Travel Guidelines & Process Summary
(Updated: March 2020)
The Associated Students Travel process is currently structured to follow the general guidelines and steps below. While every effort should be made to adhere with these, particularly with respect to approvals and completed documentation, there will be instances where modifications and/or exceptions will be necessary. Such instances involving student groups must include coordination with an advisor as well as discussion and approval from the Executive Director (Marisela).
Key Guidelines:
Travel Process Lead: Irina Nikolaeva (AS Record Keeping Specialist): Available during regular business hours, Mondays through Fridays only, for travel requests and questions/guidance on process steps.
Advisor Requirement: Advanced planning, communication, and approval with an advisor is mandatory for all student groups planning to travel.
Travel Requests: Must be submitted to Irina at least two weeks in advance of travel date.
Reservations: All Associated Students travel requiring air transportation, car rentals, and hotels are routed through the department’s travel service provider, Your Travel Center (YTC). All related communication needs with YTC must be coordinated through Irina (Associated Students is not currently able to use the campus Connexxus travel program).
Reimbursements: Travel cost reimbursements may be denied if original travel requests are not submitted at least two weeks in advance of requested travel date. Reimbursement requests must be made with the submittal of a completed AS Requisition with corresponding receipts.
Changes: Modifications to reservations cannot be made less than one week from travel date.
Process steps:
1) Travel Proposal: Create a travel proposal of the trip destination, length of time, reason for the trip, a list of participants, estimated cost (accommodations, travel, food, conference fees, etc.).
2) Advisor Approval: Respective group advisors must be informed of trip proposals and must approve travel proposals prior to any further steps.
3) Budget Approval: Funding for proposed travel costs must be approved by group governance boards and indicated in meeting minutes (which must then be ratified by Senate). If funds are not available in a group’s current approved budget, additional travel funding needs must be presented to and approved by the AS Finance & Business committee for the allocation of the related funds.
4) Travel/Conduct Training: Prior to any travel, all participants are required to complete travel/conduct training as provided by a group’s respective advisor.
5) AS Travel Website Documentation: All participants are required to complete and submit mandatory AS travel documents. The documents are located on the AS Travel Requirements Webpage at https://www.as.ucsb.edu/associated-students-travel/ and consist of the following:
a. Emergency Contact List
b. Waiver of Liability Agreement
c. Code of Conduct Agreement
d. Transportation and Accommodations Requests
e. UC Travel Insurance Registration (mandatory for off-campus travel)
6) Advisor Documentation Review/Funds Confirmation: Completed travel documents must be forwarded to advisors for review of completeness and accuracy. Advisors also confirm budget funds or Finance & Business Committee funds approval.
7) AS Record Keeping Specialist Review: Completed and advisor-reviewed travel documents must be sent to the AS Record Keeping Specialist (Irina Nikolaeva) for administrative review. No reservations will be made prior to receiving these. With this information, the Record Keeping Specialist will coordinate the following workflow:
a. Travel forms review and approvals.
b. Transportation and accommodations estimates, bookings, and confirmations through the approved AS travel agency (YTC).
c. Forwarding of final billing costs to the respective student group and advisor.
8) AS Requisition Completion: Prior to travel, an AS Requisition must be completed and submitted to AS Administration for related processing and final approvals. While this can be completed by either the student participants or their advisor, the advisor must be informed of the submission. If final costs are not available until after travel, the AS Requisition must be completed and submitted within the first week of returning.
Under no circumstances are students to make their own transportation or accommodation reservations outside of this AS travel process. All such reservations must be processed by the AS Record Keeping Specialist and only after advisor/Executive Director and funding approvals have taken place.
All students should contact their Advisor and get his/her approval prior to making reservations.
Once approved, all student participants must fill out and submit the following forms…
- Emergency Contact List that includes First Name, Last Name, Perm #, and Emergency Contact Name and Phone #
- Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk & Indemnity Agreement
- Code of Conduct Agreement. Travel/Conduct Training: prior to any travel, all participants are required to complete travel/conduct training as provided by a group’s respective advisor.
BEFORE you fill out your travel forms you’ll need
- ALL information about the trip
- copies of your health insurance card
- your driver’s license and auto insurance card if you’re driving your own car
Ready to start?