Travel Update

July 13, 2009

To:               Administrative Council

From:            Bruce Fehn, Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration

Philip Furmanski, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Subject:        Travel Restrictions Update

As discussed earlier this month, the recently enacted state budget contains new restrictions on travel for employees of New Jersey senior public colleges and universities.  Institutions that fail to implement the travel restrictions risk losing up to 5.25% of their annual state appropriation.  For Rutgers, that means over $15 million is at stake.

Specifically, the state budget requires the senior publics to adopt “travel policies that comply with executive branch travel restrictions for travel that is funded by State operating appropriations.”  We are currently working on developing new guidelines for university travel supported by state funds, and it is our goal to have these new rules completed and approved by Trenton as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we ask all university faculty and staff to abide by the following temporary travel restrictions:

• All travel expenses incurred prior to July 1, 2009 shall be reimbursed, through both state and non-state accounts, based on established university travel policy and procedures.
• Travel, both in-state and out-of-state, funded through non-state accounts is permitted and shall continue to be governed by established university travel policy and procedures, with one exception: the state mileage reimbursement rate ($0.31) must now serve as the university rate.
• In-state travel funded through state accounts is permitted and shall be governed by established university travel policy and procedures, with the following exceptions: a) the state mileage reimbursement rate ($0.31) must now serve as the university rate; b) one-day trips are not eligible for subsistence reimbursement; c) no overnight travel is permitted within the state; and d) no allowance for meals is permitted for in-state travel.
• Out-of-state travel funded through state accounts is not permitted.

Again, these guidelines are temporary until we receive final approval from Trenton for revised rules governing the use of state funds for university travel.  At that time, we anticipate having in place a new structure for approval of out-of-state travel on state accounts.  We also expect adjustments in certain reimbursement rates and other travel particulars.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this period of transition.