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Travel

Policy Number: 9510
Date Created/Revised: 8/1/2026
Date Last Reviewed: 8/1/2026
Policy Manager: Vice President - Financial Operations
Former Wright Way Policy: 5601

9510.1 General Travel Policy Overview

Wright State University supports official travel that aligns with its mission and authorizes reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred during such travel. This policy applies to employees, students, and authorized individuals on university business.

Key Guidelines

Authorized Travel: All travel must have a fully approved Pre-Approval in the university's travel expense management system with all necessary documentation PRIOR to travel. Only properly authorized and policy-compliant travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Economical Travel Requirement: All travel arrangements and related expenses must reflect prudent use of university funds. Travelers are required to select the most cost-effective and reasonable options available. This includes, but is not limited to, choosing economical lodging, using personal vehicles for short-distance travel when feasible, and avoiding higher-cost transportation options such as rideshare services (e.g., Uber, Lyft) when a less expensive alternative is readily available. Reimbursement may be reduced or denied if a more economical option was clearly available and not utilized. Any exception to this policy must be clearly documented and included on the pre-approval.
Consultants and Contractors: Departments may reimburse consultants or independent contractors based on this policy. Meal and incidental expenses can be reimbursed at actual cost with itemized receipts. Reimbursements should be processed through the university's e-procurement system.
Discretion and Limits: Financial Operations has final discretion in approving any and all travel related expenditures and reimbursements.
Sponsored Projects: Travel on externally funded projects must also comply with grant-specific guidelines and all university policies. The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for ensuring compliance.
Professional Development Funds: Travel using Professional Development Funds requires the traveler to attach a fully approved PDF Request Form to the pre-approval in the university's expense management system.
Group Travel: Group travel refers to university-sponsored travel involving more than two individuals traveling together as a part of a planned, coordinated activity. This typically includes athletic team travel and student organization trips. For any group travel, the group travel form must be completed and attached to the pre-approval.

9510.2 Compliance and Responsibilities

All individuals engaging in university-related travel are responsible for following Wright State University's travel policies and procedures. Non-compliance can result in denial of reimbursement and/or loss of travel privileges.

It is the traveler's responsibility to ensure the following:

Ensure full compliance with this travel policy before, during, and after travel.
Complete all required approvals, forms, and documentation prior to travel and submit any post-travel reports as required.
Understand that non-compliance may result in denial of reimbursement and/or loss of travel privileges.

Violation Consequences

First Offense: A formal written warning will be issued to the traveler by the Director of Fiscal services with a copy to the employee's supervisor and unit Finance and Business Operations Manager. If the travel was not fully approved by all required parties in the approval queue, all related expenses will be denied, and any costs charged to the university must be reimbursed by the traveler. The traveler will be required to attend a one-on-one compliance meeting and training session with the Finance and Business Operations Manager or the university travel administrator before any future travel is permitted.
Second Offense: A second offense will result in a second formal warning sent by the Director of Fiscal Services with a copy sent to the division head and the university's Vice President for Finance.
Third Offense: Loss of university travel privileges for up to two (2) fiscal years.

9510.3 When a Pre-Approval is Required

All university-related travel must be reviewed and approved in advance through the university's travel expense management system. A fully approved Pre-Approval is required for all employees prior to making any travel arrangements or incurring expenses, regardless of the funding source. This ensures compliance with university policies, supports budget planning, and provides documentation for reimbursement.

A Pre-Approval is required for the following types of employee/student travel:

Overnight Travel: Any travel involving an overnight stay, regardless of destination or cost.
Conferences, Seminars, and Workshops: Includes in-person or virtual events that require registration or have an associated cost (even if held locally or online).
Day Trips with Fees: Single-day travel with registration fees, professional development activities, or similar university-sponsored purposes.
Group Travel: Required when coordinating travel for two or more people (e.g., athletic teams, student clubs, class trips). A completed Group Travel Form must be attached to the Pre-Approval.
International Travel: Any university business conducted outside the United States. Additional documentation and approvals may apply (e.g., export control review).

9510.4 Allowable Travel Expenses

All university travel must be conducted using the most economical options that support the business needs of the university and the traveler. Travelers and approvers are responsible for ensuring that travel arrangements - such as transportation, lodging, and meals - are reasonable, necessary, and cost-effective. While cost should be a key factor, it must be balanced with time efficiency, traveler safety, and the purpose of the trip. Any dietary, medical, religious, or other special accommodations must be included in the Pre-Approval and fully approved in advance of travel.

9510.4.1 When to Submit a Cost Comparison

Cost comparisons may be required in cases where multiple reasonable travel options exist. These comparisons help justify travel decisions and support audit compliance. Travelers are required to submit a cost comparison when:

Driving vs. Flying: If the traveler chooses to drive to a destination more than 250 miles one way, a cost comparison must be completed showing total estimated mileage reimbursement / rental vehicle, tolls, parking, vs. total airfare and ground transportation.
Rental Car vs. Personal Vehicle: If a personal vehicle is used for a trip over 150 miles round trip, a cost comparison is recommended to ensure the mileage reimbursement does not exceed the cost of a rental car (including fuel).
Hotel vs. Airbnb/VRBO or Other Lodging: When staying at a short-term rental (e.g., Airbnb), a justification should be attached to demonstrate savings or business necessity (e.g., group travel, proximity to event).
Extended Travel Days: If a traveler plans to extend travel beyond the official dates of a conference, meeting, or other university business event.

9510.4.2 Travel Related Expenditures

Personal Vehicle Use

Travelers may use personal vehicles if insured according to Ohio Revised Code 4509.51. Reimbursement follows the IRS standard mileage rate. Only one traveler can claim mileage when multiple employees share a vehicle; all passengers' names and departments must be listed on the Pre-Approval and expense report. Travelers are responsible for any insurance deductibles or damage. When practical, a cost comparison among driving, UBER/Lyft/Rideshare, renting, and flying should be completed.

Rental Vehicles

Rental vehicles should be booked through Wright State's preferred vendors whenever possible, and payment must be made with a university procurement card. For U.S. rentals, liability and collision insurance are typically included with preferred vendors. For non-preferred vendors, liability insurance must be purchased, while collision coverage is provided by the university. When renting outside the U.S., travelers must purchase all required liability and collision insurance mandated by the host country. Rentals should be economical and only used if less expensive than taxis or shuttles.

Rideshare, Taxi, and Local Transportation

Reimbursable transportation includes rideshares, taxis, shuttles, buses, ferries, and rail. Toll fees and parking are reimbursable; toll receipts are not required, but parking must use the least expensive airport option. Receipts are required for all reimbursable local transportation expenses.

Commercial Airline Travel

Travelers must book the lowest-cost, economy-class fare that meets university business needs. Airline reservations should be made as early as possible - preferably when the event is scheduled and no later than two weeks prior to departure - to take advantage of discounted pricing.

The university will not reimburse for seat upgrades, early boarding fees, preferred seating, or other optional airline upgrades unless medically necessary and pre-approved. Refundable tickets should be avoided unless there is a documented business need. If a trip is canceled and a flight credit is issued, travelers and departments are responsible for tracking the credit and applying it to future university travel when possible.

All airfare expenses must be supported by itemized receipts and reported on the Travel Expense Report.

Lodging (Hotels, Airbnb, VRBO, etc.)

Lodging reimbursement applies only when travel is 50 miles or more from home or primary work location. Reimbursement is limited to the single-room rate including taxes and fees. Travelers should select reasonably priced accommodations and avoid luxury suites. Short-term rentals like Airbnb or VRBO are permitted with a cost comparison and itemized receipts.

Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Allowance

Wright State adheres to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates for Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE). Employees are eligible for per diem allowances when they perform official travel away from their official workplace (i.e., outside the local travel area) incur per diem expenses, and are in overnight travel status. The most current GSA per diem rates and meal breakdowns are available on the GSA website. Employees must deduct any meals provided by the hotel, event, conference, or host organization from their per diem reimbursement, regardless of whether they choose to consume those meals.

For the first and last day of travel, the GSA requires that the total M&IE per diem be reimbursed at 75% of the applicable daily rate, even if the travel schedule would otherwise make all meals eligible.

The M&IE allowance includes meals and the federal incidental rate for fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and ship staff. The incidental portion is always included in the per diem and is not reimbursed separately.

Employees with dietary restrictions - including allergies, medical conditions, or religious requirements - must disclose these needs during the travel pre-approval process. If a provided meal (such as at a conference or event) cannot be consumed due to these restrictions, prior approval and documentation are required. Travelers are expected to plan ahead and communicate specific needs to ensure safe and appropriate meal arrangements during business travel.

Tips

Any tips beyond the GSA incidental per diem may be reimbursed only under the conditions outlined below with itemized receipts and proper documentation. Tips should not exceed 20%.

Tips should be reasonable and customary for the services provided and cannot exceed 20%.
Tips cannot be reimbursed personal services, entertainment, or non-university-related travel.
All tip reimbursements must be supported by receipts or documentation.

Type of Service	Reimbursable?	Notes
Porters / Baggage Carriers	No	Covered by GSA incidental
Hotel staff / Concierge Services	No	Covered by GSA incidental
Restaurant / Meal Service	Yes	20% maximum; receipt required
Taxi / Rideshare / Shuttle	Yes	20% maximum; receipt required
Personal / Non-University Tips	No	Not reimburseable

Miscellaneous Living Expenses

Laundry and dry cleaning are reimbursable when travel exceeds seven (7) continuous days. Optional conference events or excursions are reimbursable only if they serve a documented business purpose and are included in a Pre-Approval. All miscellaneous expenses must be properly itemized and documented.

Extended Travel Days

When a traveler extends a trip beyond the official dates of a conference, meeting, or other university business event, the cost comparison spreadsheet must be filled out and attached to the Pre-Approval. Extension may be permitted if they are directed related to official university business and result in no additional cost to the university beyond what would have otherwise been incurred for the standard trip.

If additional days are required for legitimate university business purposes, the traveler must provide supporting documentation, which may include:

A written explanation of the business purpose of the extension
Names of other individuals or entities involved
Relevant agendas, meeting schedules, or itineraries
Itemized receipts for reimbursable expenses

Travelers may arrive one day prior to the start of the event or depart one day after its conclusion when necessary due to flight availability, time zone changes, or early/late event times - without requiring additional justification.

If personal travel is included in the trip, the traveler must clearly distinguish between business and personal days and provide a cost comparison to demonstrate that the university is not incurring additional expenses. Any personal costs are the responsibility of the traveler and should not be submitted for reimbursement.

9510.5 Payment Methods for Travel

All travel-related purchases must only be made after obtaining full approval through the university's Pre-Approval process in the university's travel expense management system. No expenses should be incurred or prepaid before this approval is complete.

Prepayment and Prepayment Methods

The University Procurement Card (ProCard) is the preferred and primary method for prepaying travel-related expenses. Authorized personnel may use the ProCard for purchases such as airline tickets, conference registration fees, and hotel accommodations. The ProCard is available to university employees upon approval through the Procurement Card program. Applications can be obtained through the Procurement Card Office.
The Wright Buy system can be used for pre-payment of travel related expenditure where an invoice has been issued and the vendor accepts a check as the form of payment.
Use of personal credit cards for travel-related expenses is strongly discouraged and should only occur when a traveler does not have a university ProCard. If a personal card is used the reimbursement will not occur until after the travel is over.

9510.6 Travel Expense Report

All travelers are required to submit a Travel Expense Report within ten (10) business days of completing university-related travel. This requirement applies regardless of the funding source or whether reimbursement is requested. A report must still be submitted even if all expenses were paid directly by the university using a procurement card, purchase order, or other method.

The report must include:

All expenses related to the trip, including prepaid items
The payment method used for each expense
All itemized receipts supporting the claimed expenses
A clearly stated business purpose for the trip

To substantiate the business purpose and travel dates, travelers must attach supporting documentation such as the conference registration confirmation and a detailed itinerary or relevant program pages verifying dates, events, and included expenses (e.g., meals).

Incomplete documentation - especially missing receipts - is the leading cause of report delays and reimbursement issues.

Reports submitted more than 90 days after the conclusion of travel must be approved by the Chief Operating Officer or designee. Under IRS guidelines, late reimbursements may be considered taxable income to the employee.

9510.7 Nonemployee Travel Expenses

Non-employees, such as spouses, family members, or companions, may accompany university employees on business travel; however, their participation is entirely at the personal expense of the employee. The university will not reimburse or cover any additional expenses incurred due to the presence of a non-employee traveler. This includes, but is not limited to, upgraded lodging, transportation, meals, or event costs. Any shared expenses (e.g., hotel rooms) must be documented and clearly itemized to distinguish university-related costs from personal costs. If the non-employee's presence creates a measurable business benefit, prior written approval from the Chief Operating Officer (or designee) is required, along with supporting documentation outlining the business purpose.

9510.8 Local Travel

Local travel is defined as travel not requiring overnight lodging. Local travel that includes registration fees for seminars, conferences, or similar events requires a Pre-Approval. Otherwise, no Pre-Approval is required and mileage reimbursement can be processed in the university's travel expense management system with a clear business purpose and all appropriate documentation attached.

Mileage reimbursement for local travel is calculated by subtracting the employee's normal daily commute miles from the total miles driven for that day for all business-related trips that day.
Mileage to and from the airport as part of an overnight trip is not considered local travel, so the normal commute miles do not need to be subtracted in those cases.
No reimbursement is allowed for routine commuting between home and the primary work location, regardless of day or frequency.
Multiple local trips within a month can be accumulated and submitted together on a single Travel Expense Report. Each trip's business purpose must be documented, and all related receipts attached.

9510.9 International Travel

International travel on university business requires advance registration, insurance, and compliance with applicable federal laws and university procedures.

Travel Registration

All faculty, staff, and students who plan to travel internationally to participate in a university activity or official university business including but not limited to traditional study abroad, exchange programs, internships abroad, international service learning, student activities, athletics, university courses and university research (collectively referred to in this section as "travelers"), are required to contact the University Center for International Education (UCIE) and complete the registration process in advance of finalizing travel arrangements. Where applicable, the registration process includes completing the WSU Education Abroad Application and the UCIE's Pre-Departure Orientation as well as providing all releases, authorizations and waivers, intended itinerary, emergency contact information, and obtaining international health and travel insurance through UCIE.

Travel Assistance

All international travelers are required to obtain International SOS travel assistance. International SOS travel benefits include access to medical clinics, emergency evacuation services, repatriation services and 24/7 access to a service representative from anywhere in the world. As a further precaution, individual travelers are encouraged to enroll in the U.S. Department of State STEP Program (off-site).

Any payments made to or on the behalf of the traveler or are given as an emergency cash advance are to be fully reimbursed to Wright State University.

Health Insurance

All travelers are required to have proof of international health coverage. Travelers who already have a health insurance plan are required to provide proof of international coverage on their plan for coverage while traveling abroad to the UCIE.

Compliance with Laws, Regulations, and Policies Governing Foreign Travel

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs maintains a website (off-site) that posts current travel alerts and warnings. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (off-site) (CDC) also posts travel health notices to inform travelers about current health issues, like disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, and natural disasters in specific international destinations. University faculty, staff, and student travelers are advised to check these websites for these advisories and exercise appropriate caution when traveling to any areas that have been issued alerts. WSU faculty, staff, and students participating in a university affiliated activity or official university business are prohibited from traveling to locations where a U.S. Department of State Warning Level 3 or 4 and/or where a CDC Travel Health Warning Level 3 is in effect, except with prior written approval from the Provost.
Faculty, staff, and students in consultation with the University Export Control Officer must determine if export control and trade restrictions apply to their travel. Travel to and conduct of business in certain countries identified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (off-site) (OFAC) will be restricted until appropriate government authorization is received. Program guidance and contact information for the University Export Control Officer can be found on the Export Control Officer's webpage. All international travel will be routinely reviewed for export compliance clearance when submitted to the university's travel expense management system for travel and expense authorization.
All federally funded travel must comply with the Federal Travel Regulation (off-site) which enumerates travel and relocation policy for all Title 5 Executive Agency employees and the Fly America Act or 49 U.S.C. 4001188 (off-site) which required Federal travelers to use a United States air carrier service for all air travel and cargo transportation services funded by the United States Government. All foreign travel on grants must be approved in advance by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) and sponsor through inclusion in the original contract or subsequent amendment. Guidance on federally funded travel can be found on the RSP website. Upon returning from the foreign travel, the university's travel expense management system authorization with all receipts must be approved again by RSP before being submitted to Accounts Payable.