University Travel

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UNC Asheville’s Travel Policies mirror the State OSBM Travel Policies. University travel accounting is housed within the Controller’s Office. The Travel Accounting Technician facilitates travel and travel related business expense payments/reimbursements for UNC Asheville employees and non-employee travelers. The Travel Accounting Technician is also the administrator for the University’s Travel Purchasing Card (T-Card) program.

UNC Asheville processes travel through the Ellucian Chrome River software. The primary function of the Travel Accounting Technician is the review of payments through Chrome River for all UNC Asheville related travel, travel advances, student travel, study abroad, T-Card purchases for adherence to UNC Asheville Travel Policy, which mirrors State of NC Travel Policies (OSBM Policies 5.0 Travel Policies and Regulations).

In addition to compliance services, the Travel Accounting Technician provides campus policy support, training, and customized departmental training sessions upon request.

All travel related to University business should be processed using the Chrome River software platform. If you do not have access to Chrome River, please complete as much of the Help with Travel form as possible. Contact Travel Accountant Catherine Mallon (primary) and Business Services Manager Jon Garst (secondary) for more information

What To Do When Traveling for the University

  1. Do you fully understand the difference between Travel and Non-Travel – this is what helps determine if you use a TCard (Travel) or PCard (Purchasing)?
    • If not – reach out to the Travel office so that we can walk you through the difference and ensure that you fully understand.
  2. Is the purchase you are seeking (or being requested to seek) fall under Travel?
    • Is it inside the City of Asheville for an employee/student? Not lodging, rental vehicle mileage, or bus? Then it is not considered Travel and you can proceed to the UNC Asheville Purchasing Non-Travel guidelines.
    • Is it a virtual webinar, training, conference? This would be considered non-travel.
    • North Carolina and outside the City of Asheville? You are in Travel Status.
    • Outside of North Carolina? You are in Travel Status.
  3. Create and submit a pre-approval in Chrome River making sure to include all possible estimated expenses. Be sure to include backup providing proof of the necessary travel, which would include (but is not limited to) an overview of the conference from the conference website; overview of the training; or invitation that you received to present a paper; etc. Note – for employees who require frequent travel, you have the ability to create a long-term pre-approval during the fiscal year. Please reach out to the travel office for assistance.
  4. Traveling without a pre-approval is against State Policy.

Per Diem Rates (Meals and Lodging)


DescriptionIn-StateOut-of-State/International
Breakfast (must depart prior to 6:00 a.m.)$10.60$10.60
Lunch (overnight travel only - must depart prior to noon; return must be after 2:00 p.m.)$14.00$14.00
Dinner (must depart prior to 5:00 p.m.; return must be after 8:00 p.m.)$24.40$27.70
Lodging$94.10$111.10

NOTE: Per diem meals are only allowed during overnight stay. Lodging is only allowed if the final destination exceeds 35 miles from duty station.


Ground Transportation (rentals, mileage, and state vehicles)

As per OSBM policies 5.0.2 and 5.2.13 “it is the intent of the State that state employee travel shall be conducted in the most efficient manner and at the lowest most reasonable cost to the state. With regard to passenger vehicle travel, whether in or out of state, agency travel policies shall:

  • Make use of state term contracts for short-term rentals (State Term Contract 975B Vehicle Rental Services), and
  • Reimburse for use of personal vehicles”

UNC Asheville employees should consider the lowest cost option for their ground transportation when making their travel plans.

  • Rental Vehicles must be obtained through the State’s Term Contract utilizing Enterprise/National Rental using this Rental Link.
  • Mileage will only be reimbursed when driving your personal vehicle. The standard rates set by the Internal Revenue service (effective at UNCA Asheville as of January 2, 2025) are $0.70 per mile.

Advance payment directly to the vendor

The preferred method of payment for travel is the University TCard. In the event that a vendor will not accept a University TCard, UNC Asheville can pay a vendor directly in advance for your travel as long as the vendor will accept a University check. If you do not have a TCard or you need to pay a vendor directly, please initiate a HelpWithTravel request for assistance

Travel purchasing card “T-Card” (requirements and manual)

UNC Asheville offers a travel purchasing card (T-card) for permanent faculty/staff that travel overnight. If the supervisor is in agreement with the faculty/staff member receiving a card, the form can be completed and emailed to Catherine Mallon, Travel Accountant at cmallon@unca.edu. See below for the form.

Instructions for Travel Reimbursement

Both Pre-Approvals and Expense Reports must be generated using the automated expense software platform Chrome River. If you do not have access to Chrome River, please contact the Travel Office by initiating a HelpWithTravel request. In order to qualify for reimbursement of expenses, a Pre-approval request must be submitted and approved prior to creating an expense report.

All expense reports must be submitted within thirty calendar (30) days from the return date of the travel event.

All expenses (other than per diem meals) must be supported by a detailed receipt in order to be considered for reimbursement and must show a $0 balance (this include hotel receipts).

Contact Catherine Mallon by initiating a HelpWithTravel request for upcoming dates and times for training.

University Travel FAQs

Initiate a HelpWithTravel request. You have the option of attaching a print-out from your credit card statement and completing a Missing Receipt Affidavit Form.

No – receipts are not necessary when claiming per diem meals.

Travel Advances can only be provided to faculty or staff. Eligibility depends on Supervisor’s recommendation to Travel Accountant. Students are NOT eligible for a travel advance.

Yes, however, the preferred method of payment for travel is the University TCard. In the event that a vendor will not accept a University TCard, UNC Asheville can pay a vendor directly in advance for your travel as long as the vendor will accept a university check. If you do not have a TCard or you need to pay a vendor directly, please initiate a HelpWithTravel request for assistance.

Click the ACCEPT button in your email that you received; an email screen will pop-up and at that point, click SEND. This will send the approval onto the next que.  If you receive an unusually long expense report approval request, please log into Chrome River and Approve/Return from your Chrome River homepage.

Click the PRE-APPROVAL in the top right corner once you have already clicked Submit for the first time. Choose your Pre-Approval from the drop-down; click APPLY on the bottom right and then click Submit for the final time.

Click on your Returned reports from your Chrome River account, open up your report, and click on the detail returned item. Once you have completed the necessary changes, you can click Submit. This will send the revised report back to the Travel Accountant for approval. If you are unable to make any changes, please initiate a HelpWithTravel request for assistance.

You would receive this error if you attached your receipts to your report header rather than the detailed line item. To learn how to move them without re-creating, click here.

Open up your SUBMITTED reports and you will see the status directly below your Report Name.

Click on the appropriate report one time on the left side of your Chrome River screen – once it is highlighted, click the Tracking button on the right. Click here for screen shot examples.

All student travel not related to an 8 fund (Agency Fund) requires a pre-approval. Pre-approvals are required for all non-employees to include all guests, candidates, speakers and anyone that is not an employee of UNC Asheville,.

  • The first step is to initiate a HelpWithTravel request and provide the name and address of the individual that you are requesting be set up along with what type of travel (person, hotel, registration, etc).
  • Upon receiving an email back from the travel office, you can create an expense report under the faculty/staff’s name that has invited the non-employee to campus and add the first initial and last name of the non-employee to the end of the report name.
  • When entering the traveler affiliation, choose non-employee. A drop-down box will appear that will allow you to choose the non-employee’s name.
  • The remaining portion of the entries are the same as you would process for a faculty/staff member.

  • The first step is to initiate a HelpWithTravel request with the student’s name, Banner ID and address. Please verify with the student that you have their most current address.
  • Upon receiving an email back from the travel office, you can create an expense report under the faculty/staff’s name that has requested the student travel and add the first initial and last name of the student to the end of the report name.
  • When entering the traveler affiliation, choose student. A drop-down box will appear that will allow you to choose the student’s name.
  • The remaining portion of the entries are the same as you would process for a faculty/staff member.

The honorarium payment portion is NOT processed in Chrome River Travel. You should contact the Purchasing Office for specific honorarium payment guidelines. Here is a helpful link as well – Non-Travel. If there is travel involved, it will be processed in Chrome River Travel and will follow the guidelines set in FAQ# 14 above.

  • The T-Card should be used for the Cardholder’s travel only and not for a fellow staff or faculty. If a staff or faculty does not have a T-Card they should complete the T-Card application and email the completed application to cmallon@unca.edu.
  • For non-employee travel (students not accompanying staff/faculty, candidates, performers, other guests) the preferred method of payment is reimbursement to the traveler. However, if a TCard is necessary, and you need to apply for a TCard, please complete this TCard Application and forward to cmallon@unca.edu.
  • Additional information concerning Non-Employee travel can be found HERE.

Contact Us

Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance/Controller
211 Phillips Hall, CPO 1422
One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804
Office: (828) 232-5109
Fax: (828) 251-6743
Email: mhall7@unca.edu

Purchasing
121 Phillips Hall, CPO 1425
Office: (828) 251 6100
jgarst@unca.edu
cbuck@unca.edu

Accounts Payable
119 Phillips Hall, CPO 1423
Office: (828) 251-6663
acctspayable@unca.edu