Air Travel

If airfare ticket was charged to NMSU or if ticket was paid by employee and already reimbursed, check the appropriate box on the Reimbursement Voucher but do not extend ticket cost into the amount column. If airfare ticket was paid by employee and reimbursement if now being claimed, check the appropriate box and extend the ticket cost into the amount column.

Mileage To/From Airports
Allowable round trip mileage to local airports are:

• Las Cruces 25 miles
• El Paso 100 miles

When a vehicle is not left at the airport two round trips are allowed.

Overnight Parking
If a vehicle is left at the airport one round trip is allowed and parking fees, supported by receipts. Rental cars and limos used as transportation to the El Paso airport must be reasonable.

5C.10.20

Official Vehicle

University gasoline credit cards are available through the Travel Office for use when traveling in official vehicles. No reimbursement for mileage is allowed if a University gasoline credit card is used or if a Motor Pool (http://www.ppd.nmsu.edu//vehicles/index.html) vehicle is used.

5C.10.25

Rental Car

Cost of rental car plus gasoline purchases from personal funds will be reimbursed if supported by receipts. Refer to subsection 5C.05.25 for additional car rental information.

5C.10.30

Statement of Other Expenses Itemized

Receipts are required for all expenses listed in the Statement of Other Expenses portion of the Reimbursement Voucher, except for any un-receipted expenses claimed (subsection 5C.10.35). Employees' non-official or personal activities and expenses related to guests of the employee cannot be reimbursed. Personal expenses such as laundry, dry cleaning, movie rentals, and personal telephone calls are not allowable. All expenses directly related to out-of-country travel, such as visas or medications required for the trip, are reimbursable.

Traveling For A Minimum of Ten Consecutive Days And Maximum of One Month
Employees traveling for a minimum of ten consecutive days and a maximum of one month, will be allowed reimbursement for laundry and dry cleaning expenses.

5C.10.35

Un-receipted Expenses

Tips, transportation expenses within the city of destination (such as taxi or shuttle), parking fees, and other miscellaneous expenses related to travel, may be reimbursed up to the greater of $30.00 per trip or $6.00 per day without receipts. If itemized and justified by the traveler, miscellaneous expenses up to $100.00 in total, will be reimbursed without receipts. Meals, tips on meals and transportation costs to or from the city of destination cannot be claimed as miscellaneous un-receipted expenses.

5C.20

STUDENT TEAM TRAVEL

The following team travel policies and procedures are for all official University sponsored groups of students enrolled at NMSU at the time of the trip or other NMSU sponsored groups considered to be potential students.

5C.20.05

Pre-Trip Requirements (Optional)

Business and Finance does not require completion of travel authorization forms. However, it is strongly encouraged for the benefit of the travelers and sponsors, that a Team Travel Authorization be submitted to the Travel Office prior to departure for all student team travel. Team sponsors or other NMSU employees traveling with the team may elect to include their lodging and other expenses in a block team rate. Those who elect to do so will be subject to all team travel procedures and will not be eligible for per diem reimbursement. These sponsors/employees should include themselves as part of the student team's authorization request. If not included with the student team's authorization, employees should follow travel procedures contained in Section 5C.10.

Authorization Number: The Travel Office will assign each authorization a unique number. The original and one copy of the authorization form will be returned to the traveler's department. The authorization number may be used to direct bill airfare to NMSU (subsection 5C.05.20) and should be referenced on all subsequent documents. If a trip is canceled, return the original travel authorization marked "CANCELED".

5C.20.10

Travel Authorization Requirements

Estimated Cost of Meals
Student teams may elect to claim reimbursement of meals in one of the following three ways:

1. Actual meal costs, as long as the actual meals costs are less than the allowable per meal per diem for the destination, and receipts for actual meal costs are submitted.
2. Per diem, as long as form signed by the student or staff receiving per diem evidencing receipt of the per diem amount is submitted.
3. A combination of actual meal costs and per diem.

The total allowable reimbursement for meals [whether receipted, reimbursed through per diem or a combination of receipted and per diem] is based on destination and cannot exceed in total the CONUS per diem rate allowed per destination for each day of travel.  (Appendix 5C-B) If the city or county destination is not listed, the standard CONUS meal rate of $39.00 per day must be used.  For partial day travel, either when overnight travel is not required or when if follows a twenty-four (24) hour overnight travel, the schedule provided in subsection 5C.05.60 applies.

Estimated Departure and Return Dates
These dates will be used to estimate cost for meals and lodging. A registration brochure or other document which states meeting dates and places must be attached as support. Departure and return dates must be based on the best available commercial flight.

Estimated Cost of Lodging
Per diem for lodging is not allowed.

Estimated Cost of Meals
Student teams may claim actual meal costs or receive per diem amounts. Reimbursement for meal per diem is based on destination (Appendix 5C-B) and cannot exceed $45.00. If the city or county destination is not listed, the standard meal rate of $30.00 per day must be used. For partial day travel, either when overnight travel is not required or when it follows a twenty-four (24) hour overnight travel, the schedule provided in subsection 5C.05.60 applies.

Transportation Cost
Transportation cost is limited to the lessor of:

• Mileage based on the number of miles to and from the destinations listed in the Rand McNally Standard Mileage Guide and official business mileage at the destination
  or
  
• Coach airfare plus one round trip to the airport (100 miles), airport parking, and estimated rental car cost at destination (if approved by the Dean/Director).

NOTE: If airline tickets are to be charged to NMSU, please indicate the travel agency from which the tickets are being purchased.

Cash Advances
Cash advances for student teams are available through the Travel Office. Please contact the Travel Office at 646-7236 for more information. Cash advances are disbursed from a fund specifically created for that purpose. Upon completion of a trip and receipt of the Reimbursement Voucher, the Travel Office will automatically charge travel expenses to the department and clear the travel advance fund. Cash advances may not be issued earlier than five (5) working days before the departure date and must be cleared within five (5) working days upon return from travel when possible. If circumstances require additional time to clear advances, the Travel Office should be notified and alternative arrangements made. Lost or stolen advances are considered a personal loss and must be repaid by the employee/sponsor requesting the cash advance.

The following regulations apply to student team cash advances obtained from the Travel Office:

• Advance payment of up to 100% of total estimated team lodging and meals is allowedonly if all meals and lodging will be paid out of the advanced funds.
• Cash advances for trips where arrangements are made to have some expenses direct billed or paid through a Purchase Order cannot exceed the balance left of the total allowable for the trip.  [100% of total estimated team lodging and meals less expenses paid on a Direct Pay/Purchase Order]
• Per diem for sponsor/employee who elect not to be included as part of the team may not be commingled with the team expenses in calculating the advance.
• Approved Team Travel Authorization is required.

Only lodging and meal expenses for student team members and related staff can be paid for out of a team travel advance.  Itemized meal receipts and lodging receipts by room number and occupant should be retained by the employee team sponsor receiving the advanced funds.  Meals do not require receipts if team members sign each day for receipt of a cash meal allowance, not to exceed the daily meal rate per day per person for the city of destination.  All required receipts and signature lists should be submitted in the team travel envelope provided by the Travel Office.

• Tips and/or gratuities related to travel such as bellhop, laundry, bus drivers, and maid service may be reimbursed up to the greater of $30.00 per trip or $6.00 per day without receipts.  Tips and/or gratuities exceeding these limits will require a receipt, which must be signed and dated by the recipient and witnessed by a member  of the travel party.
• Meal tips (including automatic gratuities) must be receipted and cannot exceed 25% of the meal cost.
• If itemized and justified by the traveler, miscellaneous travel related expenses up to $100.00 in total, will be reimbursed without receipts.  Meals, tips on meals, and other gratuities cannot be claimed as miscellaneous un-receipted expenses.

Check Requests: Advances are payable only to team sponsors on a Team Travel Advance Request form. The Team Travel Advance Request form should indicate the authorization number and the date the advance is required. The sponsor must sign the request as payee. Lost or stolen advances are considered a personal loss and must be repaid by the employee who received the original advance.

5C.20.15

Filing for Student Team Travel Reimbursements

Within five working days after completion of a trip, the student team sponsor should prepare and submit a Reimbursement Voucher and clear all cash advances by providing required receipts and signature lists for expenses incurred. A copy of the deposit slip is required for any cash advance funds not used during the trip. See subsection 5C.20.20 for details regarding depositing funds. Claims for reimbursement payable to individual team members will require the approval of the Director of Financial Operations.

The employee team sponsor is responsible for the accountability of all team expenses and any cash advances issued by the Travel Office. The travel expenses of sponsors not considered as part of the team should not be commingled with expense of the team. Under no circumstances shall the travel advance cover expenses for anyone other than the traveling team.

5C.20.20

Reimbursement Voucher Instructions and Form Procedures

All Reimbursement Vouchers must be complete and comply with the following:

Statement of Per Diem
In lieu of standard per diem rates paid to each team member, team lodging will be reimbursed at actual cost if supported by itemized lodging receipts, and meals will be reimbursed up to the limit specified in Appendix 5C-B for the city or county of destination. Team members must sign each day for receipt of a meal allowance or receipts must be provided if actual meal costs are claimed.

Cash Advances: If a cash advance was issued, submit all required receipts and signature sheets. Cash remaining after the trip should be deposited at Accounts Receivable and should be deposited to Index (FOPAL) 110793 and the account code 721100, not the departmental account. The cashiers receipt should indicate the sponsor name and authorization number (if used). Attach all receipts and signature sheets to the Reimbursement Voucher. All cash advances should be cleared within five(5) working days upon return from travel.  If circumstances require additional time to clear advances, the Travel Office should be notified and alternative arrangements made.

Statement of Transportation
The method of transportation must be indicated on the voucher. Reimbursement for transportation cost is limited to the lesser of mileage based on the number of miles to and from the destinations listed in the Rand McNally Standard Mileage Guide and official business mileage at the destination or coach airfare plus one round trip to the airport (100 miles), airport parking, and estimated rental car cost at destination (if approved by the Dean/Director). No reimbursement can be claimed for use of an official University vehicle. For rental car expenses refer to subsection 5C.05.25.

Itemized Statement of Other Expenses
All other non-per diem expenses will be reimbursed as discussed in subsection 5C.10.