Reimbursement Information for Tenure-Track Faculty Searches
If you are a Tenure-Track Candidate who has been invited to an on campus interview
please review the information included below regarding allowable expenses that can
be reimbursed to you.
A. Transportation
Copy of airline ticket, train or bus fare along with proof of payment. An invoice
or itinerary are not acceptable proofs of travel and/or payment;
Only Economy Class Rates will be reimbursed
E-ticket -- showing ticket # and method of payment;
Taxi or ground transportation costs to and from airport;
Miles traveled can be documented on Invoice for Payment of Faculty Recruiting Interview
Expense form. The hiring department will provide this form. Mileage will be reimbursed
according to the CSU travel procedures and regulations. Mileage for business travel
(not relocation) is $0.67 per mile, effective 01/01/2024.
B. Meals Paid by Candidate
Candidates may seek reimbursement for per diem rates up to the limits stated below:
Limits per meal: $16 breakfast, $17 lunch, and $31 dinner.
Per diem rate: $69 (including indicental) $51.75 ONLY first and last day
Only meals for the candidate will be reimbursed.
Alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed.
C. Lodging
Lodging costs will be reimbursed according to CSU guidelines with itemized receipts
and proof of payment required. Receipts must show breakdown of room charge and applicable
taxes separately.
Candidates are responsible for payment of personal items such as phone calls, internet
charges, alcoholic beverages, movies charged to room, expenses for family members,
pet fees, etc.
If a meal is charged to the room as "room service" an itemized receipt must be provided
by the hotel in order to be reimbursed. Cost of the meal must fall within the amounts
stated in this document.
D. Miscellaneous
Some miscellaneous costs such as car rental in lieu of airfare, airport parking, etc.
may be reimbursed with proper documentation. Should the candidate decide to rent a
car upon arrival in Fresno, payment for the rental becomes the candidate's responsibility.
Check with the department and/or dean's office prior to incurring the cost to see
if the expense is reimbursable.
Tenure-Track Faculty Recruitment Information:
Each approved tenure-track search will be funded $3,425 for recruitment purposes.
If one search is used to fill two or more vacancies for the same position, $3,425
will be awarded for that search. Funds will be used for tenure-track positions searched
for in 2023-24 with, in most cases, employment dates of August 2024. Funding for each
search ($3,425) will be allocated directly to the appropriate schools/colleges Dean's
Office and will need to be managed internally. The ABJ to transfer the funds will
be processed by ARO and a copy will be routed to both the Dean and budget analyst
for their records. The chartfield for all paperwork processed/submitted for faculty
search expenses will be required to include class code 13102 Faculty Recruitment for
proper identification. Any expenditures past the original allocated funds will need
to be covered from either school/college or department resources as no additional
funds will be made available.
Recruitment monies can be used to cover the following types of expenses:
Pre-Interview Expenses - advertising, printing, and other expenditures needed to begin the search process.
Travel to conferences by faculty for recruitment purposes will not be funded from
Academic Affairs search monies.
Interview Expenses - Travel expenses, lodging, and meals only will be covered as governed by state regulations
and Academic Affairs guidelines. Candidates are responsible for payment of personal
items such as internet charges, alcoholic beverages, and movies charged to their hotel
rooms as well as expenses for family members. Itemized receipts will need to be provided
in order to be reimbursed. Amounts for meals must fall within the campus guidelines
listed under entertainment.
Hospitality - Meals for candidate, search committee members, department chair and/or EEO only
will be funded by Academic Affairs. A candidate must be in attendance at the meal
for which reimbursement is being requested. Such expenditures can be paid from state
funds as long as the expenditure meets the Academic Affairs guidelines for faculty
recruitment as well as following CSU Fresno hospitality guidelines and state regulations.
Recruitment Meals:
For faculty recruitment purposes, Fresno State Academic Affairs is following CSU travel
policies. Reimbursement for meals is now based on the actual amount incurred as supported by original, itemized receipts. In addition to the state regulations and the Fresno State Hospitality Policy, Academic Affairs is setting the following maximum amounts per meal for faculty recruitment
purposes:
Breakfast - $30.00 Lunch - $40.00 Dinner - $75.00
Expenses exceeding these amounts need to be paid from non-state funds or personally. Meals must be with candidates. Should the department choose to take individuals other than the candidate, search
committee members, department chair, and/or EEO, funding will need to come from department/college
non-state funds. If the meals for non-search committee members are to be paid from
state funds, they must meet the following criteria in addition to those referenced
above:
Serve a clear university business purpose, with no personal benefit derived by the
official host or other university employees.
Be cost effective and the best use of public funds (fiscally responsible.)
Follow the CSU hospitality policy.
Recruitment Meals Reimbursable to On-Campus Employee
Direct Pay/Hospitality Approval Form - list names of all individuals in attendance
on the hospitality section. Indicate if the person is a part of the search committee,
candidate, department chair, EEO, or guests.
Costs for other individuals in attendance and overages on meal costs can be paid from
non-state funds or personally.
Actual, itemized receipt with proof of payment must be attached. Expenditures without
itemized food receipts will be returned unprocessed to the deans' offices.
Generic invoices no longer need to be submitted. If reimbursement is made to a CSU
Fresno employee, the employee must sign the top portion of the direct pay/hospitality
form under payee certification.
Indicate vacancy announcement # on paperwork.
Expenses Reimbursable to Candidate - Direct Pay (Legacy way)
Direct Pay/Hospitalty Approval Form - include candidate's name and address
Attach Invoice for Payment of Faculty Interview Expenses along with original receipts
as one file
Lodging receipts must be itemized
Attach the Agenda for the candidate's on campus interview which details meals provided
to the candidate
Meals provided to the candidate cannot be claimed in Per Diem
Reimbursement to Vendor
Direct billing by hotel to the University - prepare a direct pay/hospitality approval
form and attach the invoice.
Invoices must show room costs and applicable taxes separately.
Candidate must pay for his/her portion of the lodging invoice such as movies, internet
charges, alcoholic beverages, etc.
Only one invoice per direct pay/hospitality form. If there are multiple invoices per
vendor, a separate form must be created for each invoice. Due to the increased workload
created and the lack of a clear audit trail, Accounting Services may return direct
pay forms that do not follow proper guidelines.
Shared Food Costs Between State and Foundation
Request for payment will be submitted to both Accounting Services and Foundation.
University - original receipt(s) will be submitted for payment up to the maximum amount
allowed. Indicate amount to be paid by Foundation, and attach a copy of the Foundation
Payment Authorization showing it is a shared expense. Amount to be paid by State should
match the amount indicated on the direct pay/hospitality approval form.
Foundation - submit Foundation payment authorization form; a copy of the receipt and
the paperwork submitted to the State; and a statement verifying that this is a shared
cost with the University, and the original receipts are retained by the University
Accounting Office.
If reimbursement is requested for the state portion only, please indicate that information
on the paperwork.
Recruitment monies are specifically intended for the purposes listed above. They may
not be used to augment moving expenses and/or start-up costs.
Recruitment funds cannot be used for travel, lodging, or meals associated with house-hunting
trips for the successful candidate and his/her family. Savings from one search may
not be used to augment funding for another search.
All recruitment expenses should be submitted no later than May 12, 2024.
Reimbursement for Relocation Expenses of New Tenure-Track Faculty
Academic Resources provides up to $2,500 for reimbursement of moving expenses incurred
by newly hired tenure-track faculty. The Academic Resource Office (ARO) will be instituting
a new process for 2023-2024AY of issuing new tenure track faculty expense reimbursements
utilizing a Payment of Reasonable Estimated Moving and Relocation Expenses Without
Documentation form. The form will be filled out by ARO listing all new tenure track
hires with their total awarded amount, it will then be routed to Faculty Affairs,
the school/college Dean, and VP/President signatures as needed. The expenses will
be charged to the department or college chartfield. Once the expense is reflected
on datawarehouse, ARO will issue an ABJ of $2,500 per hire.
The new employee will be responsible for repayment of moving expenses if they leave
before they have been here two years as noted in the limitation section of the guidelines.
They are also responsible for understanding how reimbursement will impact their taxable
income.
As in the past, school and college resources can be used to augment allowable expenditures
that exceed the $2,500. As is the case for recruitment, savings from one faculty
move in a college cannot be used to augment relocation costs for another faculty member.
If you have any questions, regarding reimbursement of moving or recruitment expenditures,
you may contact Azucena Gutierrez via email at azucenag@mail.fresnostate.edu.
Repayment of Moving and Relocation Expense Reimbursements:
Section 8 of HR 2018-07 - "If an employee whose moving or relocation expenses have
been reimbursed does not continue his/her employment with a CSU campus or the Chancellor's
Office for a period of at least two years (unless discontinuance of the employment
was the result of death, disability or other similar unexpected cause beyond the control
of the employee as determined by the appointing authority), the employee or appropriate
representative shall repay the following percentage of the amount received for reimbursement
for such moving and relocation expenses: (a) 100% if employed less than 6 months. (b) 75% if employed at least 6 months but less than 12 months. (c) 50% if employed at least 12 months but less than 18 months. (d) 25% if employed at least 18 months but less than 24 months."
Another change made to these guidelines includes the clarification that the repayment
of moving and relocation expenses refers to the employee's individual CSU campus not
the CSU. If an employee does not continue his/her employment with a CSU campus and
then is hired by a different CSU campus, depending on the timeframe stated in these
guidelines, the employee shall repay the initial campus that had originally reimbursed him/her.
The campus shall ensure that a copy of these procedures is given to the employee upon
notice to the employee of an impending move."
Taxable Income:
The tax reform bill (H.R. 1, P.L. 115-97), which was enacted on December 22, 2017,
included a change to the taxation of moving and relocation expenses. Effective January 1, 2018, all moving expense reimbursements will be taxed as additional
income to the employee, and will be subject to all withholding taxes. Reimbursement for any tax liabilities ("grossing up") incurred by the employee as
the result of receiving reimbursement for relocation expenses is prohibited.
Please consult your tax adviser should you have any questions regarding these matters.
Reimbursements Made to International Faculty/Staff:
International faculty and staff who are under a F-1, J-1, or H1-B visa must provide
the university with proper documentation of their visa status and work authorization,
prior to authorization of payment or reimbursement.