PRIOR APPROVAL
Official University travel requires prior approval by an appropriate University administrator. (See 95.01 and "Approving Official" below.)
Written Prior Approval
Written prior approval on a Travel Authority (TA) form is required in the following circumstances. The department routes or retains the TA as indicated.
Routing Approved TA to Travel Services is Required
In each of the following two circumstances, the department must route the approved TA to Travel Services:
- When a travel advance is requested.
- When conference registration is to be paid in advance by Travel Services.
Routing Approved TA to Travel Services is Not Required
In each of the following six circumstances, the department must retain the approved TA in the departmental files. (See below.) The department does not route the approved TA to Travel Services.
- When the traveler will be going out of state or out of the country. (SAAM 10.10.50) See also 95.15 for information about foreign travel.
- When a privately-owned, rented, or chartered aircraft will be used. See 95.30.
- When official WSU travel is partially or entirely supported by funds not administered by the WSU Controller's Office, e.g., from a third party (another educational institution, a private organization) or the traveler's personal funds. See 95.16.
- When requesting exception to policy.
- When seeking authorization for applicant, student, speaker, or other nonemployee travel. See 95.13, 95.14, 95.25. (NOTE: This does not apply to Attorney General's representatives or the Board of Regents.)
- When the administrative unit requires it. An individual unit may require written approval for all travel. NOTE: If an individual unit requires written approval above and beyond that required by this policy (95.05), the unit is responsible for ensuring that the unit policy is consistently applied.
Verbal Prior Approval
Verbal prior approval by the administrator is acceptable when a Travel Authority is not required. A Travel Authority is required whenever one of the above circumstances applies to the travel plan.
TA FORM
Download or copy the PDF version of the Travel Authority on 95.05.9 to obtain a template that may be completed with a computer and printed for approval and routing.
The department may not use a substitute TA if a travel advance is included in the request or if the department wants Travel Services to pay the conference registration.
A department may use a substitute TA form if:
- The substitute form collects all of the data required on a regular TA form and
- The TA is not required to be routed to Travel Services.
See "Completing the TA" below for data requirements.
Complete the Travel Authority in accordance with the following instructions. Form sections without instructions are considered self-explanatory.
TA Number
The department may enter an identifying number for the Travel Authority. This field is optional.
Section 1--Travel Authority
Complete Section 1 to authorize travel. This section is always completed.
Title
Enter the traveler's working title.
Purpose of Trip/Speaker's Program Description
Describe why the traveler is traveling. Indicate the exact purpose of the trip. Describe the program involved.
If an applicant's or speaker's travel includes a speaker fee, describe the proposed program here.
Include the full name of organizations and agencies rather than initials.
Continue descriptions and justifications on an attachment if necessary.
Itinerary
Enter dates of travel. Enter starting points and destinations for each leg of the trip. The itinerary should be complete enough to locate the traveler in case of an emergency and to show the traveler's route.
Authorized Items
Check all items authorized by this Travel Authority:
Domestic Speaker
Check to authorize a speaker's or conference participant's travel expenses and/or speaker fee.
Rental Car
Check to authorize use of a rental car (other than Motor Pool). See also 95.12.
Exceptions
Check if the Travel Authority authorizes or requests authorization for exceptions to standard travel policies.
Lodging Exception
To authorize payment of more than the standard allowable lodging rate in accordance with the procedure in 95.06 indicate the exception rule.
Exceptions/Restrictions
The supervisory administrator evaluates the travel plan and indicates any restrictions or special arrangements, e.g. reimbursement limitations, special allowances speaker fee. See also SPPM 5.40.
A University official who is authorized to approve travel signs Approving Official. See 95.01.
The designated approving official must personally sign the Travel Authority. A subordinate's signature or a facsimile, e.g., rubber-stamped signature, is not acceptable.
When a designated acting official signs the Travel Authority, the acting title must be shown.
Two Departments
When more than one department is supporting the travel, an administrator from each department must sign the TA.
Employee Travel
For employees the approving administrator must be the traveler's supervisor and an official who is authorized to approve travel. See 95.01.
Student Travel
For students the approving administrator must be an official who oversees the department or office responsible for the travel activity and an official who is authorized to approve travel. See 95.01.
Applicant or Speaker Travel
For applicants or speakers the approving administrator must be the chair or unit administrator who oversees the department or office responsible for the travel activity and an official who is authorized to approve travel. See 95.01.
Exceptions Noted and Approved
Administrators and the Controller use this section to approve exceptions to WSU travel policy.
Section 2--Conference Registration
Check this section to request that Travel Services submit prepayment of conference registration.
NOTE: The department may choose to prepay the conference registration by using a departmental purchasing card. See 70.08.
Registration Fee
Submit completed registration materials to Travel Services with an approved Travel Authority at least ten days before the registration is due. Travel Services mails the registration fee directly to the organization.
If time limits prevent this procedure and there is no departmental purchasing card available, the traveler may pay the registration fee and be reimbursed with a claim on the Travel Expense Voucher (TEV). Attach a receipt for the expenditure to the TEV.
When Travel Not Required
If the employee does not have to travel to attend the conference, the approving administrator may authorize payment of conference, convention, or meeting registration fees, including certain meal costs (see 95.06).
Meals Included in Registration Fee
If meals are part of the regular registration fee and are not optional, general University funds may be used to pay conference registration costs.
Optional Meals
Meals are considered optional if the conference registration fee is adjusted for meals purchased.
When conference meals are optional, general University operating funds may support meal costs up to the maximum allowable amounts shown in 95.19. If meal costs exceed these maximums, the excess costs may be supported by one or both of the following:
- The personal funds of the traveler. The traveler attaches a personal check made out to the conference.
- A discretionary (program 17A) account designated in Section 4--Account Information. (See 30.75 and 70.33 for more about discretionary accounts.)
NOTE: Departments may not use purchasing cards to pay for optional conference meals.
WSU-Sponsored Conferences
If the conference is sponsored by a WSU department, use an IRI to pay registration fees. See 70.05 for IRI instructions.
Section 3--Travel Advance
A travel advance allows a traveler to receive cash to use to defray reimbursable lodging and meal expenses while performing official duties.
- A department may not request a travel advance if the period of travel is less than 15 days.
- A traveler may not receive a travel advance more than 15 days before the start of travel.
A travel advance may not be considered to be a loan to an employee. Any unauthorized disbursement of a travel advance is considered a misappropriation of state monies. (SAAM 10.80.60.b)
Charge Cards
WSU travelers may obtain University travel charge cards to use in lieu of travel advances. See 95.03.
Appointed Employees
Appointed WSU employees with at least two months of remaining employment are eligible for travel advances.
Others
Students, student groups, faculty/staff traveling with student groups, and employees with less than two months left on appointment may apply for travel advances on an exception basis.
Exceptions
A departmental administrator may include a request for an exception to advance policies on the Travel Authority form.
Current in Accounting
A traveler must be current in accounting for previous advances in order to receive another advance.
Mailing Address of Traveler
The traveler's mailing address should be a home address. This address should correspond to the home address entered in the University's computer Name and Address File (see 90.70). Verify addresses by referring to PAPR, an online administrative application. See 85.37 for more information about administrative applications.
Check Disposition Instructions
Travelers are encouraged to direct the check to a home address.
Reserve the "pick up" or hold privilege for emergencies. Preparing checks for pick up results in several extra steps for the Controller's Office.
Authorized Expenses
Estimate meal and lodging expenses. See 95.19 for meal and lodging rates.
Limits
The minimum dollar limit for a travel advance is $85.00.
The maximum dollar limit for a travel advance is 90 days authorized allowance at the maximum allowable rates for the travel locations.
If travel status extends beyond 90 days, an additional advance may be requested after the previous advance is cleared by submitting a TEV. NOTE: A TEV must be submitted at least every 30 days during extended travel supported by a travel advance.
Employee Agreement
Read the Employee Travel Advance Agreement statement carefully.
A Travel Expense Voucher (TEV) which justifies the expenditure of the advance is to be submitted to the Controller's Office on or before the tenth day of the month after the authorized travel period. (SAAM 10.80.60.d) See also 95.20.
When a travel advance is unaccounted for by the above deadline, Travel Services initiates payroll deduction or collection procedures.
Any unexpended portion of a travel advance is to be returned to WSU Travel Services with a properly completed TEV at the conclusion of the authorized travel period. (SAAM 10.80.60.d) The traveler is to make payment to the University by personal check, cashier's check,or money order payable to WSU. Travel Services does not accept cash payments.
Travelers Signature
The signature must be the traveler's own signature. Substitute signatures or signature stamps are not acceptable.
Section 4--Account Information
Indicate the account coding for supporting WSU account(s). If the travel expense is to be paid by the traveler or another source, enter details above the approving administrator’s signature and leave the Account Information section blank.
Net Amount
Enter amount in the following circumstances:
- When limiting the traveler to a specified amount for the trip.
- When the trip will be financed by one or more WSU-administered budgets. Include all coding and designate the amount estimated from each budget.
- To authorize an applicant or speaker fee paid in exchange for a service, e.g., lecture or seminar. See 95.14.
DISTRIBUTION
The TA is routed differently for different travel situations.
General Travel
If the TA includes a request for a travel advance and/or conference registration, the department must route the TA to Travel Services as indicated below.
If the request does not include a travel advance or conference registration, the originating unit retains the original of the TA or substitute TA (see above) and any back up documentation. This constitutes the official University record of approval for the travel.
The department routes a copy to the traveler.
The department prepares an additional copy for the college if required by the responsible dean/director.
Travel Advance
Submit the original TA and a copy to Travel Services at least ten days before anticipated departure.
Rental Car
If the traveler does not wish to use his or her state charge card to obtain a rental car, he or she may present a signed copy of the TA or substitute TA to Travel Services to obtain a WSU rental car credit card.
Rented Aircraft
Submit the original TA or substitute TA to Purchasing at least 10 days before anticipated departure.
Conference Registration
Submit the original and a copy of the TA and the registration form to Travel Services at least 10 days before the fee is due.
Foreign Travel
See 95.15.
See PDF master form:
95.05.9:
Travel Authority
Print or complete and print as needed