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Travel Services

Travel Card Policies/Guidelines

I. Purpose

The purpose of this guideline is to define the appropriate use of the NYS Travel Card.

II. Scope

This Travel Card Program is intended to reduce the amount of employee out-of-pocket expenses when traveling on behalf of the State. The Travel Card program is a privilege. You are being entrusted with a valuable tool – the Travel Card – which is to be used for business travel expenses only when you are in “Travel Status.”  Because you will be making a financial commitment on behalf of the State University, you must strive to obtain best value for the University by following established travel policies and guidelines as appropriate.

III. Procedure

Obtaining a Travel Card

  • Employee will complete a Travel Card Application form.
    • Employee will submit the form to their Supervisor for approval.
  • Supervisor will forward the completed Form to the travel office at Canton.
  • The travel card administer will review the request; confirm need for card, and order card if deemed necessary.
  • New Travel cardholders and existing cardholders upon the card’s 3-year renewal cycle must attend a mandatory training/refresher session on the appropriate and non-appropriate use of their travel card and sign an Agreement and Acknowledgment Form.
  • Employee use is in accordance to the following policies and guidelines:
    • OSC Bulletin G-236 Appropriate Use of the New York State JP Morgan Chase Travel Card
    • Travel Card Agreement and Acknowledgement Form
    • SUNY Canton General Travel Rules - Travel Guidelines/Policies

TRAVEL CARD USE

  • Reference the OCS Travel Manual and Travel Guidelines/Policies
  • You must submit a Travel Authorization Form (T-1) for every trip you take. The Travel Authorization must be approved by your supervisor and should be submitted 4 weeks prior to the trip.  A Travel Authorization is required for every trip, even if it is for “Insurance Purposes Only.”
  • You may use the corporate travel card to pay for travel expenses when you are in “Travel Status” on official State University business only.  You may not use this credit card for personal charges. The State University and the Office of the State Comptroller may audit the use of your card and take appropriate action on any discrepancies or unauthorized charges. Any evidence that your card has been used fraudulently will require an investigation, after which disciplinary action may result.  Fraudulent use may also result in criminal prosecution.
  • Allowable use of the Travel Card includes costs for:

    Transportation; such as rental car, taxi, airfare, or train
    Lodging
    Meals (only travelers)
    Registration/Conference fees
    Parking
    Internet
    Fuel for rental car or state car (when gas card in glove box doesn't work)
    Visa/Passport
    Miscellaneous expenses while in travel status
    Telephone Charges (related to official State business)

  • The Travel Card should not be used for:

    Fuel for personal vehicle
    Food expenses for staff meetings and retreats
    Personal use of any kind
    Alcoholic beverages
    Incidentals on hotel bill (gym/spa charges, and movie rentals)
    Cash advances

Purchasing Meals with Travel Card:
If cardholders choose to use the Travel Card to pay for meals, the allowance for meals, including gratuities shall be limited to actual cost up to the maximum Per Diem meal allowance. A receipt for meal purchases is required. Alcoholic beverages CANNOT be paid with Travel Card.

Claiming Meal Per Diem on Travel Voucher:

  • Meals may be reimbursed on the Travel Voucher Form on a Per Diem basis based on location of lodging. If meals are provided or paid by another source related to the scheduled event, the traveler will not be reimbursed. If the traveler is opting to claim reimbursement at the full meal Per Diem meal allowance, then the travel card may not be used to purchase food and beverages.
  • A travel voucher must be submitted detailing all expenses including both corporate travel card charges and out of pocket expenses. The travel coordinator will reimburse out of pocket expenses and pay the corporate card directly. Vouchers must be submitted timely as they provide information necessary to reconcile the corporate card bill. Revocation of the traveler's card may occur upon repeated delays in the submission of vouchers. Vouchers must be submitted for all charges, whether or not out of pocket expenses were incurred.

Reconciling a Travel Card

  • ALL charges on the Travel Card must be supported by a Travel Voucher and Travel Authorization.
  • The travel card billing period ends on the 22nd of each month
    • Around the 23rd, travelers will receive an email notification from the Travel Office to submit any last minute charges they may have.
    • The original receipts for all items charged on the State travel card need to be submitted, with a corresponding Travel Voucher for each trip, to the Travel Office at SUNY Canton within 10 days after the email is sent out. (Example: all February's charges need to be turned in by March 2nd.)  
    • Timely submission of all documentation will make this reconciliation process successful. Travelers must submit all documents by the 5th of every month to ensure no late fees will be charged.
    • This process helps to ensure there is no duplicate payment of expenses and that all expenses related to one trip are accounted for.
  • As part of the monthly reconciliation and travel voucher submission, any charges that are unable to be offset against allowable costs/expenses per SUNY guidelines must be paid back to the travel office at SUNY Canton via check. The check will be made payable to “JP Morgan Chase” and sent to the Travel Coordinator together with the Travel Voucher for that trip.
    • Any incident of the unallowable cost/expense will be sent to the Internal Control Director for review and action.
    • Per the State-wide Financial System (SFS), the monthly statement must be submitted in one monthly payment. Any late submissions may result in a late fee being charged to the campus. Should a late reconciliation create a late fee charge, the late fee will be charged to the department late in reconciling.
  • Average monthly credit limit on the Travel Card will be $1,000 - 5,000 depending on department needs. Failure to submit monthly documentation and reimbursement will result in an immediate credit limit reduction to $1 until such time the breach is corrected.

Lost or Stolen Card

  • If your corporate travel card is lost or stolen, you must notify JP Morgan Chase and the Travel Coordinator immediately.

Travel Card Inactivity

  • If there is no activity on a card for 18 months or more, the cardholder’s credit limit will be reduced to $1.00. This limits the institution’s liability, but avoids premature cancelation of card.
    • The cardholder will be notified via e-mail of credit limit reduction.
  • Cardholder must notify Travel Coordinator when card usage is anticipated (so the credit limit can be increased).
  • Any card inactive for 24 months will be canceled.
    • Cardholder will be notified via e-mail to immediately destroy the Travel Card.
  • It is the responsibility of the cardholder and/or their supervisor to promptly notify the Travel Coordinator when there is a change in cardholder information, card is lost or stolen, or when the Travel Card is no longer needed.
  • The State University may change the terms and conditions or policies and procedures concerning use of the corporate travel credit card at any time. Compliance with these changes is required.

Office of Travel Services
SUNY Canton
Halford Hall 114
34 Cornell Drive
Canton, NY 13617
(315) 386-7555
Fax: (315) 386-7925

Travel Card Administrator
Amanda Rowley
rowleya@canton.edu
(315) 386-7559
Fax: (315) 386-7606