{"id":277,"date":"2011-06-06T20:41:43","date_gmt":"2011-06-06T20:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/accounting\/travel-policy\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T19:31:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T23:31:34","slug":"travel-policy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/accounting\/travel-and-expense-2\/travel-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Expense and Travel Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Completed Travel and Expense Reports<\/a> and Payment Request Forms<\/a> should be submitted through the links provided and must include the payee’s electronic signature and the approver’s name and email address in order to route for approval by the appropriate Department Head, Dean or Vice President.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business expense including travel is defined as payment for goods and services that directly facilitate the work of the college. The fundamental principle governing business expense and travel reimbursement is that an individual incurring expense or traveling on College business should neither gain nor lose personal funds as a result of conducting official College business. The College will reimburse all business expenses and employee travel expenses that are reasonable and actually incurred for transportation, local travel, meals, lodging and other necessary costs within the parameters of this policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming a reasonable level of safety, comfort and convenience for the traveler, every effort should be made to make business travel arrangements that are most efficient in terms of both time and cost, and that keep College expenses to a minimum. When itineraries are altered to accommodate personal matters, the traveler is expected to pay any additional costs incurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planned business travel that includes personal stops must include lowest cost comparison rates obtained at the time travel is booked. Travel itineraries that include more than 50% of personal time are considered personal travel and the business portion of the trip must be approved in advance by the appropriate Department Head, Dean or Vice President. Only expenses necessary to directly facilitate the business portion of the trip may be submitted for reimbursement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For information on the following expense and travel topics, please choose from the links below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n