LIBRARY FACULTY HANDBOOK
TRAVEL POLICY (This Section Under Revision)
RELEASE TIME AND REIMBURSEMENT
I. GENERAL POLICY
It is the policy of the WSU Libraries to encourage staff development and effectiveness in assignment by providing release time (leave with pay) and reimbursement for activities which uphold the Libraries' mission and goals. Library faculty and classified staff are eligible to request release time and reimbursement of related expenses.
Library faculty will be given preference over classified staff in times of limited travel funds, as professional development for library faculty is a requirement for retention, tenure and promotion, and post‑tenure review. However, neither classified staff nor faculty will be given preferential treatment for administrative travel funds. Instead, these funds will be distributed on the basis of need, and as limited funds will allow.
In the interest of assisting the greatest number of faculty and staff members, only partial funding (depending upon locations and cost involved), will be recommended. If the Director of Libraries and/or the Director's Council determines that a faculty or staff member should travel for administrative purposes, the trip will be funded out of administrative travel funds as far as is possible.
II. GUIDELINES
Decisions concerning release time and reimbursement requests should take into account the following guidelines:
A. Personnel Needs
There should be reasonable scheduling flexibility in all library units to accommodate faculty and staff development needs. At the same time, these activities must not jeopardize basic library services or performance standards.
B. Availability of Funds
1. The Library Director will announce funds available in the Travel Budget. These funds will be separated into two areas: a) administrative travel funds, and b) general travel funds. At the same time, each faculty member will be informed of the per person allocation of travel funds.
2. specific requests for travel should be submitted at least 3 weeks in advance, with the exception of unanticipa‑L‑ed meetings in which we receive little or no advance notice. The yearly anticipated travel requests do not serve as the 3‑week notice which must be filled out on the separate Travel Request form. There cannot be post‑hoc filing of travel requests. Requests must be filed and approved prior to travel.
C. Criteria
Since funds are limited and many requests are equallybeneficial to the Libraries, weighting will be given to:
1. Faculty and staff scheduled to chair meetings, present papers, or serve as active committee members.
2. Maintenance of a reasonably equitable balance between units and, if possible, Library faculty and classified staff.
3. Attendance at information science and library‑related professional meetings or conferences will receive higher priority for funding than non‑library professional meetings.
4. Attendance at meetings focused on subject or functional speciality or on special job‑related assignments in which benefit to the Libraries is substantial.
5. Run‑on travel requests (e.g., ALA preconferences and conference) will receive low priority. Funding may be approved for one or the other.
6. Staff who meet deadlines and justify the necessity and value of the travel for the Libraries as well as the individual.
[The 6 criteria listed above are not in any priority order]
D. Library faculty and classified staff who have been granted release time and/or reimbursement for travel may be requested to present a written or oral report. Expertise and knowledge acquired should be shared with the library staff and faculty.
E. Release Time
Approval may be granted for release time for travel without financial support. Justification for release time requests should stress the benefit to the Libraries and/or the individual's professional development. In most cases of no direct or indirect value to the Libraries, the individual should request annual leave or leave without pay.
F. Allocation of Funds
Travel funds are taken from the Libraries' operating expense budget. The amount is determined and transferred as early as possible in each fiscal year. The allocated funds are normally divided as follows:
1. Administrative Travel (1/4 of total)
2. General Travel (3/4 of total)
a. The General Travel fund is subdivided into three parts:
1) Permanent faculty travel, 70%. Each permanent faculty member is allotted an equal share of the total.
2) Staff travel, 15%. Allotment is by application.
3) Open faculty travel, 15%. Allotment is by application, open to faculty hired since the last allocation, and other faculty who have responsibilities requiring them to travel.
b. Faculty members will be notified what their basic dollar allotment will be by September 15 or as soon thereafter as possible. This money may be spent for travel, lodging or fees and may be used for one conference or spread over several. Permanent faculty members will notify LAO by February 15 if they do not anticipate using their basic share by the end of the fiscal year. Monies not used would revert to the open travel fund and be available on application. LAO will issue a report on additional funds available for open faculty travel by March 1.
III. ADMINISTRATIVE REIMBURSEMENT
Individuals will normally be considered for full reimbursement for round trip air fares, lodging, and registration (not meals) when funds allow and when:
A. The individual is required to travel and/or attend meetings, conferences, etc., as a part of performing officially assigned responsibilities for the Libraries.
B. Travel for candidates for faculty positions will be funded, as appropriate, under Administrative Travel. Moving expenses, as appropriate, will be funded for faculty candidates offered positions at WSU Libraries.
IV. PROCEDURES
The normal route of a Travel Request form is as follows:
A. Requests are to be submitted on the Travel Request form (see p. 5 of 6) by the faculty or staff member to his/her immediate supervisor giving full details [purpose and justification, dates, times, amount of funds requested (if any), and whether a member of a sponsoring organization or not]. A university Travel Authorization form, filled out as applicable in duplicate, must accompany the Travel Request form. The request then goes to the Division Head.
B. Within 3 days of receipt, the Division Head will forward the Travel Request form and the university Travel Authorization form, with a recommendation, to the Director.
C. Once the Director has received a Request, a final decision should be made within 2 days, and preparation of travel papers completed, if necessary. The Director's Office should notify the applicant of the final decision within one week.
D. Incomplete requests may be delayed or denied.
V. ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY
Employees should submit receipts for all expenses for which they are requesting reimbursement to the Library Administrative office within one week after the travel. If an employee preregisters, a copy of the registration form should be submitted to LAO, or, if the registration is by phone, LAO should receive any documentation needed to make payment. The LAO will submit preregistration with payment whenever it is deemed desirable. Travel time and expenses must be the most direct and inexpensive route. Individuals funded for travel may request use of a pool car if necessary. Travel requests must be completed for all off‑campus events.
VI. ADDENDUM
During FY88 travel funds are being allocated to COBBS and CLUE to cover travel and registration costs associated with training for database searching and bibliographic instruction. COBBS and CLUE are being asked to establish priorities for the use of those funds. Therefore, general library travel funds will not be used to fund travel and registration to train searchers or to support attendance at user education/bibliographic instruction events.
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LIBRARIES
TRAVEL REQUEST FORM
WSU TRAVEL AUTHORITY FORM