AR 7400 Travel
References:
Education Code Section 87032
2 Code of Federal Regulations Part 200.474
The Chancellor has designated authority for approval of travel requests to the Vice Chancellors and Presidents for employees in each of their respective areas. The travel requests may be for attendance at meetings, workshops, conferences, trainings or conventions that are within the scope of the employee’s job assignment. The Chancellor must approve in advance all travel outside of the United States.
Employee travel will be reimbursed for actual, necessary, and reasonable expenses up to approved amounts as described in this Administrative Regulation and are may be subject to additional limitations established by staff development or other funding sources.
The district retains the right to direct employees to attend relevant conventions or conferences.
Mileage:
Employees required to use their personal automobiles for travel within or outside the district to carry out their job assignments may receive reimbursement for business mileage incurred in accordance with the following guidelines:
1. Reimbursement for such business mileage shall be at the prevailing IRS standard rate.
2. All employees driving on district business shall take the most direct route possible.
3. Mileage shall be calculated as the distance from the employee’s regular work location to his/her off-campus business destination and return to regular work location.
4. If the employee does not both leave and return to his/her regular work location, the total miles driven less regular commute miles shall be reimbursed.
5. Employees requesting reimbursement must certify that their vehicle is covered by automobile insurance as required by district rules and regulations for Public Liability and Property damage.
6. A Mileage Reimbursement Claim shall be filed with the District Accounts Payable Department within 15 days following the month the mileage was incurred and only used when no other expenses are associated with the travel except related parking and tolls.
Travel:
Employees authorized by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors or Presidents to attend meetings, workshops, conferences, trainings or conventions may receive reimbursement for expenses incurred in accordance with the following guidelines:
1. A Conference/Travel Request Claim Form must be completed, signed and prior authorization obtained before attendance at any event.
2. Allowable expenses associated with travel include only reasonable and necessary expenses: transportation, lodging, registration, meals, car rentals, ground transportation fares (including gratuity not to exceed 20% of the fare), parking, mileage (to and from the airport that exceeds the daily commute of the employee) and other miscellaneous incidental charges such as, minor supplies, postage, reproduction costs, telephone and electronic communication expenses. All expenses should be the most economical and must be authenticated by the original itemized receipts. No reimbursements shall be made for tips/gratuities, valet parking, personal expenses including telephone calls and entertainment expenses, or the purchase of alcoholic beverages. Lodging for conferences within 50 miles of the District Office or College site is not allowable unless specifically approved in advance by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or President with documentation of the business necessity. Normally, lodging expenses are reimbursed for the actual dates of the approved conference. The night before or the night the conference ends may be reimbursed if specifically approved in advance by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or President with documentation of the business necessity. The district shall not pay for lodging that exceeds the published standard single occupancy room rate for conferences.
3. Travel advances may be requested for the following:
a. Transportation, registration, and lodging payable directly to the third party vendor can be paid in full.
b. Cash advances to the employee are limited to 75% of the approved estimated expenses.
c. Travel advances will not be authorized for any employee whose expenses will be reimbursed by outside funding or for any employee who has not reconciled prior travel advances with the district.
d. Air travel and lodging expenses are commonly arranged on the Internet and charged to the employee’s credit card. As an alternative they may be booked using the District authorized travel agency.
e. When selecting the travel agency, favorable consideration shall be given to travel agents whose businesses are located within the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
f. The district shall not contract with a travel agency owned or partially owned by an employee or a relative of an employee of the district. Further, the district shall not contract with an employee of a travel agency who is also an employee or a relative of an employee of the district.
g. Employees shall use only commercial carriers for travel and are expected to use the most economical mode and class of transportation unless specifically approved in advance by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or President with documentation of the business necessity.
h. Lodging shall be reimbursed at the standard room single occupancy rate.
4. All meals for which expenses are actually incurred shall be paid at the per diem rate per meal using the current single low level IRS rate. For fractional parts of a day that do not require overnight travel, the appropriate meal expenses shall be reimbursed.
a. The philosophical basis for meal reimbursement is to cover the incremental expense of having to eat out and not having the ability to eat at home. It is not intended to cover the entire cost of the meal.
b. When the cost of meals is included in a registration fee, separate reimbursement for the covered meals is not allowed.
c. No receipts are required for meal reimbursement since we are paying the IRS per diem rates.
5. A Conference Request/Claim Form must be submitted to the District Accounts Payable Department to account for all expenses within fifteen (15) business days from returning. This includes expense reimbursement and for claims against an advance. The claim form should include a check payable to RSCCD if the amount of expenses claimed are less than the amount advanced to the employee.
a. The claims for reimbursement must include original itemized receipts for all expenses incurred by the employee including registration, transportation, lodging, car rental, etc.
Responsible Manager: Assistant Vice Chancellor of Fiscal Services
Revised: February 16, 2016
Revised: October 3, 2016
References Updated: November 7, 2016
Revised: July 10, 2017
