Travel Requests & Reimbursement
Staff Development can support travel expenses to conferences or other professional activities equivalent to a conference (i.e. conventions, workshops, trainings, speaker series, etc.) that staff would like to attend or bring to campus. Staff Development defines a Professional Activity as: a structured professional learning event facilitated by experts.
The Professional Learning Committee will consider applications for attendance at discipline-specific and general interest conferences/professional activities.
Please note that Staff Development does not fund certificate programs.
The Professional Learning Committee will fund up to $2,000.00 per fiscal year per person for
- Full Time Faculty
- Adjunct Faculty
- Managers
- Classified Professionals
- Professional Experts (who have at least a semester long contract)
Once you have completed and signed your Professional Activity Request Form and completed a Dissemination Plan which has been signed by your Immediate Management Supervisor (IMS), please submit all your materials online via this link: https://forms.office.com/r/imFSDxCf0j
If you have any questions please email cescobedo@fullcoll.edu. We highly suggest you leave enough time to complete the approval process before the scheduled conference date so you are notified of approval/disapproval. We do not do retroactive approvals on travel requests.
Steps on How to Apply:
1. Submit your completed Professional Activity Request Form and personalized Dissemination Plan to your Area Dean/Supervisor for review and initial approval. If you need assistance, refer to the Procedures for Professional Activity Requests (PAR) and Dissemination Plan Guidelines for Travel Funding to complete your documents.
2. Receive your Immediate Management Supervisor’s signature on your form before submitting. Note: All PARs without a signature will be considered incomplete.
3. Submit all your materials to the Professional Learning Committee online via this Microsoft Form: https://forms.office.com/r/imFSDxCf0j Your application will be reviewed and voted on by the committee. Please note that the committee meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month.
4. If your Professional Activity Request Form and Dissemination Plan are approved by the Professional Learning Committee for reimbursement, you will receive an email from Clarissa Escobedo cescobedo@fullcoll.edu with further instructions on your approval. If your travel application is approved, you will be sent a travel email a week before your conference which explains the receipts and documents you’ll need to collect for reimbursement. If your request is denied, you will receive an email from the Staff Development Coordinator Cynthia Guardado cguardado@fullcoll.edu, and may include instructions for resubmission.
5. Once you’ve returned from the conference, please send all of your receipts for reimbursement, and the Dissemination Follow Up to Clarissa Escobedo cescobedo@fullcoll.edu.
Funding Application Deadline
Funding requests for conferences can be created at anytime during the 23/24 fiscal year. Staff Development travel funding is on a first come, first approved basis, and there is always a possibility that the travel funding will not last the entire fiscal year — as soon as you know of a conference, submit your request.
Summary of Expectations for Travel Requests
Submit your request 6-8 weeks before your travel
Fill out the Professional Activity Request Form and submit to the committee 6-8 weeks before your travel. The committee meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month.The Professional Learning Committee will not approve retroactive requests (those that come to them after the conference date has passed).
Submit to the Professional Learning Committee (PLC) for Review and Feedback
After submitting, your PAR will be reviewed by the PLC at the next scheduled meeting. Each member of the PLC committee will discuss and vote on your PAR. If your PAR is denied, you may receive a follow up email with feedback and a request for resubmission.
Share what you learned
Submit a Dissemination Plan and share what you learned at the conference within six months to one year following the funded conference or seminar.
Book travel
Make sure all of your reimbursable expenses under your name, or you will not be reimbursed.
Pay registration and related expenses in advance
You will be reimbursed by the district when you return.
Upon completion of travel to conference/professional activity
Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 30 days of the completion of travel or by June 10th, whichever comes first.
Submit copies of required supporting documentation to cescobedo@fullcoll.edu. Errors or omissions generally cause delays in getting reimbursed so please refer to the steps below and contact Clarissa Escobedo at cescobedo@fullcoll.edu for assistance.
Required Supporting Documentation:
Registration: the conference flyer (including agenda) and original registration receipt indicating that payment has been received.
Transportation (Flight/Mileage/Train): the itemized original receipt indicating that payment has been received or a credit card statement showing your name and charge and itinerary.
Taxi, Shuttle, Rental Car, Parking: original receipts
Lodging: List each date. The itemized original receipt or a credit card statement showing your name and charge. Please note you will only be reimbursed for the cost of each night of your stay. Additional expenses such as room service, food, and other optional hotel expenses will not be reimbursed. Per District and Business Office Policy, the conference must be 50 miles or more away from Fullerton College in order to apply for hotel lodging. Conferences closer than 50 miles will not be approved for hotel reimbursement.
Mileage: If driving to the conference, please provide the mileage and map of Fullerton College to the conference and back. You will only be reimbursed this mileage when driving yourself. (Special circumstances may include living close to the conference and driving from home and back. Please contact Clarissa Escobedo cescobedo@fullcoll.edu for more information)
Effective January 1st, 2024:
- Mileage reimbursement is $0.67 cents per mile (Increase 1.5 cents from the current rate of $0.655 per mile) — do not round up or down mileage, for example if the miles come out to be 37.5 list 37.5 do not round up or down.
Meals: List each meal for each date separately. No receipts are needed for meals as you are reimbursed at the Rates for Reimbursement Per Diems. Meals included as part of the conference fee will not be reimbursed. You must include a copy of the conference agenda with meals highlighted if you are claiming reimbursement for meals.
Effective January 1st, 2024:
Please see the NOCCCD website for our updated 2024 Meals per diem rates.
Important
All receipts for registration, lodging, airfare/train fare must have your name on the receipt (not handwritten on) —if you are requesting reimbursement.
Tips for Reimbursement
- To ensure you are fully reimbursed for your travel, please overestimate your expenses (many hotels have fees that are not disclosed when you make the reservation). This is important because we can only reimburse the total amount you included on your PAR.
- You will be reimbursed for the total on your receipts. For example, if your PAR estimated $1800 but you only spent $1600, you will only be reimbursed for $1600.
- Hotel receipt- a copy of the hotel invoice that includes all daily charges and a remaining balance of $0. Please note that your hotel receipt must say one occupant in order to get your full reimbursement.
- Lyft/Uber/Taxi/etc. receipt(s)- your name, receipts with a visible pickup and drop off location. If you are attending night events, please keep a copy of the event flyer or the event details from the conference program.
- Airbnb’s are allowed by the district but not preferred.
- Receipts for food are not needed, you will be reimbursed based on the per diem meal rates. Please refer to district website: NOCCCD | Reimbursement Rates or our Reimbursement Rates page on our website for accurate reimbursement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens once my travel is approved?
Once activity/travel is approved by the appropriate VP, the Staff Development admin will generate the RQ in Banner. Staff Development will also send confirmation of the assigned PO# and, upon completion of the activity/travel, electronic versions of the necessary travel reimbursement forms and instructions.
What if my travel is rejected?
If the application has been rejected, it may be possible for applicants to revise and resubmit upon consultation and review from the Professional Learning Committee.
How long does approval take?
Staff Development Funding applications take about 2-4 weeks to approve. To ensure that your application gets considered, submit your Travel Request Forms with Dissemination Plans the week before the next PLC meeting.
What is the approval process?
Applications require review and approval by your Immediate Management Supervisor/Area Dean. Once receiving approval, the staff member must submit their PAR and Dissemination Plan via the Microsoft Form. Funding applications are then reviewed and voted on by the Professional Learning Committee. The deadline to submit your application and be put on the next meeting agenda is the Friday before the next meeting. The Professional Learning Committee Meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
Once the application has been voted upon by the Professional Learning Committee, applicants will be notified of the result by the Monday following the meeting during which the application was considered. If the application has been approved by the committee, it will proceed to the appropriate Vice President for final approval. If the applicant is denied, the Staff Development coordinator will reach out and may provide further instructions of resubmission.