Effective Date: September 1, 2021
Issuing Authority: Provost
Policy Contact: Senior Vice Provost for Research, provost@mercer.edu, 478-301-2110
Purpose
The University provides travel funds to students who are presenting at conferences.
Scope
The policy applies to all full-time students, both graduate and undergraduate. Support will be limited to travel for one student per faculty sponsor. The faculty member must be listed on the abstract and the student must be presenting at the conference to be considered for funding. However, funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and may well be completely committed by mid-February. Requests will be strengthened by additional funding committed from the nominating college/school.
Exclusions
None
Policy Statement
Support will be limited to travel for one student per faculty sponsor. The faculty member must be listed on the abstract, and the student must be presenting at the conference to be considered for funding. However, funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and may well be completely committed by mid-February. Requests will be strengthened by additional funding committed from the nominating college/school.
- Hotels/Lodging: Original receipts must be included with the claim.
- Airline Travel: Maximum allowable expense is for economy class made 14 days in advance as listed on the airline’s website.
- Conference Registration Fees: Eligible for reimbursement, but the original or a photocopy of the registration must be included with the claim.
- Meals: Original receipts must be included with the claim. Tips should be calculated no greater than 20% of the pre-tax amount charged in order to be reimbursed.
- Automobile Rental: Eligible for reimbursement if essential to the professional nature of the trip.
- Personal Vehicle: Reimburse at Mercer’s standard mileage rate. This is intended to cover all the costs of using your vehicle. Mercer University does not reimburse for gas or repairs.
- Foreign Exchange: It is the responsibility of the traveler to calculate expenses in foreign currency into the prevailing dollar equivalent during the time of travel.
- Receipts: It is essential that original receipts (not copies) be provided for all expenses for which a faculty member seeks reimbursement. Undocumented expenses will not be reimbursed.
- Reimbursement: The Travel Reconciliation form and all original receipts must be submitted to the Office of the Provost within thirty (30) days of the completion of travel. After that date, there will be no reimbursement.
Additional Resources
To apply for funding, the student must submit a University Student Travel Fund Request Form at least one month prior to travel. Travelers will not be reimbursed for expenses over and above the amounts approved on the request form.