Travel Policies & Procedures

This manual provides information about approved business travel from the RIT campus (i.e..., one’s normal place of employment), or one’s home, to a destination in Rochester, or outside of the Rochester area. The University will reimburse faculty, staff and students, or pay certain outside vendors, for necessary and reasonable transportation and travel related expenses incurred in connection with RIT business travel that has been approved by an authorized individual (see below for more information) under the following circumstances:

• The traveler has adhered to RIT policies and procedures;
• The travel expenses are reasonable and allowable;
• The traveler acts in a prudent manner when expending University, sponsor and donor funds*;
• The expenses have a legitimate business purpose and are supported by appropriate documentation;
• An authorized individual, who is at least one level of management above the traveler, has approved the Travel Expense Report**; and,
• All expenditures are accurately reflected on the appropriate RIT general ledger account (i.e..., 24-digit account number)

*There may be circumstances when it is reasonable for an employee to vary from the established policies provided in this manual. For example, it is allowable for a traveler to exceed the meal limit on a particular day when dining with colleagues attending the same conference, when there is a demonstrated cost savings in another expense category (i.e..., a traveler is able to secure an automobile rental at a very reasonable rate that results in a significant cost savings for the department/University).

When a situation such as the one described above occurs, prepare a brief explanation, obtain the approval of an authorized department approver, and submit the justification with your Travel Expense Report.

Please contact a member of the travel team (refer to page 2) if you would like to discuss a specific situation where an exception to the policy may be appropriate.   

**Each program, college, department or division is responsible for designating an appropriate individual to approve RIT travel and hospitality expenditures. Generally, this individual is the dean, director, department head, or a department administrator.

Traveler’s Responsibilities – Employees should use discretion when expending RIT funds and for ensuring that expenditures are necessary and appropriate for meeting business needs. In addition, employees are expected to:

• Be familiar with, and follow, the policies and procedures specified in this manual and, if applicable, the policies of their particular division, college, department and/or program;
• Provide receipts for all expenses except if claiming the daily “per diem” for meals;
• Submit all travel expenses within the timeframes specified in the Accountable Plan section below.
   

Accountable Plan Information – According to the IRS, in order for reimbursements or amounts paid directly by the University on behalf of the employee, an accountable plan requires employees to meet all of the requirements listed below. The employee must:

• Have paid or incurred expenses while performing services as an RIT employee;
• Adequately account for these expenses within a reasonable period of time; and,
• Return any excess reimbursement or allowance within a reasonable period of time.

Based on IRS guidance, RIT has determined that reasonable with regards to accounting for travel related expenses to be 60 days from the last day of the trip. Therefore, in order to be reimbursed for travel related expenses on a non-taxable basis, employees must complete and submit their online Travel Expense Report  no later than 60 days from the last day of the trip.

If the reimbursement request is completed and submitted online after 60 days from the last day of the trip, the reimbursement will be made to the employee on a taxable basis. This means that the total expenses will be reported as income and added to the employee’s Form W-2.

Travel Expense Reports submitted after 120 days from the last day of the trip, will not be processed.

Note: It is important that expenses be accounted for in the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) in which they were incurred. Accounts Payable will seek the approval of the Division Vice President before processing reimbursements that cross fiscal years.

Where to Submit Travel Expense Reports – Submit travel expenses that include an overnight stay, airline travel, or a travel advance electronically via Oracle for approval electronically and then forwarded to Accounts Payable for review and reimbursement. Use an Invoice Payment Form (IPF) to request travel advances.

Changes to Travel Policies & Procedures – The Controller’s Office will periodically review travel policies and procedures; revisions may be made as part of the review process. RIT faculty and staff will be advised of any changes via the RIT Message Center; all changes and/or revisions will be published on the Controller’s Office travel web page and will be effective when issued. If required, Controller’s Office staff will provide additional training. 

Documentation - Original receipts for all expenses must be submitted via an PDF attached file to the online TER; however, if the traveler has chosen a per diem meal reimbursement, receipts are not required (see Section D, 7)

Mileage Reimbursement Rate - Reimbursements for mileage are made at the RIT business mileage reimbursement rate in effect at the time of the trip (see Section D, 12). Refer to the RSC web page for the current rate as well as instructions about how to process a reimbursement request.

Reimbursable Expenses - Travel expenses that are reimbursable to you include:

1. Airline Baggage Fees - RIT will reimburse you for the cost associated with one checked bag.
2. Automobile rentals (see Section D, 17).
3. Expenses associated with baggage handling, storage, and tips.
4. Fees to confirm your seat on a flight.
5. Hospitality, if directly related to the educational or research purpose of the trip (see Section D, 9).
6. Host/hostess gifts, in lieu of lodging, when the cost does not exceed what lodging expenses would have been.
7. Laundry and/or dry cleaning expenses for trips of seven or more consecutive days.
8. Lodging expenses (see Section D, 10).
9. Meals and incidentals as outlined in policy.
10. Telephone calls, including those calls necessary to obtain transportation and hotel reservations, communicate with the office, and one personal call per day to your family.
11. Transportation costs (see Section D, 1, 2, 13 & 17).

You are responsible for obtaining a refund of an advance payment if there is a cancelation. All charges, cancelations, and refunds associated with RIT approved travel are the responsibility of the department or college.
 

Click here to learn more about each of the travel agencies listed below.

Make transportation arrangements for air or rail travel and reservations for hotel and car rentals through one of RIT's designated travel agencies listed below. Refer to the Controller's Office web page for detailed information regarding designated travel agencies.

TZELL Travel Service                             585-663-8660  
2820 Dewey Avenue                                  Toll Free: 1-800-842-0941
Rochester, NY 14616-4628                        After hours: 1-800-569-0282
Web Site: nyc.vacation.travelleaders.com     Fax: 1-585-663-5155

Town & Country Travel                         585-381-2850  
732 Pittsford-Victor Road                         After hours: 1-866-966-2850
Pittsford, NY 14534                                  Fax: 1-585-381-1987
Email: teresa@towncountrytravel.com
            dj@towncountrytravel.com

Van Zile Travel Service                            585-244-1100
2349 Monroe Ave                                       Emergency Service: 1-877-443-5766
Rochester, NY 14618
Email: vanzile@vanzile.com
Web site: www.vanzile.com

1. Begin to schedule your itinerary as soon as your travel dates and destination are known. Book air, hotel reservations, and car rentals through the designated travel agency. Provide the travel agent with the time frame in which you need to leave and arrive at your destination.
2. RIT has made arrangements with the designated travel agencies to provide one invoice per month for air and rail charges made to the CTA account. When making travel arrangements, tell the agency that you are from RIT and provide them with the travelers' 9-digit UID. RIT will pay the agency and charge a general ledger travel prepaid account for the payment amount. The charge will be reflected on your department statement when the TER is submitted and paid.
3. NTID travelers should charge all air and rail charges to the GTA account set up with the designated travel agencies. When making arrangements, tell the travel agency that you are from NTID and provide them with the 24-digit account number that the air or rail expenses should be charged to. RIT will pay the agency and charge your general ledger account for the payment amount.
4. If you have questions about a charge to your account from the designated agency, contact the travel agency directly; Accounting does not receive detail transaction information. If you are unable to resolve a billing issue directly with the travel agent, call Accounting at 475-4491.
5. Do not charge your air and/or rail charges to your corporate PNC Travel Card or personal credit card. Often, travel arrangements are made well in advance of the date of departure, and using a credit card ties up dollars that should be available for other purchases, and necessitates an additional reimbursement request.

MEALS AND INCIDENTALS REIMBURSEMENT

RIT faculty and staff traveling for business purposes when there is an overnight stay are reimbursed for meals and incidentals using one of two options, per diem no receipts required or up to a predetermined amount with receipts. The option selected by the traveler is used for the entire duration of the trip.

RIT faculty and staff using the per diem no receipts required option should deduct meals that have been provided by other sources (example: breakfast during a conference)

When employees are traveling with a business purpose for the day (i.e. no overnight stay required), they can receive reimbursement for expenses, including meals, with itemized receipts.

For students traveling with a business purpose, meal reimbursements are managed by University departments. They set the reimbursement rates for meals and/or provide dollars/meals for students traveling in groups.

University funds cannot be used to reimburse for alcohol as part of a meal.

MEALS AND INCIDENTALS RATES BY LOCATION

Most US locations will be reimbursed based on GSA Per Diem Rates for Meals & Incidentals. Rates are evaluated annually by the US General Services Administration (GSA) and any new rates will be applied by RIT systematically each October.

Alaska, Hawaii, US Territories, and International locations will be reimbursed at a per diem rate of $110 per day, or up to $131 per day with itemized receipts.

For International travelers using the receipt method, the traveler should note the US Dollar amount on each receipt and provide an Oanda.com or credit card statement conversion for each receipt.

First and Last Days of Travel will be reimbursed at 75% of the applicable per diem rate, to align with GSA Practices. Travelers may request 100% reimbursement for First and Last Days of Travel, up to each location's applicable rate, by using the receipt method and providing itemized receipts for all days of the trip.

For trips to multiple locations, reimbursement rates are based on where the traveler is staying overnight.

Detailed instructions for per diem entries can be found at How to Enter Per Diems in Oracle.

If you spend more than you can be reimbursed for due to department budgetary restrictions, please include the phrase "budget restrictions" on the first page of the online TER (in the business purpose section, along with the actual business purpose) before completing the online process. You will be reimbursed up to the maximum allowed by your department.

1. If, at the end of the fiscal year, there are departmental funds available to reimburse you for the remaining expenses, complete an IPF and send it to Accounts Payable for processing. Write the original online expense number (EX-xxxxx) on the IPF and include a brief memo of explanation.

Newly hired professional staff and faculty members relocating to the Rochester area to work at RIT may be eligible to receive reimbursement for certain expenses incurred as a result of the move. The actual amount of the reimbursement may vary due to departmental budgetary restrictions.         

1. Complete an RIT Relocation Expense Report (see Section K, V) to account for relocation expenses. Forward the approved form, with original documentation, to Payroll for processing. Complete instructions for completing the Relocation Expense Report are located on the Controller's Office web page at http://www.rit.edu/fa/controller/forms/moving_expense_instructions.pdf.
2. Your reimbursement will be added to your paycheck during the next payroll process.
3. Reimbursable moving expenses are all taxable and will be reflected on your paystub as "moving expense taxable". Taxes will be withheld from moving expense reimbursements and will be included in Box 1 on your W-2.
4. RIT follows the IRS guidelines for computing federal income tax. See Exclusion from Income of Qualified Moving Expense Reimbursements located on the IRS web page: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/employer-update
5. With the approval of the appropriate dean or department head, reimbursable expenses may include the following:                              
   • Movement of household goods                  
   • Meals while traveling                  
   • Lodging during the move                    
   • Lodging before or after the move                    
   • Temporary living expenses                   
   • Please refer to the entire list of reimbursable expenses found in IRS publication 521.               
6. If you incurred additional expenses that were not reimbursed by RIT, but qualify as deductible moving expenses, you may be able to deduct them when you file your tax return. Consult your tax advisor for further information.
7. If you have any questions about reimbursements for relocation and moving expenses, call the Payroll Office at 475-5582.     

Delinquent Accounts - You, the cardholder, are responsible to pay for all charges incurred on the Card.

1. An account becomes delinquent when a payment has not been received by the bank and credited to your account within 30 days. If an account is not paid within 30 days, the bank will notify both you and RIT that the account is past due.
2. If you do not make payment within 61 days of the billing date, your Card will be suspended.  The cardholder and supervisor will receive an email stating the card will be suspended and balance due is expected to be paid in full by end of business day.  The cardholder's procurement card, if applicable, will also be suspended.
3. If you do not make payment within 91 days of the billing date, your Card will be cancelled.  The cardholder and supervisor will receive an email stating the card will be cancelled and balance due is expected to be paid in full by end of business day.  The cardholder's procurement card, if applicable, will also be cancelled.  You will not be reissued another Card at any time in the future.
4. The RIT travel card is a personal liability credit card; therefore, delinquent balances will affect your personal credit.  In addition, delinquencies such as this jeopardize the viability of the travel card program and it has a potentially serious impact on RIT.  If you need assistance or guidance regarding resolution of delinquent debt on your RIT travel card, you may contact your HR Services Manager who will provide you with information regarding RIT's Employee Assistance Program.
    

Leaves of Absence - If you are granted a leave of absence without benefits, you must surrender your Card before beginning the leave. If you are granted a leave of absence with pay, you may retain and continue to use your Card.

Lost or Stolen Cards - If your Card is lost or stolen, call:   PNC: 1-800-685-4039

Reimbursement for Expenses - Complete the Oracle Online RIT Reimbursement for Travel to be reimbursed for business travel or hospitality expenses charged to your Card; RIT will not remit payment for your bill directly to your Card provider.

Responsibility for Payment - You, the cardholder, are responsible to pay for all charges incurred on your Card in a timely manner. Card statements are mailed directly to you and are also available online the first day after statement date.  You are responsible for remitting payment directly to the bank. The amount owed for all charges is due by the payment date indicated on the statement. A late fee and finance charge will be assessed when payments are received after the due date. Cardholders are responsible to pay any late fees or finance charges.  RIT will not reimburse cardholders for late fees and finance charge.

Termination of Participation - Your participation in the Card program will be terminated under any one of the following conditions:

1. When you are no longer employed by RIT.
2. If your account becomes delinquent (past 30 days) more than six times in any 12 month period.
3. If your account is 91 or more days past due.

Other

1. You may not use the Card for personal use or delegate the use of your Card to another individual.
2. Misuse of the Card may result in disciplinary action.
3. The Card may not be used to purchase equipment or supplies. Follow RIT purchasing policies and procedures for such purchases.
4. If you cancel your Card for any reason, cut it in half and return to Accounting, 2nd floor of Barnes & Noble @ Park Point.
5. Since the Card is for business use only, it is imprinted with RIT's tax exempt number. All qualified purchases made with the Card are sales tax exempt.
6. Inform the vendor of RIT's tax exempt status before the transaction is processed. You will be asked to present a New York State Tax Exempt form; forms may be obtained from the website listed below:
   • Refer to the Controller's Office web page for a list of states that recognize RIT's tax exempt status; access the state tax exempt form using your DCE secure log in.
   • Note: Travelers will not be reimbursed for sales taxes paid if they have not asked for the exemption.

Use of the Corporate Travel Card

1. Use the Card for official RIT travel-related expenses including the following:
   • Automobile Rental and other transportation services (excluding air and rail tickets - charge to the CTA or GTA account through one of RIT designated travel agencies.
   • Food service establishments
   • Fuel
   • Lodging

Obtaining a Procurement Card - Departmental approval is required in order to obtain a PNC Procurement Card.

1. Complete a PNC Bank Procurement Card Application (new department or new individual) form available on the RIT Service Center. Provide all required information including name, UID, business address, e-mail address, and business phone number.
2. Procurement Cards are usually available for pick-up by applicants at the Controller's Office within two weeks after receipt of the completed application form by Accounting.
3. At the time of receipt, you will be required to sign an Acknowledgment of Receipt form recognizing receipt of the card and agreeing to comply with all procurement card policies and procedures. RIT identification is required.

1. NTID Citibank Government Travel Card Cash Advances
   NTID employees may use their Citibank Government Travel Cards to obtain cash at ATMs.
   1. Note: NTID travelers may not request cash advances from Accounts Payable. Cash advances may be obtained from ATM machines displaying the Cirrus logo or the PLUS logo using the Citibank Master Card Travel Card. Advances may also be obtained at Citibank branches.
   2. If you require a cash advance, the amount should not exceed $50.00 per each day of travel. You may obtain up to one week's cash advance at one withdrawal.
   3. RIT will pay the actual expenses associated with cash advances up to a maximum $23.25 per month ($50 per day X 31 days X 1.5%).
   4. You may incur an access surcharge if you use your card at non-Citibank ATM. RIT will pay the actual expenses incurred for surcharge fees up to a maximum of $7.50 per month (5 transactions X $1.50).
   5. Expenses associated with cash advances in excess of the guidelines in c and d above are the responsibility of the employee.