Ithaca College

Dear campus community, 

As we face unprecedented times, the College has suspended College Related Business Travel until further notice.  Below are some guidelines to guide you as we manage the next few months. Thank you in advance for your support. 

Bill Guerrero

Vice President for Finance & Administration

International and domestic business travel is prohibited for faculty and staff and for campus visitors

The College will not pay for or reimburse any College-related travel, either outbound by College faculty and/or staff, or inbound by visitors, by any transportation means until further notice. We continue to recommend making use of alternative technology solutions such as phone calls, email, Zoom and Teams to conduct College business. Those who feel they must travel are required to request an exception from their Vice President. Community members who may need reimbursement for travel or conference cancellations should consult these guidelines:

 Business travel refunds

You should request refunds for all expenses paid that will no longer be utilized. Contact conference/event organizers for registration and deposit refunds. Contact hotels for deposit refunds. Contact the airline for airfare credits or refunds.   

Fees and reimbursements

There are no fees for canceling a flight. The fees are incurred when rebooking the flight. Many tickets are non-refundable. However, the flight can be cancelled and usually the ticket is available for use one year from the date of issue. In addition, there are airline-imposed change fees for rebooking non-refundable, cancelled tickets. The fee is usually $200 for domestic flights and $300 for international flights, plus any difference in fare, but can vary depending on the airline. If the expense was paid for by the College or reimbursed to you by the College then the funds must be deposited back to the College Parnassus account where the expense was charged. If the money was deposited into your personal account or is in the form of a check issued to your name, you will need to write a check payable to “Ithaca College” and give it to your departmental business staff for deposit to the College.

For business travel expense reimbursement questions, email Sheryl Scott at sscott@ithaca.edu.    

Recruitment  

Due to the moratorium on college-related business travel, on-campus recruitment efforts are prohibited until further notice.  Searches currently in progress should be paused without express approval from Provost La Jerne Cornish (faculty) or VP Hayley Harris (staff).  

Personal travel  

The College strongly recommends against personal travel out of the country, given the rapidly changing situation and unpredictability of possible quarantines upon return to the U.S. If you do travel, please be aware that given the rapid pace of the spread of this virus, you may find yourself in a location where travel becomes restricted only after you arrive at your destination. So there is a possibility you will be required to enter into quarantine for 14 days, preferably at your permanent home residence, upon your return to the U.S. (or, if you are already in the U.S., to Ithaca), before being able to return to school or work. The most current information about restricted travel can be found on the CDC website, and we urge anyone who is considering travel to consult this site regularly.  

The College cannot reimburse you for expenses associated with personal trip cancellations or disruptions. Out of an abundance of caution, to protect your health and minimize further health risks, we ask that everyone exercise prudent judgment when making travel plans and stay abreast of current travel guidance provided by the CDC and the College before departure so that you can prepare and take proper precautions. Travel restrictions may change over the coming weeks and could possibly affect your return to Ithaca.