Lab travel and purchases

The below is from Cogsci finance admin, Courtney Chung cec031@ucsd.edu.

What to send to Courtney

• Receipts = Refer to policy below.
• Funding source =
• Student Certification for Business-Related Travel = You & your advisor need to complete/sign the Certification Form (PDF).
• Trip Info
• Business Travel Start/End Dates =
• Origin Location (City, State) =
• Final Destination (City, State/Country) =
• Detailed Business Purpose =
  • Conference name:
  • Dates:
  • Virtual?: No
  • Are you an attendee or presenter?:
  • Title and/or brief description of topic being presented (if presenting):

Travel policy/reimbursement information:

• Lodging

  • If staying at a hotel, we will need the hotel folio (the final itemized receipt) after your stay - please request a copy at check-out
    • If staying at something like an Airbnb, we will need the final receipt
    • Domestic travel: UC maximum lodging rate for reimbursement is $275 before taxes and mandatory hotel fees ($320 with taxes/fees)
    • Per diem lodging rate for City, Country (effective MM/DD/YY): TBD max
      • If your trip is outside the continental US or is foreign travel, please let me know the City & Country so I can provide the relevant rates to you

• Airfare

  • Refer to the air travel policy on what is reimbursable
  • The receipt must show the form of payment used, name of passenger, dates and routes of travel, airfare class (regular economy or coach only), and amount paid
  • Note: Flight credit, fees for early check in, priority boarding, seat selection, insurance are not reimbursable. Register for insurance by following the "All other sources" instructions at the bottom of this page

• If including personal travel with your business trip, provide documentation of comparable airfare. The traveler needs to compare what they would've spent if they stayed for only the business portion of the trip versus the actual flights including personal travel. Whichever cost is lower, that is how much the traveler will be reimbursed.

• Here are some examples of when comparable airfare would be required

  • Example 1: Traveler is going to a conference from 1/11 and returning on 1/14, but would like to stay until 1/17 as personal travel. When booking the airfare from 1/11-1/17, a comparable quote must be found for 1/11-1/14 (as if the traveler did not take personal travel). The lesser amount between the actual expenses and the comparable is reimbursable.
  • Example 2: Traveler travels from San Diego on 1/11 to Dallas for a conference. After the conference, the traveler flies to Denver on 1/14 for personal travel. They then fly from Denver to San Diego on 1/17. When booking the airfare, a comparable quote must be found for a flight from San Diego - Dallas on 1/11 and Dallas - San Diego on 1/14 (as if the traveler did not take personal travel). The lesser amount between the actual expenses and the comparable is reimbursable.

• Ground transportation - Rideshare (Uber, Lyft), Bus, Train

  • Provide receipts

• Meals

  • Provide itemized receipts
  • Note: Alcohol is not reimbursable
  • Domestic travel: $79/day max
  • Per diem meals rate for City, Country (effective MM/DD/YY): TBD max
    • If your trip is outside the continental US or is foreign travel, please let me know the City & Country so I can provide the relevant rates to you

Notes:

• Feel free to explore travel policy here
• All travel expenses will be processed at the end of the trip. Submit to me via email within 30 days of the trip end date.
• Please save/provide all original receipts.
• The Trip Expenses Template (excel) can be used to help organize expenses.

Using a Travel & Entertainment Card (T&E) or Procurement Card (Pcard)

• Generally, T&E cards should only be used for the cardholder's expenses.
• However, a T&E card can be used to pay for other people's expenses when the situation is deemed group travel.
  • Group travel requires 3 or more travelers and the group leader would have to be a UCSD employee, a cardholder, and present on the trip.
  • Otherwise, lab members would need to pay for expenses on their own and request reimbursement after the trip.
  • In non-group travel, lab members would need to book flights/make purchases separately from each other.
• Pcards cannot be used for travel or event-related expenses.
  • The only time a pcard should be used for conference-related expenses are for memberships, and for registrations for virtual attendance or if no travel expenses will be incurred. Otherwise, a T&E card should be used instead.
• If you're ever unsure about whether something can be charged to your pcard or T&E card, feel free to ask me and I can help clarify.