Department of Spanish and Portuguese Internal Procedure:  A&S Instructor Travel Funds

The following, revised internal Department of Spanish and Portuguese process for apply for A&S Instructor travel funds was approved by Nina Molinaro, Department Chair, June 29, 2021.

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a funding opportunity called the A&S Instructor Travel Fund to support Instructor and Senior Instructor travel for professional pursuits. You can find information about this fund here.

Please complete the following steps:

1) Please review the "A&S Instructor Travel Funds" specifications (here) to ensure that you collect and submit the necessary documentation for requesting funding and reimbursement. A&S Instructors and Senior Instructors are eligible to apply for funding for one trip per fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

  • If you are applying for funds to support conference attendance, per A&S at this time, Instructors and Senior Instructors may use A&S Instructor Travel Funds to attend a conference - presentation is not required.
  • If you intend to apply for funding to support your travels in May or June (the university's fiscal year end), please let Nina Molinaro and department staff know in advance (ideally April) so that you and department staff might work with John Horton in A&S to determine the reimbursement schedule for your award. If you submit your receipts after July 1 for travel conducted the previous fiscal year, A&S may choose not to reimburse your award, and you will be responsible for paying back the department for any deficit incurred. We want to help you avoid this scenario by planning in advance with John.

2) Prior to making any purchases for your travel, please email the Department Chair a brief proposal describing the business-related travel and a short budget (up to $600 for domestic travel, $800 for international travel). Please cc department staff on your request, as well as on the Chair's approval for department records.

  • You must receive written approval (email is sufficient) from the Department Chair first. You will need to include the Department Chair's written approval as part of your funding request packet to the College of Arts and Sciences for the Instructor Funds.
  • Please keep the Chair’s approval email, as you will also be required to submit it with your receipts for reimbursement after your travel is complete.

3) After receiving approval from the Department Chair, you must request and receive approval for funding from the College of Arts and Sciences prior to travel and incurring any expenses.  Please follow the College of Arts and Sciences Travel Fund instructions (attached) to submit a funding request to John Horton and cc department staff. Please cc department staff and the chair on any funding approval or denial communications you receive from the College.

  • No retroactive requests for funding can be made to the College, so please issue your request far in advance of your travel.
  • Awarding of these funds is dependent upon A&S's current resources.
  • No reimbursements or travel purchases via university systems (such as Concur) will be processed by Department staff unless and until a written confirmation of funding from the College of Arts and Sciences has been received by the Instructor or Senior Instructor and department.
  • Any travel expenses not approved by either the Department Chair and/or the College of Arts and Sciences are the responsibility of the Instructor or Senior Instructor to cover. If an unapproved expense causes a deficit in your department account, you will be asked to issue a check to reimburse the university.

4) If you have been approved for travel and funding by the Chair and the College of A&S and have written documentation of the approval, you may proceed with purchasing travel arrangements.

If you wish to purchase airfare, please let department staff know that your flight purchase is in relation to your approved A&S instructor funding request. Please send her documented proof of funding and work with her to identify the correct speedtype against which to allocate your flight. Your flight costs cannot exceed the $600 (domestic) or $800 (international) limit. Please refer to the "Travel Procedures" on the Department's website.

5) After completing your travel, please submit 1) the written approval for travel from the Chair, 2) the written approval for funding from A&S and 3) your related receipts up to $600 for domestic travel or $800 for international travel (remember to deduct your flight costs, if you have any) to department staff for reimbursement using the department form here.

  • Per university policy, we can only reimburse research travel and conference expenses after travel has occurred.
  • Please note that you cannot exceed total expenses of $600 (domestic) or $800 (international), unless you have other funding available to you. If you have other funding sources available, please indicate to department staff if you wish to use them.
  • In order to avoid deficits, the department will only reimburse you up to the grant amount, after your flight or other travel costs have been deducted (if applicable). Per the department's "Faculty Travel and Expense Reimbursement" policy, "Faculty members are expected to track their expenses and reimburse the university to cover any deficits in their account(s). The Department will not cover these deficits."

6) Once you submit your receipts, department staff will process your reimbursements and submit a request to John Horton for the related faculty speedtype to be reimbursed.