Team Travel - During the Trip
Tips
Cash tipping is permitted, when necessary. The Student
Manager should be aware of the recommended guidelines (see
requesting a cash advance)
and conduct tipping accordingly. The Student Manager should
keep adequate records of all cash tips issued, and should
document these tips in detail on the trip Expense Report.
Recommended tip amounts are:
Bus trip: $10 per trip or $20 per day, per driver
Luggage handling/valet: $2 per bag
Taxi: 15% of the total cost
Restaurants: 15% (Note that most restaurants already include
this gratuity in the billing for large parties).
Transportation
Transportation which is not prepaid by the University,
or billed directly to the University, should be charged
on the American Express Corporate Card. Appropriate documentation
to support the expense (receipt, invoice, etc.) should be
acquired to support the expenditure, and attached to the
trip Expense Report.
Vans are made available to teams free of charge by the
department. Contact Lefty Smith, Loftus, at 1-5020 to check
availability. Additional university vehicles are available
for rental in the motor pool. Contact Transportation
Services if a vehicle rental is necessary. Individual
business travelers may take advantage of contracted rates
through the university's preferred car rental agency, Avis.
Hotel,
Meal & Related Expenses
If prior billing arrangements have not been made, Student
Managers are encouraged to use the American Express Corporate
Card to pay for these expenses. Cash usage should be
kept to a minimum. Keep all original receipts for inclusion
with your expense report.
For hotel bills please utilize the American Express Corporate
Meetings Card whenever possible.
NOTE: Student-athletes are responsible for all
incidental charges assessed to their rooms . All
incidentals, which include athlete telephone charges, movie
rentals, etc., must be paid before leaving the hotel. NCAA
rules stipulate that a student-athlete cannot participate
in an athletic contest while outstanding incidental expenses
exist. Whether the hotel is billing the University or you
are paying by credit card, examine room charges before checkout
to identify incidentals and to ensure that the University
is paying for the proper number of rooms, etc. Student-athletes
must pay for their own incidental charges before the team
checks out of the hotel. No incidental charges should be
included on the bill to the University.
Team meals, that include the coaching staff, should be
paid for and expensed by the Student Manager. Individual
Coaches meals, however, should not be paid for using the
per diem/meal allowance cash or the Corporate Card. Coaches
are responsible for covering their own costs and submitting
an individual expense report when they eat separately from
the team.
Regardless of the method of payment, the Student Manager
is responsible for obtaining adequate documentation of all
hotel, meal and other trip expenses to support the trip
Expense Report. Explanations of expenditures are required
on the Expense Report.
Permissible
Meals
AWAY FROM HOME MEALS
As a team travels to a competition, a choice between two options must be made:
Option 1 Option 2
| Student athletes are permitted to receive a pregame meal OR a postgame meal as a benefit incidental to participation in addition to regular meals (or meal per diem) |
An institution may provide meals at their discretion from the time the team is required to report on call for team travel until the team returns to campus |
| Instead of postgame meal, an institution may provide up to $15 cash |
Institution may NOT provide cash in lieu of meals |
Option 1 or 2 must be chosen and cannot be varied day-by-day or student-athlete to student-athlete during an away-from-home trip.
HOME MEALS
An institution may provide meals at its discretion beginning with the evening before competition and ending upon release by institutional personnel. You may NOT provide cash in lieu of meals during this period. You may provide a meal or up to $15 cash after home contests, but not both.
SNACKS
Student-athletes may receive a snack the night before a contest as a benefit incidental to athletics participation. This applies to home and away contests.
OCCASIONAL MEALS
A parent of a student-athlete may provide an occasional meal at any location. An institutional staff member may provide an occasional meal in the locale of the institution and may provide reasonable transportation to attend. A "booster" may only provide a meal in the individuals home.
Entertainment
While a team is traveling, the University may pay for reasonable
entertainment for that team, as long as the entertainment
takes place within a 100-mile radius of where the team plays
or practices.
It is not permissible for a team to depart more
than 48 hours prior to or to remain more
than 36 hours after an event or to transport the
team to another area for entertainment purposes.
The time limitations do not apply when
travel takes place in the following circumstances:
- Prior to and following competition in Hawaii or Alaska.
- Prior to and following regular season competition that
takes place during the University's official vacation
period during the academic year.
- Prior to competition in NCAA championship events or
certified post season football games.
- Prior to and following regular season competition that
takes place during the University's summer vacation period.
- Prior to and following regular season competition that
takes place in one or more foreign countries on one trip
during the season and limited or not more than once every
four years.
Also, the University may pay for a movie rental or pay-per-view
movie in a student-athlete's hotel room or take the team
to the movies the night before a home or away competition
if a coach signs off on the charge.
Continue to Team Travel - After
the Trip
