University of Southern Maine

Faculty Handbook

Faculty Development and Travel

Professional Development Opportunities

Early each academic year, the Provost invites faculty members to submit proposals and applications for faculty development opportunities (see the USM Faculty Handbook). Resources to support eligible faculty in professional development activities are available from a variety of sources and in a number of different forms. In general, proposals for any professional, scholarly, or research activity, which enhances the faculty member's participation in, and contributions to a field, will be considered. Part-time, temporary faculty are not currently eligible and some opportunities are limited to full time faculty with probationary or tenure appointments who will return for the next academic year. Detailed information about these development opportunities is available through the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. A brief summary is provided below:

• Sabbatical Leaves
• Leaves of Absence, Without Salary for Educational Purposes
• Faculty Senate Research Awards
• Pre-doctoral Fellowship Award
• Faculty Travel Stipends for International Study and Exchange

Travel

All full-time faculty, with primary appointments in the College and who are in state-supported positions are eligible for travel/developmental funds. Funds must be used in the year they are committed and cannot be carried forward.

Faculty are encouraged to review the University of Maine System Administrative Practice Letter NO.26 - provides additional guidelines for acceptable travel and related expenses. 

Approval

All travel within the State for USM related business must be approved by the Dean prior to travel (irrespective of whether the College is underwriting the cost of the trip). By September 1st of each year faculty will submit to the Dean a Travel Advance Request/Approval Form. For "Dates trip to be taken" write the academic year (e.g., 2002-2003). For "Nature of official business" write USM related travel in-state. The faculty member should sign as the traveler. 

All travel outside of Maine for continuing education, attending conferences, or other professional development must be approved prior to travel irrespective of whether the College is underwriting all or part of the travel costs. Faculty members submit requests to the Dean on the College's "Travel Request Form".

Full-time faculty with primary appointments outside the College and/or are not state funded for their salary and part-time faculty usually will not be funded for Faculty Development Funds. If there are compelling reasons the Dean will reconsider requests for possible appropriation of monies. 

Funding requests for full-time faculty members should be for events that:

1. Foster the development or direction of College programs,
   
2. Meet the changing needs of the health care environment,
   
3. Facilitate a faculty member's reassignment to accommodate a shift in the curriculum's focus or a gap in the courses (to meet the needs of the course offerings),
   
4. Bring faculty together as an educational community,
   
5. Foster a faculty member's area of scholarship, or
   
6. Support a faculty member's presentation of his/her scholarship.

Funds, which are not related to the professional development of the faculty member, will not be approved.

Forms to request faculty development funds are available through Pam Hartford, Coordinator of Finances, and are returned to Pam to process.

See travel application form.

Reimbursement

Requests and receipts for travel reimbursement are made through Pam Hartford. The required paperwork ("Travel Expense Voucher") is available at www.usm.maine.edu/bus/usmtevinst.htm. All travel expenses must be submitted to Pam within 5 business days.

NOTE: Reimbursement depends on submission of ORIGINAL receipts (see below).

The USM policy on travel states:

1. The Travel Expense Vouchers must have the approval of the appropriate department head, dean or director.
   
2. In no case should the approving signature be the same as that of the traveler.
   
3. If asking for an advance on travel cost (up to $300) a Travel Request/Advance Form MUST BE received by Purchasing in Gorham 2 weeks prior to date trip is to be taken. The form is available at http://usm.maine.edu/bus/trvladv.pdf.
   
4. A traveler is to submit an itemized accounting of travel expenses, together with ORIGINAL receipts, within FIVE (5) days of returning. Hotel bills, which include other expenses such as telephone, meals and parking, must be itemized separately in the appropriate columns. Meals should be itemized under MEALS, PARKING and TELEPHONE under MISC column, by day. Lodging costs must also be itemized separately by day.
   
5. A receipt is required for all meals. There is a 15% allowance for gratuity. If your receipt has been lost or forgotten, please fill out a "lost receipt" form to be included with the travel expense voucher. Alcohol is not reimbursed and should be deducted from meal receipts.
   
6. You must obtain a Hewins# from Pam Hartford before purchasing airline tickets. Please provide travel information (departure and arrival dates, airfare, destination and purpose) to Pam. Hewins/Carlson Travel is the agency for official USM travel. FAILURE TO USE THIS AGENCY FOR YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS CREATES AN AUDIT EXCEPTION TO POLICY. Airline tickets may be obtained through Susan Taylor, Director of Administration (780- 4133) or Pam Hartford, Coordinator of Finances (780-4137).
   
7. Faculty can use airline websites to determine available flight times and fares, but need to have Hewins at (207) 772-7252 x216 actually book the reservation. Unless there is considerable cost savings on airline tickets purchased on-line, faculty must use Hewins. Faculty must have the Dean's approval to purchase their airline ticket outside of the established contract with Hewins.
   
8. Registration fees should be initiated for payment through Pam Hartford. Please fill out a registration form for Pam to include with the check request. If you pay for your registration fee personally, you must submit ORIGINAL documents of receipt in order to be reimbursed. Canceled checks are NOT accepted.

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