Financial Updates & Reminders

Dear all,

I wanted to bring your attention to an update and reminders from campus Financial Affairs.

First, the good news:
Increase in Meal Rates for Business Travel and Entertainment As of September 8, 2022, maximum allowable meal rates have increased.

You can find more information regarding entertainment at the Entertainment, Business Meeting, and Other Events Expense Guide.

Second, reminders on travel policy:

Domestic Lodging Maximum Rate Per UC Policy (Appendix B, page 51), there is a maximum cost of $275 per night for domestic travel lodging.

DIVISIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE ADVISEMENT: This is being highly scrutinized at this time, so please provide as much information as possible for a justification for exceeding maximum cost. If this maximum is exceeded, the authority to approve an exception to policy is at the Chancellor level. 

Bundled Travel The cost of a “bundled” airfare and lodging package obtained through an Internet travel agency that does not provide a detailed receipt or invoice separately identifying the costs of airfare, hotel, and incidentals is not allowable. Typically itineraries and receipts from these packages do not include itemized expenses and do not provide sufficient detail to support reimbursement. 

DIVISIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE ADVISEMENT: If you would like the convenience of reserving flights, lodging, and rental cars all from one source, then use one of the Connexxus agencies (which automatically includes UC travel insurance) to make reservations for your entire trip itinerary.  

While it may seem that a traveler is saving the university funds by choosing this option, it actually costs more in traveler time in obtaining itemized information from the travel company that the bundled package was purchased from and significantly delays reimbursement. Additionally, bundled airfare runs contrary to contractual grant requirements, and state, and UC policies. Without the proper detail, you may not be reimbursed.