2020-2021 University Travel Guidelines

This information is specific to travel impacted as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As the situation remains very dynamic, please check back for updates.

All international travel and study abroad requests must start with the International Center.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For information on Concur and training, please email Travel Analyst, Stephanie Albright at polytravel@calpoly.edu in Strategic Business Services.

Domestic Travel Request Process Steps for Travel Through June 30, 2021

1. Select proper Request Form depending on type of travel
2. Fill out proper Request Form, all campus development or advancement staff must get proper signatures on Request Form before submitting for approval
3. Attach Request Form to the proper format (Concur Request or 1A form) and submit for approval
4. Obtain proper approvals:
   1. Concur Request with attached Request Form must be approved by:
      1. Cost Object Approver
      2. Department Head or Chair/ Manager or Supervisor
      3. Dean/ AVP
      4. Provost/ VP
      5. President
   2. “1A” form with attached Request Form must be approved by:
      1. Department Head or Chair/ Manager or Supervisor
      2. Dean/ AVP
      3. Jeanne Scott, jscott29@calpoly.edu — add 'initial box' to sign before sending to the provost
      4. Provost/ VP — cp-provost@calpoly.edu
      5. Kelly Sebastian, ksebasti@calpoly.edu — add 'initial box' to sign before sending to the president
      6. President — jarmstro@calpoly.edu — add signature box on form
5. Traveler should ensure all approvers have approved travel request as outlined above. Travel request or travel expense report/claim may be denied if proper approvals were not obtained prior to trip.

Essential Domestic Travel Approval Request Form

Prior to committing funds or booking travel, all travelers must first obtain approval. To gain approval, travelers must fill out and submit a COVID-19 Travel Request Form.

Travel Process Summary

Individual Travel

Group Travel

What is Considered Essential Domestic Travel?

Domestic travel may be deemed “essential” only when the travel demonstrably and significantly advances one or more of the following for:

Faculty, Staff, Researchers, and Grad students

• Meet contractual obligations committed prior to COVID-19
• Job required training/ certification/ professional development (e.g. tenure) that must be in person and cannot be postponed
• University development activity that must be in person and cannot be postponed
• University recruitment activity that must be in person and cannot be postponed
• Preserve the safety of a research subject and which is not possible to be postponed
• Preserve the result of a research activity and which is not possible to be postponed
• Preserve continuity of grant funding or completion of grant required activities
• Accompanying students on approved essential travel
• Accreditation activity that must be in person and cannot be postponed
• Clinical practice that must be in person and cannot be postponed
• Educational requirement for student’s academic progress, degree completion or graduation, activity must be in person and cannot be postponed
• Essential agriculture enterprise business operations
• Approved professional leave, such as, but not limited to sabbatical or DIPs

Students

• Continuity toward academic progress, degree completion, or graduation.
• Does not include international group travel or study abroad. All international travel by faculty, staff, student, groups, or study abroad must start at the Cal Poly International Center

Approval Flow During Travel Restriction

All approvers are responsible for reviewing all material including PDF before approving

Covid-19 Airline Change Fee Updates

• American
• United
• Delta
• Southwest
• Alaska

Personal travel guidelines

Resources to review when considering personal travel. All travel advisories issued for U.S. travelers can be found here:

• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html

Please visit the official Cal Poly coronavirus website often for critical CSU updates and advisories https://coronavirus.calpoly.edu/

Video Trainings

• Travel Request Process Steps through June 30, 2021 - PASSWORD: 93!suDGD

2020-21 Travel Frequently Asked Questions

• I am not traveling on state funds. Do I still need President approval?

  Yes. ALL travel, regardless of funding source, must follow the 2020-21 University Travel Guidelines including the COVID-19 Travel Request Form (A) or (B) attached to the travel request. All travel must be approved by the President.

• What is considered essential travel?

  Essential domestic travel for faculty and staff is listed on our website https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/

  Essential travel for students is stated as continuity toward academic progress, degree completion, or graduation.

• Is International travel allowed?

  Only essential international travel is allowed. Currently all international travel must start at the International Center

• I will sometimes run errands in SLO County for work. Do I need a travel request?

  No, local in county trips do not require a travel request.

• Has the Concur process changed for this year?

  Yes, additional approvers (Manager/Dean, VP/Provost, and President) must be added to the approval flow by the budget approver in Concur. Please visit our website for more information, or contact Polytravel@calpoly.edu for training.

• Will the President be added automatically as an approver in Concur?

  No, the President must be added by another approver. We are recommending that the budget approver add additional approvers to the work flow.

• Can a traveler add approvers?

  No, travelers nor the traveler’s delegate cannot add approvers. Only approvers can add additional approvers in Concur.

• What fund sources need to be approved by the President?

  ALL funding sources, state, corporation, ASI, etc. must route to the President for approval. For instructions on adding the President to the approval flow in Concur or using Travel 1A visit the travel website https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/

• How long does it take to get a Request approved?

  It could take up to 30 days (6 days per approver and 5 approvers in Concur, Travel 1A routes through Adobe Sign.)

• Does the President also approve my Expense Report or travel claim form?

  No, the President only reviews and approved travel Requests and Travel Pre-authorization 1A’s. The President reviews for safety and budget BEFORE travel only. The Expense Report, or travel claim form, process for AFTER travel only needs the budget and travelers manager approvals.

• Can a delegate approve travel request for traveler in Concur?

  No, only the designated approver can “hit the button” to approve the travel request or expense report.

• How long does it take to get a Concur Travel Card?

  It takes about 2 weeks to get a Concur card. The application is found on the travel website: https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/

• How do I pay for virtual conferences? Do virtual conferences need to go in Concur?

  Yes, Virtual conference can be paid for with your Concur travel card. You will not need a Request or President approval if you are not traveling, and will expense the conference fee using Concur Expense Report.

• Does travel within 25 miles refer to travel from the work location (Cal Poly) or from my at-home work location?

  During the COVID-19 travel restriction, only San Luis Obispo County travel is considered local (within 25 miles) travel.

• What is a “blanket” request for travel?

  A blanket request can be used when a traveler has a series of in-state trips where expenses are generally limited to transportation expenses (e.g. mileage or parking). The maximum time period for a blanket travel request at Cal Poly is one quarter.

• Who do I submit my COVID-19 Travel Request Form and Travel 1A to in Adobe Sign?
  1. Traveler
  2. Travelers Manager/Approving Official
  3. Dean/AVP
  4. Provost/VP
     EMAIL: Jeanne Scott jscott29@calpoly.edu and cp-provost@calpoly.edu
  5. President
     EMAIL: Kelly Sebastian ksebasti@calpoly.edu and presidentsoffice@calpoly.edu
• When is my area’s Concur training?

  Concur training will be on an as-needed basis through 2020. Visit https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/ Or Contact polytravel@calpoly.edu to get started. The 2021 rollout will start next spring. Check the website for updates.