1. Travel Policy Changes
August 2018

2. Background
In Scope:
Business Practice Improvement was engaged by CFO Carol Kissal in early 2017 to evaluate the University’s travel services vendors. The objective was to research and deliver service enhancements for faculty, staff, and students through:
Policy updates and changes to improve both content and presentation, with a focus on enhancing usability and user experience
Service changes to streamline booking, expensing, and reporting, as well as boost customer satisfaction levels (this work in still in process)

3. Policies Implemented in FY2018
Lodging Policy Change
Allowable lodging charges may now include late check-out, early check-in, half-day rooms, and access to lounges or day rooms when trips involve limited airport access, 4hr+ layovers, or 6hr+ flights.
Sponsored Program Policy Change
Alcohol is permissible unless specifically prohibited by the sponsoring agency (non-allowable on federal grants). If traveling on per diem, alcohol is permitted if involving a non-Emory, project-related person(s), or if it is an Emory-hosted sponsored event related to the project.

4. Policies Re-organized and Simplified
Travel policies reduced from 16 sections to 8 sections
Total number of Travel policies reduced from 44 pages to 28 pages and now incorporated into a larger “Travel and Expense Reporting Policy”
New policy structure:
Travel – General
Air and Rail Travel
Lodging
Ground Transportation
Family Member Travel
Personal Meals
Travel Expense Reporting, Reimbursement, and Payment
Sponsored Programs Travel

5. Policy Change: Exception Policy
Exceptions to the Travel Policies
One-time exceptions must be approved by the AVP of Procurement or his/her proxy.
Ongoing policy change requests or exceptions go to the AVP of Procurement for CFO approval (includes discussion with submitter).
Prohibition of Travel
Emory may prohibit travelers on Emory funded or Emory sponsored travel from going to certain countries.

6. Policy Change: Air Travel
Fare Class Clarification
Emory prohibits the booking of certain types of fares or fare classes due to the high probability of the flight being “oversold” and/or high potential of the traveler would not be boarded on the flight:
No-seat-assigned discount fares
Consolidator fares
Basic Economy fares
Allowable Upgrades
Exception for first class tickets are allowed by exception only when business class seats are unavailable on the route. Direct point-to-point travel or the most direct route available is required.
Upgrade Exception Form must be submitted prior to booking:

7. Policy Change: Domestic Rail
Domestic Rail Travel
Rail travel may be used without prior approval for travel between the following locations (or their interim destinations as applicable) along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor:
Washington D.C. to Philadelphia
Philadelphia to New York City
New York City to Boston
First Class rail travel is only reimbursable up to the cost of a coach class ticket. 
Travel insurance is permitted with CBO approval.

8. Policy Change: Rail Domestic Rail Travel
Rail travel may be used without prior approval for travel between the following locations (or their interim destinations as applicable) along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor:
Washington D.C. to Philadelphia
Philadelphia to New York City
New York City to Boston
First Class rail travel is only reimbursable up to the cost of a coach class ticket
Travel insurance is permitted with CBO approval
International Rail Travel
May be used without prior approval
First Class rail travel is allowed per CBO/Department discretion

9. Policy Change: Lodging
Non-Conference Rates
If staying at a conference hotel, the traveler should book the pre-negotiated conference rate or if sold out of that rate, the next lowest rate available. For non-conference rates, travelers are expected to book through the University’s travel agency.

10. Policy Change: Ground Transportation
Insurance
As long as the car is rented for use while conducting University business in the U.S., U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and Canada, travelers should decline the loss damage waiver (LDW/CDW) option, supplemental liability coverage, personal accident insurance (PAI) and other insurance options and book via the travel agency booking tool. 
In all other locations, Emory travelers should accept the rental insurance.
Advance Fuel Purchase
Travelers must refuel the car (directly or via rental agency’s advanced fuel purchase) prior to returning it to avoid excessive refueling fees from the rental car agency at drop off.

11. Policy Change: Personal Meals
Domestic Per Diem Permitted
Domestic travelers may only claim per diem for meals if their trip exceeds 7 calendar days/6 calendar nights
All of the 7 days/6 nights must be business related
Domestic per diem is calculated in accordance with the U.S. Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) breakdown provided by U.S. city at this website:

12. Policy Change: Reimbursable Expenses
Items added to list of non-reimbursable expenses:
Any clothing or personal apparel, purchased or rented (except in the event of lost luggage, where reasonable clothing purchases can be expensed)
Loss or theft of airline tickets (except when the loss or theft of electronic airline tickets was due to hacking)
Rental car for personal use
Items removed from the list that will now be reimbursed:
Personal cell phone monthly fees/minutes

13. Policy Change: Direct Billing
All Emory travel agency bookings to be paid via corporate credit card
Elimination of direct bill and reimbursing through T&E provides best opportunity for proper approvals, visibility and analytics into Emory travel
Credit cards can be set-up in the traveler profile
Non-corporate card holders should be offered assistance of administrator or manager to book travel on an Emory corporate card
NOTE: Elimination of Direct Billing will not be fully instituted until there is a workable option for departments booking extensive student and guest travel AND the implementation of a new online travel booking tool.

14. Questions may be directed to: travel@emory.edu
THANK YOU
Questions may be directed to: