Conferences

Conferences and other college business-related travel must be approved in advance. Approval is obtained via the Conference Leave Request Form. Please note that while the title of this form is "Conference Leave: Request Form," this form is to be used for any instance where you request to travel for business-related work and/or will be acting as a representative of the college while off-campus -- it is not strictly limited to conferences*. This form indicates the dates, explanation for the travel, approval to be off-campus, and potential cost(s) and funding source for said costs. See below for the general process of requesting leave for travel.

*Note: this form should still be used in instances where a conference is being held in an online/virtual environment.

Please review the Conference Cheat Sheet and Checklist for helpful information before, during, and after your conference or similar travel.

Requesting Off-Campus Business-Related Travel

Flowchart: Conferences & Travel

1. Complete the Conference Leave: Request Form.
   1. All required fields must be completed. If you expect to incur no costs for the trip, enter "0" for the cost and check off "No Cost to District." If you anticipate to incur some costs for the trip, enter the estimated amount and indicate the FOAP (Fund-Org-Account-Program) to pay for the expenses.
   2. One form per employee. Multiple employees should NOT be listed on the same Conference Leave Request form.
   3. Note: Administrative Services does NOT require any backup to accompany a Conference Leave Request. However, divisions/departments may establish their own required backup documentation before giving approval.
2. Submit the form to your immediate supervisor for approval.
3. Approval must be obtained up to your Vice President level (do not obtain President's signature -- this will be obtained by the Business Office).
4. Once approved by your Vice President, submit your travel request to the Business Office.
5. The Business Office will assign a "C" number and obtain approval from the College President. A "C" number is unique to your specific request and will be referenced on subsequent reimbursement documentation (such as Expense Claim forms).
6. Once approval has been obtained by the President, the Business Office will send a copy to the staff member as confirmation that their leave request has been approved (out-of-state and out-of-country leave requests require additional approval beyond the College President. Copy will be sent to staff member after final approval has been received). Preparations should not be made until after final approval has been obtained. You may not be reimbursed for expenses incurred for travel requests that have not been approved. Paying for expenses, such as airfare, before receiving final approval is done so at your own risk.

Out-of-State Travel

Travel outside of California (but within the US) requires signature approval from the CLPCCD Chancellor. This will be obtained by the Business Office upon receipt of the Conference Leave Request form.

IMPORTANT:
AB 1887 prohibits College funded/sponsored travel to certain states.
To see a list of prohibited states, please click here.

Out-of-Country Travel

Travel outside of the United States of America requires board approval. Please consult your Dean's office for assistance in acquiring Board approval.

Travel Involving Students

If students are accompanying you on a field trip, conference, or other college-related travel, please do not reimburse the student directly for eligible purchases, including food. The college can reimburse students directly for purchases via a Disbursement Request Form, provided they submit itemized receipts with proof of payment. Paying for a group meal yourself is fine (just list the names of the students you paid for when you complete your reimbursement paperwork), but reimbursing students for individual meals they ate while on travel is discouraged.

Missing Receipt Process

If you are missing a receipt for a college-approved purchase and would still like to be reimbursed, please follow the instructions below. This MUST be done before submitting your packet (Disbursement Request or Conference Expense Claim) to your supervisor or to the Business Office. The Business Office will not accept Missing Receipt Statement forms that have not been fully approved.

Flowchart: Missing Receipts

1. Complete the Missing Receipt Statement Form.
2. Submit the form to your supervisor for approval.
3. Submit the form to the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Business Services for final approval.
4. Once fully approved, attach the form to your packet (Disbursement Request or Conference Expense Claim).

Paying for Expenses for Approved Travel

You may pay for travel-related expenses via several different ways. Registration, hotels, and similar costs may be paid directly to the vendor via a Disbursement Request Form. Airfare may be paid by the employee (to be reimbursed later) or with a P-Card (consult your supervisor for assistance). You may also pay for your expenses yourself, either through an advance of funds or through your own funds (to be reimbursed). If you wish to request an advance for your travel, complete the Request for Cash Advance Form. If you pay for your expenses yourself, you can submit a Conference Expense Claim Form to receive reimbursement for eligible purchases. For more information on this process, please review the Conference Cheat Sheet and Checklist.