Policy and Procedure Updates as of March 17, 2021

The following policy documents are now published and effective. Please discuss the documents with the appropriate people in your department and send any questions to controllers.office@yale.edu.

Related Documents:

• Policy 3301 Travel on University Business – Revised
• Procedure 3301 PR.01 Travel Arrangements for University Business – Revised
• Procedure 3301 PR.03 Air Travel on University Business – New

These documents completed their 30-day draft review period and are now effective.

The Controller’s Office and the Office of Research Administration (collectively, the “policy sponsors”) identified the need for updates to this policy and its related procedures.  As part of those updates, the policy sponsors worked through comprehensive reviews of the documents. Due to the various complexities associated with air travel, the policy sponsors determined the best approach was to create an entirely new procedure exclusively focused on that topic.

Policy 3301 establishes the fundamental principles for traveling on University business.  It outlines the applicable rules, expectations, and processes for travelers to follow whenever engaged in a travel activity. While the policy document was comprehensively reviewed and revised for clarity and conciseness, the substance has largely not changed from the previously published version. Rather, the language has been enhanced and clarified and the structure has been re-oriented to be more user-friendly and intuitive. Key items that were substantially updated include the following:

• Clarified and enhanced guidance on travel and expense documentation, including specific guidelines relating to travel that is entirely prepaid;
• New requirements pertaining to the translation to English of receipts in a foreign language;
• Aligned timing of required expense report completion with PCard guidelines; and
• Changed ground transportation requirement from “least expensive” to “reasonably priced, consistent with business requirements.”

As previously mentioned, due to the various complexities associated with air travel, the policy sponsors determined the best approach was to create an entirely new procedure exclusively focused on that topic. As such, substantive statements on air travel were removed from the policy and other procedures and consolidated in the new procedure.  While much of the substance has not changed from the previously published documents, there are a few key items to highlight:

• Created dual structure for airfare pricing rules: one for federally funded sponsored awards and one for all other flights;
• To align with Uniform Guidance, changed airfare pricing rule for travel on federally funded sponsored awards to “basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class (e.g., economy, coach) offered by commercial airlines”;
• Added detailed examples of flight scenarios to provide guidance on rules and documentation requirements (e.g., personal travel segments, upgrades, business class);
• Added specific documentation requirements for demonstrating the “basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class (e.g., economy, coach) offered by commercial airlines”;
• Added specific guidelines about removing flights from sponsored awards that were cancelled or otherwise not taken; and
• Updated and clarified guidelines pertaining to the Fly America Act and exceptions.

To reflect the updated policy and the creation of the new air travel procedure, the policy sponsors also revised existing Procedure 3301 PR.01.  While that document has also been restructured and edited to be more user-friendly, the substantive updates are simply reflections of the policy.  They do not create new substantive guidelines that were not previously announced.  Therefore, this document received an expedited review for clarity and consistency.

Always check the Policies and Procedures website for the latest revisions of all documents.  This will ensure you that are utilizing the most up-to-date version.

If you have any questions, please contact Policy & Compliance Services at controllers.office@yale.edu.