KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
CONTROLLER’S OFFICE
TRAVEL GUIDELINES

July 18, 2008

 

The following information, which represents a brief outline of Kansas State University travel procedures, is intended to assist KSU faculty and staff in successfully completing the necessary state paperwork to receive the maximum allowable travel expense reimbursement. Please refer to Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) 6410 for additional details not covered in this document.

This document is divided into the following sections:

Other helpful sites:


TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS


1.  A completed Request for Out-of-State Travel must be approved and on file at the authorizing official's office in advance of out-of-state travel. This number will need to be entered on an Agency Purchase Voucher (APV) or travel voucher when a payment for airfaire or registration is being submitted.

2.   The departments are encouraged to make reservations for commercial air traveland rental car through state contract vender.

 

3.  An APV can be used to pay for registration fees up to 45 days in advance. Earlier payment must be accompanied by a justification detailing cost savings.

4.  Travelers must provide their own travel funds. They will be reimbursed upon conclusion of the travel and after the submission of the travel payment voucher. Employees are not authorized to pay the travel expenses of other employees. However, in order to provide relief for University travelers, personal travel credit cards (VISA) are available through the University at no cost. Applications, for UMB VISA cards, are available through the Human Resource Services Office. Additionally, The KSU Foundation may provide travel loans, at a minimal cost to the traveler. Contact the KSU Foundation for additional travel loan information. State travel advances are not available except for student groups and/or faculty for international travel.

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TRANSPORTATION

1.  Transportation must be by the most economical or advantageous standard mode. Personal vehicle mileage for the most direct route will be reimbursed at a rate of 43 cents per mile. Each department will be responsible for deciding which of the three available options: use of state-owned vehicle, a privately owned vehicle, or an enterprise rental vehicle is most appropriate and cost effective given the circumstances of the travel.

2.  State-owned vehicles are available through Facilities motor pool for official use. Call the motor pool at (785) 532-6397 to arrange for use.

3.  The departments are encouraged to reserve rental cars through state contract vendor.  Personal accident insurance (PAI), personnel effects insurance (PEI), and other supplemental liability insurance are considered personal expenses and ARE NOT REIMBURSABLE.  Additional costs incurred by requesting a Collision Damage Waiver or Loss Damage Waiver at the time of signing of the rental contract are reimbursable.

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TRAVEL VOUCHER PROCESSING

1.  Only complete, accurate and signed travel vouchers meeting state guidelines can be processed. THE CLAIMANTS SIGNATURE MUST BE ORIGINAL. Errors or incomplete information on the travel voucher will delay reimbursement. Please discuss potential problems with your department’s travel processor.

 

SUBSISTENCE EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT

1.  Subsistence includes all meals, lodging-related costs, and taxes. Rates vary based on in-state, out-of-state, designated high cost areas, and approval of the administrative head (President, Vice President, Dean, Director).

2.  Meal allowances are paid based on quarters of the day in travel status. When calculating the number of quarters in travel status, include the quarter in which the traveler departs, but exclude the quarter in which the traveler returns. Quarters are defined as: 12:01AM-6:00AM; 6:01AM-12:00 noon; 12:01PM-6:00PM; and 6:01PM-12:00 midnight. Meal reimbursement rates per quarter are defined in the Reimbursement Information section of this document. Any meals included in registration fees or provided without cost must be deducted from the daily meal allowance.

3.  Single day meal reimbursements may be made to an employee if they are required to travel on official State business and their workday, including travel time, is extended three hours or more beyond the employee’s regularly scheduled worked. Please include workday hours on voucher.

4.  Lodging is limited to the lodging establishment's lowest available rate for single occupancy. Maximum cost limitations, for lodging, are defined in the Reimbursement Information section of this document. The original lodging receipt must be filed with your travel payment voucher. A credit card receipt does not qualify as a lodging receipt.

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SUBSISTENCE EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT WHEN USING A PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL INSTEAD OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

1.  Travel of one employee only.  Meal allowance is paid only for the travel time, which would have been necessary had the employee used the fastest public transportation available.  Lodging expense reimbursement is limited to the lodging expense incurred at the point of official state business.  Lodging expenses incurred en route are not reimbursable. 

2.  Travel of two or more employees.  When two or more employees are traveling together in a privately owned conveyance, meal and lodging expenses are reimbursable for the number of days it would take by car via the usually traveled route to the destination. Reimbursement at high cost meal allowance and lodging rates is not allowed when travel to a high cost area is only an intermediate stopover at which no official state business occurs.

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SPONSORED PROJECT TRAVEL

Sponsor restrictions may be more restrictive and must be adhered to regardless of state or university restrictions. The statement "An obligation of sponsored research project KSA 76-752 and/or 76-770 exemptions apply" must be typed on the travel claim.  Please see PPM Chapter 6410.100, Subsistence Expense, for more information.

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RECEIPTS

1.  ORIGINAL receipts must be submitted with the travel voucher for the following types of travel expenses:

·        Itemized lodging and registration receipts

·        Airfare

·        Shuttle van between Manhattan and K.C.I. (Road Runner)

·        Turnpike

·        Rental Car

·        Gasoline

·        Parking

·        Professional (office supplies, etc.)

·        Miscellaneous items (except tips and intercity transportation)

 

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STATE TRAVEL VENDOR CONTACT


Short's Travel Management
State of Kansas Contact Information

Contact Information (8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CST):

Reservation Request:    785-272-7511   Topeka, Local Standard reservation processing

Toll Free:  800-748-7400 Standard reservation processing

Fax Requests: 785-272-6244  Standard reservation processing

Travel Consultants: Bob Hicks ext 2210
  Sue Leavitt ext 2201
  Karen Oxandale ext 2219
  General voicemail    ext 2200
  Bill Burgoon ext 2206

 

Emergency Contact Information 5:30 pm – 8:30am CST:

 

Emergency Services:        877-233-2427          After Hour Emergency Assistance (Access Code A-1N51)

E-Mail Address:    travelks@shortstravel.com

Note:  E-mail is not recommended in emergency situations

Fees:  A ticket processing fee of $24.50 will apply to all domestic air reservations.

Profiles:  All profiles that were on file in the State Travel Center as of March 1, 2005 are still accessible by our agents.

If you have not completed a profile and would like to do so, please contact one of the State Travel Consultants for assistance.

Additional Services Coming Soon:

Online Traveler Profiles - 4th quarter 2005
Online Booking System – 4th quarter 2005

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REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION:

Meal Reimbursement – One-Day Travel Situations

 

K.A.R. 1-16-18 (c) (3) has been amended effective February 15, 2002 allowing one meal reimbursement in limited situations to an employee conducting official State business, but not traveling overnight. Meal reimbursement is authorized for the following single day travel situations in which an employee is likely to pay out-of-pocket expenses:

 

  1. Single day meal reimbursement may be made to an employee if they are required to travel on official State business and their workday, including travel time, is extended three hours or more beyond the employee’s regularly scheduled workday; or

     2. Single day meal reimbursement may be made to an employee if they are required to attend a conference or a meeting as an official guest or participant, and a meal is served during the required attendance time.

 

 

The following conditions apply to the single day travel meal reimbursement:

 

All claims for single day meal reimbursement must be made by submitting a Travel Voucher to the Travel section of the Controller’s Office in 220 Anderson Hall. The voucher must include the date of travel, departure & arrival times, destination, dollar amount of meal requested, and the purpose of travel. The meal requested (e.g. Lunch) should be shown in the ‘Purpose of Travel’ column as well as the employee’s scheduled work hours for the day (e.g. 8am – 5pm).

 

 

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