Amended by Executive Committee on September 24, 2005

1. Overview

A. General

This policy prescribes the rules and procedures governing travel to meetings and other activities of the Howard University Alumni Association (“HUAA”), travel to attend special events at Howard University, and travel to attend other events supported by HUAA. HUAA will defray the costs of travel only if the travel is performed in conformity with the provisions of this policy. This policy will remain in effect until superseded or canceled. Supplements to this policy will be issued periodically as necessary.

All expenditures for travel will be reviewed by the Vice President for Finance and the Director of Alumni Relations for propriety and reasonableness. It is expected that the expenditures will not be excessive or more than what a prudent person would expend in similar circumstances. Travelers are reminded that in choosing travel and hotel services the goal must always be to choose the most cost effective service available.

B. Applicability

This policy applies to the HUAA officers designated in the HUAA's Constitution, the other members of the Executive Committee, the Regional Representatives, and the Members-at-Large to the Alumni Board.

The HUAA officers shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses subject to the provisions of this policy. Each fiscal year the Executive Committee shall adopt a budget which includes the projected travel expenses for the HUAA officers.

Each fiscal year the Executive Committee shall determine the maximum dollar amounts that may be reimbursed to the other members of the Executive Committee, the Regional Representatives, and the Members-at-Large to the Alumni Board, for travel to the University for meetings, and shall include the projected travel expenses in the budget.

C. Authority to Travel

Travel expenses incurred by the HUAA officers the other members of the Executive Committee, the Regional Representatives, and the Members-at-Large to the Alumni board, will be deemed to be authorized travel expenses, so long as the Executive Committee has approved a budget including such projected expenses and the Executive Secretary has certified the availability of funds for travel. Travel costs incurred without this approval and certification of the funds remain the personal obligation of the individual traveler and may not be reimbursed by HUAA.

The HUAA officers must receive prior approval from the President and the Vice President for Finance before incurring any expenses for travel throughout the regions. Prior approval must be requested in writing via e-mail, fax or postal mail. A copy must be submitted to the Director of Alumni Relations. The request must describe the purpose of the trip and include the total amount of the projected expenses. If the traveler is the President, the Vice President for Finance must approve the request. If the traveler is the Vice President for Finance, the President must approve the request.

D. Permissible Items

Reimbursable items include local transportation and parking, travel to or from, meals, and lodging in connection with, meetings, events and activities held or sponsored by HUAA, its Alumni Council, Executive Committee, and other constituent organizations thereof, meetings and events sponsored by members of the executive or senior staff of Howard University, and other events supported by or consistent with the purposes of HUAA.

2. Permissible Travel costs

A. General

Validated receipts are required for expenditures where it is generally practical to obtain them. Only original receipts are acceptable. Authorized members of the Association, excluding the HUAA officers, will be reimbursed for travel according to the following schedule:

Travel from East Coast to Washington, DC $600
Travel from West Coast to Washington, DC $900
Travel from Midwest and South to Washington, DC $700
Travel from Bahamas, Bermuda and Caribbean Islands to Washington, DC $900

B. Transportation

Reimbursable expenses include economy or coach airline fares, similar accommodations on passenger trains, expenses resulting from the use of taxies, rental cars (including gas), mileage and gas in connection with the use of personally owned vehicles, and parking. Extra fare expenses for sleeping and other services are not reimbursable. Reimbursable amounts for long distance air flights, generally coast to coast flights, shall not exceed $500, and flights of shorter duration, e.g., flights within a region or of two or three hours in duration, shall not exceed $300.

C. Lodging

HUAA will reimburse lodging expenses that are reasonable and not lavish in nature. Travelers should make use of all discount programs reasonably available to them, such as
discounts for members of the bar, or other professional groups, or automobile club discounts. Reimbursable amounts for lodging shall not exceed $100.00, unless the lodging is in a “high cost city” pursuant to the University’s travel guidelines. HUAA will
not reimburse for expenses related to extra days, i.e., days unrelated to the meeting or event being attended. For example, when a meeting is scheduled to convene the next morning, a traveler may be reimbursed for a prior night’s lodging. When a meeting is to conclude before noon, the traveler should check out that day. A noon or later meeting should result in the traveler checking out the following day.

D. Meals

HUAA will reimburse expenses for meals for an amount not to exceed forty-eight dollars ($48.00) per day. This rate will apply only when a member is in travel status. This rate will be prorated at $12 per quarter on the days of departure from and return to the Member’s home, depending on the time of day. For purposes of this section, each day is divided into the following quarters:

Quarter 1 - 12:01AM - 6:00AM
Quarter 2 - 6:01AM - 12 Noon
Quarter 3 - 12:01PM - 6:00PM
Quarter 4 - 6:01PM - 12 Midnight

Notwithstanding the above, the daily rate will adjust automatically to correspond with any adjustments to the rate made by Howard University.

E. Miscellaneous

1. HUAA will not pay for travel agents
2. HUAA will not pay for telephone calls
3. HUAA will not pay for laundry or valet services
4. HUAA will not pay for personal or social entertainment
5. HUAA will not pay for flight or rental car insurance
6. HUAA will not pay for alcohol consumption
7. HUAA will not pay for credit card fees
8. HUAA will not pay gratuities
9. HUAA will not pay for any expenses not expressly permitted and approved under this policy
10. HUAA will not pay for mileage when renting automobiles
11. HUAA will not reimburse for usage of personal frequent flyer or similar program benefits

3. Claims and Documentation

Travelers’ claims for reimbursement should reflect accurately the facts involved in each instance. Expenses not properly supported will be considered as personal expenses of the traveler.
Claims for reimbursement should be submitted on the HUAA Travel Settlement Form available from the Office of Alumni Relations. The University Travel Settlement Form must also be signed. Both forms should be submitted to the Office of Alumni Relations within 30 days of the end of travel together with original receipts for each item for which reimbursement is sought. Failure to produce original documentation can result in nonreimbursement of travel expenditures.

A copy of the completed HUAA Travel Settlement Form should be forwarded to the Vice President for Finance at the same time the original form is forwarded to the Office of Alumni Relations. The Vice President for Finance will review the form for compliance with this policy. If the form complies with the policy, the Vice President for Finance will approve the form by signing, dating and forwarding the form to the Office of Alumni Relations. If the form does not comply with the policy, the Vice President for Finance will inform the Director of Alumni Relations. The Director will contact the traveler requesting reimbursement and give the traveler an opportunity to correct the form so that it does comply with this policy.

The Director of Alumni Relations will approve the Travel Settlement Form for the University and the Vice President for Finance will approve for HUAA. If the Vice President for Finance is unavailable, or if the Vice President for Finance is requesting the reimbursement, the President shall be the designated person to approve the request.

4. Limits of Liability

Each traveler expressly understands and agrees that by offering reimbursement as contemplated herein, HUAA expressly disclaims any duty or obligation to pay the traveler’s expenses and is offering to do so only as a courtesy and convenience to the traveler.

Each traveler agrees that in return for extending this courtesy the traveler shall hold HUAA, its officers, members and affiliates harmless from any and all claims, expenses and cost arising from any activity arising from any travel or lodging for which reimbursement is sought or approved by HUAA. Each traveler further expressly understands and agrees that reimbursement, if granted, may be granted in whole or in part, and only when and if and to the extent funds are available.