January 2011, Issue 1
Student Affairs Colleagues:
As a result of the questions you’ve sent us, below is some information and additional clarification from Financial Affairs staff about updated and amended travel and reimbursement policies. As in the past, should you have questions, please email me and I will compose a centralized list to send to Financial Affairs staff (this minimizes emails to Financial Affairs staff and enables me to share the responses with you all, thus streamlining the process for everyone).
We know there may be additional questions and there may be situations that are not fully addressed with the information provided here, so we appreciate your patience as we work through these. Please keep in mind that some of the changes are a result of changes at the Federal (including IRS) and State levels. As with all processes, key factors are to remain fair to the traveler yet minimize and contain expenses to the University.
Additionally, we know there are still many pending questions about the implementation of the new Citibank cards and the phase-out of the existing Chase cards. As soon as we have additional information and clarification from Financial Affairs with answers to your questions about that, I will send out a separate email. I anticipate receiving this information by next week.
Mileage Rate
· For personal vehicle travel occurring through 12.31.10, the mileage rate is $0.50 per mile.
· For personal vehicle travel occurring beginning 01.01.11, the mileage rate is $0.51 per mile.
· Per IRS release IR-2010-119, other rates ($0.19 per mile) apply for moving purposes. Please verify current rates before processing those reimbursements.
· Mapquest (www.mapquest.com
· For local (travel within Bexar County) mileage without an RTA, mileage reimbursement must be paid through Fiscal Services by completing the Mileage/Parking Log for Travel Reimbursement form: http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/forms/details.cfm?form_number=109
o Per Financial Affairs staff, the Petty Cash Reimbursement form and a Mapquest print-out are no longer needed along with the above form, thus reducing paperwork.
o VP2s for these local mileage reimbursements should no longer be processed.
o Please note there is no longer a $50.00 petty cash limit for local mileage reimbursements.
Mileage to and from the Airport
· Work-day travel mileage to/from SAT airport is to be calculated from UTSA. The underlying assumption is that the employee would have had to drive to work anyway, therefore, the number of reimbursable miles may not exceed the number of miles of the most cost-effective, reasonably safe route between the duty point (work location) and the airport.
· Weekend travel mileage to/from SAT airport is to be calculated from the traveler’s home location.
· Exceptions / unique scenarios (traveler will be flying from AUS airport, traveler lives closer to SAT airport than the distance of UTSA to the airport, etc.) will be calculated in a manner that provides the least cost to UTSA in accordance with state guidelines and IRS reimbursement allowances. This calculation will need to be documented on the reimbursement vouchers (e.g. Traveler lives in New Braunfels and it is less mileage for the traveler to travel from home to SAT than from UTSA to SAT.) There is a new travel reimbursement form that is forthcoming which should hopefully make this process easier and more clear.
Reimbursement Rates
We must follow the State Comptroller and use the GSA rate (www.gsa.gov
Meal Per Diem Rates
Per GSA procedures, on outbound and return travel days, 75% of the meal per diem rate (minus included meals or meals that are excluded because of departure/return times) is to be used.
Example: Bob will go to Atlanta for a four-day, three night conference where no meals are included. Bob’s departure from SAT airport is 6am on Day 1 and his return to SAT is 8:40pm on Day 4. Day 1’s meal per diem is calculated at 75% of the published GSA rate for the destination (in this case, Atlanta). Day 2 and Day 3 are 100% meal per diem (since no meals are included). Day 4’s meal per diem is calculated at 75%. Had any meals been included, or had Bob’s return been, say, at noon, then those deductions would need to be made based on the appropriate rates on the GSA rate tables.
Future Updates
It is our understanding that further communication about these procedures will be forthcoming from Financial Affairs staff. As has been our practice, Jackie and I will send email updates to you and we will continue to add this information to the Student Affairs Staff News email. This email will be made available and archived with the next issue of the Student Affairs Staff News. www.utsa.edu/students/sanews/#business
DTS Website
Please also visit the Disbursements and Travel Services website (www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/dts) for updated information. Visit the What’s New table on that site for a list of policy, procedure and forms changes, including copies of emails sent to the DTS distribution list and items published to the @UTSA e-newsletter (both are copied to the News and Announcements section of the website).
Have a Business Procedures Tip to share? Please send it to Bob Miller.
For previous Business Procedures Tips, please visit the archive.
Bob Miller
Associate Director of Student Affairs Budget
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Bob.Miller@utsa.edu
1. Create a Plan- how are you going to reach in goal? In what time period? Be specific and set short and long term goals.
2. Create Your Plan IMMEDIATELY- planning is essential to successfully reaching any goal!
3. Write Down Your Resolution and Plan- this makes your plan more real and helps keep it in the forefont…putting a sticky note with your plan on your bathroom mirror or your refrigerator is also a good idea.
4. Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's
5. Remain Flexible- it is not all or nothing
Heather Stark
Assistant Director of Fitness & Wellness
Campus Recreation
heather.stark@utsa.edu