Job Candidate Travel

Commercial Transportation (airfare, rail fare, etc.):

For faculty-related searches and all other searches financed by the Provost’s Office, candidates will cover their air travel costs and be fully reimbursed.  Please contact the Provost’s Staff Assistant at ext. 5421 regarding payment of bills and for more detailed instructions and procedures.

As part of reimbursement of air travel, campus contacts will advise candidates about finding the most cost effective airline by ensuring the pricing they are getting is for a similar ticket including same departure and return times, same travel routes, refund capability, etc.

Travel reimbursement to candidates is processed using a Standard Voucher.

If you have any questions regarding the above procedures, please call the Purchasing and Accounts Payable Office at ext. 2306.

Reimbursement of travel expenses will be allowed only to persons residing more than 50 miles from the interview site.  Expenses may include transportation (e.g. mileage), food, and lodging.

The following procedure is to be used to secure local lodging for interview candidates, expedite payments to lodging vendors, designate the name of the candidate, and certify tax-exempt status. 

Please Note: For faculty-related and all other searches that are financed by the Provost’s Office, please contact the Provost’s Staff Assistant at ext. 5421 regarding payment of bills.

Note: Candidates are expected to pay for all telephone calls, cable-movie rentals, and all other incidental charges at the time of checkout.

1. The campus departmental representative making the lodging arrangements for the candidate determines the date(s) for which lodging is required and the lodging establishment to be used.
2. The departmental representative then contacts the hotel/motel and makes the reservations noting the candidate's name and date(s) needed. The department representative should confirm the New York State government rate will be charged and remind the hotel/motel that this charge is to be tax-exempt and verify campus will be billed for the charges advising them to send the invoice to [email protected] referencing the department reserving the room. 
3. The department then completes a PO in Red Dragon Depot (RDD) for the lodging charge total stating the name of the candidate and the number of days of stay.  If the candidate will be eating a meal at the hotel/motel, an amount for that meal (not to exceed the prevailing meal per diem for Cortland County) may be listed on the PO and added to the lodging amount to arrive at the total (invoice must be itemized).
4. The completed PO is electronically forwarded through Red Dragon Depot (RDD) for appropriate approvals.

Please Note:  The following hotels have agreed to accept Purchase Orders and bill the University for candidate lodging charges:

Quality Inn
188 Clinton Ave
Cortland, NY  13045
607-756-5622

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites
3707 NY-281
Cortland, NY  13045
607-299-4455

Ramada Cortland Hotel & Conference Center
2 River Street
Cortland, NY  13045
607-756-4431

The allowable rates for candidate-related meal expenses are as follows:

• Breakfast: $20*/person
• Lunch: $25*/person
• Dinner: $50*/person

Note: Incidental expenses incurred during travel are not eligible for reimbursement. Examples include, but are not limited to, personal meals outside of approved allowances (e.g., snacks and beverages), in-room hotel charges, laundry services, and personal entertainment.

*20% tip (the maximum allowed) is already included in the amounts above.

Exceptions to this policy apply to searches for members of the President's Council or at the discretion of the appropriate vice president.

If the meal exceeds the limit(s) above:

1. If paid with personal funds, the reimbursement will be up to the meal limits.
2. If paid with campus funds (PO, P-Card, NET Card), the amount above the meal limits will be charged to the department.

Attendees:

1. Faculty-related:
   1. Provost will pay for two (2) campus members and the guest from the Provost's funds.
   2. Any additional members will be funded by the department's budget.
2. Staff-related:
   1. Should be for two (2) campus members and the guest and costs should be limited to the extent possible and will be funded by the department's budget.

Payment of Meal Costs

1. Requests for payment of meal costs must not include tax or alcohol and no more than 20% added for tip. (New York State does not consider alcoholic beverage costs an appropriate State expense.)
2. Restaurants agreeing to direct bill, the responsible interviewer may sign for the bill and promptly forward the original itemized invoice/receipt along with a completed purchase requisition through Red Dragon Depot to the Purchasing and Accounts Payable Office for direct vendor payment.  At the time reservations are made, check to see that direct billing will occur.
   • NOTE:  Each PO must contain the names of the interview candidate, the University interviewers, the title of the position being interviewed, interview agenda, the date of the meal, and an itemized receipt from the restaurant.
3. Restaurants not willing to bill the campus, the responsible interviewer will make personal payment and forward the original itemized receipt along with a completed Standard Voucher through the proper channels for signatures and account coding to the Purchasing and Accounts Payable Office for reimbursement to the individual.
4. Per Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) Bulletin G-78, the following criteria apply (in case of OSC disapproval, the liability may rest with the individual employee):
   1. The interview process which includes a necessary meal period must be of benefit to the University.
   2. The cost of the meal must be at the lowest reasonable and feasible amount.
   3. Only University employees essential to the interview process may incur meal expenses in addition to the candidate.
   4. Alcoholic beverages cannot be included.
   5. A candidate may not additionally receive reimbursement for the same meal through any standard voucher process.
   6. An itemized receipt (restaurant, etc.) is to be submitted as substantiating documentation.