Travel Policies and Procedures

No transportation costs will be allowed between any employee's place of residence and his/her office. However, in connection with work-related field trips, when the distance between the employee's residence and his destination is greater than the distance between his residence and his office, the field trip mileage in excess of the mileage between the employee's residence and his office is reimbursable. In that instance, the travel voucher should contain the following special certification:

"I hereby certify that the above mileage is correct and was incurred for official state business; that the travel from my residence to the destination was greater than the travel between my residence and my official station."

________________________________
Signature of Traveler

If the distance from the employee's place of residence and his field trip destination is shorter than the distance between his residence and his office, no reimbursement of mileage will be allowed. The employee is required to enter his actual odometer readings on the travel voucher whether traveling from his residence or from his office to and from the field trip destination.

Examples

• Residence is in Coventry RI – mileage to RIC Campus is 22 miles. You have a work related meeting in Warwick. From your residence to Warwick is 9 miles. Since the 9 miles is shorter than your normal commute – no reimbursement is allowed.
• Residence is in Coventry RI – mileage to RIC Campus is 22 miles. You have a work related meeting in Woonsocket. From your residence to Woonsocket is 35 miles. Since the travel is 13 miles longer than your normal commute – a reimbursement for 13 miles is allowed.

If you are an employee that does not usually come to campus, you still must follow the rule, and will only be reimbursed for the mileage that is in excess of what your commute to the RIC Campus would be.

How to Complete the Automobile Travel Form

The College has two (2) on-campus guest rooms for use by candidates and for other business reasons that should be reserved, if available, before booking hotels. Please contact Human Resources at humanresources@ric.edu for availability.

When bringing in candidates for vacant positions, we prefer the candidates make their own arrangements for transportation keeping in mind they find the best fares available. The State will not reimburse for seat upgrades, early boarding or flight insurance. The department contact will make the hotel reservations. Candidates are allowed one night at the College’s expense. Any additional nights need prior authorization from the Dean or Director. The College has arrangements for direct billing at the Courtyard by Marriott in Providence, the Hilton in Providence, The Hotel Providence in Providence, the Providence Marriott-Orms Street in Providence, and the Renaissance Providence Hotel in Providence. Please complete the Request to Use the College Credit Card Form - obtaining original/physical signatures, then scanning and emailing the form to travel@ric.edu. The Accounting Office will provide the department contact with a list of RI hotels to choose from.

The Chair must also obtain all original receipts from the candidate upon completion of the interview - passenger receipt for airline ticket, hotel bill, taxi or shuttle receipts, meals (no alcoholic beverages will be reimbursed) and parking. The meal receipts should be the original itemized restaurant receipt with the actual purchase on it - not just the credit card receipt.

Candidates should avail themselves of taxis, shuttles, Ubers or Lyfts for transportation to & from hotels. We do not allow rental cars unless it can be justified as the least expensive mode of travel.

The Chair must also obtain a W-9 Form from the candidate in order to be reimbursed.

When initiating travel, the employee must get prior approval from the appropriate Department Chair, Director, Dean, and/or Vice President.

Faculty and students may seek approval for college-sponsored travel when the purpose of that travel is deemed to be necessary for academic progress and cannot reasonably be postponed or handled remotely (i.e., to conduct research, to present research at an academic conference, to participate in an internship or academic experience required for graduation, or for a similar educational or co-curricular experience, etc.). This is pending state and federal guidance. Please see RIC Essential Academic Travel Request Form.

Once the approval is given, the traveler has two options – keeping in mind they should get the lowest fares available.

The first option is to use Direct Travel, a travel management company that RIC partners with, to book airfare and AMTRAK (coach fares – no Acela trains). The traveler must complete the Request to Use the College Credit Card Form - obtaining original/physical signatures, then scanning and emailing the form to travel@ric.edu in order to obtain an authorization and billing number from the Accounting Office. After obtaining the authorization and billing number, the traveler must call Direct Travel Management at 1-800-238-3956. Airfare is prepaid.

If booking with Direct Travel, you must set up a Corporate Traveler Profile. The traveler will be sent an invite link from helpdesk@sureware.com to fill out your profile, once the Accounting Office receives the Request to Use the College Credit Card Form.

The second option is to get a fare on-line. Request a quote from Direct Travel. If the on-line fare is less expensive, you may book your own airfare but must attach the quote from Direct Travel when submitting your reimbursement.​

Prior to initiating travel, an employee using grant related funds must complete the Grant Budget PreApproval Form for Travel:

How to Complete the Grant Budget PreApproval Form for Travel

If approved, the traveler must follow the College Travel procedures.

Please Note: college travelers must register for Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) coverage when traveling outside of the United States, regardless of any other travel insurance which may apply.

Who is Eligible

All regular, full-time and part-time faculty, staff and students of the educational organization or institution who:

• are engaged in College international business, research or educational activities; and
• will be temporarily located outside their home country as a non-resident alien; and
• will not be obtaining permanent residency status outside the United States

Enrollment Procedure

College faculty, staff and students self-enroll in the International Travel Insurance online to obtain an international travel insurance card. To obtain coverage enroll in RIC's policy with CISI.

Within moments of enrollment, travelers will receive a confirming email from CISI, which will include a printable ID card. The following information can be obtained from the CISI website:

• review your insurance benefits
• submit a claim or check the status of a claim
• find a doctor inside or outside the US
• research vaccination and health risk information
• review health and security news from around the globe
• sign up to receive personalized new alerts by email

Additional optional Coverage can be obtained on CISI's Marketplace. This includes:

• pharmacy discount cards
• international moneycards
• International Student Exchange (ISE) identity cards

Insurance Coverage Includes

• medical coverage (no deductible)
• evacuation and repatriation coverage
• personal liability coverage
• trip interruption and trip delay coverage

The document World Class Coverage Plan designed for Rhode Island College Study Abroad has many more details of the coverage plan. It can be viewed, saved, or printed.

Please know that international insurance coverage is not designed to substitute for any domestic health plan in which a student or employee is enrolled. Rather, it is meant to be supplemental to a domestic health plan, and it only provides coverage for a student/employee when traveling outside the United States. For information on the College’s Health Insurance and insurance requirements please contact Health Services at: 401-456-8055 or healthservices@ric.edu.

If you have any questions related to international travel insurance, please reach out to travel@ric.edu.

Generally, the State of Rhode Island will not pay automobile rentals, unless it can be justified as the least expensive mode of travel or travel is made with a group. Travelers should avail themselves of shuttle buses and public transportation to the extent practical. If an auto rental is used, the traveler must provide a written explanation to attach as backup explaining the reason for the rental.

Shuttle services and other means of public transportation should be used whenever available and is prudent.

Please Note: Lyft, Uber and taxi cabs should only be used when no other ground transportation is available and it is economically advantageous to the State.

Car rentals should only be approved when no other ground transportation is available, it is economically advantageous to the State or it is necessary to accomplish the travel mission.

Please Note: A memo from the traveler must be attached to the travel request explaining why the rental car is necessary or economical.

The Accounting Office should be notified when car rentals are used to acquire proper insurance documentation.

Overnight accommodations will not be allowed within a 55-mile radius of Providence. The distance from home cannot be used in calculating the 55 mile radius.

Please Note: The 55-mile limitations include the city of Boston.

Any request for an exception to this must be in writing and submitted to the Vice President for Administration & Finance prior to booking lodging in Boston.

You may use Direct Travel, a travel management company that RIC partners with, to reserve a hotel for out-of-state travel, but they do not have conference rates and may not have the best rate, so please confirm before booking. If you need to reserve the hotel yourself, you may make an appointment with our Accounting Office to make the reservation and the credit card information will be added at the time of booking. Please keep in mind that the hotel will need to be contacted two weeks prior to the traveler’s arrival, so they are aware that the traveler will not have the credit card in their possession upon arrival. The hotel will need to send a credit card authorization link for payment to travel@ric.edu.

Effective July 1, 2018, the rates used for meal allowance for Out of State travel have changed:

• The reimbursement will be based on a flat rate.
• The flat rate is based on departure and arrival times.
• If the traveler's scheduled departure time is before noon, they will receive $50.00 for the first day of travel.
• If the traveler's scheduled departure time is after noon, they will receive $25.00 for the first day of travel.
• All other days of travel will be at the rate of $50.00.
• Upon return if the traveler's arrival time is scheduled before noon, they will receive $25.00 for the final day of travel.
• If the traveler's arrival time is scheduled after noon, they will receive $50.00 for the final day of travel.
• Only travelers staying out-of-state overnight will be allowed a meal allowance.
• There will be no miscellaneous expense per diem.
• ​The per diem allowance covers meals and incidental expenses, such as tips & gratuities. Travelers will not be reimbursed separately for these items.
• State employees may not seek reimbursement for meals or lodging within the State unless the cost is part of a conference charge.

Travelers who park at a common carrier terminal will be reimbursed as follows:

• Dated original receipts are required for all parking expenses
• Receipt dates must correspond with the departure and arrival dates on the travelers itinerary
• Reimbursement will be based on the most economical parking rates available on-site. At PVD airport, Garage C and Lot E are the allowed parking sites. If a traveler choses a garage or lot that exceeds the rate in the allowed parking sites, only the maximum rate allowed for the period charged will be reimbursed.

Please Note: It is up to the traveler to complete the follow-up paperwork for the necessary approvals upon completion of travel.

Transportation will be by common carrier and includes air, rail (Amtrak), and automobile.

Allowable transportation accommodations will include coach fares, utilizing the most economical fares possible.

• Travelers will not be allowed to take direct flights if there are other options which are economically advantageous to the State while still allowing the traveler to conduct their business in a timely manner.
• Travelers must consider total costs of an itinerary when traveling to/from a destination or area. For example, when considering a departure out of Boston vs a departure out of Providence, travelers must compare the entire cost of the trip including the increased cost of parking and/or mileage that may be incurred.

Baggage fees will be reimbursed as follows:

• original detailed receipts are required
• each traveler will be reimbursed for the 1st checked bag, each way
• any additional baggage fees greater that the 1st checked bag will be the sole responsibility of the traveler.

Fees/Charges incurred to Change Booked Travel:

• The State will pay fees/charges assessed by carriers or the designated travel agent for a change in travel arrangements if the reason for change is business-related.
• The State will pay fees/charges assessed by airline carriers or the designated travel agent for cancellation and re-issuance of an airline ticket if the reason fo​r the cancellation and reissuance of the ticket is business related.

The State will not pay to reimburse for any optional convenience fees or upgrade fees, including early check-in fees or seat upgrade fees.

Personally owned automobiles may be used for travel in lieu of common carriers when it is economically advantageous to the State. The following is required:

• A detailed analysis is required showing the cost benefit of using a personally owned automobile.
  • Documentation must include the lowest available common carrier fare obtained from the designated travel agent.

As of January 1, 2024, the rate used to reimburse state employees for use of their personally-owned vehicles on state business will be reimbursed at $0.67 per mile.

The State of R.I. has a 90 day reimbursement policy. Please insure all travel is filed in the appropriate time frame.

Following are the specific steps required to complete the processing of a travel report:

1. At the conclusion of travel, it is the responsibility of the traveler to fill out the travel report, supported by the conference brochure and all original receipts and sign it. The travel report should be completed as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks upon completion of travel.
2. The completed report with the original documents attached should then be forwarded to the appropriate Department Chair, Director, Dean, and/or Vice President. Grant travel should be forwarded to the Director of Grant Accounting for approval.  The report will then be forwarded to the Accounting Office, East Campus, Bldg. #5.
3. Any amount due the traveler will be paid by the college. The Accounting Office will notify the traveler when the check is available. Checks may be signed for and picked up in the Accounting Office. 
4. In the event the traveler has overspent their allowable travel funds, a bill will be sent to the traveler for the amount due.

Please Note: Failure to read and comply with these instructions can result in your travel report being delayed.

How to Complete the Travel Report Form