04.02.04 – Student Travel
Section: Procurement
Area: Travel
I. PURPOSE
This document outlines policy and procedures in connection with university-related student travel, as required by System Administrative Memorandum (SAM) 05.C.03 – Student Travel .
II. POLICY STATEMENT
Students representing the University of Houston may travel on university funds if the trip is for official university business and if applicable university guidelines are followed. Student travel may not be paid from state-appropriated funds. All travel must be reasonable and necessary for carrying out the programs and activities of the University of Houston within budget allocations approved by the responsible senior administrative official. Travel not meeting these criteria or undertaken contrary to these guidelines becomes the obligation of the individual(s) making the unauthorized commitment.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Organized and sponsored activity or event: An organized and sponsored activity or event is an activity or event that is a) initiated, planned and arranged by a University of Houston faculty or staff member, or by the members of a registered student organization and b) endorsed by the university either through providing financial support, or by sending student(s) to participate in it as official representative(s) of the university.
B. Required by a registered student organization: An activity or event is required by a registered student organization when it is mandatory for a member of the student organization to attend or participate in the activity or event in order to maintain their membership status in the student organization.
C. College or division administrator: That person designated as the chief business officer within the college, division, or Athletics Department.
D. Departmental trip coordinator: Functional title separate from the official position title designating that individual within the department sponsoring the student/team travel who is responsible for making travel arrangements, requesting any travel advances, disbursing any advance funds, and documenting and clearing any advances. This person may also participate in the travel. These actions of the departmental trip coordinator are subject to the prior approval of the college or division administrator.
E. Learning Abroad: Travel by individual university students to destinations outside the United States on a university-sponsored or organized credit or non-credit bearing trip.
F. International travel: International travel includes travel to U.S. territories.
G. Athletic travel: Travel by student athletes under the supervision of and coached by the university's Athletics Department.
IV. GENERAL STUDENT TRAVEL PROVISIONS
A. Travel Cards may be used, if appropriate, to directly bill university-related travel expenses in accordance with MAPP 04.02.05 - Travel Card .
B. Travel advances may be obtained to cover out-of-pocket expenses (see Section V).
C. All travel funded by the university requires a travel request, in accordance with MAPP 04.02.01B, which must be completed in the name of the departmental trip coordinator. A Travel Roster must be attached to the travel request.
D. Unless otherwise noted, documentation requirements for a travel expense report are the same as those stated in MAPP 04.02.01B .
E. In no case may a university employee use the name of the University of Houston to make travel arrangements unless the travel is for official university business.
F. Questions regarding travel funded by the university should be referred to Accounts Payable.
V. TRAVEL ADVANCES FOR GROUP STUDENT TRAVEL
A. Travel advances may be issued for group student travel or for employee foreign travel with local funds, in accordance with MAPP 04.02.01B - Travel Paid from Local Funds .
B. In order to obtain a travel advance for group student travel, the department must request the advance when they process a travel request for the employee who participates in the travel. A Travel Roster must be attached to the travel request. The employee must be set up in Concur as a travel advance eligible employee, and the advance request must be submitted to Accounts Payable no later than 10 working days prior to the travel.
C. Whenever possible, the trip coordinator should use travel advance funds to pay travel expenses directly, rather than disbursing funds to individuals.
D. The trip coordinator may distribute an equal amount of cash to travelers for their meals, if travelers eat at different restaurants. Each person who receives cash from the trip coordinator must sign the Travel Advance Disbursement Form or other form that includes the sufficient information acknowledging receipt of funds. If funds are distributed more than once, a separate form must be completed for each disbursement with the date, time, and amount of disbursement noted on the form. The supporting documentation should be provided, indicating that the meal amounts distributed are equal to or less than the actual costs.
E. The trip coordinator is responsible for management and safekeeping of the cash and for returning any balance to the responsible departmental, college, or divisional business manager within five business days of return from the trip. The business manager will ensure that the balance is deposited to the appropriate university cost center and account in accordance with university cash handling guidelines (MAPP 05.01.01).
F. The trip coordinator is responsible for obtaining itemized receipts for all expenses paid by the trip coordinator from the cash advance. It is not necessary to collect receipts when cash advance funds are distributed to students for meal expenses. However, receipts are required for meals paid by the trip coordinator and all other expenses for which receipts are routinely provided.
G. Additional requirements and procedures for requesting and clearing travel advances per MAPP 04.02.01B - Travel Paid from Local Funds must be followed.
VI. LEARNING ABROAD
A. All students traveling internationally for a university-related purpose, regardless of credit or funding, must obtain authorization prior to departure, and they must register their travel following the appropriate application and registration process based on their type of travel, either on approved Learning Abroad programs, or as other university sponsored travel. Application, registration, and approval are determined by the Institute for Global Engagement Student International Travel Policy .
B. For any group international travel, the trip coordinator must complete a Travel Roster for the students and a Travel Request for the trip coordinator and any other employees traveling with the students.
C. The Global Risk and Safety Committee charge and operations are set by the Institute for Global Engagement and the UHS Office of Risk Management.
D. Travel to elevated risk destinations is defined by the Institute for Global Engagement Student International Travel Policy and reviewed for approval by the Global Risk and Safety Committee.
E. International insurance coverage for international travel must be in compliance with SAM 05.C.03 .
F. Athletic travel is not considered Learning Abroad.
VII. SAFETY
Travelers must adhere to SAM 05.C.03 , as well as the Risk Management Student Travel Guidelines.
VIII. DOCUMENTATION
A. Travel Notification for Organized and Sponsored Activities or Events
1. Travel funded by the university and undertaken using a vehicle owned or leased by the university.
Written notification for all student travel organized and sponsored by the University of Houston must be provided by submitting a Travel Roster . The Travel Roster must include the traveler's name, student I.D. number, the name and phone number of an emergency contact person, date(s) of travel, mode of travel, destination, purpose of travel, and a notation indicating that the traveler has signed and submitted a university Release and Indemnification Agreement . The completed Travel Roster must be signed by the dean or director of the university, college or department sponsoring the travel. One copy of the Travel Roster should be kept by the college/department sponsoring the travel and one copy of the Travel Roster should be sent to UHPD Dispatch prior to travel by the department's business administrator.
2. Travel Required by a Registered Student Organization
Written notification for all student travel required by a registered student organization must be provided by submitting a Travel Roster . The Travel Roster must include the traveler's name, student ID number, the name and phone number of an emergency contact person, date(s) of travel, mode of travel, destination, and purpose of travel. The completed Travel Roster must be signed by one of the three registered student organization authorized representatives and submitted to the Center for Student Involvement prior to travel. In addition, travel for a university-related purpose must follow the documentation requirements for Learning Abroad as outlined in section VIII.A.3.
3. Learning Abroad
All students traveling internationally for a university-related purpose, regardless of credit or funding, must register their travel following the appropriate application and registration process based on their type of travel, either on approved Learning Abroad programs, or as other university sponsored travel. Application, registration, and approval are determined by the Institute for Global Engagement Student International Travel Policy .
B. Release and Indemnification Agreement
All students participating in travel that is organized and sponsored by the university must complete a university Release and Indemnification Agreement .
The university Release and Indemnification Agreement must be maintained by the dean or director of the university, college, or department that is sponsoring the travel.
REFERENCES
SAM 05.C.03 – Student Travel
MAPP 04.02.01B - Travel Paid From Local Funds
MAPP 04.02.05 - Travel Card
MAPP 05.01.01 - Cash Handling
Release and Indemnification Agreement
Risk Management Student Travel Guidelines
Travel Advance Disbursement FormTravel Roster
Issued: 05/13/1994
Last Reviewed/Revised: 08/06/2023
Responsible Office(s): Student Affairs; Finance; Global Engagement