Draft – New Travel Support – CC Idea

The SFA Dean's Office is now providing Concur travel-related support by hosting dedicated office hour sessions with Cindy Caron.  To get the best and most of your session, we kindly ask that you email Cindy in advance and include any questions or relevant screenshots/materials that you would like to discuss during your meeting.

We recognize and understand the need for faculty and staff to travel for conferences, events and other legitimate purposes to enhance programming, research, and/or outreach endeavors.

At the same time, as a state agency, we must safeguard our travel privileges and funds. We must practice fiscal, ethical and public responsibility. Therefore, we have established per-dem guidelines when using SFA funding. This policy.pdf sets forth rules and procedures that balance the school’s legitimate travel needs with sound stewardship of public resources.

Travel-Flow-Chart

 

Dean’s Office Travel Support Hours

Monday - Friday - Appointments

Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Make an Appointment - Here

Reminders:

Hotel and Event Services

If you are planning an event and a signed contract is required from the vendor and you are using the Travel Card for payment, a hotel and event services form must be completed and approved in Husky Buy. As a reminder, you must not make any payments with the Travel Card until you have a fully executed agreement. Please attach the fully executed agreement to the expense in Concur when submitting the expense report. Please click here for more information.

 

Real ID

Beginning May 7, 2025, travelers will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card to board domestic flights, unless they have another acceptable form of identification, such as a passport.

More information can be found: REAL ID | Homeland Security.

 

CBS/Pro-Card Report Reminders for Year-End

All Pro-Card transactions with a posting date of June 13 and prior will be considered FY25 transactions. There will be a shortened June CBS report, with an end date of 6/13/25, which will include transactions with the posting date of May 24th – June13th only.  The June report must be submitted by the cardholder and approved by the appropriate fiscal officer no later than June 23, 2025.  You can continue to reallocate and attach supporting documentation to the transactions as they come into Concur.  However, please remember, the July CBS report will have a longer time period and will include the posting dates of June 14th – July 23rd  and cannot be submitted until July 26th.  All transactions on the July statement will be considered FY26.

Travel Guidance: Message from President and Provost

Sent: Friday, July 11, 2025 9:51 AM
Sent on Behalf of President Radenka Maric and Provost Anne D’Alleva

Dear Colleagues,

We are writing to share guidance on University-sponsored travel, applicable to both institutional and UConn Foundation funds. With limited discretionary resources available, this guidance is designed to help ensure that travel funding is directed toward the University’s most important academic and strategic priorities.

Discretionary funding enables many aspects of our mission, from advancing faculty research and scholarship and supporting graduate students, to sustaining the development and growth of staff across the University. Travel is an important part of that mission, but it’s not without cost. We ask all employees to consider carefully when and why they travel, and to weigh how proposed travel compares in value to other needs those funds could support. In some cases, this may mean making difficult choices about where to go, how often, or who should attend.

This guidance outlines expectations for evaluating the purpose and impact of travel, encourages cost-effective and sustainable approaches, and clarifies how decisions should be made. All employees who travel on behalf of the University are expected to follow this guidance, which can be reviewed here: View Essential Travel Guidelines.

This guidance applies to the use of institutional and Foundation funds. Travel funded by grants or other external sources is not restricted, provided it meets the terms of the award. This guidance may evolve as we continue to review and update our travel policies and procedures as well as evaluate the University’s financial outlook.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of these principles and for all you do to support UConn.

Business Policies – General Guidance:

  • General Guidance:
    • Significantly reduce discretionary travel, events and other non-essential activities
      • Pre-approval through Concur remains a requirement
      • Virtual attendance is always the first option considered when available
    • Events should be purposeful, in alignment with UConn’s mission, and be planned with careful attention to cost and necessity
      • Serve a clear academic or institutional purpose
      • Events must be reviewed and approved in advance by the Dean or delegate.
      • University employees are generally responsible for paying for their own meals when they are not traveling
    • This guidance applies to the use of institutional and Foundation funds (for example, this would include SFA research grants).

Business Policies – Travel

  • Travel
    • Please refer to the 9/2/25 Budget Mitigation Guidelines email
      • Pre-approval through Concur remains a requirement.
      • Travel requests should be submitted with sufficient time for direct supervisors and fiscal officers to review the request. Reimbursement for travel expenses is contingent upon pre-approval.
    • What Qualifies as Essential Travel
      • Required to fulfill terms of a grant or contract, or to meet accreditation requirements
      • Invited speaker, plenary or keynote roles; Travel to access physical archives, conduct in-person interviews
      • Travel directly supports essential university operations (e.g., legal obligations, donor engagement, recruitment
      • Travel fully funded by external entities or AAUP/UCPEA professional development funds is allowable, but must follow the expectations of the travel policy
    • What Does Not Qualify (unless externally funded):
      • Participation in roles where virtual options are available.
      • Travel for guests without clear justification on how this guest travel meets standards outlined above for essential travel.
      • Off-site meetings for UConn employees

Business Policies – *Permissible*

All Business Meal forms MUST be submitted in JIRA prior to the event and for proper approvals!

  • Student/Staff/Faculty Events
    • Stay within ≤ $35 per-person cost thresholds (including food, venue, fees and all other expenses related to the event) unless an exception and pre-approval is provided by the Dean or delegate. Events utilizing external funds or sponsorships must also follow fiscal policy best practices. UConn Athletic Bands are exempt from this requirement due to the University travel requirements corresponding to Athletic events.
  • Examples of Permissible Business Meals:
    • When a meeting takes place over an extended period of time (over three hours) and the agenda includes a working meal and circumstances where it would be too time-consuming or disruptive for participants to take a meal break away from the meeting location
    • A meeting where an out-of-town official, consultant, private firm or other party is in attendance and there is a documented business purpose to the business meal.
    • A meal with an interview candidate and the interview committee.
    • Light refreshments (pizza, sandwiches, pastries, cookies, etc.) for recruiting, receptions, lectures, and other special events focused on students.

Business Policies – *Non-Permissible*

  • Examples of Non-Permissible Business Meals:
    • A meeting consisting solely of one or more university faculty or staff employees having breakfast, lunch or dinner together, unless one or more of the conditions above are met.
    • Social events such as office parties, birthdays, retirements, funerals, holiday parties, graduations, student or employee recognition
    • Alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed
      • Restrictions – to ensure consistency and reduce non-essential spending, the following are not allowable uses of University or Foundation funds:
        • Food or beverages at recurring internal meetings
        • Gratuities over 20%

 

Business Policies – Questions?

  • General questions about travel, including the University Travel and Entertainment Policy and use of cost-effective travel options, can be sent to University Travel (travel@uconn.edu).
  • Guidance on Essential University Travel Click Me!
  • Additional questions can be sent to the Financial Services Office!