Faculty and research travel
Conferences, fieldwork and research, charged to the right award
Faculty and researchers travel constantly, much of it on sponsored awards with their own rules. A travel program puts the award code on every charge from the moment of booking, records every approval and change, and gives your sponsored programs office the records it needs.
Westbrook University (example) · Earth Sciences
Fieldwork · return date moved
What faculty travel looks like
Many trips, many funding sources
Conferences
Presenting and attending, often on a department budget or an award.
Fieldwork
Remote sites, long stays and plans that move with the weather and the work.
Sponsored research
Travel paid from federal, foundation or industry awards, each with its own terms.
Visiting speakers and collaborators
Guests flown in as guest travelers, billed to the right department and project.
Sponsored awards
What auditors and sponsors look for
For US federal awards, the cost principles in 2 CFR Part 200 (the Uniform Guidance) apply, and section 200.475 covers travel costs, including documentation and airfare. Read the current text and your award terms; your sponsored programs office decides what is allowable.
For international air travel paid with federal funds, the Fly America Act generally requires US flag air carrier service, with exceptions. Tell the travel team when a trip is federally funded so options are checked against it, and confirm questions with your sponsored programs office.
Planning
A research trip, start to finish
Request
Plan the trip
- Purpose, dates and destination
- Award or department code chosen at request
- Federal funding flagged, if it applies
Approval
Approve before booking
- Named approver per traveler, with delegates for set dates
- Approval out of policy, always or never, as your policy sets
- Restricted destinations always need approval, or can’t be booked
Booking
Book and document
- Options checked against your policy
- Every charge carries the award code
- Itemized fees on the option and the invoice
Changes
When plans move
- A change that costs more or breaks policy goes back for re-approval
- In-policy changes at the same or lower cost don’t
Close
Report
- Invoices per entity and period
- Reports by department, project, supplier and traveler
- Reallocations recorded if a charge was coded to the wrong award
Who does what
Clear lines for compliance
| Task | Your institution | silentVIP |
|---|---|---|
| Allowability under the award | Sponsored programs office | — |
| Approving the trip | Department approver | Routes the request and records the decision |
| Booking and changes | Researcher sends the request | Sends options, books, re-approves costlier changes |
| Coding | Chooses the award code | Puts it on every charge; reallocations recorded |
| Records for audit | Keeps award files | Approval history, invoices and exports |
| Help while away | — | Urgent help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Questions
Common questions
Can one trip be split across two awards?
Different charges on a trip can carry different codes. For a percentage split of a single cost, work it out with the cost allocation calculator and record the basis, as your sponsored programs office requires.
Can researchers book themselves?
Live self-service search across airline and hotel inventory is not available today. Travelers request a trip and choose from the options our team sends.
What happens when a charge was coded to the wrong award?
Finance can reallocate a charge’s department or project, and the change is recorded.
Do you check Fly America Act compliance?
Tell the travel team when a trip is federally funded and options are checked against your policy. Your sponsored programs office decides compliance and any exceptions.
More in Education
Give your school a travel program that holds up
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