Travel Guidelines

Note: The following statement supersedes the travel policy below: Due to current budget constraints and current health concerns regarding the pandemic, professional development requests should primarily be focused on virtual opportunities to improve job skills/effectiveness in professional responsibilities and generally cost under $500.00.

Travel Guidelines Statement
Professional development is a priority for Florida Atlantic University Libraries. FAU Libraries regards professional development as a joint responsibility between the staff member and the Libraries. For that reason, individuals are expected to take some financial responsibility for their own professional growth in knowledge and skill development but will also be eligible for support from the Libraries when the budget permits. FAU Libraries will support travel for professional development and guidelines are necessary to facilitate this process. Staff are encouraged to take the initiative in identifying workshops, conferences, and other educational, professional, or skills-oriented opportunities for which they may need assistance to travel in order to participate. FAU Libraries travel funding guidelines are intended to help employees in securing travel funds for professional development. FAU Libraries will fully fund directed travel that is necessary for an employees’ job assignment.

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this travel policy is to provide guidance for travel requests for professional development, networking, academic enrichment, and directed training related to job responsibilities at FAU Libraries. Library employees are encouraged to attend and participate in appropriate conferences, workshops, seminars, and other professional development activities. Professional development allows library staff to update their skills to keep pace with changing trends in support of mission of the University. The Libraries will support professional travel to the extent which budgetary conditions allow.

PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL:
Professional travel includes travel to organizational conferences such as ALA and ACRL. It may be requested for professional enrichment or to provide service to professional organizations. Funds are to support travel that promotes the professional growth, professional knowledge and/or permits the individual to contribute to the service of the profession.
The current FAU Libraries Travel Approval Request (TAR) form asks applicants to justify travel with a statement on the benefit that this travel will bring to Florida Atlantic University. Below are examples of such statements that will support your request for travel funds.

Example statements for the benefits of travel:
Employee delivers a paper, participates on a panel, or is contributing to a program.
Employee serves as an officer of the association or presides at the meeting.
Employee is a member of a committee that will be meeting at the conference.
Employee is attending the conference to increase professional knowledge in support of the Libraries mission and that of the University.

COMPLIMENTARY TRAVEL:
Library faculty and staff may have opportunities to attend local committee meetings, free trainings and workshops hosted nearby, or other professional development opportunities that do not require travel expenses. The Library has vehicles which may be reserved to attend such local professional development events and if travelling during work hours employees should fill out a complimentary travel form.

GUIDELINE LIMITATIONS:
An annual reimbursement cap may be put in place for travel allocation requests by FAU Libraries staff based on budget constraints. Exceptions to this may be made on an individual basis by the Dean in consideration of changes in assignments, departmental training needs, and benefit to the Libraries and University at large. The Libraries will only reimburse up to the allocated funds that were approved and the requestor will be responsible for travel expenses which exceed the allocation unless prior approval is ascertained from the Dean’s office. Travel funds are not transferable to other employees nor across fiscal years. Unspent funds will be returned to the central budget to be utilized by the Dean of Libraries for other directed travel needs which may arise. The Travel Request Form should not be used to obtain an allocation for professional development webinars or courses that do not require travel.

PROCEDURES:
In June, library administration will call for staff to prioritize their travel plans in consultation with their supervisors and submit requests using the Professional Development Request Form.

In July, the Dean will receive a summary report tallying the requested funds and will consult with supervisors and appropriate personnel as needed. Allocations will be awarded and staff who submitted requests will be notified.

Once allocations have been made staff can begin planning travel and submit a Professional Development Request Form prior to their planned travel. Each travel trip will need a separate Professional Development Request form with estimated expenses.

The Libraries will reimburse travel expenses in accordance with the University travel policy.

FAU Libraries Resources

FAU Libraries Travel Procedures
http://library.fau.edu//sites/default/files/inline-files/Travel%20Procedures.pdf

FAU Libraries Professional Development Request Form
https://libweb.fau.edu/eforms/professional-development-request-form/ 

Florida Atlantic University Travel Resources FAU’s Travel Policies
http://www.fau.edu/controller/travel/travel_p_p.php

FAU Complimentary Travel Memorandum Form
http://library.fau.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/leave-form-unpaid.pdf

FAU Purchasing Card (pCard) for Travel
http://www.fau.edu/controller/travel/pcard.php

FAU Workday Travel Q&A
http://www.fau.edu/workday/Travel%20FAQs.pdf

FAU Mileage Chart
http://www.fau.edu/controller/travel/mileage.php

FAU Workday Job Aid: Travel Create Spend Authorization
http://www.fau.edu/controller/pdfs/job-aid/Spend%20Authorization-Job%20Aid.pdf