Fall 2020 revisions to University travel guidelines

During the pandemic timeframe, UGA faculty and staff are limited to essential business travel only. Non-essential travel of any kind is currently prohibited for USG employees.

• Completion of a Travel Authority (TA) is now required for any essential in-state and out-of-state travel to serve as a pre-approval process for the essential nature of the travel and to assist with contact tracing during the pandemic. Travel just within the county where the employee’s work is primarily based is excepted.
• Any prospective traveler must justify that the proposed travel, whether domestic or international, is essential by documenting the consequences of not traveling. The justification must be included on the associated TA.
• A Blanket Travel Authority may be submitted for each individual employee for up to a duration of the year. This is typically for travel to a consistent location and timeframe (e.g., teaching every Wednesday at Gwinnett Campus). If location and timing are varied (e.g., student supervision in schools), please attach a file listing the planned schedule and location of trips. The traveler must select one county in Georgia and may list any additional counties in the notes section.
• Faculty, staff, and students who travel on University business or as part of a University program to an area of significant virus activity should realize they will be required to quarantine upon return to campus.

What is essential travel?

• The University strongly encourages all required in-person meetings to be conducted virtually.
• Travel to professional conferences is NOT considered essential travel.
• Business travel approvals and decisions on “essential status” are unit-based decisions made between faculty, staff, and their leadership. Such decisions should be informed by the particular circumstances. In all cases, units should manage reimbursements consistently across all travelers.
• Research-related travel must be a part of an approved Research Resumption Plan (RRR) under the Office of Research guidelines—the RRP approval date and approver name (or e-mail approval) should be included on the TA. For any questions related to your RRP approval, please contact the College’s Office of Research and Graduate Education.
• Any student supervision that cannot be conducted virtually should include the reason as part of the TA.

Additional resources:

• Guidance on travel planning and cancellations
• Travel instructions
• Faculty travel instructions
• Travel policy
• Batch TA example