FAQ

1. How is the FIE grant Funded? 

The grant is a true opportunity for doing great work for instruction and for students at LSCS.  Please account for all expenses with a receipt.  No money should be used for personal expenditures such as: excess baggage, post cards, toiletries, laundry, spa, luxury hotels, dining at expensive restaurants, art and crafts, rental car vs. public transportation, gifts, clothing, alcohol, etc.  You are allotted breakfast, lunch, and dinner and no snacks. 

 2. What is a P-card and how do I get one?

A p-card is a LSCS issued credit card for approved purchases and travel.  To get a p-card, you will need to have your professional leave form and the FIE budget code to provide to the p-card coordinator.  Who is your p-card coordinator?  Inquire with the campus business office and they can direct you to the designated person.  Please contact IPS to obtain the appropriate budget code for the p-card.  Please note a p-card does not work as an ATM card and funds cannot be drawn in that fashion.

It is advised to speak with your supervisor about obtaining a p-card bearing your name.  This can make purchases far easier abroad, but please make such a request far in advance. 

 3. I am traveling to a country that does not accept credit cards in all areas.  Can I have some cash fronted to me for my trip? 

In accordance with LSCS traveling procedures, International Programs and Services (IPS) encourages all expenses to be put on a P-Card.  Out of Pocket expenses (like tips, food from a street vendor) cannot be put on a P-Card.  P-cards are unable to be used at ATM machines. Those expenses can be reimbursed when you arrive back at LSCS with proper documentation.  If you need cash for a larger expense (like paying for hotel, etc) please contact IPS as soon as possible to process a cash advance.  You will be required to submit your request in writing and justify why you need cash for your trip.  Requests for cash advances on your grant must be made at least 2 months prior to your trip’s departure date.  This gives IPS adequate time to review your request and submit a pre-paid purchase order if the request it approved.

 4. I wish to fly out of a different city than Houston.  Can I do this? 

LSCS travel guidelines indicate employees must fly out of Houston when traveling on LSCS funds.  Exceptions can be made if the traveler has just cause for flying out of a different city but they must get prior approval from IPS and/or business office before purchasing the airfare.  You must submit your request in writing and show costs for airfare from Houston and airfare from the city you wish to depart from.  If there is a substantial cost difference, the traveler will be required to pay the difference. 

 5. I have decided to use an agency that will arrange all meals, hotels, and transportation for my FIE grant.  They will not produce receipts for each expense and will provide me with an invoice for the entire amount.  Is this acceptable? 

Yes.  But the invoice needs to be detailed enough to show how each expense is broken down.  For example:  $1500 for lodging, $800 for meals, etc.  The same purchasing policies apply and prohibited expenses will not be allowed (please see FAQ #7 for more information).   Please be sure to let the agency know to bill you separately for such items.  Before booking with the agency, please inquire how the invoice will read in order to avoid problems with the travel voucher.  Ask the agency for a sample invoice to ensure their billing practices will be acceptable.  A good business will normally provide detailed invoices or work with you to ensure you receive all of the documentation necessary. 

6. What do I do with my receipts?

Your supervisor will need to approve your TEV before you send it to IPS.  Please double check your TEV to ensure you have all of your receipts attached, your leave of absence form, and all of the appropriate signatures.  Please make a copy of the TEV and receipts for your records.  The current TEV form is online and can be downloaded by using the following link:  http://lonestar.edu/73152/  Please note: a detailed print-out of your P-card use will be used to cross-check your Travel Expense Voucher. 

Please note:  The System Business Office Reserves the Right to question a receipt and ask for back-up information. 

7. All of my receipts are in a different currency.  How must I indicate this on my Travel Expense Voucher? 

For each receipt that is listed in a foreign currency, you must go to an online currency converter and print out the conversion into US dollars for your Travel Expense Voucher (TEV).  You must do this for every receipt or expense incurred on the TEV.  Please note, currency markets fluctuate every day and the value of the US dollar may differ from day-to-day during your travel.  It is advised to use a currency converter that gives you the closing exchange rate on that day of your trip. 

Example:  You have a receipt from a French Café for an espresso and croissant from 6/19/2007.  The total came to 7 € (Euros).  After plugging in the numbers into a date-specific exchange rate converter, the print-out should read that a 7 Euro breakfast on 6/19/2007 converts to $9.38.  This screen is printed and attached with the receipt for the Travel Expense Voucher. 

Here is a good resource for a date-specific exchange rate converter:

http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic

 8. What are allowable charges for my trip? 

IPS recommends staying within LSCS travel policies and procedures for your FIE grant.  No money should be used for personal expenditures such as excess baggage, post cards, toiletries, laundry, spa, luxury hotels, dining at expensive restaurants, art and crafts, rental car vs. public transportation, gifts, clothing, alcohol, etc.  You are allotted breakfast, lunch, and dinner and no snacks.  Please contact IPS if you are unsure about a charge you may incur on your trip.  IPS contact information is listed at the end of this document.  IPS will cross check your P-card purchases with a detailed P-card print out to verify charges.  IPS will also conduct random audits of P-card transactions.

9. I used the P-Card during my FIE trip but the P-Card print-out has a ‘Foreign Currency Mark-Up’ charge under each transaction.  What is this? 

American credit card companies charge a foreign currency fee for every transaction made in a foreign currency.  It is usually a percentage of the total purchase amount (after being converted to USD) and will appear on the credit card statement after your journey.  It is very important to budget for these charges and include them as a line item on your Travel Expense Voucher. 

10. I had a meal at a restaurant that did not provide me with a receipt.  How can I be reimbursed?   

Be sure to ask for a receipt.  If you cannot get a receipt, please record the time, date, location, restaurant name, meal charges, and items ordered.  When you return, ask for a ‘Missing Receipt Form’ from your P-Card Coordinator and fill out the form accordingly.  IPS will review expenses to determine if they are customary charges for the service or product prior to submitting to the business office.  Itemized receipts are required for reimbursement, but we understand this is not always possible.  Please note IPS will investigate multiple incidences of missing receipts. 

11. Should I have special insurance for my trip? 

Being properly insured is a necessity.  Comprehensive travel insurance is important, especially if you would ever need to be airlifted out of a rural area for immediate medical treatment (which can cost tens of thousands of dollars).  It is wise to research travel insurance that would work for you and work the requested amount into your budget proposal.  It is recommended you consult your health insurance company to learn if you will have coverage during your travel or need to purchase supplemental insurance.

If you are covered under the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan LSCS offers, please review the following link with information about ‘BlueCard Worldwide’.  The website contains information about health care abroad, designated hospitals and providers, and claim forms for services.  The website advises travelers to review their Blue Cross Blue Shield plan prior to departure because health benefits may be different abroad. 

http://www.bcbs.com/coverage/bluecard/bluecard-worldwide.html

12. I am ready to go on my Faculty Exploration Grant, but I have never traveled to that part of the world before.  What should I do to keep myself safe?  

We recommend going to http://travel.state.gov/ and research any travel warnings associated with your destination.  The website has information on how to travel safely under ‘Tips for Traveling Abroad’.  Please make two copies of the following:  your itinerary, passport, credit cards that you plan to bring, driver’s license, and airline tickets.  Leave one copy with a friend or family member and take the other copy with you.  This will be very important if any of those items or documents are lost or stolen.  It is also recommended you register your travel with the local U.S. Embassy https://travelregistration.state.gov.  The Embassy will be better able to contact you in case of a family emergency, natural disaster or civil unrest. 

13. I would like to stay in touch while I am on my faculty exploration grant.  Can I access my email abroad?  What should I do about phoning home?    

Internet access will vary greatly depending on the part of the world you visit.  Many established cities around the world have internet cafes and the prices can be quite reasonable.  Also, many hotels have internet access in the rooms or a business center for a small fee.  Once on the internet, you only have to access the LSCS homepage and click ‘email’ on the top toolbar.  It will direct you how to access your email from a remote location. 

When phoning home, it is recommended to purchase a calling card.  Hotels generally allow guests to phone locally and internationally, but the prices can be quite high.  For internet and phone use, it is recommended you research the best available options to stay connected.

Another exciting way of staying in touch is creating a travel blog.  It is a great way to document your travels and keep everyone in the loop.  A great site is: http://www.travelpod.com/ .  

14. How can I contact IPS? I have more questions… 

You may email IPS at IPS@Lonestar.edu or you may call 832-813-6814. 

Download a copy of the FIE FAQ