Campus Community Policies

2.10.1 Expense Reimbursement

The University of San Diego is subject to and complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing expense reimbursement practices. In compliance with regulations of the Internal Revenue Service, the university maintains an accountable plan for employee business expense reimbursement or allowance arrangements. The university will reimburse employees for reasonable travel and other expenses that have a business purpose and that were incurred in connection with the employee’s position at the university. The expenses to be reimbursed must be adequately accounted to the Office of Procurement Services within a reasonable period of time (generally no more than 60 days) following the date on which the expenses were incurred. An employee must return any excess reimbursement or allowance to the Office of Procurement Services within the established timeframe.

To receive reimbursement for expenses, an employee must complete an expense report or petty cash voucher, along with required documentation of the expenses incurred. Expense reports must be authorized by the employee’s supervisor and the project’s budget administrator, except in the case of a grant-related expense report, which must be authorized by the principal investigator and the Office of Sponsored Programs. Petty cash vouchers must be authorized by the project’s budget administrator or in the case of a grant-related petty cash voucher, the Office of Sponsored Programs. The supervisor, budget administrator and employee will be held accountable that the expenses are reasonable and were incurred in connection with an appropriate business purpose.

In some instances, an employee is required to obtain approval in advance before any expenses are incurred. It is the employee’s responsibility to obtain advance approval whenever required before the expenses are incurred, particularly where travel is involved.

The university may make available to certain eligible employees credit cards that can be used for qualifying university-related business transactions, including procurement, travel and entertainment purchases. An employee who is granted authorization to use the card will be subject to all of the rules and procedures governing the use of the card. Authorization to use the designated card is not a benefit of employment, and can be rescinded and denied at any time by the university in its sole and complete discretion.

All expense reimbursement documentation is university property. The university may audit or review any and all expense reimbursements submitted or received by any individual at any time and for any reason. An individual need not retain records for more than seven years.

For more information regarding the types of expenses that are allowed and disallowed, the documentation that will be required to support a request for reimbursement, and other applicable procedures that govern the university’s expense reimbursement practices, please contact the Office of Procurement Services or see the webpage for the Office of Procurement Services on the university’s website.

(June 26, 2007)