Off-Campus INSTRUCTIONAL TRAVEL POLICY SUMMARY
FEBRUARY 2008

This document is a summary of Lesley University's Travel Policy which governs travel for faculty teaching for Lesley's Off-Campus Programs. To access the complete policy click here. Please take the time to review these policies. Off-campus travel pertains to the dates you are contracted to teach weekend-format courses.

Reimbursements should be submitted routinely within 30 days of completion of the second weekend of the course. Original receipts are required for all expenses, with the exception of car mileage and per diems. If no receipts are provided, Lesley's reimbursement for expenses will be limited to $25.00. In addition to original receipts, copies of verification of source of payment should be included (e.g., back and front of cancelled checks, credit card receipts).

Air and car rental – Reservations must be arranged by Lesley's travel agent, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) during their business hours of 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. The charges are directly billed to Lesley University by CWT. You will not be reimbursed for airline tickets or rental cars except in cases where direct billing is not available (in these cases, faculty must provide an original detailed receipt for reimbursement). CWT will send out e-mails at various intervals reminding faculty to make their travel arrangements. Booking all reservations at the same time is encouraged.

Please note: it is your responsibility to contact CWT to make your travel arrangements during their hours of operation only. Please contact agents on the Lesley Team between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM by dialing toll free 800-786-4795. From within the Lesley campus, you can dial ext. 5215, or for email write to LesleyTravel@carlsonwagonlit.com. For emergencies outside of CWT's normal hours of operation, you should telephone 800-786-4795 to make alternate arrangements.

CWT has been instructed to notify travelers of the Lesley University policy that requires employees to accept the least expensive comparable and reasonable flight that is within a one hour window of the original requested flight time. Frequent flyer memberships must not influence flight selection that would result in booking a flight that is not the lowest price available. If a traveler declines the lowest reasonable fare within the one hour window of the original requested flight times and the increased cost of the flight is $100 or more, the traveler is required to get Program Director approval. Travelers are responsible for the costs associated with changing tickets for personal convenience. Do not purchase flight or car insurance.

Travelers should contact the Faculty Care Department to notify them of changes to travel itinerary due to inclement weather or mechanical problems.

For car rentals, it is expected that compact or the next available size cars are adequate for business needs. You must refuel your rental car before returning it; failure to do so will result in a deduction from your reimbursement of 50% of any refueling that exceeds $10. If the rental company offers a fuel service option, it is to be refused. If a fuel service option is chosen, including EZ Fuel from Avis, the entire cost will be deducted from your reimbursement. Adjuncts not requiring air travel are approved to rent cars if they live more than 150 miles from the site. At the time of the rental, the car should be inspected with the rental car company representative, if available, and any damage found should be noted on the contract before the vehicle is accepted. When the car is returned, an inspection should take place with the rental car company representative, if available, to ensure the car was returned in the same condition in which it was received. Should a rental car accident occur, travelers need to submit a written accident report to the rental car company, local authorities, and the CFO's office. In addition, the scheduler for that program also needs to be notified. Individuals choosing to retain the rental car for personal travel must return the rental car at the end of the teaching assignment and negotiate a separate contract with the rental agency for continued use under their own name.

The university does not pay for the rental of children's car seats or for additional drivers, unless the other driver is a Lesley employee. Rental cars are not to be used for any personal travel. GPS cannot be requested unless vendor allows traveler to pay the cost personally upon pickup; the expense is not reimbursable.

Car mileage – Travelers will be reimbursed for business usage of personal cars. For travel taking place as of July 1, 2008, the mileage reimbursement rate will be 58.5 cents per mile. For travel that occurs from January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008, the mileage reimbursement rate is 50.5 cents per mile. From January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007, the mileage reimbursement rate is 46.5 cents per mile.  Mileage reimbursements are limited to 600 miles per weekend. Employees will not be reimbursed for their daily commute.

Leisure travel - Travelers can take advantage of special discounts with Avis by entering the Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number A846190. For further information visit the Avis Special Services page.

Lodging – Overnight lodging will be provided for Friday and Saturday night when the destination is 50 miles or greater from the faculty member's residence. The number of approved nights can be found on the Confirmation Sheet received from your Faculty Care Scheduler. Additional nights require a program director's prior approval and documentation of the reason. Reimbursement for lodging within the general area of one's residence may be considered personal income as defined by the IRS regulations and be subject to income tax. Authorized lodging will be arranged by off-campus Program Assistants at Lesley University according to these guidelines and direct billed to Lesley. You will be provided with a hotel confirmation number for each reservation made. Please be sure to keep this number with you when you travel. In case of an emergency during the weekend, the site coordinator should be contacted if additional lodgings are needed. If there are any unusual circumstances when hotel expenses are not directly billed to Lesley, faculty must provide an original detailed receipt for reimbursement. Please note that only the room rate and taxes will be reimbursed when detailed and original receipt are submitted.

Meals – In accordance with IRS regulations, Lesley's overnight per diem allowance is $39 for each night of lodging and $29.25 on the day of checkout. No lodgings are authorized for under 50 miles of travel, and there is no per diem without lodgings.

Student Supplies – Faculty will be reimbursed for course-related supplies that directly benefit the students up to a maximum of $9/ student per course for non-computer courses. Exceptions are:

EEDUC 5104 and EEDUC 6011 and EEDUC 6032–$100 per course
GARED 6100 and GARTS 6104 – $20 per student
All computer courses –$10 per student

There is no reimbursement for magazine or internet subscriptions, computer equipment or software.

Telephone – Lesley will only reimburse faculty for specific phone calls identified on original receipts. Business calls will be reimbursed when original receipts are provided and the person called along with the purpose of the call are identified. Personal calls will be reimbursed only when lodging is authorized and provided and only up to $10/ weekend plus $3/ day for any day beyond the first three days of travel. Please note on the receipts whether calls are business or personal. The reimbursement limit applies to the total of calls, either from hotel room, pay phone or home phone calling card. There is no reimbursement for prepaid calling cards or cellular phones.

Exclusions – Lesley will not reimburse expenses for alcohol, hotel laundry, restaurant charges, health club fees, movies, flight insurance, or car rental mileage.

Situations Requiring Program Director Approval

• Extra nights' lodging
• Car rental upgrade, or car rentals not associated with air travel
• Early air departure on Sunday nights that would necessitate leaving class early
• Anything outside of the policies outlined above

PLEASE NOTE that you must contact your Faculty Care representative to inform them of any such changes.