CONTRACT AND CIVIL SERVICE STAFF TRAVEL POLICY
GENERAL: Libraries and Media Services recognizes that contract and Civil Service staff need financial support for their professional enrichment and development. To meet this need the Dean of Libraries and Media Services will allocate a portion of the library budget for contract and civil service staff travel on an annual basis. As research for reappointment, promotion and tenure is not a requirement for contract and civil service staff employment, travel does not play the same role in their work as it does for faculty. Consequently the Contract and Civil Service Staff Fund will not be funded at the same level as the Faculty Travel Fund.
This policy does not apply to travel initiated or requested by the KSU Libraries. Such travel is funded from the Administrative Travel Fund. Faculty travel is handled by a separate policy. Continuing education opportunities for contract and Civil Service staff, especially those aimed at keeping staff informed of current practices, may also be funded from the Administrative Travel Fund. The identification of such opportunities may be made by the Dean, Department Heads, Unit Supervisors, or individual employees. Approval of support for administrative travel rests with the Dean.
ELIGIBILITY: Requests for travel support will be considered from all full-time employees. Individuals holding part-time or joint appointments also may apply but the recommended level of funding will be pro-rated (e.g. individuals with half-time employment are eligible for half the amount allocated to full-time employees.) Temporary employees and contract and Civil Service staff in the Regional Campuses are not eligible to apply for support form the contract and Civil Service Staff Travel Fund. Employees in Media Services are governed by that unit's travel policy.
ALLOCATION OF CONTRACT AND CIVIL SERVICE STAFF TRAVEL FUNDS:
Each fiscal year the Dean of Libraries and Media Services will establish the total amount of money to be allocated to the Contract and Civil Service Staff Travel Fund. The Dean will inform the Support Staff Advisory Council (SSAC) of the amount of money in this budget. The SSAC will allocate the budget as follows:
SSAC will determine an amount to be put aside so that funds can be added to individual allocations when special circumstances warrant it. Special circumstances include: making a presentation at a professional meeting, being responsible for planning or executing a program at a professional meeting, serving as an officer in the organization sponsoring the program or meeting. SSAC will divide the remaining pool equally among all eligible employees (i.e. will establish individual "allocations.")
SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL PROCESS:
A contract or civil service employee initiating a travel request will submit the form "Recommendation for the Use of Contract and Civil Service Travel Funds" (attached) and the "Kent State University Faculty Absence Authorization/Expenditure Estimate" (photocopy attached) form to his/her immediate supervisor. Supervisors will base their approval of travel requests on the following considerations.
Opportunities for individuals to grow professionally, to network with colleagues, to promote Kent as an institution, and/or to develop intellectually or creatively will be preferred.
Requests related to the person's current job will be preferred.
Requests to attend a program sponsored by an organization of which the employee is a member will be preferred.
Requests made by persons participating in an even (e.g. as a presenter, a planner, an officer of the sponsoring organization) will be preferred over requests to travel as an attendee only.
In general, travel to local and state events (e.g. OLA, ALAO, NOTSL), will be preferred over national ones.
Balanced consideration will be given to the needs of those new to their profession or job, and to the importance of nurturing the continued professional development of long-term employees.
Request from staff members who have not received support from the Contract and Civil Services Staff Travel Fund during the last budget year will be preferred over requests for staff members who have received support recently or frequently.
For professional meetings of broad interest, attendance will be limited to insure appropriate coverage of basic library services.
Dues for membership in professional organizations will not be reimbursed.
Duplicate funding from Libraries and other sources (e.g. from OLA which pays the travel expenses of its presenters) should not be requested or accepted. The steps of the approval process follow:
1. The employee's immediate supervisor approves and signs the travel request.
2. The Department Head and/or director initials the request.
3. The Dean gives final approval.
4. The Support Staff Advisory Council (SSAC) decides on funds allocation. In making its fund allocation decisions, the SSAC will apply the same criteria as the supervisors who approve the initial submission (listed above).
5. If approved, the request, including the SSAC fund allocation statement is forwarded to the Budget Office.
The SSAC should receive funding requests in advance of actual travel (ideally 4 weeks in advance). Individuals may, however, submit requests for funding to SSAC up to two weeks after the date of the event for which funding is desired. The Chair of SSAC is responsible for informing the employee of its funding decision in a timely manner.
Within one month of returning form travel for which reimbursement has been approved, employees must complete designated paperwork and submit receipts to the Budget Office. The Budget Office will prepare and submit the reimbursement form. If, for any reason, one does not make a trip for which reimbursement was approved, the Budget Office and the Chair of SSAC must be notified immediately.
In the event that the employee's supervisor approves the travel but the SSAC does not approve any monetary support, the employee can still attend the event on Library time.
APPEAL PROCESS:
If the employee's supervisor does not approve the travel, the reasons for denying the request must be given to the employee. The employee has the right to appeal a negative decision. The situation should then be discussed among employee, immediate supervisor, and/or department head. Finally, the request will be forwarded to the Dean who makes the final decision.
TRAVEL FUNDS FORM:
Print a copy of the Travel Funds form in PDF format. If you are unable to view the file, you may download and install the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in.