Guests (consultants, lecturers, performers, or candidates) hosted by a department on campus are subject to the same policies and procedures for travel expenses as University faculty and staff.
Approval
A Travel Authorization must be completed prior to travel and approved by the Department Head. All travel related to grants must be approved by the Grants Administrator. It is recommended that the TA is filled out at least two weeks prior to any travel. A TA for guests should be completed at www.admin.sc.edu.
Lodging
The University has direct bill accounts with the following local hotels. To make arrangements for the guest, please call the hotel with a valid TA number. Should the guest wish to pay for the hotel out of pocket and be reimbursed, they must submit a valid receipt to the department upon completion of the trip.
Transportation
- Less than 20 miles roundtrip
Travel less than 20 miles roundtrip will not be reimbursed by the University. - Greater than 20 miles, but less than 500 miles roundtrip
Use of a personal vehicle For use of a personal vehicle, the guest may either be reimbursed for fuel costs, or on a mileage-based rate, at the discretion of the department. The maximum mileage reimbursed by USC Beaufort for visiting guests is listed on USCB's Travel Rates page.
Reimbursements for a faculty or staff member for travel related to the guest (airport transportation, visits between campuses, etc) will follow the standard rates. - Greater than 500 miles roundtrip For travel exceeding 500 miles roundtrip, the department should carefully weigh the cost and time benefit of airfare versus vehicle. If an airline is to be used, the department may contact our local agency Island Travel at (843) 525-0777 and provide a valid TA number to reserve tickets. Reservations can also be made through travel agencies contracted through Columbia. A list can be found here.
Subsistence
Meals related to search committees or other campus meetings including University personnel will be paid for through the use of a food policy. A Food Policy Form MUST be filled out prior to the guest’s visit to campus. For policies related to these food expenses, please see Purchasing guidelines.
To enlist the help of Dining Services in catering search committees or other campus meetings, a Food Policy form must be on file. You may then contact Dining Services at (843) 208-8119 or catering@uscb.edu.
Subsistence allowances may be reimbursed for guests in excess of any meals associated with meetings with campus personnel and will be reimbursed based on time of departure and time of return up to a maximum allowance as follows:
| Time of Departure | Time of Return | In State of SC | Out of State | |
| Before 6:30 a.m. | After 11:00 a.m. | Breakfast | $ 8.00 | $10.00 |
| Before 11:00 a.m. | After 1:30 p.m. | Lunch | $10.00 | $15.00 |
| Before 5:15 p.m. | After 8:30 p.m. | Dinner | $17.00 | $25.00 |
| Daily Total | $35.00 | $50.00 |
Honoraria for Lecturers
To provide an honorarium for a guest to campus, please refer to the Accounts Payable section regarding honoraria. Please note that in order to present the honorarium on the date of the visit, the appropriate paperwork must be submitted to Accounts Payable at least two weeks in advance.
Payment for Consultants, Performers, etc.
To pay a consultant or performer for their time on campus, please refer to the Accounts Payable section regarding contractual services. Please note that in order to provide a check for contractual services, the contract must have been approved and appropriate paperwork submitted to Accounts Payable at least two weeks in advance of when the check is needed.
Additional Considerations
When bringing guests to campus there may be additional considerations to be made. Please contact the appropriate department for room reservations, audio/visual needs, and maintenance needs.