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Longwood University |
Policy 4107
TRAVEL
CHARGE CARD PROGRAM
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish an individual travel card for Longwood employees.
II. POLICY
Longwood University has entered into an agreement with the GE Capital Financial Company, Inc. to provide an individual GE MasterCard Corporate Travel Card at no charge to faculty, staff, and others who travel on Longwood-related business. This card provides a convenient means for the traveler to charge travel-related expenses including meals, car rentals, and motel/hotel reservations, etc. The card will be the only means of obtaining advance funding for Longwood-related travel.
A. Travel Charge Card Coordinator: The Travel Charge Card Coordinator in the Office of Accounting and Financial Reporting (AFR) is responsible for this program and will answer any questions related to it.
B. Eligible Employees: All classified employees Pay Band Four (4) and above and full-time faculty who travel overnight at least twice a year will be eligible to apply for a Travel Charge Card. Students are not eligible to participate in this program.
C. The Travel Charge Card does replace the Travel Advance Procedure for those employees eligible for a Travel Card. The AFR Office will no longer issue travel advance checks to eligible employees.
III. PROCEDURE
A. Program Administration: The policies and procedures for the Travel Charge Card are developed and distributed by the Accounting and Financial Reporting Office, which maintains a liaison with the GE MasterCard Company. The implementation of the program will be handled through AFR which provides services for the program, including: distribution of new and collection of completed GE MasterCard card applications; distribution of employees' cards and obtaining completed Acknowledgment of Receipt forms from cardmembers; collection of GE MasterCard cards from cardmembers upon their leaving Longwood employment or upon cancellation of cards by GE MasterCard due to non-payment of accounts, or cardmember's request to cancel account; monitoring all cardholder accounts on a monthly basis for compliance and prompt payment of account; assisting employees by answering questions and responding to concerns related to the travel charge card system; serving as liaison with the GE MasterCard concerning delinquent accounts, termination of corporate accounts due to an employee's separation from the University or personal request for cancellation, and lost or stolen cards.1. Issuance of Travel Charge Cards: GE MasterCard will mail new cards to the Accounting and Financial Reporting Office approximately two (2) weeks from the date the application is submitted. The employee will be contacted to pick up his or her card from AFR and must bring identification. To receive the card, each employee must sign an acknowledgment form which (l) recognizes receipt of the card, and (2) indicates agreement to comply with the terms of the Travel Charge Card policies which must also be signed by his supervisor.
2. Names on Cards: The GE MasterCard will show the name of the cardmember, the cardmember number, the expiration date
For Official Use Only.
3. Card Renewal: The expiration date is on the face of each card. The card will be automatically renewed on the last day of the anniversary month of the card. Cards are issued for a period of two years.4. Multiple Cards: Only one card will be issued in the name of each eligible employee. Authorization is only for the employee whose name appears on the card. Family members and other persons are not permitted to use the card. This program does not provide for loaning a card to a third party.
5. Lost or Stolen/Replacement Cards: Immediately upon determining that a GE MasterCard is missing, has been lost, or is stolen, the cardmember should telephone GE MasterCard at 1.866.834.3227. The AFR Office should be called also and advised of the loss (434.395.2721).
B. Limitations on Use of Travel Charge Card:
1. In general, Travel Charge Cards may be used only for reimbursable travel and related expenditures that are incurred while an employee is in a travel status.
2. Exceptions to this rule include items that are not reimbursable under State and Longwood travel regulations, but which might be charged to a Travel Charge Card coincident to the traveler's reimbursable expenses. Examples include:
a. Non-reimbursable telephone calls charged to a hotel room.
b. Non-reimbursable expenses for a spouse included in a hotel bill or a restaurant bill.
c. Travel Charge Cards may also be used for business meals and employee recruitment meals when the cardmember is not in a travel status.3. The normal charge limit on a Travel Charge Card will be 5000 dollars. Higher limits may be approved in exceptional circumstances with appropriate authorization.
C. Employee Responsibilities:
1. The Travel Charge Card will be issued in the employee's name. The traveler is personally liable for any charges made against the card, and will be billed directly by GE MasterCard. The institution is not liable in the event of non-payment by the employee. GE MasterCard requires the cardmember to make full payment within thirty (30) days of the monthly billing statement cut-off date. Habitually slow payers may have their card recalled. If this happens, they will not be eligible for any travel advance funds from the institution. Charges for late payment are the employee's responsibility and will not be reimbursed.
2. The Travel Charge Card must not be used to circumvent the procurement procedures of the University or Commonwealth of Virginia.
3. If the Travel Charge Card is misused, it will be revoked. The employee must submit a Travel Reimbursement Voucher within one (1) week of completing a trip in order to assure that reimbursement will be received before the GE MasterCard bill must be paid. The Travel Charge Card holder must return the travel card to the Travel Charge Card Coordinator in the AFR Office upon request or upon leaving Longwood employment.
4. Travelers Checks: Travelers may charge travelers checks to their Travel Charge Card at the rate of fifty (50) dollars per day of travel. The minimum issue will be one hundred (100) dollars. The maximum issue will be five hundred (500) dollars. Travelers checks will only be issued for overnight travel and against a Travel Charge Card. Employees taking day trips do not qualify for the issuance of travelers checks.
5. Additional GE MasterCard Holder Benefits:
a. Car rental loss and damage insurance is provided when the card is used.
b. Personal check cashing at participating hotels, airlines, and car rental counters.
c. Express check-in and check-out at participating hotels.
d. Lost Luggage Insurance up to $5,000.6. Termination of Employee Participation: Employee participation in the Travel Charge Card Program will be subject to termination under the following conditions:
a. when the cardmember is no longer employed by Longwood;
b. when an employee goes on leave of absence without pay for a month or longer;
c. where there is a consistently delinquent payment history;
d. where there is a consistent history of dishonored checks;
e. when a cardmember files for bankruptcy;
f. when a cardmember charges personal expenses to the card except as allowed under this policy;
g. when a cardmember exceeds maximum charge limits; orh. when a cardmember requests cancellation.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, September 7, 2002.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, December 10, 2005.