Business Office
Travel Procedures
The University pays for approved business travel expenses per Policy 658. Travel payments may be authorized for the following:
- Travel necessary for the execution of official University business, including educational and research objectives
- Travel to meetings and conferences, which increase the attending employee’s usefulness to the University
Per Policy 658, “All travel must be consistent with the educational, research, and professional needs of MTSU. Employees must conduct all travel with integrity, in compliance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures, and in a manner that excludes considerations of personal advantage. Employees must exercise good judgment and conduct all aspects of travel in a cost-efficient manner.”
All travel must be conducted “in compliance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures, and in a manner that excludes considerations of personal advantage. Employees must exercise good judgment and conduct all aspects of travel in a cost-efficient manner.”
The following sections include helpful information and instructions about the travel payment systems.
The following links provide instructions on properly authorizing travel and submitting expense reports via Chrome River and Dynamic Forms. Frequently asked travel questions may be answered below.
- Lowest available standard airfare
- Lodging rates at the amount allowed per Policy 658 or CONUS rates
- Higher rates on lodging at the location of a convention or conference are reimbursable ONLY IF supported by a conference brochure (recommend always attaching brochure to Travel Authorization Form)
- In-state travel meals paid in accordance with MTSU Travel Policy
- Out-of-state travel meals per M&I CONUS rate
- Automobile rental at destination
- Gas for rental car (No prepaid gas receipts accepted)
- Reasonable limousine and taxi service allowed when practical and necessary
- When the personal automobile is used by the employee for convenience on a work-related trip, a more comprehensive review of all costs of flying versus driving must be considered, and the employee must submit supporting documentation to substantiate the claim for mileage; the lowest expense, automobile mileage vs airfare, will be reimbursed. Personal mileage is reimbursed at the IRS-approved rate.
- Basic registration fees to attend a convention or conference
- Baggage fees allowed when necessary (receipt required)
- VISA if permission is required by the government of the foreign country in order to visit for business purposes
- Telephone/internet expense when used for business purposes
- Necessary charges for hotel and airport parking
- Handling fees of equipment or promotional materials
- Parking at the BNA airport is reimbursable at the economy rate
- Personal entertainment expenses including tours, in-flight movies, headsets, books, magazines, newspapers, health club fees, hotel pay-per-view movies, in room refrigerators, greens fees, social activities, honor bar charges, etc.
- Incremental travel costs including airfare (e.g., airfare higher than the Wanna Get Away rate for Southwest), early bird check-in, etc.
- Late fees related to personal credit cards
- Traffic fines, court costs, parking violations, and auto repairs
- Over-the-counter medicine or prescription medicines
- Vaccinations/immunizations not required
- Airline club fees
- Fees charged by any travel agent who is NOT our contracted agent
- Passports (issued for 10 years) are considered a personal expense
- Books, supplies, postage, and other items that do not constitute actual traveling expense
- Alcohol
A Travel Authorization Request Form is only needed for in-state travel where the P-Card is necessary or for group travel. Please see the “Group Travel” section below. The Travel Authorization Request Form is unnecessary when there is no advance notice of the circumstances that require the travel, and such travel is approved orally by the appropriate approving authority.
All employees should obtain prior written authorization for out-of-state travel by the employee’s appropriate approving authority. The employee should submit a Travel Authorization Request Form or a Chrome River with the employee’s name, travel purpose, date of departure and return, destination, mode(s) of transportation, estimated expenses, and availability of funds.
Travel to destinations outside of the continental United States requires authorization from the traveler’s supervisor, Dean or Assistant Vice President, Vice President, and President of the University. The Travel Authorization form must be completed and must include the employee’s name, travel purpose, date of departure and return, destination, mode(s) of transportation, estimated expenses, and availability of funds. In addition to those, an itinerary is also needed, which can be placed in the special handling instructions.
- Will the University reimburse passport application fees and photographs?
No. Passports are personal in nature and are good for ten years. The University views the business related expense as minimal in comparison to the personal benefit. - Will the University reimburse VISA expenses related to foreign country travel?
Yes. VISAs are country-specific documents that authorize individuals to enter foreign territories within specified time constraints. The University deems VISA requirements as a necessary business expense relative to the business trip. - The University has verbally approved my out-of-country travel; now what should I do?
A Travel Authorization Request (TA) form should be completed with a memorandum explaining the business purpose of the travel attached. The TA and memorandum must be signed by your chain of command, including approval from the President. - May I receive an advance for my international travel?
An amount equal to 80% of estimated expenditures will be allowed as an advance when traveling international. Students traveling under individual authorizations or an employee who is responsible for disbursing all funds for student travel may be advanced 100% of the authorization. If you receive an advance, the University creates an accounts receivable in your name. The total amount advanced must be accounted for by submitting appropriate supporting documentation of the expense with the travel claim. No advance should exceed actual expenses; however, should this happen, the excess money must be returned immediately by the employee to the Business Office for deposit as a credit against the advanced receivable on your account. A duplicate copy of the receipt must be attached to the travel claim to show the returned funds. - Will a boarding pass serve as proof of airfare purchase?
No. A boarding pass is not sufficient documentation for an airline ticket. A paid receipt must be submitted with the travel claim for reimbursement of airfare. - Will the University reimburse for vaccinations “recommended” by the U.S. State Department CDC when traveling to certain countries?
No. The University reimburses only those business expenses required for the trip. If the vaccination is not required for entering a foreign country or territory, the cost is viewed to be a personal expense. - When traveling out-of-country, what amount may be reimbursed for meals and incidental expenses?
Out-of-country meals are reimbursed at actual expenses with receipts. If no receipts are provided, the maximum rate will be the maximum CONUS rate for out-of-state travel. Regardless of the method utilized, the maximum reimbursable daily per diem rate is the highest CONUS rate for out-of-state travel. Employees/travelers should use one method or the other, the reimbursement method should not be mixed. Refer to MTSU Travel Policy for Standard Out-of-Country Rates. - Can money be wired to foreign vendors for making deposits on travel arrangements?
Yes. To make payment to foreign vendors, specific wiring instructions must be obtained. To assist in obtaining the correct information, an International Transfer Instructions form may be completed. Also, for IRS purposes, the vendor will need to provide a W8-BEN-E, or possibly a W-9 if they have a U.S. presence, before the payment can be wired. - When traveling out-of-country, how should foreign language and currency receipts be documented on the travel claim for reimbursement?
To ensure a quicker turnaround of your claim, vendor receipts printed in a foreign language must be translated to English before submitting for reimbursement. A helpful tool for doing so is Google Translate.
Fluctuating exchange rates make reimbursement for foreign travel somewhat complex. Hotel and dining bills paid with a credit card will be charged in the foreign country’s currency and the credit card company will convert the bill to US dollars. To ensure accurate and fair reimbursement, a copy of the credit card statement in US dollars should be submitted with the request for reimbursement, in addition to the original receipt in the foreign currency. If payment is in cash, a receipt showing the amount spent and items purchased must accompany the claim form. These amounts should be converted to US dollars by using one of the following websites: OANDACurrency Converter or XE Travel Expense Calculator. - What is the recommended method of tracking business travel expenses?
Per policy, the travel claim “form must show movement and detail of expenses on a daily basis (MTSU Travel Policy).” It is strongly recommended during your trip abroad, tracking daily expenses by utilizing an Expense Log in a PDF document or an Excel spreadsheet or the Travel Expenses Claim form. Also, receipts must be stored in a manner to protect them from loss or damage. Taking these steps will make compiling your claim for submission easier and assist the travel clerk during the review process for quicker reimbursement. Accounting Services will assist in preparing you for this process. - An external funding agency has granted an award to the University that requires payment to workers in a foreign country in order to accomplish the grant objective. What procedures and documentation is needed in order to pay the foreign workers?
When a granting agency provides an award that requires payment to workers in a foreign country in order to accomplish a research initiative, please contact Accounting Services to discuss available options.
Per Travel Policy 658, group travel is defined as “a group traveling as a single unit that does not consist entirely of university personnel.” There must be a group of students traveling as a single unit. For team or group travel (athletics, band, debate, etc.), a list of those persons expected to travel in the group must be attached to the travel authorization, and a signed list of actual participants must be attached to the claim.
When booking individual rooms for an event, a department must contact the hotel to make arrangements for direct billing at the state rate. For local lodging, a department must communicate with a hotel accounting representative for required documentation. After providing the rooms, the hotel must email an invoice to responsible parties and copy invoice@mtsu.edu. See further explanation here. To initiate payment to the hotel, the department must complete the Travel Vendor Payment Authorization and attach the invoice to the form.
The following local hotels have previously arranged direct billing with MTSU:
- Comfort Suites: M01048759
- Courtyard by Marriott: M01561042
- Doubletree: M00999512
- Fairfield Inn: M01002624
- Hampton Inn: M00004197
- Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville Airport: M01177949
- Hilton Garden Inn: M01327156
- Holiday Inn: M00001702
- Holiday Inn Express: M00146580
- Home2Suites by Hilton: M01446856
- Hyatt Place Murfreesboro: M01572254
- Murfreesboro Embassy Suites: M01578078
- Residence Inn: M01426264
- Sleep Inn: M01483128
- Tru by Hilton: M01504606
When booking a block of rooms for an event, a department must complete a contract and a purchase order. Upon completion of the services, departments have the following options as authorized:
- The hotel must email an invoice that references the purchase order number to responsible parties and copy invoice@mtsu.edu. Departments must receipt the invoice on the purchase order in MT$ource to authorize payment.
- The department may pay the hotel folio with a purchasing card if authorized.
Faculty and staff may only use P-Cards to pay basic registration fees and required advance airline payments (coach fair with no early check-in). Employees may not use P-Cards for expenses incurred during actual travel time except in instances of team/group travel. Also, faculty and staff must not use P-Cards when booking flights with MTSU’s contracted travel agent.
To use the P-Card for travel, travelers must list the specific expenses on an approved Travel Authorization Request. Employees may only use the P-Card for allowable P-Card purchases.
Employees must record all trip expenses (including P-Card transactions) and attach all itemized receipts on the Travel Expenses Claim form to report the total cost of the trip. Departments must retain all P-Card receipts in their files per the University Purchasing Card policy 632.
The University reimburses meals and incidental expenses based on receipts or a per diem basis. Incidental expenses include fees and tips given to baggage carriers, bellhops, hotel maids, taxi drivers, etc. The traveler is expected to budget according to the CONUS per diem rate. Expenses incurred above this rate are considered personal expenses.
The University may not reimburse alcohol purchases from a University fund. The MTSU Foundation may reimburse alcohol for approved business purposes.
In State Travel
Travelers may not claim per diem for travel without an overnight stay unless the same-day travel exceeds twelve (12) hours. When travel exceeds this duration, travelers may request reimbursement for actual receipts up to three-fourths (3/4) of the applicable M&I per diem.
Out-of-State Travel
The maximum per diem rates include a fixed allowance for meals and incidental expenses (M&I). The M&I rate, or fraction thereof, is payable to the employee/traveler without itemization of expenses or receipts. Meals can also be reimbursed at actual expenses if itemized receipts are given. If no receipts are provided, the rate will be the CONUS rate of travel to the destination.
Travel Outside the Continental United States
For Out-of-Country travel, the maximum per diem rate is the highest Out-of-State CONUS rate. The University may also reimburse Out-of-Country meals and incidental expenses with itemized receipts. Please note that the reimbursement rate for actual receipts is capped at the maximum Out-of-State CONUS rate.
The University reimburses meals and incidental expenses at 75% of the approved CONUS rate for the day of departure and the travel return date.
- The University will reimburse up to the maximum conference rate for individual travel to a conference, given that proper documentation is attached to the travel authorization/claim.
- For individuals traveling and not attending a conference, the University will reimburse the CONUS rate plus any lodging taxes.
- The University reimburses group travel and international lodging at cost per the guidelines outlined in Policy 658.
The use of air travel is recommended when time is an important factor or when the trip is so long that other methods of travel would increase the subsistence expense. The University reimburses airfare at the economy base rate (Southwest Airlines “Wanna Get Away” rate or competitor airline equivalent). MTSU reimburses the cost of one checked bag. The employee is responsible for documenting the comparison of the standard mileage rate cost to airfare or other common carrier modes for the travel dates and submitting the claim for reimbursement.
Personal Vehicle: Use of a personally owned automobile must be authorized. The authorized mileage allowance rate, approved by the Department of Finance and Administration, includes all operating expenses such as gas, oil, and repairs, precluding any separate claim for such items. Employees may use reputable websites to determine point-to-point and/or vicinity mileage. The travel claim must include printed support of the mileage from the website. When an employee uses a personal vehicle, the University reimburses at the IRS-approved mileage rate. The employee is responsible for documenting the comparison of the standard mileage rate cost to airfare or other common carrier modes for the travel dates and submitting the claim for reimbursement.
Commuter Mileage. Procedures for calculating mileage are based on the fact that the University is prohibited from reimbursing employees for normal commuting mileage.
- If an employee begins or ends a trip at his/her official station, reimbursable mileage will be the mileage from the official station to the destination.
- If work is performed by an employee in route to or from his/her official station, reimbursable mileage is computed by deducting the employee’s normal commuting mileage from the actual mileage driven.
- If an employee begins or ends his/her trip at his/her residence, without stopping at his/her official station, reimbursable mileage will be the lesser of the mileage from the employee’s residence to his/her destination or his/her official station to the destination. On weekends and holidays, the employee may typically be reimbursed for actual mileage from his/her residence to the destination.
- If an employee travels between destinations, without returning to his/her official station or his/her residence, reimbursable mileage is the actual mileage between those destinations.
Rental Vehicle: Charges for automobile rental shall be allowed whenever it is more economical than alternative transportation methods or if it is the only practical means of transportation. Charges for insurance for rented automobiles are not reimbursable. The State of Tennessee is self-insured and does not purchase separate insurance, and therefore, will not reimburse for insurance purchases made for rental vehicles. Whenever possible, employees should refuel before returning vehicles.
Vehicles rented through Enterprise/National are eligible for direct payment by the University. Instructions for procuring an Enterprise/National Rental car are located here. Renting from any other company must be approved for reimbursement via the travel authorization step. The University may reimburse rental vehicle fuel when the employee submits a receipt showing the amount paid and the number of gallons pumped.
Taxi/Ride-Share Services: After arrival at destination, necessary taxi fares for traveling between hotel/lodging and meeting/conference will be allowed. No receipt is required for reimbursement of reasonable taxi fares.
Motor Pool: If you use Motor Pool services, you should note this in the Travel Authorization description.
The University reimburses Nashville BNA parking at the BNA Economy parking rate. When traveling outside of Nashville, travelers should pursue economy-rate parking options.
Contact Information
Email:
Address:
Cope Administration Building,
Room #103
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN 37132