Travel Policy

Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the planning, approval, expenditures, and management of university-related travel. It is intended to ensure responsible stewardship of university funds, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and the health and safety of all individuals traveling on behalf of the university.

Applies to: All PSU employees or others traveling on behalf of the university in an official capacity, or any travel utilizing State of Kansas or PSU funds.

Policy:

A. Introduction

University personnel and other individuals representing the university in an official capacity may be required to travel in fulfilling their official duties for the university. Travelers may be reimbursed for travel-related costs in accordance with all applicable federal, state, university, and other policies. When incurring expenses for travel, the most economical option available should be chosen.

B. Travel Authorization

When representing the university in an official capacity, authorization for travel is required for any trip involving an overnight stay. A Travel Authorization Form (T‑Form) must be submitted and approved prior to making any purchases related to the travel. The T-Form is still required even when an entity other than PSU is funding all or part of the travel.

T-forms for trips with estimated cost under $1,000 will be approved by the traveler’s immediate supervisor. T-forms for trips with estimated cost of $1,000 and greater will be approved by the traveler’s immediate supervisor and the immediate supervisor’s supervisor. If sponsored project funds (1341 or 1351) are being used, the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects must also approve. If the request is submitted by a delegate, the traveler must review and approve the request to acknowledge understanding of all applicable policies related to the travel.

If the funding used on the expense reports related to the trip does not match the approved funding on the T-form, then a new T-form is required to be submitted. The updated T-form must be fully approved and attached to the related expense reports.

Once all approvals are completed, the Business Office will review the submission. This review is not an advance approval of actual expenses incurred related to the travel. All transactions will be audited according to the applicable policies and regulations when submitted on an expense report in GUS Cloud.

An e-mail confirmation will be received by both the creator of the T-form and the traveler themselves, once all approvals and reviews have been completed. A .pdf version of this e-mail confirmation must be attached to any expense report related to this travel. If actual expenditures exceed the approved T‑Form by more than 10% of total cost, an amended T‑Form must be completed.

C. Trip Expenses

Procurement Card is the preferred method of payment for all expenses incurred. As an alternative, expenses may be reimbursed to the traveler once the trip is completed. The traveler is responsible for ensuring that proper documentation, including itemized receipts, is provided upon trip completion. When planning a trip, the traveler should examine the possible modes of transportation, lodging rates, parking fees, and other related costs to determine the most economical and advantageous options. Per IRS guidelines, reimbursement for travel expenses must be requested within 60 days of when the expenses were incurred. Failure to request reimbursement within 60 days may make the reimbursement taxable income to the employee. Procurement card transactions should be submitted on an expense report within 30 days of the transaction date.

D. Cash Advances

In some circumstances, an advance payment may be requested for travel expenses prior to the trip taking place. A T‑Form must be attached to the cash advance request in GUS Cloud, along with documentation for how the cash advance amount was calculated (generally an M&IE calculation worksheet).

Imprest Funds granted to PSU by the State of Kansas will be used to provide the advance payments. The Imprest Fund must be reimbursed by the 15th day of the month following when the cash advance was issued. To allow for adequate processing and approval workflow time, all receipts for expenses incurred during travel must be submitted on an expense report within two business days after the end of the trip. Any unused funds must be deposited at the Cashier’s Office prior to submitting the expense report so that a receipt may be attached. If the cash advance request is approved by the Business Office, a check will be issued prior to the trip start date noted in the cash advance request.

E. Registrations

Registrations for conferences and other events should be paid for by procurement card. If the supplier does not accept credit card payments, an invoice can be submitted for payment by check or ACH. Travelers should make every effort to register early when discounts are available.

F. Meal Allowance Policy and Rates

Reimbursement of expenses for meals will be paid using the federal standards for per diem rates, as required by the State of Kansas. Per diem rates for the State of Kansas are based on CONUS Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Rates. M&IE includes the cost of meals, taxes, and tips. This includes optional tips such as those given to hotel porters, bellhops, doormen, and maids.

When meals are provided to the employee during a given travel day, the M&IE rate will be reduced for the meal provided based on State guidelines. The percentage of total M&IE deducted per meal will be:

Breakfast – 15%
Lunch – 35%
Dinner – 50%

When traveling to an official conference or event, the traveler is allowed one travel day at the beginning of the trip and one travel day at the end of the trip. M&IE reimbursement on the day of departure and the last day of travel is calculated at 75% of the applicable daily rate. Full days of travel are reimbursed at 100% of the applicable daily rate. M&IE reimbursement can be claimed for these travel dates at the rate in the city that the traveler spent that night. Employees cannot be reimbursed for M&IE if the place where the official business is conducted is within 30 miles of the employee’s official station. The M&IE worksheet for multi-day travel must be attached to GUS Cloud transactions involving per diem reimbursements. The M&IE Worksheet can be found in the Travel Expense Workbook.

G. Carpool

The PSU carpool provides vehicles for employee travel and is frequently the most cost-effective option for the university. Employees should consider carpool vehicles when available. See the university’s Carpool Vehicles Policy.

H. Mileage Reimbursement

Private vehicle mileage can be reimbursed when it is the most cost-effective option for travel. When assessing if private vehicle mileage is cost effective, consideration should be given to carpool vehicles, rental cars, airfare, and other transportation options. Mileage will be reimbursed according to the maximum mileage reimbursement rates set by the Kansas Secretary of Administration. The reimbursement rates are considered to cover all costs associated with the privately owned vehicle (gasoline, oil, tires, repairs, insurance, etc.).

When calculating mileage reimbursement amounts, the usually traveled, most direct route should be used regardless of the actual route taken. The reimbursement amount will be based on exact calculated miles and rounding is not allowed. MapQuest, Google Maps, and other common calculators will be accepted for documentation of mileage calculation.

Sometimes an employee’s beginning or ending point of a trip is their home rather than the university. In these cases, the employee can either be reimbursed from the employee’s domicile or the official station and the destination, whichever is less.

Vicinity miles (mileage driven in a personal vehicle over multiple days in a small area i.e., recruitment) are allowable expenses when the mileage relates to an official business purpose. The traveler should keep a log of the miles traveled that includes the trip dates, beginning and end points, and purpose of the destination.

When a privately-owned vehicle is authorized in lieu of public transportation for out-of-state travel, M&IE and lodging expenses are limited to the amount of time and overnight stays that would have been required had the fastest available public transportation been used (usually airfare). Documentation of a cost comparison must be provided.

I. Safe Operation of Vehicles

Employees operating any vehicle — state-owned, leased, or privately-owned — on official university business are responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe and prudent manner and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local traffic laws. Fines or penalties resulting from traffic violations are the personal responsibility of the employee and are not reimbursable by the university.

Employees must hold and maintain a valid driver’s license appropriate for the class of vehicle being operated at all times when operating a vehicle on official university business. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure their license is current and valid prior to travel. Operating a vehicle on official business without a valid and applicable license is not permitted.

If an accident occurs involving a vehicle being used on official university business, the employee must:

Immediately contact local police to file an incident report and obtain a copy of the report number.
If another driver is involved, exchange information with the other driver – name, address, phone number, insurance company information and policy number.
If safe to do so, take zoomed in photographs of damage and larger view of accident site and vehicles.
When safe to do so, notify the immediate supervisor.
Within 10 days, send all information regarding the accident to purch@pittstate.edu and generalcounsel@pittstate.edu.

J. Non-Allowable Transportation Expenses

The following transportation expenses are not reimbursable:

Additional transportation expenses incurred because of an employee residing in a city or location outside the employee’s official station, or otherwise incurred because of an employee’s choice of residence, are not reimbursable.
Transportation expenses incurred commuting between an employee’s official station and domicile are not reimbursable.

K. Rental Cars

A rental car may be the most advantageous mode of travel in some circumstances. When this is the case, the most economical mode of rental car should be utilized per the current State of Kansas rental car contract. Vehicle size should be determined by the number of travelers and use. The below table can be used as a guide for determining when a larger vehicle may be required. If the vehicle rented is not the most economical option that adequately fulfills the needs of the traveler, supervisor approval must be documented.

Average Seating and Luggage Capacity by Car Size:

Economy – Seating Capacity 4 - Luggage Capacity 3-4 Pieces
Compact – Seating Capacity 4 to 5 - Luggage Capacity 4 Pieces
Mid-Size - Seating Capacity 5 - Luggage Capacity 4 Pieces
Full-Size - Seating Capacity 5 to 6 - Luggage Capacity 6 Pieces
Mini-Van - Seating Capacity 7 - Luggage Capacity 8 Pieces

Rental vehicles requisitioned at travel destinations will require additional justification. In most cases, the most economical and advantageous option is utilizing public transportation, taxis, etc., to travel from the airport, train, or bus terminal to the hotel.

The procurement card should be used for all rental car expenses. Collision damage waiver insurance should be declined when paying for a rental car by procurement card because the VISA sponsored procurement card includes a collision damage waiver provision. This provides adequate insurance coverage for covered vehicles rented with the card. VISA defines which vehicles are considered to be covered. Exclusions include expensive, exotic, and antique automobiles; certain vans; vehicles that have an open cargo bed; trucks; motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes; limousines; and recreational vehicles. The benefit is provided for only those vans manufactured and designed to transport a maximum of eight (8) people including the driver and which is used exclusively to transport people. Only state employees or individuals reasonably engaged in official state business are allowed to ride in rented vehicles. Travelers are responsible for ensuring the rented vehicle is properly insured in all cases.

L. Lodging

When traveling on official business, lodging expenses should be paid via procurement card. Allowable lodging rates are determined based on CONUS rates published by the State of Kansas. These rates are based on location and dates of travel. The maximum lodging rate allowed is 150% of the CONUS Rate (not including any taxes charged). Allowed expenses are limited to the lodging establishment’s lowest available rate for normal single occupancy on the day (or days) of travel.

Employees are not required to share lodging accommodations with other PSU employees when traveling on official business. If employees voluntarily choose to share a room, one employee may claim the full room charge with cross-referenced payment documentation.

The university is exempt from state sales tax on hotels in Kansas and some other states. Other taxes such as county, city, and occupancy taxes are not exempt. If state sales tax is charged, a refund should be requested. The ST-28H Sales and/or Transient Guest Tax Exemption Certificate for Lodging must be used when requesting the sales tax exemption. This certificate may only be utilized with a PSU procurement card or when lodging is billed directly to PSU.

If a traveler is attending a conference and the conference hotel rate exceeds 150% of the CONUS rate, an Actual Conference Lodging exception can be documented. The Business Office will complete the necessary backup documentation and attach it to the transaction in GUS Cloud during the transaction audit process. The hotel used must be identified in conference documentation as an official conference hotel. The term ‘conference’ means any seminar, association meeting, clinic, colloquium, convention, symposium, or similar gathering that is attended by a state employee in pursuit of a goal, obligation, function, or duty imposed upon PSU or performed on behalf of PSU.

Alternative Lodging (Airbnb/VRBO): Use of Airbnb, VRBO, or similar platforms requires prior approval and must meet all of the following conditions:

A documented comparison of the total cost of alternative lodging versus a standard hotel, including all fees such as cleaning and booking fees, must demonstrate the alternative is cost-effective;
Documented standard safety equipment, including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors;
Documented assurance the rental is of the entire unit, not a shared space where other renters or hosts are present; and
Documented confirmation through the platform that the listing includes $1 million public liability insurance coverage.

M. Airfare and Other Public Transportation

PSU employees should travel via the most economical and advantageous method to the university. When the most economical mode of public transportation is not used, specific justification must be provided with documentation to support the additional cost. If the most economical class is not available, written proof (screenshots are acceptable) must be provided documenting what was available at the time of booking. One level of seat upgrade may be approved to provide for additional legroom on any leg of a flight that exceeds three hours in length per airline documentation. Costs associated with a confirmed seat guarantee and/or early boarding may be authorized with prior written approval from a supervisor.

In some cases, available flight times may warrant travel to the airport city the day before the flight. This causes the traveler to incur additional lodging and per diem. In general, if the employee can leave their official station by 7:00 am and arrive two hours prior to flight time for check in, they should depart the day of the flight. When planning a trip, the traveler should consider the additional lodging and per diem costs associated with earlier flight times.

Trip insurance on airfare may be allowed in rare instances. Prior approval must be obtained and documented from the department manager and attached to the transaction in GUS Cloud.

Identification Requirements (Real ID): Employees are responsible for ensuring their identification meets TSA requirements prior to any official air travel. Effective May 7, 2025, state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant are no longer accepted at TSA checkpoints. Employees should consult the TSA website for the current list of acceptable identification prior to travel. Any fee incurred due to failure to present acceptable identification — including the TSA ConfirmID fee — is a personal expense and will not be reimbursed by the university.

N. Other Miscellaneous Charges

Employees may be reimbursed or use the procurement card for other miscellaneous charges incurred during travel, such as:

Taxicab, shuttle, and other local transportation – local transportation can be used for travel between the airport and hotel, to attend business meetings, and other business-related purposes. Local transportation cannot be paid for if the charges are personal in nature, such as traveling from a hotel to a restaurant where there is no clear business purpose. Tips provided to transportation drivers are only allowed with PSU Foundation funds.
Baggage fees – charges for checked baggage are allowed if the baggage is used for official business. Written justification will be requested if the expense exceeds one checked bag or fees are incurred for excess baggage weight or storage charges.
Parking – fees incurred at airports, train stations, hotels, etc., are allowed expenses. The most economical parking option at the location should be used. When expenses exceed the most economical rate, approval from a supervisor must be documented.
Tolls – Turnpike tolls are reimbursable.

O. Same Day Travel

Employees may be required to travel on official PSU business in a single day. When the employee’s total workday, including travel time, exceeds 12 hours but is less than 24 hours, the employee may receive an M&IE reimbursement for one meal. The meal reimbursed must be appropriate for the time period in which it was incurred. If a meal is provided to the employee during their official business at no cost, then M&IE would not be allowed for that travel day. No reimbursement is allowed if the location of official business is within 30 miles of the employee’s official station. Same day travel does not apply when an overnight stay is involved.

P. Personal Travel Combined with PSU Travel

Any personal travel combined with travel for official PSU business must be documented on the T-Form. PSU will not reimburse or directly pay for any additional expenses incurred due to personal travel. Examples of personal travel expenses may include early arrival, late departure, additional meals, extra nights of lodging, increased size capacity of transportation, additional airfare cost, etc. When airfare is involved, the expense will be capped at the lesser of the documented available rate for the business travel only on the date of ticket purchase or the actual rate paid for airfare for the combined travel.

Q. International Travel

Occasionally, a PSU employee may travel outside the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and possessions on official business. In these cases, allowable expenses and how they are calculated may differ. M&IE rates are determined according to the US Department of State at this website. Provided meals, including in‑flight meals, must be deducted from M&IE reimbursements. Lodging expenses and reimbursements are allowed at actual lodging amounts rather than CONUS maximums.

When a traveler incurs expenses in a foreign currency, the expenses must be converted to United States dollars (USD). Use a currency converter to determine the applicable exchange rate for the date the expense was incurred and convert the charge to USD.

R. Receipts

Travelers are responsible for obtaining and retaining itemized receipts for travel-related purchases. In the rare occurrence that a receipt is lost or a vendor is unable to provide an itemized receipt, an Exception Request Form can be completed. Travelers should make every effort to obtain an itemized receipt.

S. Transaction Documentation

When submitting procurement card expenses or cash reimbursement requests in GUS Cloud, the following transaction documentation must be provided (when applicable):

T‑form
Official itemized receipt
Who (traveler(s)), What (method of travel), When (dates of travel), Where (geographic location), and Why (business purpose)
Screenshot of TripTik, MapQuest, Google Maps, etc. showing trip distance (exact amounts must be used and rounding is not allowed) for mileage reimbursements. This is replaced by a travel log for Vicinity Miles
M&IE Spreadsheet with appropriate meals deducted for M&IE reimbursements
Conference Agenda
Screenshot showing list of conference hotels
Prior Approval documentation for parking, seat selection, etc.

CONSEQUENCES

Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, in accordance with university policy and any applicable labor agreements.

Failure to comply may also result in: