5.5 Travel

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 138-6, College employees traveling on official College business shall be entitled to standard reimbursements for the cost of transportation, food, and lodging. Said reimbursements shall be based on the rates as then set by N.C.G.S. §138-6.

The College operates under the travel guidelines published in Section II of the Accounting Procedures Manual of the North Carolina Community College System for all travel regardless of the source of funding.

Travel forms are found on the College’s SharePoint intranet. Mileage rates and subsistence rates are contained within the Travel Request/Authorization form.

All reimbursement requests shall be submitted for approval and payment within 30 days after the end of the travel period or June 30, whichever comes first.

All travel must be approved in advance.

If travel expenses of students are to be paid from state funds, the students must be on official College business.
The travel of students participating in student organization activities must be paid from non-state funds.

Blanket Authorization for all others, excluding college President – A travel approval form necessary to conduct College business on a routine basis and claim mileage reimbursement only. A blanket authorization form may be completed and approval secured annually. The blanket travel authorization form must be approved prior to departure for all routine travel for which reimbursement is issued.

Travel Authorization for all others, excluding college President - A travel approval form necessary to conduct college business that is not on a routine basis and claim mileage &/or per diem reimbursements. A travel authorization form must be completed and approved for all travel not covered under a Blanket Authorization (i.e. overnight trips). The travel must involve a travel destination located at least 35 miles from the employee’s regularly assigned duty station or home, whichever is less. The travel authorization form must secure approval for all trips prior to departure, regardless if traveling in a college owned or privately owned vehicle, by the College President.

Travel Advances for Occasional Travel
At the discretion of the College President or his/her designee, an advance of funds which does not exceed the estimated travel expenses indicated on the approved travel authorization form may be issued (posted to the general ledger) to an employee no more than five working days prior to the date of departure. All advances must be deducted from the employee's next travel reimbursement (not to exceed 30 days after the travel period has ended as reflected on the approved travel authorization), except those advances to employees whose expenses average at least two hundred dollars ($200.00) per reimbursement period need not be deducted from the next reimbursement. All advances must be repaid as stated above but no later than June 30. College employees using P-Cards for travel purposes should not be issued travel advances, unless there is a substantiated justification.