University Travel Advances

Travel advances may be issued to students and for student group travel only. An employee may request an exception to this policy in writing to the Accounting Manager. Each request will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.

To request a travel advance, a student or student group must submit a Travel Application form to Accounting Services, attn: Marie Cunningham, at least three weeks prior to the departure date of the trip. The travel application form must include documentation showing what the advance will be used for (ex: hotel reservation confirmation). Checks will be mailed to the address on the application no earlier than two weeks prior to departure.

State employees must seek approval from the Accounting Manager first before initiating the advance. Once the Accounting Manager gives approval, the Concur Advance Permission must be given to the employee before the employee initiates the Request in Concur. If the employee initiates the advance before the Concur permission is turned on, the advance cannot be requested. Please allow at least three weeks for processing.

Travelers should have no more than one outstanding cash advance at a time. Each advance must be accounted for before another cash advance is granted.

Collection procedures will be initiated if the Travel Claim has not been received in Accounting Services within 30 days after completion of the trip.

Student Unused Travel Advance

If a student fails to submit a Travel Claim and/or return any unused travel advance amounts within 60 days of his/her return, a Negative Service Indicator will be placed on the student’s account.

Employee Unused Travel Advance

If an employee fails to submit an Expense Report and/or return any unused travel advance amounts within 120 days of his/her return, the University is obligated under IRS regulations to consider such amounts as income to the employee, regardless of the amount. As a result, the unrecovered advance will be reported and taxed as additional wages and all future Travel Advance requests will be denied. 

Collection Procedure &Timeline

• 30 days past due – Courtesy memo to the recipient
• 45 days past due – Notice to the recipient of pending Negative Service Indicator or for employee, taxable wages
• 60 days past due – Notice to student of Negative Service Indicator placement. Notice to employee of pending taxable wages
• 120 days past due – Unrecovered advance from employee will be reported and taxed as additional wages.

If collection procedures are initiated more than three times for the same recipient due to an outstanding travel advance, no future advances will be issued.