What to Do Before You Travel

For H&S faculty, staff, and students.

Submit a Travel Authorization form to Cheryl in the H&S Dean’s Office as soon as you make purchases relating to the trip or at least two weeks before the trip, whichever comes first. Detailed guidelines for completing this form are online.

• The form is required for funds verification purposes.
• The form must be signed by the traveler and the Department Chair.

Expenses requiring payment in advance of a trip such as hotel deposits, conference registrations, or plane tickets can be paid for by:

• using a Voucher Authorization form (VAF) to request a check be sent in advance directly to the provider (allow a week for processing); OR
• using a personal check or credit card, and requesting reimbursement when you file the Travel Expense Report; OR
• using an Ithaca College corporate card (in this case, it is the traveler’s responsibility to provide a copy of the receipt to the Dean’s office within 10 days of making the purchase, so that it can be properly closed out in Parnassus; be sure to retain the original to be attached to the Travel Expense Report upon your return).

Cash advances and travelers checks are not normally available to individual travelers.
Exceptions to this policy are as follows:

• Faculty traveling with a group of students may request a cash advance using the Travel Authorization Form. Faculty members should bring the completed Travel Authorization Form, along with back-up documentation, to the Dean’s office for approval and to be advised on next steps to receive the funds.
• Faculty traveling internationally (except to Canada) can order Traveler’s Checks in advance using the Travel Authorization Form. Faculty members should bring the completed Travel Authorization Form, along with back-up documentation, to the Dean’s office for approval and to be advised on next steps to receive the checks.

If you plan to drive more than 180 miles round-trip, you are expected to use an Ithaca College vehicle or to rent a car from Enterprise (please consult the updated Ithaca College Transportation guidelines).

• To drive an Ithaca College car, you must be an authorized IC driver; to become an authorized driver (authorization lasts for two years), complete the Driver Information Form and submit it directly to the Office of Risk Management;
• To reserve an Ithaca College car, you must complete a Vehicle Request form. You will need a 21-digit account number to reserve a vehicle; please contact Cheryl Neville in the Dean’s office for this information.
• The Vehicle Request will be canceled if a Travel Authorization Form is not on file in the Dean’s office.

For 2009-2010, rates for college vehicles are:
Passenger cars (Malibu, Impala, Prius) - $38/day
Uplander vans (7 passenger) - $45/day

NOTE: If there are extenuating circumstances that make it more expedient for you to use your personal vehicle for a trip of more than 180 miles, you can petition the Dean for an exception to this policy.