
Travelers should submit the REQ at least 7 days prior to departure for Domestic Travel and non-restricted Foreign, or 35 days before for Foreign Restricted-Regions.
Request for Travel Authorization (RTA)?
You must obtain a fully-approved RTA before your departure date. You will receive an email once your RTA is final approved. Create a Request for Travel Authorization
Request for Travel Reimbursement
Within 10 days after your trip, Create a Request for Travel Reimbursement
Foreign Restricted Regions
Must complete all steps below at least 5 weeks before departure. Texas Global must approve your travel in advance and needs time to review.
See Current Restricted Regions List every time you plan foreign travel--it changes frequently.
You must still also route an RTA REQ to your area head. Attach the approval from TX Global to the REQ.
Faculty Travel Grants (from the Graduate School)
Eligible faculty may receive up to $1400 per academic year for travel expenses to present original papers at scholarly and professional meetings. Read more about this policy in the UT Handbook.
Apply for the Faculty Travel Grant here: https://provost.utexas.edu/the-office/faculty-affairs/faculty-travel-grants/
After you are approved for funding, complete a Travel Authorization REQ as usual.
After Travel is complete, note “FTG acct” as the acct on your reimbursement REQ.
Cash Advance for Travel
Cash advances are available for business travel in certain cases. To learn more, read: https://financials.utexas.edu/hbp/part-11/4-cash-advance-for-travel
Travel Rules and Guidelines
It is the responsibility of the traveler to comply with UT rules, guidelines, or restrictions governing business travel.
Handbook of Business Procedures/Travel contains information regarding allowable expenses and limits: https://financials.utexas.edu/hbp/part-11-travel
Travel Management Services (TMS) offers pre-trip and planning information for contracted travel agencies, airfare/rental car, flight upgrade policies/requests, International travel/restrictions: https://travel.utexas.edu
International Travel Policies, including Restricted Regions: https://world.utexas.edu/risk/policies
Travel Planning Tips
Travel expenses may only be submitted after travel has been completed. UT offers a direct bill/payment option for airfare, rental car, and conference registration fee only. Travel Insurance is not reimbursable.
Per Diem: The daily per diem rate is $51. It is broken out $8 breakfast, $13 lunch, $30 dinner. A full day per diem can be claimed if the traveler departure/arrival times encompass all three meals. The per diem will be adjusted if the traveler departure/arrival time does not. Example: Traveler departs at 5pm. The dinner $30 per diem can be claimed.
Transportation-General: Travel must originate from UT/Austin,TX. If traveler will be temporarily based at another location for business purposes at the start of the trip this information should be documented in the RTA. If the traveler will be temporarily based at another location for personal reasons the traveler should obtain cost comparison quotes for the transportation expense originating from Austin, TX from one of the contracted Travel Agencies or Expedia, Orbitz..etc .
Airfare: Flights may be booked via the Travel Management Services site with contracted Travel Agencies or directly by the traveler via an online reservation tool or airline. It is recommended to book with Concur or Anthony Rravel as discussed in the link above, rather than paying out of pocket for later reimbursement. This ensures the fare is acceptable and can be reimbursed.
First, business, any other premium class, or seating upgrade will not be approved without a pre-approved exception request. See the TMS website for instructions to submit.
EarlyBird Check-in and airline club fees are not reimbursable.
Airfare tickets purchased as a ticket exchange will require proof of purchase for the original flight.
Airfare cancellation or change charges are reimbursable only if incurred due to a business-related reason or a reason listed on the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Textravel page. https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fmx/travel/textravel/except/unrelated/index.php
Personal Car: Using a personal car for in state business travel is allowable. The traveler must submit a location to location Mapquest to calculate mileage. Effective January 1, 2019 the mileage reimbursement rate will be 58.0 cents per mile.
Rental Car: Rental reservations must be made using one of the five contracted car vendors (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National or Hertz). Theatre & Dance currently has a direct billed account with Enterprise and Avis only. The TMS Rental Car site can provide more information for direct billing other vendors and overall policies/fees. https://travel.utexas.edu/travelplanning/rentalcars
Conference Registration: The department procard can be used to pay a conference registration fee for an approved RTA. Contact Michelle Belisle for more information.
Lodging: All lodging expenses; deposits/payments are to the traveler.
If a room is shared the traveler/payment information must be listed on the final folio. The traveler will only be reimbursed their portion of bill.
Room upgrades and lodging access fees (gym, laundry, entertainment, concierge) are not reimbursable.
Business and Personal Travel
If a traveler plans on including personal travel during a business trip the Request For Travel Authorization/RTA must be documented with the dates of business versus the dates of personal travel. All travel expenses will need to be incurred by the traveler and submitted for reimbursement.
Travel expenses will only be reimbursed for the business travel dates. Transportation to and from the business destination are allowed. If a traveler is leaving the business destination and traveling to another destination for personal travel the transportation from the business to personal destination is allowed. Transportation from personal destination to UT/Austin is not eligible.
Airfare: A trip with business and personal travel dates cannot be direct billed. The traveler will have to purchase and submit for reimbursement. The traveler must obtain an official round trip airfare quote for the business dates of travel from one of the authorized travel agencies prior to the trip. The quote will be submitted by the traveler with the eligible travel reimbursement receipts to help support the reimbursement of the airfare ticket. UT will reimburse the traveler up to the quoted airline ticket.
Ground Transportation: Ground transportation during business travel dates are eligible.
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