Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs

Updated May 1, 2023; Updated November 20, 2017; Updated March 1, 2014; Updated September 29, 2010; Updated April 2010; Updated July 15, 2009; Updated November 20, 2008; Updated February 1, 2007; Updated November 30, 1998; Updated September 7, 1995; Effective July 1, 1995; supersedes former Administration Policy No. TRA1.11, “Travel Authorization and Encumbrance – State Employees”

Office of State Budget and Management

• Travel Website
• OSBM Budget Manual
• Travel Abroad and Re-Entry Policy

Policy Details:

I.            Purpose

To establish policy for pre-approval of all university business travel by staff, faculty, and student employees.

II.             Scope

Applies to all staff, faculty, and student employees traveling for university business.

III.             Policy

1. General Statement
   1. All travel must be authorized prior to the first day of travel. Each employee traveling on official university business must complete a separate Pre- Approval Travel for each trip/event in Chrome River.
      1. Pre- Approval Travel must be processed for all travel, regardless of the following:
         • Traveler is requesting a travel advance or reimbursement or
         • Traveler is not incurring any travel expenses in addition to mileage driven or
         • Traveler is traveling locally on a day trip
      2. The approving authority may require additional justification or documentation prior to authorization of travel.
   2. All travel is subject to availability of funds; therefore, the university reserves the right to limit the cost of travel to limits established prior to the trip.
2. Required Approvals
   1. Traveler - Approval of the employee traveler, if submitted by a delegate.
   2. Supervisor - Approval of the traveler's immediate supervisor.
      1. Department Head - Student Employees must also have the Department Head approval on the Pre-Approval Travel.
   3. Budget Authority - Approval of departmental Budget Authority for each of the funds being used for the travel.
   4. Other Required Reviews/Approvals
      1. Grants Officer - Approval of assigned Grants Officer when using Contract and Grant
      2. International Travel
         • Associate Provost for Global Partnerships and International Education (GPIE) or (Designee) - Review required for all travel outside the contiguous United States (including travel to Alaska and Hawaii). Reviews are conducted using Department of State safety and security information for every country of the world to help assess the risks of travel, including travel advisories, alerts, and other important details specific to the travel destination.
         • Chancellor (or Designee) or Vice Chancellor - Approval is required for all travel outside the contiguous United States (including travel to Alaska and Hawaii).
      3. Department or Division - Additional approval requirements of the department or division where they These are generally in the form of an email attachment to the Pre-Approval Travel.

IV.             Other Information

1. Cancellation of Travel Plans
   The Travel Office should be notified immediately if travel plans are canceled after the Pre-Approval Travel has been created and/or submitted. Enter a comment on the Pre-Approval in Chrome River explaining why the trip is canceled.
2. Third-Party Lodging
   1. All third-party lodging must be approved prior to the travel dates using the Third-Party Lodging Form found on the Travel webpage.
   2. Form must be submitted to travel@uncw.edu.
   3. Approval of third-party lodging occurs outside of Chrome River.