Faculty Recruitment Guidelines & Procedures

Last Revised: November 16, 2023

For assistance regarding the following guidelines and procedures, please contact Azucena Gutierrez in Academic Resources (azucenag@mail.fresnostate.edu). For all other faculty search policies and procedures, please go to the Faculty Affairs website.

Academic Year 2023-2024

Go directly to:

Candidates - Interview Expense Reimbursement Information
New T/T Hires -  Relocation Expense Reimbursement Information
Campus Personnel - Interview Expense Reimbursement Information
Campus Personnel - Start-up Information
Campus Personnel - Relocation Information

Interview Expense Reimbursement - Information for Tenure-Track Candidates

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;
• 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 $0.655 per mile, effective 01/03/2023. 

B. Meals Paid by Candidate

• Candidates may seek reimbursement for actual expenses incurred as supported by original, itemized receipts up to the limits stated below.
• Limits per meal - $10 breakfast, $15 lunch, and $30 dinner.
• Meal for candidate only will be reimbursed.
• No reimbursement for alcoholic beverages.

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.

Go to Top

Reimbursement for Moving Expenses - Guidelines for New 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.

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.

Relocation funding must be spent within the same budget year that employment begins.

Go to Top 

Reimbursement for Recruitment Expenses - Information for Deans, Chairs, and Staff

Recruitment:

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. Per diem and a daily incidental allowance will not be paid to candidates.
• Entertainment - 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. Reimbursement is up to a maximum of $55 per day. In addition to the state regulations, Academic Affairs is setting the following maximum amounts per meal for faculty recruitment purposes:

1. 1. 1. Breakfast - $10.00
      2. Lunch - $15.00
      3. Dinner - $30.00

• 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:

1. 1. 1. Serve a clear university business purpose, with no personal benefit derived by the official host or other university employees.
      2. Be cost effective and the best use of public funds (fiscally responsible.)
      3. Follow the CSU hospitality policy.

• Circumstances to reimburse meals of other individuals in addition to the search committee members, department chair, and EEO from state general funds is rare.

Recruitment Documentation:

A.  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 guest.
• 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.

B.  Expenses Reimbursable to Candidate - Direct Pay via CSU P2P

• Onboard candidate via P2P as Supplier
  • Log onto P2P, select Suppliers from the left hand side, click Requests, and Request New Supplier
  • It is recommended to start this process as soon as possible
• Complete Direct pay on P2P
  • Select Direct Pay Other under "What is this DIrect Payment For" 
  • Indicate vacancy announcement number
  • Candidate will no longer sign the Direct Pay
• When calculating the reimbursement submit a grant total of the incurrec expenses
• Attach Invoice for Payment of Faculty Interview Expenses along with original receipts as one file
  • Meal and lodging receipts must be itemized

C.  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.

D. 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.

Go to Top

Start-Up Costs (For faculty starting in 2022-23) - Information for Deans, Chairs, & Staff

Start-up assistance is available to new tenure-track faculty in the form of assigned time only for the first year.Tenure-track faculty recruited and hired during 2019-20 with a start date of Fall 2020, will not longer be provided with start up funds from Academic Affairs. Any start-up costs provided to these faculty members, will be the responsibility of their colleges and/or departments.

A.  Assigned Time

• Start-up funds for assigned time includes 3 WTUs from Academic Affairs at the current backfill rate of $6,055. This is a 1:1 match with the college or school. With the match, the new faculty would receive up to 6 WTU release time during the first academic year.
• When Academic Resources is notified how these funds will be matched, monies will be transferred directly to the chartstring(s) provided by the dean's office. Notification should be via email, and include the P/S chartstring as well as employee ID or pool ID, if applicable.

Go to Top

Reimbursement for Relocation Expenses - Information for Deans, Department Chairs, and Staff

Academic Resources provides up to $2,500 for reimbursement of moving expenses incurred by newly hired tenure-track faculty. Monies for relocation expenses are available to the new faculty member within the same budget year that he or she begins employment. A Payment of Reasonable Estimated Moving and Relocation Expenses Without Documentation form will be filled out by ARO for each new tenure track hire for the total awarded to them under moving and relocation in their award letter. The form will list the college or department chartstring, once that charge is reflected on datawarehouse an ABJ will be done to that charstring for up to $2,500.

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 and start-up funds, savings from one faculty move in a college cannot be used to augment relocation costs for another faculty member.

Please note - Balances for recruitment and relocation expenses will be monitored. Over-expenditures will not be allowed, and will need to be covered by the college/school.

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.

 If you have any questions, regarding reimbursement of moving or recruitment expenditures, you may contact Azucena Gutierrez via email at azucenag@mail.fresnostate.edu.

Go to Top