Money Matters

Instructor Spending and Reimbursement Procedures

Note:For the most up-to-date resources and information, please consult your Box folder. Contact Katie Van Dermark if you need your Box folder link sent again.

TOC:

Instructor Expenses Covered

Travel

Economy class airfare to and from the program site, transportation to and from the airport, and work-related travel and transportation at the host site is paid for by Yale Summer Session (YSS). Travel expenses may include, among other things, a monthly bus pass, metro pass, or train ticket for a course-related activity.

The cost of the instructor’s travel to the host site must be approved by YSS. The instructor may make his/her own flight reservations, or work with YSS’s travel agent to make these arrangements. Flights should be booked as early as possible to be most cost-effective, but after YSS knows for sure if a course is running. If an instructor makes their own arrangements, they will have to seek approval from YSS before booking the ticket, and then pay for the flight and submit receipts to YSS for reimbursement. Yale policy states that the individual must complete all legs of the flight itinerary before reimbursement is possible. If our travel agent arranges the flight, YSS is billed directly. It is important to give our travel agent the exact flight details and dates you would like to fly if she books the travel for you. Yale policy states that travelers are expected to book the lowest available economy class airfare. YSS will not reimburse you or pay for changes to your flight’s itinerary once it is booked.

Because the instructor is expected to purchase airline tickets well in advance of the study abroad program in order to find the lowest-priced fare, the instructor will know by April 1 whether a course has sufficient enrollment to go ahead. (The course will likely have sufficient enrollment well ahead of this date.) YSS expects the instructor to submit an airline reservation for budget approval no later than May 1.

A private sedan or town car service from Connecticut to JFK, Newark, or other area airports may be used when the cost is reasonable. Consult with YSS for approval before booking. Whenever possible, instructors going to the same host site should arrange to travel together to the airport to save money. Please visit https://your.yale.edu/work-yale/campus-services/travel/ground-transportation/private-car-service?app=yalesites for a list of Yale preferred vendors.

Other acceptable forms of transportation to an area airport include Metro-North, the subway, or Amtrak.

If a friend or family member drives the instructor to the airport, the instructor may request reimbursement for gasoline by submitting a receipt dated from the same or following day of travel, or may request reimbursement for mileage. Per Yale policy, YSS will not reimburse the friend or family member should they request money from the instructor for their time and service.

Housing

Instructors are given a predetermined housing stipend, which is paid to them before departure to the host site. The housing stipend amount is determined by the Provost every year and is based on the U.S. State Department per diem rate for the host city. The housing stipend is intended to pay for the instructor’s housing. If housing chosen by the instructor at the host site costs less than the housing stipend provided, the instructor may use what is left over to pay for any other personal costs incurred while living at the host site. If housing chosen by the instructor costs more than the housing stipend given, the instructor must pay the remaining cost him/herself.

The instructor must find lodging on their own. YSS does not arrange the rental agreement. If the instructor is unfamiliar with the host city and does not have personal contacts, he/she may wish to contact YSS, the local coordinator, or instructors who have participated in the program for suggestions. Be very careful when making online rental agreements, and only use reputable companies that have been referred to you.

Meals During Program Excursions and Activities

An instructor’s meal is covered by program expenses during the program when it is a required activity with students. For example, if a group visits a location outside of the program site and the instructor eats lunch with the students, but the students have to pay for their own lunch, YSS will reimburse the instructor’s lunch bill. When lunch is included for students during a program activity, the instructor’s meal should be part of the entire bill and not a separate receipt. If a hotel stay is involved on a program excursion and breakfast is not included in the hotel stay, YSS will not reimburse the instructor, since it is not an activity with students. YSS will reimburse your meals when you are participating in an activity with students (costs must be considered a part of the program’s activity budget).

The instructor should provide YSS with a general list of planned activities with estimated costs before leaving for the host site. The instructor must contact YSS for approval of an activity that has not been preapproved but will require Yale funding.

Office Supplies

Expenses incurred for course materials and photocopies necessary for the course will be part of the program budget.

Medicine/Medical Supplies

In an emergency situation, the instructor may need to purchase over-the-counter medicine or medical supplies on behalf of the student—if the student is incapacitated and unable to do so themselves. The instructor will be reimbursed by the program budget for this type of purchase if they deem it inappropriate to collect the money from the student. This does not apply to medical treatment, for example,—a hospital emergency room, doctor’s visit, or prescription medication/supply. The student must pay for and submit this bill to their travel insurance carrier for reimbursement. For all programs, students will be covered by United Healthcare Global.

Instructor Expenses Not Covered

Per Yale policy, some expenses are not covered by your program’s budget. If you have any questions regarding expenses not covered, please contact the Yale Summer Session (YSS) office.

Family or Other Traveling Companions

Yale does not cover expenses related to accompanying family members. As stated in the housing policy, there is a limit set for lodging, and this will not be increased to accommodate an instructor’s family. In addition, the instructor may not increase the program budget in any way to accommodate accompanying family members. For example, if a planned group cultural activity incurs a per-person cost, the instructor must pay for any family members who accompany the group as their participation increases the program cost.

Meals Not Covered

The instructor is paid a summer salary above and beyond his/her annual Yale salary in order to teach in the YSS study abroad program, and, therefore, is not eligible for a food per diem while abroad. See Miscellaneous below for more details on meals.

Miscellaneous Expenses Not Covered (examples only, not a comprehensive list. Contact the YSS Office with any questions)

• In-flight services (i.e. paid meals, alcohol, headsets, snacks, etc.).
• Meals or snacks in the airport terminal and en route to the program location.
• Frequent flyer and other similar reward programs/airport lounges.
• Airfare for parents or guardians of students, even in the case of an emergency. Consult YSS if there is an emergency situation.
• Personal travel within the country (airline tickets, train tickets, etc.) of both instructors and/or their accompanying family members.
• Lost baggage.
• Charges related to changing flight dates and times (departure/arrival) of airline tickets.
• Baggage Fees (checked or heavy baggage).
• Upgrades (air, hotel, car, train, etc.).
• "No-show" charges for hotel and car service.
• In-room movies and minibar charges in hotels.
• Groceries.
• Everyday meals when not with students on a program activity.
• Snacks (including coffee, pastries, wine, ice cream, and any snacks when not with students during a program activity).
• Loss or theft of cash advance money, airline tickets, personal funds, or property.
• Car rental insurance for domestic travel. (Car rental insurance must be purchased for an international rental and will be reimbursed.) Consult the YSS staff for approval of a rental car.
• Insurance deductible or any other cost that insurance does not cover for a damaged rental car.
• Personal automobile repairs.
• Grooming services, such as barbers, hairdressers, or shoe shines.
• Clothing.
• Personal telephone charges in excess of reasonable calls home.
• Gym and recreational fees, including massages and saunas.
• Parking tickets or traffic violations.
• Laundry or valet service.
• Child and pet care.
• Medical bills (pharmacy, doctor, hospital, etc.) for instructors and/or students.
• Funds paid out by the instructor on behalf of the student—for example, a meal or an unpaid bill—that the instructor fails to collect from the student (Yale is not held accountable for funds that the instructor is unable to collect from students).
• Miscellaneous expenses not mentioned above that are not reimbursable per Yale policy.
• This is list not exhaustive. Always consult the YSS office if you are unsure if an expense is covered.

Policy on Business Meals

For the abroad portion of the course only. Requires Prior Authorization. Per Yale Policy, the Study Abroad Director or a designee with appropriate decision-making authority must approve expenses for business meals. For a business meal to be reimbursed, a business purpose with a list of attendees and their business relationship to the University is required by I.R.S. regulations. A detailed list of attendees will be required for meals up to and including ten people. The University expects the cost of business meals to be reasonable and to be $100 or less per person (including tax and tip). One or two business meals may be appropriate for a Yale Summer Session (YSS) Abroad program. This is not required by YSS. Keep in mind that this cost will be part of your overall program budget and should be taken into consideration when planning for a business meal.

Cash Advancement (Spend Authorization) and Reimbursement Procedures

The instructor may request a cash advance from Yale Summer Session (YSS) to pay for program-related expenses that cannot be paid through wire transfer by Yale. YSS prefers to pay for as many on-site expenses as possible by wire transfer or purchasing card, so please verify whether this is possible before requesting a cash advance. Under no circumstances should instructors be giving out cash to students. All cash advance money needs to be accounted for.

Cash Advancement Procedure

A request for a cash advance must be made in writing to the YSS office and must include a detailed budget justifying the request amount. Cash advances require signatures from several offices at Yale. Please allow three weeks for processing. If you have direct deposit with Yale, the Cash Advance can be directly deposited into your bank account or you may request a Yale-issued debit card. Yale will disburse the advance no more than one week before the date of travel. You must save all receipts so the cash advance can be reconciled at the end of the program. Receipts must be turned in no later than two weeks after the end date of the program. You will be responsible for returning any unspent and/or unaccounted for funds.

Reimbursement Procedure

Instructors must present receipts for reimbursement upon their return to the U.S., and are expected to comply with the dates for reconciliation provided by YSS. YSS asks that all receipts be turned in no later than two weeks after your program’s end date. If an instructor does not plan to return to New Haven in the immediate future following the program (for example, the instructor will spend the fall semester away from Yale), they must make arrangements to return receipts for reimbursement to YSS by mail or through another program instructor. YSS will provide the instructor with the necessary reimbursement form by e-mail. We ask that you e-mail us the completed form for faster processing. The form will indicate how to present receipts and currency conversions.