SPEC Kit 315: Leave and Professional Development Benefits · 105
Northwestern University
Travel Policy
2
4) Other official NUL business, such as:
• Contacting outside funding agencies or meeting with prospective donors
• Development of vendor relations or
• Site visits
II. Non-administrative travel
This category encompasses all professional travel not undertaken for the purpose of conducting general library
business. This includes:
Conference participation and attendance: travel undertaken to present a paper or poster session, participate in a panel
discussion, chair or moderate a session, serve as elected/appointed officer or committee member (or otherwise
engaged in organizational activities) of a professional library or scholarly organization.
Professional development initiated by the staff member: travel to a conference, meeting, workshop, etc. undertaken
to broaden a staff member's perspective, to keep current in their field and in the profession as a whole, to become
involved in professional activities, or to promote, improve or enhance job-related skills.
“Blended” proposals, in which both administrative and non-administrative travel occur in one trip, can also be
submitted. This might occur, for instance, if a staff member attending ALA also attended a pre-conference workshop
directly related to job duties. If approved, the expenses for the pre-conference might be reimbursed as administrative
travel, while the remaining conference expenses would come out of the staff member’s annual travel allowance.
PROCEDURES
Administrative travel:
Employees will be reimbursed for 100% of approved expenses for administrative travel. Reimbursement for local
Administrative travel will include registration, transportation, parking and any meal which is a part of the travel.
Using the travel request form, all requests for Administrative travel must be approved by the staff member’s
immediate supervisor, division head, and the University Librarian. This approval is for consideration of the
necessity of the travel as well as the consideration of the time off. The employee should make every effort to turn in
the request as early as possible. When approved, a copy of the travel request form will be forwarded to the Business
and Finance Office by the office of the University Librarian. The employee approved for administrative travel will
follow University guidelines with regard to air travel, car rental, hotel, registration, per diem for meals, and any
other expenses related to travel.
Staff will notify their supervisor if not taking a trip for which approval was granted and notification will be
conveyed to the Business and Finance Office.
Within four weeks of the completion of the travel, the employee should complete a travel expense form and submit
appropriate travel receipts to the Business and Finance Office to obtain reimbursement. In accordance with
University policy, the signature of a supervisor is needed in order to submit the request for reimbursement.
Non-administrative travel:
In order to support the autonomy of the individual professional and the department, financial support for non-
administrative travel will be handled through an annual travel allowance. The amount of the travel allowance
available for non-administrative travel will depend on the available travel budget and will be determined by the
University Librarian in consultation with the Assembly of Librarians. A memo with the specific amount of the travel
allowance will be sent to exempt staff in July for the fiscal year which begins September 1.
In addition to the base, additional funds are provided for one of the following:
• Librarians new to the profession will be given an additional $200.00 per year for 5 years after completing
the MLIS.
Northwestern University
Travel Policy
2
4) Other official NUL business, such as:
• Contacting outside funding agencies or meeting with prospective donors
• Development of vendor relations or
• Site visits
II. Non-administrative travel
This category encompasses all professional travel not undertaken for the purpose of conducting general library
business. This includes:
Conference participation and attendance: travel undertaken to present a paper or poster session, participate in a panel
discussion, chair or moderate a session, serve as elected/appointed officer or committee member (or otherwise
engaged in organizational activities) of a professional library or scholarly organization.
Professional development initiated by the staff member: travel to a conference, meeting, workshop, etc. undertaken
to broaden a staff member's perspective, to keep current in their field and in the profession as a whole, to become
involved in professional activities, or to promote, improve or enhance job-related skills.
“Blended” proposals, in which both administrative and non-administrative travel occur in one trip, can also be
submitted. This might occur, for instance, if a staff member attending ALA also attended a pre-conference workshop
directly related to job duties. If approved, the expenses for the pre-conference might be reimbursed as administrative
travel, while the remaining conference expenses would come out of the staff member’s annual travel allowance.
PROCEDURES
Administrative travel:
Employees will be reimbursed for 100% of approved expenses for administrative travel. Reimbursement for local
Administrative travel will include registration, transportation, parking and any meal which is a part of the travel.
Using the travel request form, all requests for Administrative travel must be approved by the staff member’s
immediate supervisor, division head, and the University Librarian. This approval is for consideration of the
necessity of the travel as well as the consideration of the time off. The employee should make every effort to turn in
the request as early as possible. When approved, a copy of the travel request form will be forwarded to the Business
and Finance Office by the office of the University Librarian. The employee approved for administrative travel will
follow University guidelines with regard to air travel, car rental, hotel, registration, per diem for meals, and any
other expenses related to travel.
Staff will notify their supervisor if not taking a trip for which approval was granted and notification will be
conveyed to the Business and Finance Office.
Within four weeks of the completion of the travel, the employee should complete a travel expense form and submit
appropriate travel receipts to the Business and Finance Office to obtain reimbursement. In accordance with
University policy, the signature of a supervisor is needed in order to submit the request for reimbursement.
Non-administrative travel:
In order to support the autonomy of the individual professional and the department, financial support for non-
administrative travel will be handled through an annual travel allowance. The amount of the travel allowance
available for non-administrative travel will depend on the available travel budget and will be determined by the
University Librarian in consultation with the Assembly of Librarians. A memo with the specific amount of the travel
allowance will be sent to exempt staff in July for the fiscal year which begins September 1.
In addition to the base, additional funds are provided for one of the following:
• Librarians new to the profession will be given an additional $200.00 per year for 5 years after completing
the MLIS.
