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College of Liberal Arts
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies

Student Travel Support

 

Please read this sheet before submitting travel applications to ensure you have all relevant procedural information. 

All conference travel requests for academic year 2023-24 MUST be submitted by September 25 (09/25) using the online department travel request form. In general, we request that you submit a travel request form at least 3 weeks before your travel date. 

Before the new budget assistant is ready to help with departmental travels, Erin Elliott is serving as the interim travel assistant. During this period, please contact Erin at eae69@txstate.edu, 512.245.0372, or stop by her office ELA 130 if you have travel related questions.

How travel-support for graduate students work:

There are three general steps (elaborated upon under the ”TWO Steps” portion): submit travel request form, travel, and return and submit receipts for expense report reimbursement.

  • You may receive funding from the Department, Graduate College, and College of Liberal Arts to travel to and present your research at a conference.  Each student may receive travel support for up to two conferences per academic year.  Please note that, despite the great support from all sources for our students, these funds may not be enough to cover the entire expenses of the trip.
    • There are other sources of funding, such as campus grants (e.g. STAR) or other organizations fellowships .scholarships, but you must apply for those.
  • In order to receive funding from all three sources, your presentation (paper or poster) must be accepted by the conference. You must provide documentation verifying this.
  • Keep any, and all, receipts from the conference that you intend to be reimbursed for and submit them no later than 10 days after you return, either physical or digital copies.  You are responsible for ensuring that these are submitted in a timely manner.
  • Texas State uses Concur (found via the SAP portal) to process travel.  There are two components: Travel Requests and Expense Reports.  Information about Concur will be elaborated upon below.
    • You are responsible for sending any, and all, emails you receive from Concur that need attending to, to the travel proxy (i.e. the staff member who helps you to set up your travel and prepare the related expense report in Concur). 

To receive travel funding: Submit an online travel request form

  • Go to geo.txst.edu/forms.html (or navigate to the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Texas State website and click the tab “Forms”), and login using your TXST credential.
  • Navigate to the header “Geography Travel Request Form.” 
  • Click on the respective travel request form. 
    • Note: this will be the “Graduate Travel Request Form”
  • Once you have filled out the travel request form, please email it to eae69@txstate.edu with the proof of your presentation or performance/exhibit being accepted to the conference and a conference agenda attached as well.
    • Note:
      • Make sure that the departure and return dates on this form are correct.  If there are personal days of travel, make sure to notate it on this form as well. If you do not know the exact travel dates, enter dates using your best estimate.
      • If the conference presentation acceptance is not available yet when you submit your travel application early in the academic year, make sure that you submit the acceptance proof as soon as it is available. Note that, even though your travel may be conditionally approved early for departmental budget planning purpose, it is not going to be entered in Concur for officially approval and your travel may not be funded until proof of acceptance of your presentation is received.

Concur Information:

Concur is the system TXST uses to process all travels. Concur can be found via the SAP Portal.  If you do not have access to this, please contact the travel office for assistance (traveloffice@txstate.edu or 512.245.2775).  If you want to know the status of any requests or expense reimbursements, you can see this via Concur.  You must set up your profile on Concur in order to travel and be reimbursed.  If you need assistance on setting up your profile, please contact the travel office or use their website for more information. 

In addition to setting up your profile in Concur, you must set up a travel proxy upon logging in for the first time. Please follow these steps to set up a travel proxy:

  1. Log into SAP
  2. There is a new tile under Travel called “Concur Trips and Expenses.”  Select that.
  3. Sign in using your TXST email (Do not use an alias).
  4. You will get a warning.  Select “Ok” to dismiss.
  5. In the top right corner, you will see “Profile.” Select that and then select “Profile Settings.”
  6. Select “Set up Travel Assistants” and go to “add an Assistant.”
  7. A pop-up will show with a search box.  Type in the name of the current travel proxy and it will display their email.  Currently, the name to type is Erin Elliott and the correct email to look for is eae69@txstate.edu
  8. Check the “Can book travel for me” box.
  9. Check the “Primary travel assistant.”  This means I will be copied on everything, even if I did not book them.
  10. Select “Save.”

TWO steps in Concur to make sure you receive the approved travel fund

  • Travel Requests:
    • Once the travel request form has been submitted to the travel proxy, they will process and submit the forms to obtain your funding and set up a travel request via Concur.
    • If you have pre-purchased lodging, airfare, etc. please send the relevant documents via email.
    • Once your travel request has been approved via Concur, you should receive an email.  If you do not, please check the Concur portal to see the status of the request.
  • Expense Report/Reimbursement Process:
    • When submitting receipts for reimbursement, please ensure to have itemizations when applicable (lodging, ride share, etc). 
    • Make sure your name is visible on the receipts. If you are unable to obtain a receipt with your name on it, you can send in a bank statement reflecting the matching amount paid.
    • You are responsible for ensuring that your expense report is fully processed and approved.  You should receive emails from Concur if it is returned.  In this event, you must notify the travel proxy so they can fix the error.  Please respond to any emails from your proxy regarding travel in a timely manner.
    • Once the expense report is reflected as “Approved” all other questions should be directed to Student Billing Services.
  • If you are participating in foreign travel, you must set submit a T-4 Release Form.