Travel (cont'd)

At least three weeks before travel departure date, the traveler must contact the department business office and submit the following (contact your department business office as departmental deadlines may be more restrictive):
- Travel Request Details. This may include any forms required by the department in order to obtain trip details, reimbursement information, and cost center information.
- Trip Itinerary showing coach airfare amount to be paid on UH funds. The cost of business or first-class airfare or the cost to upgrade will not be covered by UH funding source, but can be paid for by a third party or out of pocket.
- Letter of invitation, seminar notice, or document showing the need to travel.
- A Foreign Travel Specific Statement Addendum form, which describes the need for the trip and the benefit to the university.
Within 60 days after the trip, submit to the business office the following:
- Itemized Receipts.
- Agenda and Trip Report that describes the activities and meetings, including those individuals attending, and how the trip was beneficial for the University.
- Any other forms required by the department, such as a Reimbursement Request form.
- NOTE: in accordance with MAPP 04.02.01B, all reimbursement requests submitted to the department business office after the 60-day deadline may not be forwarded to Accounts Payable for reimbursement unless approved by the appropriate division vice president. Your Department will need to submit a Policy Exception request form to request this approval. In addition, reimbursements submitted after the deadline will be treated as taxable income.

The Department Business Office must process the travel request, ensuring all required documents are provided.

At least two weeks (10 business days) before the travel, send to the College the following:
- A complete travel request packet, which includes the signed Travel Request and all supporting documents as required by policy and as indicated in the NSM Foreign Travel Checklist.
- TR file name must be the same as TR name.
- NSM Foreign Travel checklist. Submit as a separate document from the packet.
- Email both (TR packet and the checklist) to travel@email.nsm.uh.edu.
  - In the subject line of the email, include the following: TravelerLastName-Country traveling to-DepartureDate. Example: Doe-Spain-05/03/14.
- See section below regarding late submission of travel requests.
Set up three email alerts or calendar reminders in your Outlook (or similar) program:
- 3-5 days before the trip begins - confirm that all required approvals have been obtained and are on file.
- Two days after the trip end date – email reminder to traveler to turn in receipt(s), agenda, and trip report.
- 45 days after the trip end date – verify that reimbursement, if any, was submitted to AP.
Upon return from the trip:
- Obtain all required receipts and documentation and submit the traveler’s reimbursement voucher.
- The trip report must be submitted to the appropriate vice president.

The College will process the Travel Request as follows:

Review the documents and route to the appropriate office for additional required approvals. The approval path for Travel Requests is as follows:
- Department - College - Office of Contracts and Grants (when travel is paid from a federal grant or if the traveler is a PI with a federal grant) - Academic Budgets/Provost Central Business Office.
The College typically receives the final approval and will forward it to the Department Business Office.

Late Travel Requests

Travel requests must be submitted to the college at least 10 business days prior to the trip. Requests submitted 2 weeks (10 business days) before the trip may not be forwarded to the Provost without a justification memo from the department and signed by the dean. The memo should come from the Department Business Administrator (DBA). See Late Travel Request memo sample.
Travel requests that are submitted late have no guarantee of approval.
If the travel request is not approved by all required approvers prior to the trip start date, the request is out of compliance with university policies (MAPP 04.02.01A&B) and a Policy Exception Memo is required. The Policy Exception Memo, located on the Finance Forms website, should be completed and submitted with the travel reimbursement voucher.

Late Travel Reimbursements

In accordance with MAPP 04.02.01B, all reimbursement requests submitted to the department business office after the 60-day deadline may not be forwarded to Accounts Payable for reimbursement unless approved by the appropriate division vice president. The department will need to submit a Policy Exception Memo to obtain this approval. In addition, reimbursements submitted after the deadline will be treated as taxable income.