Graduate Student Professional Development Assistance Funds

Purpose:  To assist any graduate student planning to attend a professional, educational, or otherwise academically-oriented convention, seminar, or workshop by financially offsetting travel expenses.

Eligibility:  Any currently enrolled graduate student planning to attend an out-of-town convention, seminar, or workshop, which directly relates to the student’s educational and professional goals is eligible to apply for assistance.  Validity of the trip is determined by the student’s advisor and/or department chairperson, who are required to signify their approval of the trip on the student’s written request form or by a separate cover memo.  Priority will be given to full-time students and/or students without other sources of support.

Procedure:  Each student requesting travel funds must present a written petition to the Dean of  The Graduate School.  The petition should include: 

1. A description of the event to be attended and its relevancy to the student’s course of study and educational and professional goals.

2. If a student is to be reimbursed for travel following the trip (the preferred method), he/she should include an itemized list of actual expenses (including actual transportation costs, not mileage), supported by the appropriate receipts.

3. If a student finds he/she needs a cash advance to help defray expenses while actually traveling, an itemized list of estimated expenses is required.  The estimation of costs should follow these guidelines:     
   1. Only reasonable and necessary amounts are allowed for lodging and meal expenses. If the  student shares a room, only his/her portion of the lodging expense should be listed.  Three meals per day are subject to reimbursement, and amounts should not exceed: 
      Breakfast - $6.00
      Lunch - $9.00
      Dinner - $15.00
      
      These are prescribed maximums, and should not be used without regard to a reasonable  estimation of the actual expenses to be incurred.

   2. Transportation costs should be based on an estimate of actual costs (gas, airplane tickets, etc.), rather than standard mileage allowances. 

   3. Within ten days of completion of the trip, the student should present an actual travel expense report, supported by the appropriate receipts, to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.  Failure to file this report will result in the student being placed in “encumbered” status with the University’s Bursar’s Office, which designates that student as owing money to the University.

4. Reimbursement of personal expenses such as personal insurance, alcoholic beverages, laundry, extra meals, tips, telephone and telegraph bills, organizational membership fees, etc. is not allowed.

5. Students should anticipate needs as far in advance as possible.  The funds are usually totally expended by January.  Requests received in the Fall for Spring Semester funding can be honored as long as funds are available.

Allocation of Funds:  The following rules will govern the allocation of Non-Research Assistance Funds:

1. No student will receive in excess of $100 or 50% of the expenses of the trip, whichever is less.

2. No student may petition for funds more than once for the same trip.

3. No student will receive in excess of $100 in travel assistance funds for the entire fiscal year, regardless of the number of trips the student has completed that year.

Collection of Funds:   If an advance is needed, the petition must reach the Dean of The Graduate School no less than 14 working days prior to the trip.  Reimbursements are generally available within ten days of the receipt of the appropriate expense verifications.  All checks are distributed through Student Receivables, Academic Hall, Room 104.

Related Forms: