University Travel Protocol

All university travel expenses are required to be paid by using a university purchasing card (Pcard) with the exception of individual meals. Meals are paid by the traveler with their own personal funds. The university will reimburse the traveler for meals in accordance with the traveler’s bargaining unit daily per diem rate. 

Please submit travel requirements at least 21 days in advance of travel date to allow for processing time. This includes ALL items on Travel Checklist below. 

Travel arrangements may be made using our travel management company, Travel Leaders. This is not required, however, a beneficial option for all travelers.

Travel Checklist

       ___ Spend Authorization Completed and Approved in Workday (use this form to document your travel if someone is entering the information in Workday on your behalf)

                      ___ Attach complete travel agenda

                      ___ Special Expense Form if registration fee is over $750

                      ___ Additional International Forms attached (if applicable)

___ Special Expense Form

___ Request for Approval of Travel to Country Under U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or Alert

                                ___ Employee Acknowledgment of International Travel Risks and Responsibilities

                                ___ PDF showing Travel Advisory Level (Locate from section: Travel Advisories)

                      ___ All required signatures obtained

       ___ Security Director notified via Workday

       ___ Notification received from the Travel Technician acknowledging receipt of completed Spend Authorization Form and related attachments

• Notification includes expected date University Pcard will be available, credit limit amount, and allowable pcard expenses

       ___ Reconcile Pcard charges in Workday upon return, or by the 15th of each month.

• Example supporting documentation that is required as it applies to your travel expenses: Airfare receipts, hotel portfolio, baggage ticket(s) showing amount paid, Uber/Lyft receipts, and registration confirmation. All documentation must give detail of the purchase and show payment was made.

*There should be no meals or incidentals purchased with your university Pcard.                   

General Information: MinnState Procedure 5.19.3 Travel Management

• All travel requires an authorization form, complete with all required signatures, prior to travel. When applicable, the following additional forms must be completed: Special Expense, Individual Student Travel Authorization, Student Group Travel Authorization, Request for Approval of Travel to Country Under U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or Alert (if applicable) and Employee Acknowledgment of International Travel Risks and Responsibilities (required as a condition of approval of travel to countries under a travel warning).
• Employees traveling for university business need to complete and submit the Spend Authorization form in Workday. 
• Spend authorization is required for all in-state over-night travel and all travel outside of Minnesota
• Travel authorization forms are not required for:
  • Travel within 35 miles of the employee’s assigned work location, or
  • In-state travel not requiring an over-night stay, however the employee should obtain their supervisor’s email or verbal approval prior to travel.
• The university’s Security Director must be notified of all international travel and all student travel by sending the Spend Authorization form with related attachments to the Security Director via Workday. 
• Per Minnesota Statute §15.435 and Minnesota State Procedure 5.19, airline miles or reward points are not allowed to be earned on personal accounts when being paid with state funds, which includes reimbursement from, and payment using, state funds.
• Enterprise car rental is on state contract.  The traveler is responsible for making their car rental reservation. Use Corporate Account Number XZ19113. Car rental arrangements must be made by using your university purchasing card.
• When travel is funded by a grant, please contact our Grant Accountant to see if additional steps need to be taken due to grant specifications.
• Any lodging upgrades, airline seat upgrades, or car rental upgrades, including hotel incidentals and travel insurance, are the employee’s personal expense that will not be reimbursed and may not be charged on the university Pcard.

International Travel: MinnState Procedure 5.19.3 Part 10 International Travel

• The university’s Security Director must be notified of all international travel by adding the Security Director as an additional approver in the Spend Authorization. 
• A copy of your passport, emergency contact information, and itinerary must be emailed to the Security Director.
• All international travel by university employees must receive written approval by the university president prior to the proposed travel. Traveler must complete the Request for Approval of Travel to Country Under U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or Alert (if applicable) and Employee Acknowledgment of International Travel Risks and Responsibilities (required as a condition of approval of travel to countries under a travel warning). These are System Office documents that can also be found here.
• No travel may be made to countries or areas under a U.S. Department of State travel warning unless prior approval has been obtained in writing from the chancellor or designee. See travel warning information by clicking “Travel Advisories” at the top of the screen at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/.
• Special Expense form must be completed.

Student Travel:

• University Pcards and travel advances may only be issued to university employees. The college/department is expected to pay for as many of the student’s travel expenses as possible with university funds, whether by purchase order (check) or a university Pcard. The student will need to pay out-of-pocket for any travel expenses you are unable to pay prior to travel and request reimbursement upon returning from their trip. NOTE: If you reserve the student’s hotel stay, confirm with the hotel the student does not need the same credit card physically present upon check-in.
• The student advisor is responsible for making sure the student understands all travel related policies and procedures, assist the student with completing the Individual Student Travel Authorization form, and making lodging, airfare, and transportation arrangements.
• All student travel requires a Campus Security Authority (CSA) to be designated for each trip. The CSA must notify our Security Director of the student travel and details of the arrangements at least 21 days prior to travel.
• For group travel, the Student Group Travel – Student Detail spreadsheet must be included with the Student Group Travel Authorization form.
• When a student is traveling alone, the student must notify the Security Director of any security incidents or criminal activity they experience.