Types of Travel – Policies and Procedures
No transportation costs will be allowed between any employee's place of residence and his/her office. However, in connection with work-related field trips, when the distance between the employee's residence and his destination is greater than the distance between his residence and his office, the field trip mileage in excess of the mileage between the employee's residence and his office is reimbursable. In that instance, the travel voucher should contain the following special certification:
"I hereby certify that the above mileage is correct and was incurred for official state business; that the travel from my residence to the destination was greater than the travel between my residence and my official station."
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Signature of Traveler
If the distance from the employee's place of residence and his field trip destination is shorter than the distance between his residence and his office, no reimbursement of mileage will be allowed. The employee is required to enter his actual odometer readings on the travel voucher whether traveling from his residence or from his office to and from the field trip destination.
Examples
- Residence is in Coventry RI – mileage to RIC Campus is 22 miles. You have a work related meeting in Warwick. From your residence to Warwick is 9 miles. Since the 9 miles is shorter than your normal commute – no reimbursement is allowed.
- Residence is in Coventry RI – mileage to RIC Campus is 22 miles. You have a work related meeting in Woonsocket. From your residence to Woonsocket is 35 miles. Since the travel is 13 miles longer than your normal commute – a reimbursement for 13 miles is allowed.
If you are an employee that does not usually come to campus, you still must follow the rule, and will only be reimbursed for the mileage that is in excess of what your commute to the RIC Campus would be.
The College has two (2) on-campus guest rooms for use by candidates and for other business reasons that should be reserved, if available, before booking hotels.
When bringing in candidates for vacant positions, we prefer the candidates make their own arrangements for transportation keeping in mind they find the best fares available. The State will not reimburse for seat upgrades, early boarding or flight insurance. The College will make the hotel reservations. Candidates are allowed one night at the College’s expense. Any additional nights need prior authorization from the Dean or Director. The College has arrangements for direct billing at the Courtyard by Marriott in Providence, the Hampton Inn & Suites in Providence, the Hilton in Providence, The Hotel Providence in Providence, the Old Court Bed & Breakfast in Providence, the Providence Marriott-Orms Street in Providence, the Renaissance Providence Hotel in Providence, the Hilton Garden Inn Providence (formerly the Wyndham Garden and the Radisson Harbor) in Providence and the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick.
It is up to the Chair of the search committee to notify the candidate two weeks prior, so they have time to take advantage of the best prices available.
The Chair must also obtain all original receipts from the candidate upon completion of the interview - passenger receipt for airline ticket, hotel bill, taxi or shuttle receipts, meals (no alcoholic beverages will be reimbursed) and parking. The meal receipts should be the original itemized restaurant receipt with the actual purchase on it - not just the credit card receipt.
Candidates should avail themselves of taxis, shuttles, Ubers or Lyfts for transportation to & from hotels. We do not allow rental cars unless it can be justified as the least expensive mode of travel.
The Chair must also obtain a W-9 form from the candidate in order to be reimbursed.
When initiating travel, the employee must get prior approval from the appropriate Department Chair, Director, Dean, and/or Vice President.
Faculty and students may seek approval for college-sponsored travel when the purpose of that travel is deemed to be necessary for academic progress and cannot reasonably be postponed or handled remotely (i.e., to conduct research, to present research at an academic conference, to participate in an internship or academic experience required for graduation, or for a similar educational or co-curricular experience, etc.). This is pending state and federal guidance. Please see RIC Essential Academic Travel Request Form.
Once the approval is given, the traveler has two options – keeping in mind they should get the lowest fares available.
The first option is to use Direct Travel to book airfare and AMTRAK (coach fares – no Acela trains). The traveler must obtain an authorization and billing number from the Accounting Office at 401-456-8076. After obtaining the authorization and billing number, the traveler must call Direct Travel Management at 1-800-238-3956. Airfare is prepaid.
If booking with Direct Travel, you must set up a Corporate Traveler Profile by emailing your request to travel@ric.edu. An invite will be sent from helpdesk@sureware.com to fill out your profile.
The second option is to get a fare on-line. Request a quote from Direct Travel. If the on-line fare is less expensive, you may book your own airfare but must attach the quote from Direct Travel when submitting your reimbursement.
Prior to initiating travel, an employee using grant related funds, must first get authorization from the Accounting Office. If approved, the traveler must follow the College Travel procedures.
How to Complete the Grant Budget PreApproval Form for Travel
Please Note: college travelers must register for Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) coverage when traveling outside of the United States, regardless of any other travel insurance which may apply.
Who is Eligible
All regular, full-time and part-time faculty, staff and students of the educational organization or institution who:
- are engaged in College international business, research or educational activities; and
- will be temporarily located outside their home country as a non-resident alien; and
- will not be obtaining permanent residency status outside the United States
Enrollment Procedure
College faculty, staff and students self-enroll in the International Travel Insurance online to obtain an international travel insurance card. To obtain coverage enroll in RIC's policy with CISI.
Within moments of enrollment, travelers will receive a confirming email from CISI, which will include a printable ID card. The following information can be obtained from the CISI website:
- review your insurance benefits
- submit a claim or check the status of a claim
- find a doctor inside or outside the US
- research vaccination and health risk information
- review health and security news from around the globe
- sign up to receive personalized new alerts by email
Additional optional Coverage can be obtained on CISI's Marketplace. This includes:
- pharmacy discount cards
- international moneycards
- International Student Exchange (ISE) identity cards
Insurance Coverage Includes
- medical coverage (no deductible)
- evacuation and repatriation coverage
- personal liability coverage
- trip interruption and trip delay coverage
The document World Class Coverage Plan designed for Rhode Island College Study Abroad has many more details of the coverage plan. It can be viewed, saved, or printed.
Please know that international insurance coverage is not designed to substitute for any domestic health plan in which a student or employee is enrolled. Rather, it is meant to be supplemental to a domestic health plan, and it only provides coverage for a student/employee when traveling outside the United States. For information on the College’s Health Insurance and insurance requirements please contact Health Services at: 401-456-8055 or healthservices@ric.edu.
If you have any questions related to international travel insurance, please reach out to travel@ric.edu.
