Introduction

Intercollegiate athletic team and other student group travel is reimbursed based on the University’s out-of-state travel regulations regardless of whether the travel is in-state or out-of-state. For each intercollegiate team that travels, the Athletic Department is responsible for designating a coach or other staff member as the responsible party for submitting travel documents for each trip. For other student groups, a faculty or staff sponsor must be responsible for submitting travel forms.

For any team and other student group travel involving students outside the United States, the responsible coach or faculty/staff representative much contact the USA Office of International Education (OIE) and the Dean of Students PRIOR to making such plans. Prior approval through the appropriate administrative units (including risk management), deans and appropriate Vice-President with OIE review is required for all such international travel.  For International Travel involving USA students on USA Sponsored or Academic Programs, please refer to the International (Foreign) Travel section of this document.

Team Travel Cards

In order to facilitate intercollegiate athletic team travel while providing for the maximum institutional control over funds, the University has established the team travel card to be used by intercollegiate athletic teams when they travel to away athletic events. Such cards are available for coaches and staff as deemed necessary by the Athletic Business Office (ABO).

Up to three weeks prior to an event, coaches or administrators responsible for each event must complete a USA Team/Student Group Travel Advance Form. This form must be approved by the head coach and Athletic Director and submitted to the ABO. The ABO reviews the advance form, determining the amount of credit and cash withdrawal limits required for the trip, and assigns a team travel card for the trip. The ABO then transfers the appropriate funds to the card.

Once the trip is complete, the responsible person should return the card to the ABO and prepares the team travel from (Exhibit P) along with appropriate documentation.  The ABO then reconciles the Team Travel Form to the actual funds used to ensure that all fund withdrawals are appropriate and documented.

Athletic Team Per Diem Cards

The team travel party, which is defined by the athletic director, for intercollegiate events are provided per diem cards to use to pay for meals while traveling. Each member is issued a per diem card, which is ‘loaded’ for each trip taken by the team in which they participate. Once the responsible person for each trip submits a completed and approved travel advance form and per diem request form, the individual amounts are loaded onto the per diem card by the ABO.

Travel Advances

Travel advances may be requested for team or other student group travel. In order to receive a travel advance, the responsible person should estimate the total cash expenses of the trip using the USA Team and Student Group Travel Advance form (Exhibit K). The following information is required:

• Name of team or other student group
• Purpose of trip
• Departure date
• Anticipated return date
• Date that funds are needed
• If the travel is for intercollegiate athletics, an estimate of the traveling party to include the number of coaches, student-athletes, trainers, Athletic department administrative personnel and others.
• If the travel is for other student groups, an estimate of the traveling party to include the number of students, faculty and staff.
• Description of the mode of transportation and how that transportation will be paid.
• Estimated hotel costs (including number of rooms and cost per room) and how those costs will be paid
• Estimated group meals (do not include any funds paid directly to players for individual meals) and how those costs will be paid.
• Any other anticipated cash expense anticipated but not previously noted.

Once completed, the USA Team and Student Group Travel Advance form should be signed and attached to a completed, approved direct pay form. The form should then be submitted to the Travel Office for processing.

Reconciliation of Travel Advance to Actual Cash Expenses

Following the trip, a University travel reimbursement form should be prepared detailing all actual expenses of the team/group travel. Receipts and other documentation, as required by the University’s Travel Regulations should be obtained and attached to the travel form. Once completed, a Team/Student Group Cash Advance Reconciliation Form (Exhibit L) should be prepared. This forms list actual expenses as documented on the travel form, the initial cash advance and either the amount of additional reimbursement due to the coach/sponsor or the amount of the advance that must be returned to the University. The original travel reimbursement form with all applicable receipts and a copy of the approval travel advance form should be attached to the reconciliation and all documents should then be submitted to the Business Office for processing.