Northwestern
Travel Tips from Human Resources
New Procedure for Checking Out and Returning School
Vehicles (01-08)
Alva campus employees should find their designated car parked in a matching numbered slot in the Maintenance Shed, along the east side. Please remember to park the car in the proper slot when returning it to the shed. Allow yourself some extra time in case there are other vehicles blocking your vehicle.
The
university vehicle must now be requested online through the Agile Fleet
Commander system. Once the Maintenance
Office has assigned a vehicle number, they will send a pending confirmation to
the employee’s e-mail account. This
pending confirmation must be printed and submitted to the appropriate dean or
supervisor for approval. He or she will
decide the necessity of the trip, and assign a budget for you to follow.
As soon as
the trip is fully approved by university administrators, Human Resources and
Maintenance staff will finalize the vehicle assignment. When picking up the university vehicle, you
must now go to the Maintenance Office to be dispatched. You will be given car keys, a clipboard with
car keys, and a dispatch form to be filled out when you return to Alva. Remember to check out a Maintenance Shed key
if you plan to leave before/after hours, on weekends, or on holidays.
Each school vehicle must be returned with a full gas tank. Just don’t forget to use the official fuel supplier for the university.
All vans, including mini-vans, have
been moved back to the Maintenance Shed parking lot.
Always remember to return the building key to the Business Office promptly so someone else can check it out.
Twelve Rules of Travel
Have you been asked to travel for the University? You will want to carefully follow procedures
and plan ahead if you are eligible for expense reimbursement.
Northwestern abides by the rules for what the IRS
considers an “accountable plan.”
If you follow the rules, keep a detailed log of each
trip, and present proper receipts to the travel clerk upon your return, your
reimbursement should never be considered taxable income by the IRS or Oklahoma
Tax Commission.
NWOSU’s Maintenance Office has established procedures
employees must follow when traveling for the school. The Motor Pool procedures and rules are
listed on their website, http://www.nwosu.edu/phyplant/motorpool.htm
RULE #1: Travel expenses and reimbursements can only be incurred or reimbursed for official business, which has been approved in advance by NWOSU Administration.
RULE #2: Traveling requires paperwork. First, fill out an online Travel Request (http://nwosu.agilefleet.com/login), print out the “pending confirmation” e-mail you receive from Maintenance and submit it to your dean or supervisor as soon as possible, to start the signature approval process. List dates and times of travel, purpose for the trip, and items requested for reimbursement. Meals are not reimbursed unless the trip requires you to be in travel status overnight. Overnight stays will only be approved when absolutely necessary.
RULE #3:
Mileage is rarely paid to
traveling employees. When at all
possible, a school vehicle will be scheduled in order to save money. Mileage can only be paid to employees when
authorized in advance by Administration and Human Resources. State of
RULE #4: Never
allow a non-NWOSU employee to drive the school car! This is for liability reasons. Also, drivers must have current valid
RULE #5: Don’t forget to go to the Business Office (Herod Hall) and check out a key to the Maintenance garage if you are scheduled to leave before or after normal working hours, or when offices are officially closed for holidays or weekends. Also, the garage key must be returned to the Business Office the first working day after you return.
RULE #6: Ask for, and keep, all receipts! This is to protect you from owing unnecessary personal income taxes on any reimbursements.
RULE #7: As soon as you return from your trip, fill out an Application for Travel Reimbursement, attaching all original receipts and a photocopy of the conference or workshop agenda/flyer/brochure. Give it to the Travel Clerk. Keep photocopies of your application and all receipts in case you experience a personal audit by the IRS.
RULE #8: When you must fly, the Travel Clerk in Human Resources should make the flight arrangements for you in order to save money for the school. If you locate information on flights, the Travel Clerk should still make the final arrangements—the least expensive ticket must be purchased. The cost of the flight will be taken from the department limit set by your dean/supervisor.
RULE #9: Reimbursements
are based on actual expenses incurred, and are subject to limitations set forth
by State of
RULE #10:
RULE #11:
While traveling in a school vehicle, and before returning it to the
Maintenance Shed (cars) or
RULE #12:
Prepare ahead of time! First-time traveler?
Become familiar with our rules at http://www.nwosu.edu/phyplant/motorpool.htm. If you are not sure what to do in case
of accident or car trouble while traveling for Northwestern, call the
maintenance secretary at 327-8646.
The Employee Handbook devotes Chapter 9 to Travel and is a handy reference guide.
State of
New!!!! Review the Travel Reimbursement Checklist before you travel, so your Application for Reimbursement can be expedited. This is the same checklist the Human Resources Office will use when auditing your claim and authorizing the Office of State Finance to issue a check to you for qualified expenses.
“All you need is the plan, the road map,
and the courage to press on to your destination.” (Earl Nightingale)
Updated 7-1-2008