Lodging

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Policy Number:
UW-3017
Old Policy Number:
312
Responsible Office:
Accounting Services, Division of Business Services

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The university has a managed travel program. Travel policy is established to ensure prudent use of university resources while ensuring the safety of travelers and minimizing the administrative burden on travelers and support staff.

Definitions:
Concur
Web-based travel booking tool utilized by the University of Wisconsin for purchasing airfare and reserving lodging and/or rental vehicles.
Conference hotel
Primary location of a conference/hosted event or lodging facility recommended by the conference organizer.
Managed travel program
Established policies, procedures, and best practices—universally applied to all travelers—designed to protect travelers, reduce costs, and allow for effective reporting while minimizing administrative burdens on travelers, travel arrangers, and travel approvers.
Non-employee
An individual traveling on behalf of the university who does not have a current employee appointment. Non-employees include contractors, volunteers, former employees, and students, among others. Generally, travel policies apply to non-employees the same as employees.
Travel arranger
An employee designated to reserve airfare on behalf of other employees and non-employees.
Traveler
An individual (employee, student, or non-employee) who has been authorized to travel on behalf of the university on official university business or sanctioned purpose. All university travelers are required to comply with university policies and procedures.
University-sponsored travel
Travel that is any of the following:
  • Paid for in full or in part by the university
  • Paid directly or indirectly by the university
  • Organized by the university with participants or sponsors paying
  • Organized by others outside the university and paid for by the university
  • Sponsored by the university in the form of name, organization, communication, management, staffing, transportation, or space provision
Scope:

Applies to faculty, staff, students, and non-employees traveling on or arranging university-sponsored travel.

Policy:

Policy Summary

The university will pay/reimburse actual lodging costs—within the stated maximum rates for the location—when a business trip requires an overnight stay. Lodging payment/reimbursement is limited to the maximum nightly room rate.

Notes:

  • NCAA-funded travel has specific requirements, some of which may be less restrictive than university policies or rates. NCAA-funded travel will be governed by NCAA policy.
  • Sponsored projects (e.g. fund 144 or 133) are subject to the terms and conditions of the specific award, as well as applicable program guidelines, which may restrict the use of funds for certain types of expenses. Please contact the Research and Sponsored Programs accountant for your award with any questions.

Policy Detail

  1. Booking Methods. Lodging must be booked via one of the following methods:
    1. The University’s contracted travel agency
    2. Concur self-booking tool
    3. Directly with the lodging facility or conference organizer
    4. AirBnB

    Use of internet-based lodging brokers or third party sites (e.g. Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak, Priceline, Hotwire) is prohibited. See Procedure 3017.1 – Making Lodging Reservations.

  2. Lodging Maximums. Actual lodging expenses are payable/reimbursable up to the maximum nightly rate for that date and location. Lodging exceeding the maximum nightly rate is payable/reimbursable if either:
    1. The traveler stayed at the conference location or a nearby lodging facility identified by the conference organizers. This must be documented on the conference registration materials saved with the payment mechanism.
    2. The base hotel rate was within the lodging limits; however, the total including taxes/fees exceeded the maximum nightly rate (domestic travel only).
    3. No other lodging facilities were available within the maximum nightly limits. This requires supporting documentation, typically a copy of the Concur search results, to be saved with the payment mechanism.

    Note: AirBnB rentals typically include service and cleaning fees which must be considered when determining the nightly lodging limit.

    See Procedure 3017.2 – Determining Lodging and Per Diem Rates.

  3. Prepayment. When required by the lodging facility, prepayment of lodging expenses is allowed, both on the Purchasing Card and through reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. Travelers and travel arrangers are responsible for understanding the lodging facility’s cancellation/refund policy and minimizing the risk of forfeited prepayments. Travelers are responsible for refunding the university for prepaid lodging costs for trips canceled due to personal reasons.

    Note: Group reservation deposits or guarantees are contingent upon contractual requirements of the lodging establishment and will be prepaid as required by the contract.

  4. Shared Lodging. When sharing a room with another university business traveler, the expense of a double occupancy room may be incurred, but may not exceed the total cost of a single standard room rate for the location for each business traveler.
  5. Unlicensed Facilities. Lodging at unlicensed facilities (e.g., VRBO) is not allowable, except:
    1. When booking through AirBnB.
    2. Staying at a campground, when necessary to meet the traveler’s business needs.
  6. Lodging Provided In-Kind. The University will not pay or reimburse any lodging that is furnished in-kind or at no cost, including electing to stay with family or friends during business travel.
  7. Local lodging. The university will not pay lodging costs when travelers are within 50 miles of their home or headquarter city unless the travel is for a multi-day event with an evening business-related activity that makes returning to the employee’s home impractical.
  8. Terms and Conditions: Travelers are responsible for complying with a lodging facility’s terms and conditions (e.g. cancellation policies, check-in/out hours). The university will not pay/reimburse for charges incurred due to non-compliance with the facility’s terms and conditions.
  9. Extended Lodging. Employees are expected to find lodging at reasonable weekly/monthly rates if the university requires they remain in travel status for an extended period of time (30 days or longer). Affordable options may include leasing residential space (e.g., apartments, condos) through a property management company or rental service or utilizing an extended stay hotel. Travelers must ensure appropriate insurance is available. The cost of necessary utilities (e.g. heat, electricity) is reimbursable when leasing accommodations. Required security deposits are the financial responsibility of the traveler and will not be paid or reimbursed with university funds. Payment/reimbursement of lodging for travelers on extended leave (e.g. leave with/without pay, sabbatical, research) is not guaranteed. Approval must be obtained from the division level or higher prior to incurring lodging expenses.
  10. Documentation Requirements. The following are required to support a lodging claim/payment:
    1. An itemized receipt from the lodging facility that contains the following:
      • Name and address of lodging facility
      • Name(s) of traveler(s) in room
      • Dates of stay
      • Number of people per room
      • Daily room rate
      • Room type
      • Taxes and other fees for each day of stay
      • Itemization of other costs (e.g. parking, internet, room service)
      • Proof of payment (e.g. zero-balance hotel folio)
    2. Conference brochure (if exceeding the location maximum to stay at the conference site)
    3. Copy of Concur search results, or equivalent (if exceeding the location maximum due to limited availability of rooms)

Consequences for Noncompliance

Noncompliant lodging purchases will not be paid or reimbursed by the university.

Responsibilities

  • Traveler/Travel Arranger –
    • Obtain prior travel approval from departmental/divisional authorities, if necessary.
    • Understand and comply with university travel procurement and payment policies.
    • Review allowable maximums prior to making lodging reservations.
    • Retain all required receipts to be submitted with payment mechanism (e.g., Purchasing Card Statement, expense reimbursement claim).
Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Business Services and Controller
Policy Manager:
Travel Manager
Contact:
Travelers and departmental staff should contact their respective Divisional Business Office for policy questions. -- Divisional Business Officers may contact, uwtravel@bussvc.wisc.edu
Effective Date:
10-01-2015
Revised Dates:

07-01-2020, 02-22-2023

Reviewed Dates:

07/01/2020

Retrieved:
07-08-2025 21:31:06