When an employee is required to travel for College business, the travel must be pre-approved and the employee will be reimbursed for expenses incurred. Please refer to
Loading... Travel Expense Reimbursement for complete details. The following guidelines are essential for faculty to understand before traveling on College business and submitting an Employee Expense Report
Mileage
College-owned or leased vehicles may be used for College business when available. Currently, the College has cars, mini-vans, and full-size vans available. If College vehicles are not available, the Employer reimbursement rate will be the standard mileage rate as determined by the IRS or as per Board policy.
To reserve a College car, contact the Vehicle Pool in Building 12 at extension 6209. You will need the appropriate account, available from your provost's/dean's office. Standard mileages between campuses and to other locations such as the Des Moines airport are listed in
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Toll Fees
Toll fees will be reimbursed at the rate of $10 maximum per expense report. Fees in excess of this amount must be supported with original receipts.
Parking Fees
Parking fees for temporary parking (less than one day) up to $5 will be reimbursed to employees without documentation. Fees in excess of this amount will be reimbursed provided an original receipt is attached to the expense report. Parking fees for long-term parking (one day or longer) will be reimbursed only if an original receipt is attached to the expense report.
Taxis, Buses, and Vans
When traveling by public bus, cab, or limousine service, a receipt should be obtained for documenting travel expenses. The original receipt should be attached to the expense form.
Rental Cars
A rental vehicle is acceptable, if it is the least expensive means available, but the immediate supervisor must approve it in advance. Attach the original receipt to the expense form.
Air Travel
Transportation by air will be on standard or coach rates on scheduled airlines. Private air travel requires prior written approval from the President. If air travel is less expensive than by private car, reimbursement will be limited to the airline cost.
Lodging
Faculty are expected to use discretion in selecting moderately priced hotels when possible. State employee rates should be requested. Reimbursement for lodging should be requested on the Employee Expense Report with original receipts attached.
Meals
Meals are generally reimbursed only if overnight travel is involved. The daily limit for meal reimbursement is $30.00. If less than three meals are involved, the maximum allowances are $6 for breakfast, $8 for lunch, and $16 for dinner. Exceptions may be made to these maximums when travel is to locations with high costs, if approved by your provost/dean and supported by meal receipts. Claims should be reasonable considering the locality involved.
Meals may be reimbursed when overnight travel is not involved in certain instances. If part of a banquet where a receipt is obtained, the meal may be included on an Employee Expense Report. If a meal is involved in conducting College business, the expense may be included on the Employee Expense Report, if accompanied with a receipt and Documentation for College Business Meals. When using the Employee Expense Report, the purpose of the function and those in attendance must be noted.
If leaving and returning on the same day, breakfast will be reimbursed if the employee is required to leave before 6 a.m. and dinner will be reimbursed if the employee returns after 8 p.m. In no instance will lunch be reimbursed on these days.
Lunch expense is paid only: when leaving for an overnight stay before noon, when returning from an overnight stay after noon, or when out-of-town for an extended stay during which breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all reimbursed.
If a College meal is placed on a purchase order to attain reimbursement, Employee Expense Report must also be submitted.
Registration Fees
These fees will be paid when substantiated by a receipt.
Telephone, Telegraph, Fax
Charges for business related correspondence will be reimbursed if the charge is fully explained.
Employees may be reimbursed for one reasonable (not to exceed $10) call home for each two nights of overnight stay.
Non-Reimbursable Items
No reimbursement will be made for expenses for alcoholic beverages. The College will not pay individual memberships to professional organizations. The College does not pay any expenses during professional leave for improvement, when Staff Development Units (SDU's) are being earned, or during leaves of absence without pay.
Reimbursement Methods
Normally, the faculty member personally pays for the expenses incurred and is then reimbursed after submitting the Employee Expense Report. Exceptions are noted in BS 5812 for advanced registration fees, airline tickets, and required advanced deposits for hotel rooms.
Mileage for Special Teaching Assignment
If an instructor is given a teaching assignment of a regular class as part of his/her regular faculty load at a campus other that the one to which he/she is normally assigned at a distance of more than 25 miles from the regularly assigned campus, the instructor will receive $.30 per mile for all miles traveled, in addition to the normal mileage reimbursement. This compensation is for the faculty member's time and therefore is classified as income, rather than expense reimbursement. There is no payment for assignments less than 25 miles distance.
Reference