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LIBRARY STAFF TRAVEL COMMITTEE

GUIDELINES FOR THE ALLOCATION OF THE LIBRARY STAFF TRAVEL FUNDS

Travel funds will be made available on a yearly basis for the use of all library staff. The purpose of the funds is to encourage staff participation in professional development activities such as meetings, seminars, and conferences, and to support research travel that will be beneficial both to the Library and to their own professional development.


**** Travel Policy For Fiscal 2004/2005 (July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005):
All travel funding decisions are dependent on the availability of funding!

There are two policies - one for the Professional Travel Fund; one for the Classified Staff Travel Fund.

Professional Travel Fund (Fiscal 2004/2005):

This policy supports travel for Library faculty, appointed personnel, and year-to-year academic professional staff .

For Fiscal 2004/2005 (July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005), there is a "TWO trip limit" policy in effect.

The first trip requested by a given traveler will be funded based on the normal allocation guidelines and funding formula (up to $250 for 35-44 pts; up to $450 for 45-64 pts; and up to $650 for 65 pts & above   -  based on participation level, and dependent on the presentation of original receipts upon return).   (See allocation funding guidelines and allowable expenses below.)

Second trips will receive a maximum allocation of $350 ($350 for 65 pts & above, $250 for 45-64 pts; and $250 for 35-44 pts -  based on participation level, and dependent on the presentation of original receipts upon return). All trips taken after July 1, 2004 are included in this TWO trip limit. The committee highly recommends that individuals turn in their travel requests as soon as possible.

Unlike last year, we are not providing the option to designate the first trip as "lower allocation" and the second trip as the normal allocation level. The first trip taken will be funded at a maximum level (up to $650) depending on whatever points are accumulated by the individual.  The second trip will be funded at a maximum level of up to $350 based on points accumulated at the time of the second trip. 

The Travel Committee will carefully monitor expenditures, and if circumstances change, the policy will be modified. We may need to adjust the allocation levels and/or trip limit  - up or down – depending on the funding available. The Travel Committee will approve trips, as long as funding remains, on a "first come; first served" basis.  If the money runs out, no more trips will be approved.  Note: This applies to first and second trips. So, it is possible that a person requesting his first trip late in the spring/summer '05 would not be approved, while a person requesting a second trip earlier in the fiscal year would be approved.


 Classified Staff Travel Fund (For Fiscal 2004/2005):

The Classified Staff Travel Fund exists to facilitate professional development opportunities/activities for UA Library Classified Staff employees. These activities/opportunities should be tied to strategic Library, Team, or performance/learning goals – as determined by the traveler's (functional) Team Leader.  There will be no ‘point system’ for this fund.  Each approved trip will be funded up to $850    – dependent on the presentation of original receipts upon return. (See allowable expenses below.)

For Fiscal 2004/2005 (July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005), there is a "TWO trip limit" policy in effect.

The Travel Committee will approve trips, as long as funding remains, on a "first come; first served" basis.  However, no more than two thirds of the money will be encumbered/expended in the first 6 months of Fiscal 2004/2005.  Also, when the money runs out, no more trips will be approved.  Note: This applies to first and second trips.  So, it is possible that a person requesting her first trip late in the spring/summer '05 would not be approved, while a person requesting a second trip earlier in the fiscal year could be approved. The committee highly recommends that individuals turn in their travel requests as soon as possible.

NOTE that Classified Staff travel funds will NOT be tied to any participation levels.  ALL trips must be ‘approved’ by the traveler's Team Leader (who will make the determination of a tie to an appropriate Library, Team, or performance/learning  goal) and will be eligible for funding, as needed, and if available, of $850.
 


ARCHIVE OF PAST POLICIES:

{ **** For fiscal 2003/2004 (July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004), there was a "TWO trip limit" policy in effect. These trips were funded based on the allocation guidelines and funding formulas in effect.  All trips taken after July 1, 2003 (until 6/30/04) were included in this TWO trip limit.  The maximum funding available for the first trip was $650 based on the normal allocation guidelines and funding formula. The maximum funding for the second trip was $350. If the particapation level was at the $250 level, then $250 was the allocation. In order to maximize individual allocations, travelers were given the option to indicate that the first trip they are taking is the "lower allocation" trip and their second trip will be at the normal allocation level.}

{ **** For fiscal 2002/2003 (July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003), there was a "TWO trip limit" policy in effect.} 

{ **** For fiscal 2001/2002 (July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2002), there was a "TWO trip limit" policy in effect.  These trips were funded based on the allocation guidelines and funding formulas in effect.  All trips taken after July 1, 2001 (until 6/30/02) were included in this TWO trip limit.  This policy was based on the funding level allocated by BAG/ Cabinet for 2001/2002 and on the projected staff travel for 2001/2002 as determined by the 5/01 Travel Survey.  The Travel Committee carefully monitored expenditures and when circumstances changed (e.g. additional funding became available or expenditures were lower than expected) the policy was modified. ******** MODIFICATION effective 2/28/02 - 6/30/02 - The policy was expanded to allow requests for "third trips".  Third trips received a  maximum allocation of $450. (If your participation level was at the $250 level, then $250 was your allocation  -  but the maximum allocated was $450.)   The travel committee approved trips, as long as funding remained, on a "first come; first served" basis.  If the money ran out, no more trips would have been approved.
Note: This applied to first and second trips, as well as third trips.  So, it is possible that a person requesting his first or second trip late in the Spring '02 would not have been approved, while a person requesting her third trip earlier in the Spring '02 would have been approved. ****}

{**** For fiscal year 2000/2001 (July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001), there was a three trip limit policy in effect. The first two trips taken were funded based on the allocation guidelines and funding formula in effect.  The third trip taken was funded at a maximum of $400 (for those with 45 or greater participation points).  For these third trips, travelers with participation points totaling less than 45 received the standard $250 allocation.  Trips (which fell under the Library Staff Travel Fund) taken beyond the three trip limit were not funded. }

 

READ AND SAVE THESE GUIDELINES! Consult these guidelines when filling out a request for travel funding. Failure to follow the guidelines may result in delaying the process and in receiving less funding than entitled. Please save these guidelines for future travel funds requests.

Scope: This fund is intended to support discretionary travel by library staff to promote professional development. The following activities will be supported by this fund:
  1. Attendance at and/or participation in meetings and conferences of professional societies, agencies, or organizations in the library/museum field.
  2. Attendance at and participation in other meetings and conferences of professional societies, agencies, or organizations in or out of the library/museum field if the meeting or conference is related to an individual's subject or functional responsibilities or the individual is giving a library related presentation or paper. Such travel would be limited to one trip per fiscal year.
  3. Presentation of papers or poster sessions before professional societies, agencies, or organizations in the library/museum field.
  4. Participation in meetings, societies, agencies, or organizations in the library/museum field as officers, council members, board members, chair-elect/president- elect or chair/president of a national or state committee, section or division.
  5. Visits to other libraries or institutions to study specific operations or collections at the institution for scholarly research in progress.
  6. Other appropriate professional development activities.
Eligibility: All permanent staff, including classified staff, continuing, continuing-eligible and year-to-year academic professionals are eligible for this support. The chief criterion of eligibility for funds will be a direct relationship between the conference or meeting or activity/opportunity and the individual's job-related responsibilities. While all employees may request these funds, preference should be given to:
  1. Those persons for whom attendance is essential for developmental purposes and who have a strong recommendation from her/his team;
  2. Those persons who are presenting papers or are currently officers and members of national and regional committees;
  3. Those staff members who are members of the professional organizations whose meetings they want to attend.
Depending on levels of funding, the Staff Travel Committee may, at its discretion, establish allocation priorities among these groups to best meet the needs of the Library.

Allocation process: Allocation of funding will be determined by the Staff Travel Committee in response to solicitations by individuals to attend an identified conference/workshop/activity or for travel to conduct identified research. Funding will be based on the formulas to follow. The limited resources available in this fund will be used to meet requirements for professional growth and scholarship. Examples of types of conferences that may be supported by this fund are: ALA annual and midwinter conferences, SLA annual and winter, MLA, SALALM, MELA, SAA, and other conferences on a case-by-case basis. Travel in support of scholarly research in progress will be supported on a case-by-case basis as well. The travel fund will not normally be used to support the type of programs supported by the Library Training Fund. (Approval and funding for the Training Fund are a function of Cabinet.)

The Travel fund shall be distributed based on the following principles:

  1. All funding will be contingent upon the availability of financial resources.
  2. Travel support will be limited. The Staff Travel Committee will attempt to fund at least one trip per fiscal year per staff member. As funds permit, additional trips may be funded.
  3. Depending on funds available, those who are committed by professional obligations to attend multiple conferences/ meetings/activities should be funded appropriately.
  4. The Professional Travel Fund which the Staff Travel Committee allocates to employees is intended primarily for out-of-state travel. In-state activities generally will not be funded. Examples of exceptions are: 1) the AZLA annual conference and other relevant state association annual conferences, for which the registration only (at the pre-conference rate) will be funded; and 2) national or regional conferences that are occasionally held in Arizona, which may be funded according to the formula below for out-of-state conferences/activities, if requested.

    5. (Note: State vehicles may be requested for in-state and some out-of-state professional travel through your team's FAST representative.)
Allowable expenses include:
  1. Transportation.
    1. Airfare based on the current coach, economy, or similar type of fare (NOT First Class or Business Class)

      2. and
    2. Ground transportation (taxi/limo from airport to conference hotel and return to airport)

      3. For those who wish to travel to Phoenix (or another city) in order to get a cheaper airfare, round trip ground transportation to and from Phoenix (or other departure city) will be allowed. However, the traveler must list both airfares, and the airfare from Phoenix (or other departure city) plus claimed transportation expense to/from the departure city may not exceed the airfare from Tucson. No additional overnight lodging in the departure city will be funded, either before or after the flight.

      OR,

    3. Private vehicle based on the current mileage allowance, OR the current economy/coach airfare, whichever is the lesser amount. (See your FAST Administrative Assistant for most current mileage allowance.)
  2. Registration fees based on the pre-registration/pre-paid member rate.** (Attach photocopy of preliminary program showing conference dates and fees to travel request.)
  3. Lodging in the conference-designated hotel(s), or other hotels at or below the approved maximum lodging charge. (click here to view maximum lodging amounts.)  Food expenses are not covered.
Funding formula. Funding will be allocated in a lump sum according to the formulas to follow. Currently, these levels of funding are:
 
 
FOR ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS/APPOINTED PERSONNEL:
  • LEVEL I          35-44 pts               up to $250**
  • LEVEL II        45-64 pts                up to $450**
  • LEVEL III       65 pts & above      up to $650**
FOR CLASSIFIED STAFF:
  • up to $850**   -   no point system in place 
The requester will be eligible to be reimbursed up to the maximum amount in each level, provided they can produce acceptable original receipts upon return for the allowable expenses listed above.
**In the event that the allocated amount is LESS THAN the conference registration fee  (advanced or early bird rate only), the allocation will be raised to cover the full amount of the registration fee  - up to a maximum of $650 for academic/appointed personnel; and up to $850 for classified staff.

 

The formula used to determine the level of funding for the Professional Travel Fund (for Library faculty and appointed personnel) is based on the professional development activity -related factors listed below:

   Funding for the Classified Staff Fund is NOT tied to a point system.  Approved trips are funded up to $850, dependent on allowable receipts.

Request process: Travel requests should be submitted to the Staff Travel Committee at least 3 to 4 weeks before the conference/activity. The process for requesting these funds will be:

  1. Before completing a request for leave and/or travel funds, each employee should discuss her/his professional and research activities with her/his team or team leader. Employees should discuss their anticipated activities, including the type or level of their participation, job-related training activities and professional commitments and goals with their team or team leader.
  2. After initial discussion, the employee will complete the request form, briefly stating their purpose for traveling and providing other needed information . Photocopies of pages from the registration packet/flyer showing dates and location of conference/activity and registration fee need to be attached. IT IS UP TO THE EMPLOYEE TO PROVIDE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
  3. Submit the completed form to the team leader for their approval for requested professional leave time. (Team policy may or may not require consultation with the traveler's team.)  The team leader will inform the staff member of  her/his recommendation.
  4. If an employee is not in agreement with her/her team leader's recommendation, then the employee should be given an opportunity to discuss the case further.
  5. The request will then be forwarded to the Staff Travel Committee for review and final funding recommendation. (Requests for professional leave ONLY can be sent directly to the Administrative Assistant for the employee's Team after approval by the team/team leader.)
  6. The Staff Travel Committee will forward the approved request to the appropriate FAST Administrative Assistant (or other designated representative listed below).
  7. The Travel Committee will return a copy of the approval form to the employee.
  8. It is the employee's responsibility to register themselves for conferences/activities and send in their registration fees prior to any deadlines for pre-registration, when applicable.
  9. Upon return, attendees need to provide required information and original receipts to their FAST Administrative Assistant in order to receive the maximum reimbursement within their approved funding level.
  10. Attendees should be prepared to report their activities back to the Library.  This could be done through an informal presentation at a regular team meeting, or a presentation at a larger group meeting if it is warranted.
  11. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND A CONFERENCE/ACTIVITY FOR WHICH THE STAFF TRAVEL COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED FUNDING, PLEASE CONTACT THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE IMMEDIATELY SO THAT THESE FUNDS CAN BE REALLOCATED.
  12. Review and sign the completed form prior to submitting request.
  13. Make PHOTOCOPIES of all original receipts and forms prior to submitting to FAST.


2004/2005 Names to remember

SEND REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL FUNDING (WITH LEAVE TIME APPROVED) TO:
Travel Funding Mailbox, Library Office, A349

SEND APPROVED REQUESTS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEAVE ONLY (WITH LEAVE TIME APPROVED) (no funding requested) TO:  The appropriate Administrative Assistant.

TRAVEL COMMITTEE SENDS APPROVED TRAVEL FUNDING REQUESTS TO:
The appropriate Administrative Assistant.

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Comments/suggestions on the above document should be directed to the
LIBRARY STAFF TRAVEL COMMITTEE:

Bonnie Travers, Chair (2004-2005)

 626-5599

Sai Chinnaswamy (2004-2006)

 621-4612

Elizabeth Kline (2004-2006)

 621-6375

Chris Kollen (2004-2005)

 621-4869

Karen Oldani

307-2785

Claire Tapia (2003-2005)

 621-6439

Rev. 10/04, 12/04, 1/05
Questions?  Contact Bonnie Travers at 626-5599 or traversb@u.library.arizona.edu

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