(1) This Protocol outlines the processes relating to travel, accommodation and ancillary expenses associated with Academic Board meetings and activities charged to the Academic Board Project Code (901022). It is a protocol of the Travel Policy. It is also subject to the Delegations of Authority Policy and Register, the Purchase Card Policy and the Reimbursement of Actual Expenses Policy. (2) This Protocol applies to all staff who seek to charge expenses against the Academic Board Project Code. All such expenses must be approved by the Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer. (3) Staff who seek to charge expenses against the Academic Board Project Code are required to update their travel preferences in FCM Travel Solutions to nominate the Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer as the approver of all expenditure against the Academic Board Project Code. (4) Only expenses properly incurred in undertaking activities for Academic Board and that fall within the scope of the Travel Policy will be met by the Academic Board overhead. Any requests to depart from this Protocol due to exceptional circumstances must be approved in advance by the Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer. (5) Staff who undertake travel associated with Academic Board must take advantage of the best available fare defined in clause 21 of the Travel Policy. (6) Bookings for flights to attend Academic Board meetings may be made by the staff member (or their authorised representative) or a Governance Officer on their behalf. (7) The Legal, Assurance and Governance Directorate will assist staff with details of flights that fall within the parameters of clause 21 of the Travel Policy and that comply with the operational requirements of the meeting, including the home city of the staff member, start and finish times of the meeting and daylight savings. (8) Staff seeking assistance from the Legal, Assurance and Governance Directorate will be required to complete the pro forma Academic Board Travel Request Form via email to AcademicBoard@acu.edu.au no later than one (1) week prior to the date of intended travel. (9) Preferred airline, membership of an airline’s frequent flyer loyalty program or airline lounge access is not to be taken into consideration in any determination of the best available fare. (10) Unless exceptional circumstances exist, flexible fares will not be approved for flights. Staff who travel for Academic Board will be required to nominate flight times that take into consideration the advertised start time (ordinarily 10:00am) and finish time (ordinarily 2:00pm) of Academic Board meetings with an appropriate time allowance for overruns and transfers to and from the airport to be factored into the booking. (11) Academic Board meetings are scheduled to ensure that staff can attend the meetings within the envelope of a single day’s travel. Recognising that for some members of the Academic Board the commencement time may necessitate an unreasonable travel commencement time, members may choose to travel to the city in which the meeting is to take place on the day before the meeting. In this case, one night of accommodation will be provided for the member from the Academic Board budget. (12) Attendance at the annual Academic Board Governance Day will enable up to two days accommodation to be booked to facilitate member attendance. (13) Only in exceptional circumstances will a longer period of accommodation be paid for from the Academic Board budget. In such cases, approval of the Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer must be obtained in advance of booking such accommodation. (14) To avoid incurring multiple booking fees with FCM Travel Solutions, flights and any accommodation properly chargeable to the Academic Board Project Code must be booked simultaneously. (15) Any incidental expenses incurred on an ACU purchase card coded against the Academic Board Project Code require the approval of the Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer. Copies of tax invoice for incidental expenses charged against the Academic Board Project Code are to be provided to the Legal, Assurance and Governance Directorate for reconciliation purposes. (16) Staff are expected to take advantage of economical forms of transport to and from the airport and / or relevant campus in accordance with the Travel Policy, where appropriate, including travel by train and mini-bus (which may be organised by the University from time to time). The Airport Link train is the preferred option for travel to and from Sydney Airport and the North Sydney campus. (17) Staff charging expenses to the Academic Board Project Code are expected to plan their travel arrangements to ensure additional fees (FCM Travel Solutions booking fees, airline change fees etc) are not incurred for multiple bookings and / or amendments to existing bookings. (18) The Chief Legal Assurance and Governance Officer is the Responsible Officer for this Protocol. Further assistance in relation to this Protocol may be obtained by contacting the Legal, Assurance and Governance Directorate via governance@acu.edu.au.Academic Board Travel Protocol
Section 1 - Purpose and scope
Section 2 - Principles
Flights
Accommodation
Incidentals including transfers and sustenance
Booking and administration fees
Section 3 - Further assistance
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