Student Activity Fee funds may be used to fund student travel to conventions, conferences, and team competitive events. However, student travel funds must be specifically requested and budgeted for any program or activity funded in whole or in part by Student Activity Fee funds or designated as a funded activity. Expenditures may include reasonable amounts for transportation, lodging, meals and registration fees associated with attendance as a delegate or representative.

Guidelines may be developed by the various allocation recommending committees that limit the number of individuals funded to attend a single conference or convention, the number of trips funded, the dollar amounts reimbursed, and/or restrict the types of travel expenses funded. However, travel reimbursements may not exceed the applicable University travel expense limitations.

The Campus Life Business Office will verify current enrollment of each student submitting a request for student travel. Only students who are enrolled and have paid student activity fees at the time the trip takes place will be eligible for reimbursement.

Individual Student Travel

When students travel they will be expected to pay for their own expenses and seek reimbursement when they return. They may use a personal credit card or pay by cash. Airlines and hotels may require a credit card number when making a reservation. Given adequate time the University will pre-pay conference registration and airline tickets, if the proper forms have been completed in advance and a local travel agency has been used to purchase the ticket. Students should ask for, and retain receipts for out-of-pocket expenses such as meals, shuttle service, parking, etc. in order to seek reimbursement for these items. University Travel Regulations prohibit anyone from requesting reimbursement for the expenses of another individual(s) travel unless authorized as a part of group travel.

Group Student Travel

There are occasions when a number of students will travel to the same conference, convention, or event as a group. There are procedures which allow one individual to pay for the entire group and seek reimbursement for such expenses as meals, lodging, transportation and registration. A request to use group travel procedures must be submitted to the Campus Life Business Office at least two weeks in advance of traveling. These procedures are explained later in this manual.

Travel Reimbursement Limitations

Meals
A maximum daily per diem of $20.00 ($4.00 for breakfast, $6.00 for lunch, and $10.00 for dinner) is established for meals allowance associated with student travel for any program funded in whole or in part by Student Activity Fee funds. Where approved, reimbursement will be for up to three meals daily and does not include snacks or break items. Meals included in registration fees and airfares should be excluded from the per diem amount.

Mileage
The mileage rate reimbursement is currently .445 per mile.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL: One INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

Request for Authority for Student Travel Forms

The Request for Authority for Student Travel (see Exhibit D) should be completed and submitted for approval prior to undertaking travel for which expenses are to be reimbursed to a student from the student organization account. It is important to note that travel will NOT be approved after-the-fact.

Each individual to whom out-of-pocket travel expenses are to be reimbursed must have an approved Request for Authority for Student Travel. University Travel Regulations prohibit the payment of expenses incurred by an individual to a second party. However, this form covers only Student Travel. Employees or staff members should consult the Campus Life Business Office concerning reimbursement from the student organization account.

If a student is traveling as part of a group and no individual out-of-pocket expenses will be paid by an individual refer to group travel procedures.

The Request for Authority for Student Travel form MUST be typed, include all requested information, and submitted to the Campus Life Business Office no later than two weeks prior to departure date. Upon the approval of the Director of Campus Life and the Vice President for Student Affairs, or the Academic Dean, if school or college related, the traveler will be notified by e-mail.

Expenditures may include reasonable amounts for transportation, lodging, meals and registration fees. University regulations prohibit advance payment or advances for travel expenses. However, transportation by common carrier may be charged directly to Campus Life with a local travel agency by indicating so on this form. In addition, registration fees can be pre-paid, providing the necessary form and accompanying Check Request or P-Card Request is submitted to the Campus Life Business Office at least three weeks prior to the registration deadline. Registration may also be pre-paid by the Campus Life P-Card.

This form must be obtained from the Campus Life Business Office or may be completed on line by going to the forms web site.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL: A Group OF STUDENTS

Permission to Use Group Travel Forms

The first step involving group travel is to seek permission to use the University of Georgia Student Group Travel Procedures for official University related business. This permission is required when one individual will pay for the travel expenses of the entire group.

You may pick up a Request to Use Group Travel form from the Campus Life Business Office or complete the form at the forms web site. The form should be typed, include all requested information, and submitted to the Campus Life Business Office at least two weeks prior to departure. The Campus Life Business Office will forward the request to the Comptrollers Office for approval. The advisor and/or chief student officer will be notified of the approval.

Request for Authority for Student Travel Forms

When a group of students travel to the same convention, conference, or event on behalf of the student organization and one individual will pay and seek reimbursement for the meals, lodging, registration, etc. for the entire group, one Request for Authority for Student Travel form, accompanied by a group travel attachment list, should be completed and submitted for approval prior to undertaking travel for which expenses are to be reimbursed. It is important to note that travel will NOT be approved after-the-fact.

The Request for Authority for Student Travel and Group Travel Attachment list form MUST be typed, include all requested information, and submitted to the Campus Life Business Office no later than two weeks prior to departure date. Upon the approval of the Director of Campus Life and the Vice President for Student Affairs, or the Academic Dean, if school or college related, the traveler will be notified by e-mail.

As is the case for individual travel, expenditures may include reasonable amounts for transportation, lodging, meals and registration fees. The primary difference is that one individual will pay for the entire group, rather than each individual paying their own expenses. University regulations prohibit advance payment or advances for travel expenses with the exception of conference registration.

Transportation by common carrier may be charged directly to Campus Life with a local travel agency. However, to do so each individual must complete a separate Request for Authority for Student Travel form as explained above, indicating to charge their ticket to Campus Life.

WHEN YOU RETURN: One INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

Each student requesting reimbursement for travel expenses must complete three (3) forms and submit in duplicate, along with all receipts, to the Campus Life Business Office:

1. Travel Expense Statement
2. Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet
3. Check Request
4. Original Receipts

1. Travel Expense Statement (on UGA forms web site)

The travel expense statement (see Exhibit F) is completed, along with the other two forms, as a supporting document of your expenses for your trip. It is necessary for reimbursement to the individual for expenses incurred in conjunction with approved student travel.

Reimbursement to an individual may cover only those expenses pertaining to that individual; it may not include expenses pertaining to other individuals even though actually paid by the former.

Each applicable section of the travel expense statement is to be completed. Paid receipts must be attached for lodging, common carrier transportation, registration fees, parking fees, and meals when reimbursement is requested for these expenses. The traveler must sign the expense statement.

Refer to the travel introduction page concerning the allowable expenditures per person.
The original statement with one additional copy, both front and back if used, are to be submitted with a properly completed Check Request and Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet to the Campus Life Business Office. Allow two weeks for processing.

2. Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet (on UGA Forms web site)

The Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet is completed as a supporting document of a Check Request to request reimbursement for Student travel. The information needed to complete the document is shown in Exhibit G. Note that student travel expenses to be reimbursed should be reported in item (5) as Reimbursed Expenses.

The information sheet should be typed and with one additional copy must be attached to a properly completed Check Request for submission to the Campus Life Business Office.

3.Check Request

The third form you must submit for your reimbursement is a Check Request. The procedures for completing a this form are shown in Exhibit A with the following changes:

Step 5- Not applicable for student travel
Step 6- Individualís social security number
Step 7- Individualís name
Step 8- Individualís address
Step 9/10- Not applicable for student travel
Step 11- Give a brief Description of the nature of your trip
Step 12- Not applicable for student travel
Step 13- Enter amount to be reimbursed
Step 14- Appropriate Signatures

NOTE: Student travel is NOT considered travel on this form. Student travel is considered operating supplies and expense.The original and one copy each of the Travel Expense Statement and Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet, along with all receipts (placed inside an envelope), should be attached to the Check Request and forwarded to the Campus Life Business Office for processing. Allow approximately two weeks for processing payment.

WHEN YOU RETURN: A Group of STUDENTS

The student requesting reimbursement for travel expenses for the entire group must complete three (3) forms and submit in duplicate, along with all receipts, to the Campus Life Business Office for processing:

1. Group Travel Expenditure Summary (obtained from the Campus Life Business Office or at the forms web site)
2. Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet
3. Check Request1. GROUP TRAVEL EXPENDITURE SUMMARY

1. Group Travel Expenditure Summary (obtained from the Campus Life Business Office or at the forms web site)

The travel expenditures of the group are summarized on the Group Travel Expenditure Summary Form (see Exhibit I), along with the other two supporting documents of expenses of the trip.
Each applicable section of the summary form is to be completed. The name of the individual to whom payment is being made should be indicated. The total lodging payment for the group should be indicated under Lodging and prorated among the number of participants on the trip. The same should also be indicated for individual group meals, prorated by the number of participants. Other official expenses should be noted on the form. The total reimbursement should be the same as the amount on the Check Request and Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet.

A list of students for whom you paid expenses should be listed on this form. Receipts supporting each expenditure must also be attached and the organization advisor must approve the expenditure summary form.

Refer to the travel introduction page concerning the allowable expenditures per person.

2. Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet

One master Honoraria and Fee Information Sheet should be completed for the group (see Exhibit G). Follow the procedures for Individual Student Travel with the following changes:

Step 2- Insert SEE ATTACHED rather than the name of any one individual
No address is necessary
Step 6- Indicate GROUP TRAVEL beside the Other category

3. Check Request

The third form necessary to reimburse someone for group travel is a Check Request. The procedures for completing this form are shown in Exhibit A with the following changes:

Step 5- Not applicable for student travel
Step 6- No social security number is necessary
Step 7- Name of the individual to whom reimbursement is being made
Step 8- Individualís address
Step 9/10- Not applicable for student travel
Step 11- Give a brief description of the nature of the trip and indicate that this request is for group travel reimbursement.
Step 12- Not applicable for student travel
Step 13- Enter amount to be reimbursed
Step 14- Appropriate signatures

NOTE: Student travel is NOT considered travel on this form. Student travel is considered operating supplies and expense.The original and one copy of the Group Travel Expenditure Summary and Honoraria and Fee Information sheet, along with all receipts (placed inside an envelope), should be attached to the Check Request and forwarded to the Campus Life Business Office for processing. Allow approximately two weeks for processing payment.