The University of Georgia follows all policies set by the University System of Georgia and Board of Regents. The policy can be found in the Board of Regents Procedures Manual:  Section 19.9 Non-Employee Travel. 
This section addresses non-employee travel to include students, consultants, and individuals applying for a job at the institution. Travel expenses for non-employees should be limited to certain circumstances as described below: 

1. Students authorized to travel for participation in academic programs and sanctioned student events to include athletic and recruiting events. Students include individuals enrolled to take classes at an institution, including students enrolled in Continuing Education, and individuals being recruited as potential students.
2. Individuals contracted to perform a service for the institution where the contract provides for travel expense reimbursement.
3. Research, academic conference, or academic event travel funded by a grant award to the institution in those instances when the grant award specifically authorizes payment for non-employee travel in support of research, academic conference, or academic event.
4. Job applicant travel associated with an interview. Units may reimburse travel expenses for job candidates traveling to meet University personnel for an interview. The unit should consider the level and type of vacant position, recruiting budget, and if the costs of the candidate’s travel benefits the University in the search to fill a position.

Viable methods to pay job applicants include:

• Including interview expenses in the contract with an external search firm.
• Requiring a job candidate to perform a service to the institution, such as a presentation on subject matter applicable to the position applied for consideration provided to the candidate for this service would be the reimbursement of travel expenses.
• Requesting travel expense reimbursement for the job candidate from the Foundation.

Note: Reimbursement of authorized travel expenses is subject to the allowable limits and conditions as discussed in BPM Section 4.4 through 4.9. All travel expenses in these categories should be charged to account 6501XX and properly documented using a form designed for that purpose.

Reason for Policy
This policy is to define when payment of non-employee travel expenditures is appropriate. This policy does not allow for payment from a university account, regardless of the funding source, for travel expenses of guests, spouses, or family members accompanying the non-employee. Payment of travel expenses for guests, spouses, or family members accompanying the non-employee must be paid directly from a University Foundation account.

Procedure
Non-employees traveling on university business whose expenses are paid or reimbursed by the University are subject to the same travel policy as university employees. Travel is to be coordinated between the department and the traveler or travel agency. Payment of these expenses will be a reimbursement to the non-employee or a direct payment by the University to a travel agency or other provider. University Purchasing Cards (P-Cards) may not be used for any non-employee travel payments besides student travel. Refer to the P-Card Manual for further guidance on use of the P-Card.  

 

Departments hosting business related visitors may have those visitors’ airfare directly billed to the University by utilizing one of UGA’s authorized travel agencies to book the flight. Departments should work with the agency and have the invoice sent directly to the department. The invoice should be submitted for payment by a payment request. A travel authorization form for non-employees should be completed and maintained in the department. A copy of the travel authorization should be attached to the payment request as supporting documentation.  

 

Expenses not directly billed to the University should be paid by the traveler and reimbursement processed at the end of the trip via a payment request payable to the individual. 

The funding sources available to pay for permissible non-employee travel, depending on the category of non-employees, are outlined below. Please reference the UGA Chart of Accounts . 

 

Student Travel: 

 

• Student Activities Funds (Fund group 13000) 

• Auxiliary Accounts (Fund group 122xx) 
• Study Abroad DV Accounts (Fund group 14100) 
• General Operating Funds (Fund group 1xxxx) 
• Restricted Funds which allow the expense (Fund group 2xxxx) 

Contracted Individuals Performing Services (when the contract provides for travel expenses): 

• Same funding source as used to pay the contract 

Job Applicant Travel Associated with an Interview: 

• General Operating Funds (Fund group 1xxxx) 
• Departmental Sales and Service when the interviewee is applying for work directly related to the sales or service operation and when the expense can be supported by the operation's budget. (Fund group 14xxx) 
• Auxiliary Accounts (Fund group 122xx) 

• Restricted Funds which allow the expense (Fund group 2xxxx) 

*With respect to travel related to interviewees, there are only two methods to pay for these expenses from a university account, regardless of the funding source of that account. These methods are: 

1. Include interviewee travel expenses in the contract with an external search firm. 

 

1. Require the interviewee to perform a service to the institution, such as a presentation on subject matter that is applicable to the position they are applying for and consideration provided to the candidate for this service is the payment or reimbursement of the travel expenses. 

If neither of the two methods noted above can accommodate the payment or reimbursement of travel expenses for the interviewee, departments must request that these expenses be paid directly from a University Foundation account. 

Travel for Official Guests participating in Academic, Research, or Conference Activities: 

• General Operating Funds (Fund group 1xxxx) 
• Departmental Sales and Service when the participation is directly related to the sales or service operation and when the expense can be supported by the operation's budget. (Fund group 14xxx) 
• Auxiliary Accounts (Fund group 122xx) 

• Restricted Funds which allow the expense (Fund group 2xxxx) 
• When using UGA restricted accounts funded by one of the University Foundations, the underlyingundagreementmustallowforpaymentofthetravelexpenses. 

Sponsored program funding may be used only if allowed under the award. Awards may include limitations on amounts for travel expenses or may have limits on payment of certain types of travel expenses. Any expense charged to a sponsored account must meet the requirements of the award and/or the requirements of the funding agency or sponsor. 

All travel expenses in these categories must be submitted via a payment request in the Accounts Payable module. An approved Non-Employee Payment Form should accompany the request. Requests for payment of travel expenses for interviewees and official guests providing a service to the University must include a description of the services performed and how these services were a direct benefit to the University. 

The departmental representative approving the Non-Employee Payment Form must certify that services purchased were in accordance with the University’s administrative policies and procedures. 

Receipts for all expenses other than meal per diems should be attached. Any requests for reimbursement of mileage should include documentation of the number of miles traveled. 

Forms/Instructions

Non-Employee Payment Form  

Non-Employee Travel Authorization Form 

Record Retention

Research Grant Records  

Number 0472-09-006 

These records relate to funded research grant proposals and research activity associated with grant funded projects. Examples of records include supporting statistics, demographic data, draft proposals, suggested revisions, final proposals, forms, protocols, applications, research/activity reports, progress reports, and summary reports. Retention: Final research report is permanent. All other records: 7 years after the end of the grant period. 

Accounting Records Number 0472-03-001 

This series includes bank statements, purchase requests, purchase orders, requisitions, financial reports, accounts payable and receivable records, write-off records, discrepancy, payment schedules, operating statements, year-end projections, reconciliation and expenditure reports, cancelled checks, check stubs, moving expense records, cost accounting reports, refund/disbursement request records, returned checks, deposit slips, travel records, credit voucher requisition records, cash balances and reconciliations, sales and cash reconciliation records, journal entries, outstanding obligations, refund/disbursement requests, receipts and invoices. 

Retention: Monthly and quarterly reports: 1 year. All other records: 5 years.  

Credit Card Administration Records Number 0472-03-013 

This series documents administration of credit cards and P-cards issued to institutional staff and units. Records may include applications, master monthly billing statements, individual card holders' statements, billing

summaries, and printouts including vendor analysis by code, number of charges and stores, and use summaries. 

Retention: 7 years. 

Related Information

P-Card Manual 

Multiple training resources for processing payment requests are available in the OneSource Training Library:  

Creating a Payment Request  

Creating a Payment Request with Multiple Expense Lines 

Creating a Payment Request with Multiple Accounting Distributions  Approving a Payment Request 

Denying a Payment Request 

 

 

Responsible University Senior Administrator: Vice President for Finance & Administration

Responsible University Administrator: Associate Vice President - Finance Division

Policy Owner: Accounts Payable

Policy Contact: Director of Accounts Payable

Phone Number: 706-542-2786