The Travel Advance is a request for a loan by faculty, staff, or student trip leader to cover anticipated expenditures on University sponsored group travel.  The advance is considered a personal liability of the advisor/student trip leader which must be co-signed by the fiscal agent or, if the traveler is the fiscal agent, then the person to whom the fiscal agent reports.  In all instances the advisor must be an employee of the University.  The student must be currently enrolled at the time of encumbrance and actual trip.

Loan limits are as follows:

• Minimum amount:  $25

• Maximum amount:  The amount of reimbursable out of pocket expenses as estimated on the travel authorization.

The dollar limit of the travel advance must be individually justified.  The advance may be used for both local and inter-city travel.  It may not be used for payment to the official University travel agency for air and rail fares.  Air and rail travel arrangements must be made through the official University travel agency by the traveler.  An exception will be granted by the Director of Financial Affairs/Controller for a "travel package" arranged by the host.

The adviser/student trip leader will, prior to the departure date, complete and deliver to the Office of University Budgets the approved Travel Advance document.  Conversely, the advisor/student trip leader will repay the loan in full or submit vouchers supporting valid trip expenses within thirty working days after completion or interruption of the travel.  If repayment of the loan is not made, the University may withhold such amounts as are due to the University from any future sums due the borrower as compensation or reimbursement, and future student registrations and transcripts may be withheld until repayment is made.

The fiscal agent will ascertain that the travel advance is to be used in the conduct of official University sponsored group travel.  Further, the fiscal agent agrees that in the event the advisor/student trip leader does not effect repayment the University may reimburse the account from which the travel loan is made.  This will be done by direct transfer from the account authorized on the referenced Travel Authorization.

Instructions for preparing the Travel Advance (1042) are explained in page M13 of this manual.

Questions regarding travel advances should be referred to the travel desk of the Disbursements section located in E 220, phone extension 5128.