Faculty and Staff Resources

Travel reimbursement is subject to official UT policies and spending limits. See Handbook of Business Procedures 11.5 for UT policies.

Electronic Request for Travel Authorization (RTA)

The primary purpose of a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) is to approve and authorize employees for UT business travel.  This should be done BEFORE travel begins.

The best source for UT travel planning is the Travel Management Services web page.  New or infrequent travelers need to be familiar with these policies to ensure compliance with university and college policy and a problem-free reimbursement.  University policy is presented in detail for travelers and assistants on the Handbook of Business Procedures Travel page.  Obtain permission to travel from the Director prior to submitting your request.

• Submit Travel Requests to Group 00339 - Journalism Team

• Notify School if travel plans change after submission

• List ALL possible destinations on the request

• Airfare: Book through Concur (electronic account) or by calling Anthony Travel

• Rental Cars: Visit Travel Management's Rental Cars policy page for details.  We can only book or reimburse by using Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, and Hertz.

Online Request Form

Instructions

Submitting Travel Exception Requests

The reimbursement for commercial air transportation may not exceed the cost of the lowest available airfare. First class, business class, or other premium class airfare will only be reimbursed at the coach class rate, unless Travel Management Services has issued an approved exception request, which are these six:

1. Traveler has a health issue documented by a doctor: Exception must be requested for each trip. Letter from your doctor must be sent to Travel Management Services office. Letters documenting chronic conditions can be held on file for one year but must be renewed yearly.
2. It is the only seat available on the flight, and the traveler must be on that flight: Written documentation of business reason traveler must be on specific flight and written confirmation of last seat availability from a UT contracted travel agency is required. 
3. It is the lowest available airfare: Written documentation from a UT contracted travel agency is required to be sent to Travel Management Services.
4. The traveler has a fully executed contract or written agreement with the university that requires it: A copy of the written agreement must be sent to Travel Management Services with each request. 
5. Another entity will reimburse the department for the airfare: Written confirmation from the other party is required to be sent to Travel Management Services. The department is responsible for ensuring the funds are reimbursed and deposited into the departmental account.
6. Research grant allows it: A copy of the applicable section of the grant must be sent to Travel Management Services with each request.

Exception Request Form

Electronic Travel Reimbursement Request

• Submit receipts for reimbursement within 5 days after travel has been completed
• Submit your Reimbursement Request to Group 00339 - Journalism Team

Online Request Form

Instructions

International Travel

Prior to departing on a university-related international trip, all faculty and staff are required to complete several steps. The process is the same regardless of whether the travel is funded by UT Austin or not. This does not include personal/vacation travel that is unaffiliated with UT Austin.

Faculty submits all documentation at least five weeks prior to trip departure to Global Risk and Safety at grs@austin.utexas.edu

Faculty & Staff Travel Guidelines

PLEASE NOTE

• Anyone traveling abroad for UT business is required to register their travel through the UT Austin International Travel Registry (ITR).
• Registered travelers are covered by the On Call International Overseas Insurance 
• International Travel to Restricted Travel Regions needs additional approval from the International Oversight Committee (IOC).  Please allow additional time to obtain approval. All information (for all UT affiliates) can be found on the Texas Global Risk and Safety International Travel Process webpage.

Faculty Travel Grant Application

Eligible faculty may receive as much as $1,400 per academic year for travel expenses to present original papers at scholarly and professional meetings.

This includes reimbursement for allowable travel-related expenses for the conference—lodging, meals, transportation, and registration, all of which are non-taxable reimbursements. It may also be a taxable reimbursement to cover unusual extra child-care expenses incurred because of the travel. Funds may be used for foreign or domestic travel.

An approved (not just submitted) Faculty Travel Grant Application must be on file prior to the trip to receive funding. Applications are due no less than two weeks prior to the start of travel for processing and approval.

More info

• Submit an RTA request at the same time as your FTG application
• Please list a secondary account on your RTA that can be used for your travel in case your FTG application is denied and/or expenses exceed the FTG funding

Faculty Travel Development Funds

These funds or issued yearly by the Moody College of Communication and managed by the School of Journalism and Media. Eligible faculty may receive as much as $1,500 per academic year to cover travel expenses. The purpose of travel needs to be related to your teaching, research or creative efforts.

This includes reimbursement for allowable travel-related expenses —lodging, meals, transportation, and registration, all of which are non-taxable reimbursements. Funds may be used for foreign or domestic travel.

Faculty with professorships or other travel funding available to them (including start-up funding) are not eligible. To request an exception, please email the Assistant Director of Administration with your request and justification.

An approved (not just submitted) RTA must be on file prior to the trip to receive funding. Applications are due no less than two weeks prior to the start of travel for processing and approval. When submitting, please note in your RTA that you would like to use the Faculty Travel Development funds as funding source.

Notify the JAM Admin Staff when you have entertainment-related questions and plans.

Entertainment reimbursement is subject to official UT policies and spending limits. See Handbook of Business Procedures 9.1.1. for UT Policies.

Electronic Entertainment Reimbursement Request

Entertainment expenses are defined as food and beverage, facility rental, flowers, invitations, and similar expenses associated with official dinners, lunches or other meals.  These expenses can be incurred by current faculty and staff, prospective employees, guests, and visitors.  Expenses are generally reimbursed if the purpose of the official occasion is a working business meeting, an official University event, an appreciation event, or a development occasion. 

Requests for reimbursement must be submitted within 30 days after the event to be eligible for processing and approval. 

Online Request Form

Instructions

Event planning

Please submit the event intake form at least 6 weeks prior to the event. 

JAM admin team will reach out to you to set up a meeting to discuss your needs and talk about how we can best support you and the event. 

Event Intake Form

Visitors 

Please submit the visitor form at least 2 weeks prior to the visit. Please fill out a visitor form for each visitor coming to our School.

Visitor Form

More information

Parking Pass

Please note that if your visitor is getting a parking pass, that parking pass (QR code) is used to exit the garage only. The visitor can park in any UT garage (pulling a ticket when entering). Your visitor will use the QR code parking pass to exit the parking garage. Each QR code can only be used once. You can request a visitor parking pass by submitting the visitor form. Parking passes are picked up at the reception.

JAM Swag

If you would like to request some School of Journalism and Media swag for your visitor, please fill out the visitor form. Swag is picked up at the reception.

Purchases must be for UT business-related purposes. See Handbook of Business Procedures 9.1.2 for UT policies.

PLEASE NOTE

• Reimbursements for purchases cannot be guaranteed without prior approval from JAM Admin Staff.
• We cannot reimburse you for expenses that are not your own, including purchased items for students. 
• We direct pay vendors or use the pro card for eligible purchases.
• Requests for reimbursement must be submitted within 30 days after the purchase to be eligible for processing and approval. 

Please note: Office supplies, software, furniture, computer equipment, and professional services (i.e. transcription, translating services) cannot be reimbursed. Please see department staff for these purchases.                

In accordance with the Prompt Payment Act, payments for goods and services must be paid no later than thirty (30) days after the:

• Receipt of the goods or services, or
• Receipt of the invoice for the goods or services.
• Provided whichever date is later.
• Due to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations and Safe Harbor rules, employees who request reimbursement of expenses that were incurred more than 60 days ago are required to submit with their request for reimbursement a written statement explaining the reasons for the delay. Late reimbursement requests will also require additional levels of approval and may be disallowed entirely or reported as taxable income to the payee.

General Office Supplies

Email Alice Rentz with the following information

• List of items
• Link to items
• Quantity
• Any other relevant information
• Account to charge

Do not purchase office supplies with a personal credit card

Amazon Items

Please send an email that includes links of requested items, quantities, and any other related information/details to Alice Rentz.

All Other Vendor Purchases

Request to Purchase

The Pro Card is a purchasing method approved by UT for low-dollar and low-risk goods and services for University business purposes when other methods of procurement are not more appropriate.

Disallowable Purchase List

Prior to using the card, this list must be reviewed in its entirety. The purchase of an item included on this list is subject to consequences for the pro card holder.

Step 1. Email Alice Rentz, with the following purchase request information

• Description of purchase
• Number of items 
• Purpose
• Vendor
• Amount
• Website link where purchase can be made/link to the product
• Login (if applicable)
• Account to charge
• Approval email of Moody IT (if applicable)

If you cannot provide all the necessary information to finalize the purchase, please schedule an appointment with Alice at the reception desk during the workweek (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM) to complete the purchase.

Step 2. Submit receipts to Alice within 3 business days (same day is preferred)

Please note

All purchases made with a procurement card are exempt from State of Texas sales tax. The purchaser/requester is responsible for making sure that tax is not charged on any ProCard purchase.

Tax Exempt form

This excludes computer equipment and software purchases, which must go through the Moody Tech Team for approval. Prior approval for software is required! Please submit an IT ticket to get approval and include both the approval email and the Tech Ticket number when submitting the information to the admin staff to complete the purchase. Please see below for more info on software & equipment purchases.

Storing any credit card details or using the pro card without the cardholder's consent is strictly prohibited. Violating this rule will result in the loss of pro card privileges.

Facilities

Any building issue can be called in directly to 512-471-2020, the main UT Facilities Services Call Center from where work orders are generated to repair UT Facilities

Requests (for Moody Tech or Moody Facilities) can be sent through the internal HEAT ticketing system.  Include as many relevant details in your request.

You can also call Moody Tech Team at 512-471-1199, email at comm-help@austin.utexas.edu or visit them in CMA 3.104

Moody HEAT Ticketing System

Moody College Equipment Checkout

• Location: HSM 2.102
• Email: moody-checkout@austin.utexas.edu
• Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Equipment Reservation Procedures

Software and/or equipment purchases

Software and equipment purchases cannot be reimbursed. Additional steps and approvals are needed, per the Information Security Office's policy about software/hardware safety and security.

• What unit/lab/faculty member/research group/etc. is the item for?
• What is the intended use of the equipment? Is it a teaching lab, a "personal" system, or a shared system?
• Where will the equipment be used?
• Is there a budget within which we must work?
• Is it being bought on a grant?
• Provide an account number. If accounting codes apply, supply those as well.

Campus Mail & First Class Mail

UT Mail Services picks up and delivers departmental campus mail, processes outgoing departmental mail relating to official university business, and routes interagency mail.

If you have any university business mail, please drop it off in the mailroom (DMC 3.336) and email the reception with details of what you need mailed, including any special instructions and/or account info.

More info