Making travel arrangements; overview of NU policy
Who can benefit
from this page?
EECS Faculty, Students, and Staff
Whether you make your own travel plans or are assisted by your support staff, please read this page.
This page contains Dean Ottino's revisions as of 1/23/08.
Contents
General Notes to consider when making travel arrangements
Travel agencies
Corporate charge card
Conference registration fee
Air travel
Foreign travel
Hotel
Auto rental
Updated 1/23/08: The travel policies reinforce the existing mandates on prudent use of university resources, necessity for itemized, original receipts, and importance of supervisor pre-approval for travel. These revised travel and entertainment policies supersede Dean Ottino's memorandum of May 30th , 2007 and may be reviewed in detail at the following uniform resource locator (URL) sites:
Travel Polies and Procedures: http://www.northwestern.edu/finsys/polcydoc/t&emanual.pdf
Entertainment and Courtesy Guidelines: http://www.northwestern.edu/finsys/polcydoc/e&cguide.pdf
Receipt requirements (revised 1/23/08): Receipts are required for expenses over $40 (up from $25). For expenses under $40, receipts are required and should be obtained whenever possible, but an exception form is not needed for an occasional missing receipt.
What constitutes a proper receipt? A document that includes the last four numbers of your credit card AND your name AND the amount paid. A printed acknowledgement of purchase or flight reservation is not a receipt unless it lists this information.
For reimbursement of travel expense, follow these procedures within 30 days of return.
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NU designated travel agents can directly bill your active grant account. They are able to assist you with all your travel arrangements. There is usually a flat fee charged for the service.
The traveler's Corporate Charge Card should be used to pay for food, lodging, and other reimbursable travel expenses. The Corporate Charge Card is obtained at no charge through the Bursar's Office.
1. Pay with university check from your active grant account
Your Assistant can request that Accounts Payable send a check directly to the conference organizers. Provide an active grant account number, and allow at least three weeks for the check to arrive at the conference organizer. Alternately you can pick up the check at 2020 Ridge and send it to the conference organizer yourself, but allow several days in any case.
or
2. Pay directly with personal check or personal credit card
This expense cannot be reimbursed until travel is completed and proof of attendance at the conference is submitted. (Remember to obtain a conference receipt while at the conference!)
There are two ways to purchase air travel:
1. Direct billing of your active grant account
A Northwestern University designated travel agent can assist you with searching for fares and issue tickets, and will bill your active grant account directly through the university financial system. Review your account for adequate funds to cover the charge. The agent may charge a per-ticket fee of $20-25; check the list of agents for their policies.
Full fare tickets may qualify for a Northwestern University discount of 10 - 20% when purchased through a university designated travel agent.
2. Credit card purchase by individual
Using an online discount booking site (Expedia, Orbitz, studentuniverse.com) or an airline's website (such as United Airlines or American Airlines, etc.) to research the optimum flights, purchase the ticket online using your own credit card or your corporate charge card.
This can be the most economical method of purchasing tickets. However, tickets purchased by this method are not reimbursable until after the travel is completed. (Keep all receipts and boarding passes.)
(new as of 1/23/08)
Business class air travel is now allowed for trips over 12 hours in duration (based on the scheduled initial flight departure time and the final flight arrival time). Traveler may be reimbursed for business class seating from a discretionary account. If traveling on a government-sponsored account, the base rate for economy class travel can be charged to the government-sponsored account, and the extra cost of business class can be charged to a discretionary account, provided that the traveler submits documentation of the two rates (business and economy class), both obtained on the date that the reservation is made.
In addition, supervisor approval before travel begins is necessary, i.e., students approved by advisors, faculty approved by chairs, chairs by dean.
Use US carriers for sponsored accounts. Air travel which ultimately will be reimbursed from federal grant funds (sponsored accounts) must be undertaken on US carriers or their sharing partners. Reimbursement will not be possible otherwise. This does not apply to flights within a country where a US carrier does not operate, nor to reimbursements from non-sponsored grant funds.
Reservation: Hotels require your credit card number to hold the reservation.
Online booking of hotels through discount web sites is the more widely used method for finding hotel values. However, since hotels do not provide a receipt for bookings that are made through Expedia, Orbitz , Priceline , etc., be sure to obtain and print a proper receipt at time of online purchase. A proper receipt is a document that shows your name and the final four digits of credit card number used to make the purchase. Your credit card statement showing this charge is also required.
Maximum rate: According to the revised (1/23/08) University Travel Policy there is no longer a maximum rate for hotels though the NU guidelines call for "reasonably priced, commercial class hotels and motels." "Reasonable" means moderate, not extravagant, with respect to local costs at the destination. Conference site hotels will be reimbursed at actual cost for the prevailing rate of a standard room as documented by the conference literature. It is reasonable to stay in relatively close proximity to meeting sites. However, where there is flexibility of choice, travelers are expected to select moderately priced accommodations. Any separate caps on lodging costs for federal or other sponsored travel remain in effect.
Northwestern University Motor Pool (tel: 7-2188) is handy for regional vehicle rental. Cars/vans can be rented by the day or by the hour and charged directly to your active grant CUFS accouny. On-campus pickup can be arranged. From off campus call 847-467-2188.
National Car Rental (tel: 800-328-4300) is Northwestern University's preferred agency. Use NU's corporate account number to get a special quote and/or to make a reservation. Your staff support person can give you the corporate number. Fuel expenses are reimbursable; mileage is not.
