UW-L Travel Information Page

Travel Information & News

References

Forms

General

Interview Candidate Travel
Mileage Reimb. Rates
Moving Expenses
Expense Report Tips & Reminders

Answers to most commonly asked travel questions can be found on this site
or from one of the following resources.

The "Traveler's Reference Guide" is a quick reference for general travel limits, etc.

If you have questions that are not answered by this resource, contact Business Services at 785-8611.

Automated Travel Expense Forms

Click on one of the links below to open the appropriate Travel Expense Form to meet your needs:

Prepaid Registration Fees

To have a registration fee prepaid by check, complete a "Registration Fee Request" form and be sure to attach a completed event registration form (from the conference organization) and the part of the event brochure that lists conference dates, location, and meals included with the registration fee. (Your event registration form will be mailed along with the registration fee check.)

Interview Candidate Travel

Making travel arrangements for interview candidates can be challenging. The following tips and suggestions should help to make this process faster, easier, and save your department money. As with employee travel, Procurement cards cannot be used for hotel costs, airline tickets, or other travel costs.

Air transportation for candidates should be arranged by and paid for by the candidate. This is much less time consuming for the departments, and it eliminates the university's risk of paying for tickets that may not be used. The ticket-holder receives credit for unused tickets, NOT the organization that pays for them. The university's only recourse would be to request reimbursement from the candidate. Airfares must be the lowest fare available (i.e. non-refundable coach tickets.)

Lodging for candidates must be within the State limit for La Crosse (currently $62 per night.) UW-L policy is to have candidates pay for their lodging rather than having it direct billed to the university. (An exception can be made when the candidate otherwise could not attend the interview.) Hotel bills often include personal charges such as phone calls, movies, etc. that cannot be paid with university funds, therefore it is best to reimburse the candidate for their lodging costs rather than direct billing the university. The Cleary Center also offers lodging accommodations at the State rate, and these room charges can be direct billed to your account.

Campus policy is to prioritize candidate travel expense reimbursements. To help ensure prompt reimbursement, please communicate the State travel limits to the candidates for meals, lodging, etc. The candidate's Travel Expense Report must include: their signature (either original, or faxed) the department chair's and / or dean's signature, Social Security number, position number of the job they interviewed for, and expense receipts. If these guidelines are followed, the candidate should receive a reimbursement check within 10 days of the Travel Expense Report being received by Business Services.

Moving Expenses

Approval to reimburse employee moving expenditures must be obtained from the Provost. (Generally, a brief letter that includes the proposed moving support amount is drafted by the dean and sent for the Provost's approval and signature.)

Moving reimbursement requests must be filed on a Travel Expense Report that includes the required signatures and original receipts.

Per Diem Lodging & Meal Rates

Lodging
Daily lodging limits are listed on these sites for Out-of-State and International destinations. International per diem limits are updated frequently and may rise or fall between the time you plan your trip and the actual trip itself. The rate in effect during the actual trip dates is the limit that applies to your Travel Expense Report.

The standard lodging limit is $62 per night within the State of Wisconsin. The limit is $72 per night in Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties.

Meals
The per diem meal limit for ALL of Wisconsin is: Breakfast $8, Lunch $9, and Dinner $17.

The per diem meal limit for ALL Out-of-State U.S. locations is: Breakfast $10, Lunch $10, and Dinner $20.

International per diem meal limits are available from the U.S. State department. These rates vary by city and can change monthly. The daily total for international meal per diems should be allocated as follows: Breakfast 20%, Lunch 30%, Dinner 50%.

Mileage Reimbursement Rates

The State's standard mileage reimbursement rate has been raised to $.465 as of December 1, 2007.

Mapping Services

Numerous web sites offer free mapping services. One of the best is Mapquest Using this site is an easy way to plan your travel or to estimate the mileage for your Travel Expense Report after you've returned.

Hotels/Motels - La Crosse

Any hotel/motel may be used for lodging as long as the rate is at or below the State maximum reimbursement rate (currently $62 per night in La Crosse.) These business rates apply to UW employees, as well as non-employees (speakers, interview candidates, consultants) who are conducting business with UW-L.

Tax Exempt Status

UW-L's tax exempt status is recognized in Wisconsin and 23 other states.

Expense Report Tips & Reminders

Does it seem like you always have to provide additional information before you receive your travel reimbursement? The following are tips to help speed your TER through the payment process:

Always secure original receipts (not photocopies) to the TER with a staple. (Examples of receipts that do not meet State receipt requirements are: check carbons, photocopies of checks before they clear the bank, and registration forms that list the dollar amount of the charge - but do not indicate that payment was received by the organization.)
Sign, and have your supervisor / department chair and /or Dean sign the TER so that it doesn't have to be returned for signatures. (For travelers that are not based on campus, a faxed copy of the TER with the traveler's signature is acceptable.)
Taping numerous small receipts to a standard sized sheet of paper is encouraged when attaching small receipts to a TER.
Itemize expenses daily - do not combine multiple day's expenses.
When preparing multiple page TERs, carry the subtotals forward from the prior page to the first line of another page so that the form calculates totals for the entire trip.
Use the automated Excel TER. (These require much less auditing time and you'll get your reimbursement sooner!)
Use the "Audit" function button on the automated Excel TER to check for errors and omissions on the form.
Registration fee reimbursements for more than $25 require a receipt and documentation showing amount of fee, conference name, location, dates, and what is included in the fee. This information is usually on the registration form and/or in the brochure. If the registration fee was prepaid with a check by UW-L, you need only to note this on the TER in the shaded area for direct billed expenses. If the registration fee was prepaid with a procurement card, please attach a copy of the conference information (conference dates, and conference site hotel information) with your expense report.
If your travel included airfare, attach the passenger receipt. If you have foreign travel, you will need the passenger receipt and a copy of the itinerary/invoice.
TER amounts must be listed in U.S. dollars. Include foreign currency conversion receipts or credit card statements with your international travel claims to verify the conversion rate used. If you use Oanda.com's currency converter to obtain your conversion rates, print out the rate page(s) and attach to your TER.
If you book an E-ticket over the internet, print the screen that includes the ticket confirmation number, itinerary, and ticket cost paid. With an E-ticket this may be the ONLY receipt available for your reimbursement report.
Be sure to fill in all the information regarding trip dates, and times of departure and return. Departure and return times are from /to your home or office - not flight departure / arrival times. This information is required to qualify for meal reimbursement on travel days, and omitting the departure or return time is one of the leading causes of reimbursement delays.
Include the business purpose of trip. Be specific… 'Attend meetings' is too vague.
Do not throw away any receipts, conference programs, ticket confirmations, etc. pertaining to your trip until after you have received your reimbursement.
Include your campus phone # and your Social Security Number.
Be sure to include the correct account number for your travel to be charged to (not the "department name" account.)
Be specific when requesting a check be delivered to your campus address (building and room number - not just the department name.)
Please send only ONE copy of the TER to Business Services (choose the "Print 1" selection on the automated TER.)

Suggestions Welcome

If you have suggestions for this site, please e-mail De Anne Otto

Last updated 1/3/02

Visits Since August 15, 1999
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