College of Liberal Arts Professional Travel Funds Procedures and Policies

Previous Years' Policies (for reference only)

AY24/25 Travel

In order to be eligible for CLA Professional Travel Funding, faculty must complete the appropriate travel projection request (see links below) that helps in the planned assessment and distribution of available funds from the college. Requests may be submitted by any tenured/tenure-track or lecturer faculty. Once submitted, faculty will receive an email with next step instructions and may move directly to initiate a Concur Travel Request. Please be aware, the Concur Travel Request is required for all Cal Poly Faculty and Staff prior to any travel or travel purchases. 

AY2024/25 CLA Travel Professional Travel Funding Projection Request

AY24/25 - For planning purposes, all projection requests for any anticipated travel via CLA Professional Travel Funds for the entire fiscal year (June 14, 2024 through June 13, 2025) should be submitted no later than Friday, October 25, 2024. Any travel that would be completed after June 15, 2024, should be submitted for and processed in the next fiscal year.

AVAILABLE FUNDING

Up to $1,500 in total funding for full-time faculty to participate in one (1) authorized trip (e.g., exhibits, plays, recitals, conference and/or workshop presentations, research). Requested travel funding REQUIRES direct participation (e.g., a refereed art exhibit; participate in planned/organized research essential to your field/scholarship; to present a play, a musical, or a dance recital; to present a paper; chair a session; provide substantive comments on a session; participate in a roundtable; make a poster presentation; play some other official role at a meeting of a national, international, regional, state-recognized professional association. Funding is NOT available for merely attending a conference, exhibit, play, recital.

Please note: travel funds cannot be used for membership fees for professional organizations, even if those fees also cover conference attendance.

Lecturer, FERP, and PRTB faculty are eligible for both funding options at a percentage of their annual time base for AY23/24. Additionally, departments may augment faculty travel from discretionary funds only and are encouraged to develop and apply their own policies for this additional support, consistent with college and university policies.

STEP #1 • BEFORE YOU PURCHASE ANYTHING — Travelers need to initiate Concur Travel Request before any purchases (e.g., airfare, lodging). We recommend 30 days prior to anticipated travel (60 days for international & 90 days for high-hazard travel).

NOTE: ALL travel related to Cal Poly business, no matter the funding source, MUST go through the Concur request process. This includes individual and group travel. Failure to do so will result in faculty responsibility to pay for any incurred expenses and the denial of any personal reimbursements. More information can be found at https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/policy/.

STEP #2 • AFTER CONCUR APPROVAL — After request approval, travelers may proceed with travel purchases (either through their Concur Travel Card or with their personal card).

STEP #3 • AFTER COMPLETING YOUR TRAVEL — After travel is complete, the traveler is responsible for submitting their expense report not more than 30 days after the expenses were paid or incurred, even if no reimbursement is due to traveler. More information can be found at https://afd.calpoly.edu/travel/expense-report/.

As of July 1, 2021, the process for all domestic and foreign travel for Cal Poly will officially switch to Poly Travel and the Concur Travel Card. 

Poly Travel is a managed travel program powered by Concur. It provides faculty and staff an easy way to efficiently arrange travel as well as complete and approve expense reports whether on the road or on campus. This program not only allows travelers to receive assistance while on the road but also simplifies the reimbursement process by reducing reconciliation burdens and improper payments with centrally billed procurement and travel cards. Poly Travel is made up of 4 major components:

1. The Concur Tool, an efficient web and mobile tool managing travel and expenses anytime and anywhere.
2. A Concur Travel Card which conveniently pays travel vendors directly and feeds charges right into the expense tool for ease of expensing travel charges. Please note: the Concur Travel Card is the required method of payment for travel expenses.
3. Christopherson’s Business Travel, a new travel management company supporting both individual and group travel through Concur and/or phone.
4. Updated Travel Policy guiding travelers and their managers through the process and compliance.

The Concur Travel Request is required for all Cal Poly Staff and Faculty travel. The Travel Pre-Authorization Form (1A form) cannot be used. Overview training for staff and faculty is REQUIRED prior to receiving a Concur Travel Card and is a prerequisite to any further Poly Travel and Concur trainings. Overview training includes an overview of Concur, credit card training, travel management company information, and video training of setting your Profile Settings in Concur.

Faculty and staff international travel conducted as Cal Poly business must go through Concur, meeting the minimum requirement of sixty (60) days prior to departure for standard international travel, and needs to follow the required steps:

Step 1: The traveler will first need to complete the required forms for individual international travel:

1. FTIP – Foreign Travel Insurance
2. Release of Liability
3. FORM Export Compliance

Step 2: The traveler will begin their Concur travel Request and attach the pdf forms (FTIP and Export Compliance) by clicking the “Attachment” tab. 

Step 3: The traveler will complete the remainder of the international travel request in Concur and hit submit to begin the approval process. 

Please review the Guides and Video tutorials or contact polytravel@calpoly.edu if you have questions pertaining to the Concur Travel Request process.

Please note: there is no need to complete an international travel request or purchase Cal Poly foreign travel insurance for U.S. Territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands or American Samoa. 

Individual Travel Request Deadlines: Sixty (60) days in advance for ALL international travel. 

Please visit the Department of State website for country information on each of your destinations. Your travel request will need to include thorough safety and security measures that you will take while abroad. In addition, review the High Hazardous Countries List to find out if your destination is deemed high hazardous. Foreign travel insurance rates may be higher for high hazardous countries. It is recommended that travelers submit requests early to allow additional time for internal deadlines. This process requires some information gathering on your part—we encourage you to start early! 

Expenses

Expenses related to international travel should not be incurred until you have completed the international travel request and received confirmation from Concur that your travel request has been approved.   

1. Concur Travel Request
2. Book Travel
3. Expense Reports and Reimbursements (Domestic & International)
4. CSU Travel Policy
5. Cancelled Travel

CLA Dean’s Office Contacts

Kate Murphy, Dean
ksmurphy@calpoly.edu • 805-756-2706

CLA Professional Travel Funds
Melissa Bodin, Evaluations Process Analyst
mbodin@calpoly.edu • 805-756-2337

All other travel (e.g., unfunded and other Cal Poly professional travel, students, speakers, candidates, relocation): 
Joy Sisler, Finance and Budget Analyst
jsisler@calpoly.edu • 805-756-5755

Concur travel process  
Stephanie Albright, Poly Travel/Strategic Business Services
albright@calpoly.edu • 805-756-1717