faculty-handbook-travel-process

Overview

Travel Process

As soon as you know you are going to travel, submit the online Request for Financial Assistance for Travel Form for full-time faculty and staff or the Request for Financial Assistance for Travel Form for part-time faculty.

Step 1: Please note that the School of Information requires Travel Authorizations to be received 30 days prior to the date of travel for domestic travel, 60 days prior to the date of travel for international travel to non High Hazard areas, and 80 days prior to the date of travel for international travel to High Hazard areas.

Step 2: The Request for Financial Assistance for Travel Form for full-time faculty and staff or the Request for Financial Assistance for Travel Form for part-time faculty is approved (or rejected) by the Director and the traveler and Administrative Analyst are notified.

Step 3: The Administrative Analyst will create an FTS Travel Authorization Request and inform the traveler when they can review/input their travel details.

  • The traveler and the Administrative Analyst will work together to make sure travel details are in order.
  • The traveler must submit a document to substantiate the reason for travel (agenda, schedule, letter of invitation, purpose of business meeting, etc.)
  • If the travel includes personal travel dates, you must indicate which dates are for personal travel.
  • The FTS Travel Authorization is required even if a travel reimbursement request will not be submitted, and expense details must be included.

Step 4: The Administrative Analyst will inform the traveler to submit their Travel Authorization Request at https://fts.sjsu.edu/

  • The traveler must submit the FTS Travel Authorization Request for approval:
    • Domestic Travel – 30 days prior to the travel date.
    • International Travel to non High Hazard areas – 60 days prior to the travel date.
    • International Travel to High Hazard areas – 80 days prior to the date of travel.
  • Approvals for the FTS Travel Authorizations are as follows:
    • Domestic Travel: College of Information, Data and Society Dean.
    • International Travel – Non High Hazard Areas: College of Information, Data and Society Dean, SJSU Provost, SJSU President.
    • International Travel – High Hazard Areas: iSchool Director, College of Information, Data and Society Dean, SJSU Provost, SJSU President, CSU Chancellor.

Step 5: Once the Travel Authorization has been approved, travel arrangements can begin.

  • When making travel arrangements make sure your dates match your approved travel dates.
    • If you change your dates you must submit a justification for the date change/s.
  • If you would like your conference registration prepaid, notify the Administrative Analyst.
  • If you would like your flight booked and prepaid, complete this form.
  • Airfare must be the lowest economy fare available.  Upgrades are not reimbursable.
  • A vehicle may be rented only when renting would be more advantageous to the University than other means of commercial transportation.
    • Rental Car reservations must be done through the University Travel Agent.  Please contact the Administrative Analyst to book reservations.
  • Conference hotels can be booked and prepaid by the Administrative Analyst.
    • If the conference hotels are booked, the traveler must look for another hotel and make their own reservations.
      • The traveler can submit their hotel reservation confirmation to the Administrative Analyst if they want their room prepaid.
    • The maximum hotel nightly rate is $333 excluding taxes.
    • You can request a tax exemption when checking in to most California hotels by submitting a Hotel/Motel Transient Occupancy Tax Waiver.
  • The Administrative Analyst goes through Fell Travel to arrange most travel.

Step 6: Travel arrangements are finalized.

Step 7: Travel takes place. Keep all of your receipts.

Step 8: Once travel has taken place, all receipts must be submitted to the Administrative Analyst so that a reimbursement can be submitted. This should be done within 30 days of the conclusion of travel. If the receipts are received after 30 days of the conclusion of travel, the traveler must attach a justification explaining why they were not submitted in a timely fashion, it will then be up to the Director to approve or deny the reimbursement.

  • Use the Travel Reimbursement Receipts Log to organize your receipts.
  • If the receipt is vague, provide an explanation.
  • Receipts can be scanned and emailed or mailed, dropped off to the Administrative Analyst.
  • Please note, per CSU and SJSU policies, SJSU reimburses travel at the cheapest rate possible for travel.

Step 9: The Administrative Analyst will complete the FTS Travel Reimbursement Request and upload supporting documents and receipts.

Step 10: The Administrative Analyst will inform the traveler to submit their Travel Reimbursement Request at https://fts.sjsu.edu/

  • Approvals for the FTS Travel Reimbursements are as follows:
    • Domestic Travel: College of Information, Data and Society Dean.
    • International Travel: College of Information, Data and Society Dean, SJSU Provost, SJSU President.

Step 11: Once the FTS Travel Reimbursement Request has been approved, the data will feed in to PeopleSoft Finance and a reimbursement will be issued by Payment Services.

  • A check will be issued and mailed to your address unless you have submitted an Employee Reimbursement Direct Deposit Authorization form to Payment Services.

If you have any questions, please contact Administrative Analyst Roffna Principe.