Fayetteville Policies and Procedures  332.0 

Travel Advances

  1. Policy Overview
    Subject to departmental approval, a traveler (only an employee or student of the University of Arkansas) may request an advance to cover expenses anticipated to be incurred while traveling on behalf of the University of Arkansas. Guests of the university are not eligible to receive travel advances.
    1. Definitions
      1. For purposes of this policy, University of Arkansas employees are defined as:
        1. anyone on appointed payroll
        2. anyone who has an active hourly wage rate on file
        3. authorized individuals with official responsibilities related to the University, but whose salaries are paid from other funds (affiliates)
      2. For purposes of this policy, University of Arkansas students are defined as:
        1. anyone currently enrolled
        2. graduate assistants as defined in the payroll system
    2. Regulations and Procedures for Travel Advances
      1. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DF&A) establishes regulations and procedures for employee and student travel advances.
      2. It is the responsibility of the University Travel Office to ensure compliance with DF&A regulations concerning travel advances.
      3. All employees and students who request travel advances must sign a Travel Advance Agreement. A copy will be kept on file by the Treasurer’s Office.
      4. Student travel must follow Fayetteville Policy and Procedure 332.4 Travel for Students Representing the University of Arkansas and must be in an official capacity.
  2. Allowable Travel Advance Expenses
    Allowable travel advance expenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. anticipated meals and lodging costs within the per diem limits allowed by state regulations
    2. anticipated mileage expense when an individual is required to use his/her vehicle for official travel at the rate stipulated by the state
    3. anticipated taxi fares
    4. car rental
    5. other miscellaneous requests such as parking, tolls, fuel for rental car, etc.
  3. Allowable Travel Advance Amounts
    1. Employee advance requests may be in an amount up to 50% for domestic travel or 75% for international travel of the total authorized, estimated, reimbursable travel expenses.
    2. Student advance requests may be in an amount up to 90% of the total authorized, estimated, reimbursable travel expenses.
    3. Group Travel advance requests may be in an amount up to 100% of the total authorized, estimated, reimbursable travel expenses.
  4. Restrictions
    1. A travel advance requested must be a minimum of $50.00.
    2. Travel advances are not issued for:
      1. Blanket Travel Authorizations,
      2. A trip that has already occurred, or
      3. Airfare and registration fees.
    3. The University Cashier’s Office does not cash travel advance checks.
  5. Travel Advance Repayment
    Travel advances issued for domestic travel and international travel, which includes the domestic travel of an individual employee, individual student, or group, and individual employee and individual student international travel, are to be repaid within 30 days after return of the trip.

    Travel Advances issued for international group and large group domestic travel (mainly for athletic bowl games), are to be repaid no later than 60 days after the return of the trip.

    A travel advance is a direct loan to the traveler and must be repaid in full, either by the processing of the travel claim where the amount to be reimbursed exceeds the travel advance, or by repayment of any travel advance amount still owed after reimbursement.  Any portion of the travel advance that is lost or stolen is the responsibility of the traveler.
  6. Canceled Trips
    The traveler should return or repay the travel advance to the Treasurer’s Office within five working days of the trip cancellation date.
  7. Payroll Deductions and Student Account Restrictions
    Notifications will be issued to help ensure that travel advances are settled on a timely basis. Subject to the University’s policies on withholding, and applicable law, the University is authorized to withhold the full amount of any past due travel advances (i.e., travel advances outstanding longer than the time allotted above) from any payment(s) due the employee or student including payroll check(s).  The University is also authorized to restrict registration, transcripts, and diplomas until the full amount of any past due travel advance is paid.  If a deduction or student restriction occurs twice within a twenty-four-month period, the employee or student will not be eligible for travel advances for the next twenty-four-month period.
  8. Exceptions
    Exceptions to this policy will only be granted with written approval by the Travel Office and such approval should be obtained prior to any exception.

Revised June 25, 2018
Reformatted for the Web September 9, 2014
Revised May, 2007
Revised April, 2005
Revised September, 2003