COVID 19 Affected Faculty and Staff Travel

COVID 19 has had a significant impact on University travel. At this time, Bob Swanson, Controller, will be reviewing all reimbursement requests related to expenses incurred as a result of the COVID 19 virus and containment efforts. To do this effectively, the Controller’s office will need your assistance in helping the faculty and staff in your departments submit requests with appropriate and sufficient supporting information.

The processes below has been developed in order to minimize the impact on our faculty/staff and address the possibility that some reimbursements may be recognized as taxable compensation if not addressed properly.

Below is an outline of how the University will proceed.

1. All requests for reimbursements related to cancelled travel plans will be re-assigned to Bob Swanson by the AP and P-Card staff for final review.
2. Please email Bob Swanson any questions or concerns in advance of submitting either expense reports or P-Card reconciliation reports.
3. Expense Reports: 
   • Faculty and staff will submit their expense reports through Chrome River as they normally do.
   • They should include “COVID” in the report title.
   • They will include a comment that this expense report is due to a conference cancellation or COVID-19 concerns or due to University imposed travel restrictions.
   • They will include attachments supporting the amount of expenses that were not refunded that they wish to be reimbursed for. Usually a cancellation email or screen shot with details showing the dollar amounts refunded, lost or provided to the traveler in the form of an electronic voucher.
   • They will include the following statement in the comments section of their expense report if they receive any credit vouchers for future travel or any credit for a similar expense in the future: “I have received a refund in the form of a credit voucher from the travel provider and will use it on subsequent University related business travel.”
4. P-Card Travel Purchases:
   • P-Card holders will submit their reconciliation report through Chrome River as they normally do.
   • They should include “COVID” in the report title.
   • They will include a comment that this reconciliation report contains charges related to a conference cancellation or COVID-19 concerns or due to University imposed travel restrictions.
   • They will include attachments supporting the attempts to obtain a refund as well as the form in which any refund is made (e.g. e-credit voucher in the travelers name or refund to the credit card).
   • If there is any form of credit voucher in the travelers name, the P-Card holder will include the following statement in an email from the traveler and include that email in their reconciliation report attachments: “I have received a refund in the form of a credit voucher from the travel provider and will use it on subsequent University related business travel.” If the traveler is the P-Card holder then they can just add the statement in quotes to the comments section.

Any reimbursement or P-Card expense that results in an electronic credit or voucher in the name of the traveler will be considered taxable income if not used on BGSU related travel.

On a cautionary note, the Controller’s Office staff is currently monitoring how granting agencies are addressing travel related expenses associated with cancellations due to COVID-19 containment efforts. This may result in additional requirements that are not known at this time.

Please email or call Bob Swanson with any questions or concerns.

Bob Swanson, CPA

Controller

Bowling Green State University

1851 N. Research Drive

Bowling Green, Ohio 43403

rswanso@bgsu.edu

w: 419.372.8597