Business Services

Overview

Skagit Valley College members may need to travel in the course of conducting research, attending conferences, or other business/educational purposes. Guidelines exist to assist the booking of travel, and to ensure the responsible use of College funds. The SVC Travel Policy officially documents responsibilities, requirements, and additional resources to help arrange College sponsored travel. This includes monitoring pre-approvals, assisting with booking travel, training on travel policies and procedures, auditing and approving travel expense reports, and other travel-related tasks.

For more information, please contact Neil Huss at [email protected] or 360.416.7916.

Air travel should be booked through Alaska Airways and paid with a Business Services credit card to ensure the traveler is covered by the insurance and benefits available through the credit card program.

If you wish to make your own travel arrangements, please keep in mind that these tickets are typically very restrictive. When flights are overbooked, ticket holders of tickets purchased through discount internet providers are usually last to be rescheduled. You must obtain at least three quotes, with the lowest cost fare being purchased.

The College is unable to reimburse the fair market value of an airline ticket purchased with the traveler’s frequent flyer miles.

Rail travel can be reimbursed, or charged, to a Business Services credit card to ensure the traveler is covered by the insurance and benefits available through the credit card program. Reimbursement for all rail travel will be at the lowest coach available rate. Standard coach accommodations will be provided for rail journeys.

Travelers should use the least expensive mode to travel to airports, which may include a personal vehicle, a rented vehicle, a taxi, or a shuttle service.

Car rentals can be reimbursed, or charged, to a Business Services credit card to ensure the traveler is covered by the insurance and benefits available through the credit card program. The College utilizes Enterprise/National as the preferred car rental agency. Travelers should book with either Enterprise or National unless there is no option available for the desired location.

Rentals are limited to the “standard” vehicle class unless circumstances dictate a larger vehicle is needed for the business purpose. If a traveler needs to rent a passenger van they should contact the Facilities for Motor Pool availability. Renting a vehicle in lieu of using the motor pool or personal vehicle may be approved by the traveler’s supervisor on a case-by-case basis.

Fueling of rental vehicles will be the responsibility of the traveler. Charges related to lost keys for vehicle rentals will not be reimbursed.

Fuel and gas can be reimbursed, or charged, to a Business Services credit card when it’s for College or rental vehicles. Receipts must indicate if the vehicle was a College car or rental car.

Fuel and gas for personal vehicles cannot be reimbursed, but is paid as mileage at the current IRS rate. Departments can choose to pay a mileage rate lower than the IRS rate.

Lodging can be reimbursed, or charged, to a Business Services credit card for overnight stays. Travelers should attempt to obtain the lowest cost available with reasonable considerations of convenience. Lodging that exceeds allowable rates, up to 150%, must be approved prior to travel. Any lodging costs above this amount will be not be reimbursed.

Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE), including all taxes and tips, is based on a fixed allowance and is paid only for overnight travel. Direct billing of meal expenses during overnight travel is not permitted. If meals are included with registration or lodging, the M&IE claimed shall be reduced by the amount shown for the applicable meal.

If a meal is offered at no charge by the hotel and the traveler does not partake due to any reasonable circumstance (e.g. early work hours do not allow for participation in the provided breakfast; the food provided was not adequate; the traveler’s dietary needs were not met), then the traveler must notate this on the travel expense report in order to claim M&IE for that meal.

Due to IRS regulations, the College is unable to reimburse individual meal expenses related to travel that does not include an overnight stay.

Mileage can be reimbursed for the use of a personal automobile for business purposes at the current IRS rate (62.5 cents per mile). Requests for reimbursements may be submitted at any rate not to exceed the current reimbursement rate. The College does not pay mileage in advance of travel.

• Alcoholic beverages
• Excessive meals, lodging, tips, etc.
• Movies charged to hotel bills
• Commuting costs from home to campus
• Damage to personal vehicles
• Traffic fines, court costs, parking violations, and towing charges
• Expenses for children, spouses and companions
• Personal grooming services, such as barbers, hairdressers, and shoe shines
• Annual premiums for personal property insurance or annual fees for personal credit cards, including liability insurance for lost cards
• Doctor bills, prescriptions, and other medical services, unless covered by the College’s health benefit plans
• Credit card delinquency fees, overcharge fees, or finance charges
• Bank or ATM fees
• Certain travel expenses, as listed in the SVC Travel Policy