Faculty Conference Travel Reimbursement Policy

• Zicklin School tenured and tenure-track faculty members will be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred to participate in a scholarly or professional conference with the following conditions:
  • Participation in the conference must be as a paper presenter, organizer, session chair, or discussant.
    • Statement of participation must be included with Travel Authorization Request Form.
  • Attendance without participation will not be supported.
  • Proof of participation (e.g., copy of the conference program) must be presented following the conference in order for reimbursement to be approved.
  • The Dean’s Office will provide up to $2,300 in annual support, contingent on the continued availability of tax-levy funds.
  • Funds do not roll-over from year to year.
  • Each academic department may supplement the Dean’s Office support out of its discretionary funds.
  • Because travel reimbursements are supported with the use of tax-levy funds, faculty members must comply with the New York State Travel Guidelines, which can be found at: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/agencies/travel/manual.pdf
  • Questions regarding this travel policy may be directed to Mr. Troy Taylor at (646) 312-3043, or Troy.Taylor@baruch.cuny.edu.

Pre-Travel Procedure

• The Travel Authorization Request (TAR) must be completed and submitted at least two weeksbefore travel. If the TAR is not submitted prior to travel, you will not be reimbursed by the Dean’s Office.
  • Supporting documentation verifying your participation level must be included with the approval request.

• CUNY FIRST entry of the request is only for Dean’s Office tax levy funds. The Dean Office travel allocation is up to $2,300.00 for the fiscal year, no single entry is to exceed this amount without written approval from the Dean’s Office.You may make this entry into CUNY FIRST but it must be saved as a draft (click save for later), then notify the Dean’s Office (Troy Taylor with a cc to Lillie Glenn) that you have made this entry. Once it is reviewed the Dean’s Office will submit the authorization for final approval.

• The Paper TAR must be completed for all travel being totally or partially paid using private funds (BCF/DFG) funds.

• • The total estimated amount of the trip including any tax levy funds that may also be used must be shown.
  • The name and all account numbers of the private funds being used must be provided.
  • If the trip will be from multiple departments each department head must give their approval for the account and amount that will be allocated.
    The form can be found at: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/adminfin/documents/10-30-2013travelauthorizationrequest.pdf.

• When making your travel arrangements please remember that per diem rates can only be used with tax levy funds.

• Per Diem rates can be found at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100000

• Per Diem meals:
  • • Can only be claimed when at times when the conference host does not provide the meal; to be verified with submission of the conference agenda.
    • Only breakfast and dinners can be claimed; lunch is not allowable for reimbursement.

• Per Diem lodging:

• Unreceipted lodging can only be paid up to $50.00 per day.

Travel Reimbursement

Submission of the travel reimbursement claim must be made no later than 30 days after the last day of travel.

If the claim is not submitted within this period, the claim will be forfeited.

• If the claim will be paid using Dean’s Office tax levy funds, you may make the entry into CUNY FIRST but it must be saved as a draft (click save for later), then notify the Dean’s Office (Troy Taylor with a cc to Lillie Glenn) that you have made this entry and send all original documents to the Dean’s Office.
• If your reimbursement will be split between the Dean’s Office and another department, submit all of the receipts to the Dean’s Office. This is to prevent duplicate payments and to verify the best split expenses between tax levy funds and private funds.
• If the claim will be paid totally from your department’s funds, submit all receipts to your department staff to be reconciled and to prepare the request for payment.

Reimbursement paperwork

The following paperwork must be included with the reimbursement claim:

1. Copy of the approved travel authorization form;
2. Expense report itemizing all expenses with cost;
3. Original detailed receipts and a copy of the conference program must be submitted; and
4. Proof of method of payment as follows:
   The receipts will state whether cash or a credit card was used. If by credit card the last 4 digits are usually given. Payment verification can be given by either of two methods;

• A copy of the credit statement showing the name of the account holder associated with last four digits of the card used along with the page that has the posted charged with full amount of the expense.
• If the statement cannot be provided, then a copy of the front of the credit card can be submitted showing the financial company of the card, name of the account holder and last four digits of the card used.

Please note

• If the original paperwork cannot be hand delivered it must be mailed in.
• Scanned copies of original paper receipts are not acceptable.
• Digital or electronic receipts are acceptable.

Receipts

Transportation boarding passes
Submission of the original transportation boarding passes is mandatory for reimbursement of this expense type along with the flight or train itinerary/confirmation that shows the path of travel and fare breakdown.

• • Online emailed eticket that is printed is acceptable.
  • Failure to submit documentation will result in this expense not being paid

Lodging/Hotel – An actual receipt from the hotel must be submitted showing all detailed charges for your stay, even when the reservation is made via online travel services.

Meals – receipts for all meals or food items must be provided unless the per diem is being used. When the per diem is used, only breakfast and dinners are reimbursable. Please note that on days where either a breakfast or dinner is provided by the conference, that particular meal on that date cannot be claimed whether you attend or not. Also, per diem for meals can only be claimed against tax levy funds and cannot be used when the reimbursement is being paid with department BCF or DFG funds. BCF and DFG funds require all receipts to be submitted showing the details of the items purchase and method of payment.

Cab / local travel (mass transit) fares – Alloriginalfarereceipts must be submitted.

Registrations – The registration confirmation showing your name, details of the registration and total cost must be submitted along with method of payment.

Person Vehicle Use – Completion of the statement of automobile travel form along with a map quest verifying the mileage between the points traveled.

• • Please note that gas/ fuel charges for use of personal vehicles is already considered to be a part of the personal vehicle usage rated amount.
  • Tolls – toll receipts or EZ Pass statement must be provided.
  • Travel must be direct to and from event and your home address.

Parking – an original receipt showing the dates of the parking and total amount paid is required.

Foreign currency – A conversion rate must be obtained and submitted for each day of receipts claimed. Conversions must be done using rates of the dates the expense is incurred. The receipts must also be translated, overtly stating what the expenses are. Weekly averages are not acceptable.

Relocation

In order to receive reimbursement for relocation expenses, please note the following. In addition to the items below, a justification letter must be also be provided by the Dean’s Office:

• Only the moving expense is reimbursable – Either the expense of a moving company or the expense you incur renting your own truck and needed packing supplies. For example, we will not pay someone you hire to help you pack (your friend, neighbor of family, etc.).
• Everything must have a receipt.
• Vehicle rentals, flights, gasoline and toll expenses will also be covered.
• There are no other allowable charges – No real estate fees, no meals, no phone calls, no sundry charges of any kind. Just the move from door to door.

General Expenditures

• Please check with the Dean’s Office prior to incurring any expense other than what is clearly defined in the Financial Policies & Procedures pages.
• Any expenditure other than those clearly defined must be justified with a signed and dated memo.
• Reimbursements for these claims are subject to the review and approval of the Baruch Financial Authority and/or New York State.

Office Supplies, Technology Purchases, Business Meals, and Catering & Entertainment Services

1. Office Supplies
   • Staples – office supplies should be ordered by the Department using the Staples account.
   • Please contact the Dean’s Office if special requests arise that cannot be accommodated by the Staples account.
2. Technology Items
   • Purchases of all technology items must be pre-approved by the BCTC or the Zicklin Technology Department.
   • Technology items purchased without advance approval from the BCTC and/or Zicklin Technology Department will not be reimbursed.
   • Technology items include but are not limited to PCs, laptops, iPads, iPhones, other cellular devices, printers, scanners, and other hardware.
3. Business Meals
   • Reimbursement for meals are allowable only when related to Baruch business. These are generally recruitment meals with faculty candidates or other guests of the College. Casual meals between faculty members and or administrators are subject to approval from the Provost’s Office and may not be reimbursed without acceptable justification.
   • All meals claims must be presented with the following:
     • Original, itemized receipt(s) showing total cost and expenditure breakdown.
     • List of attendees.
     • Business purpose of meetings(s).
     • Faculty recruitment meals – copy of the CV and itinerary of interviewers must be submitted.
     • Seminar speaker(s) – copy/abstract of presentation and email or other invitation/notification of event.
4. Catering & Entertainment Services
   • A contract or written service agreement is required for all professional services being rendered to departments of Baruch College. The steps to obtain this approval are as follows: (Please note that these types of expenditures are charged to Baruch held DFG or BCF funds. Tax-Levy funds use for food items can only be for orientation activities and the vendor must be must be registered with the CUNY Vendor’s Management Unit).
   • Formal written quote is to be obtained from vendor with all terms of services to be rendered.
   • Contracts/agreement is forwarded to Baruch’s Office of Legal Counsel for initial approval or revision to comply with Baruch policy.
   • Contract/agreement is returned to the vendor for signature of approval of changes (if applicable), then returned to Baruch and forwarded to the V.P. of Finance for the V.P.’s signature. See additional information regarding the purchase of alcohol beverages.
   • Purchase Requisition is then created by the department requesting the event(s) for funds encumbrance of the total amount of the event, and forwarded with a copy of the contract/agreement to the office of the funding source (DFG or BCF).
     • Currently this is a PDF form that must be printed, signed and manually forwarded to each office.
     • Tax-Levy PR – This PR must be entered into the online eProcurement system. There are specific per person price guidelines for the ordering of food and beverage items.
       • Alcohol cannot be purchased using state funds.
     • Purchase requisition to Purchase Order – Once the funding source’s office (DFG/ BCF) encumbers the funds they will forward the PR to the Purchasing Department for a PO to be created.
   • Payment for services – upon satisfactory completion of the event:
     • Obtain final invoice from the vendor, which must include the following
       • Date
       • Invoice/reference number
       • Details of services rendered
       • Total amount of payment due
     • Invoice Approval for Payment – the original invoice from the vendor must be signed and dated by a representative of the department that requested the services indicating the job was complete in full and is approved for payment.
   • Check Request for payment of services
     • If the vendor has not previously been paid from BCF/DFG funds, then they must complete a W9 form.
     • Check requests must be prepared by department that requested the services.
     • Original invoices are required – copies are not acceptable.