suny esf travel

Office of Business Affairs Travel with State Fund

All state-funded travel still requires pre-approval from the Business Office outside of the travel authorization, please submit requests to   [email protected]

The following list needs to be checked as you are planning your trip. These items will help you to determine the cost of your excursion and will expedite the process.

Check   per diem rates   for the area.(Over the Maximum Per Diem will require prior approval by PI)

You will need to complete and submit a   Travel Authorization Form   (PDF) to the travel department before your trip.

If you would like to request a   Travel Card Application  for your trip, please fill out the application for JP Morgan Chase Visa NYS Travel Card at least 4 weeks prior to your travel. The card can be used for many expenses, saving you out of pocket expenses.

If vehicle transportation is needed, review options for the most cost efficient method.   State fleet vehicle ,   Rental Vehicle RF (Enterprise)   (PDF) or a personal car. If you use chose to take your personal vehicle, you will need to use the   OGS Travel calculator   to calculate your mileage reimbursement. Prior approval and justification is required if you take your personal vehicle. (State fleet or rental car is preferred )

Airfare must be on a travel card or personal card and booked through one of the two contract vendors.

Registration fees should be paid with your Travel card or procurement card when able.

Make sure appropriate Account information is filled in and account has the funds to support your trip.

Approval by Supervisor and/or Account Signatory for use of funds.

Please note that any travel reimbursements for State or Research Foundation-funded travel that are 120 days past the last date of travel or more will be forwarded to the Payroll Office and will be subject to tax.

Date and time of departure - this will determine if meals will be paid for. Meals may be reimbursed on the Travel Voucher Form on a   per diem   basis (Receipted or Unreceipted method) based on location of lodging. If meals are provided or paid by another source related to the scheduled event, the traveler will not be reimbursed.

Conference/Meeting Agenda/Brochure

Google maps or Map quest mileage if you took your personal car.

Original receipts for hotel, conference registration, rental cars, and airline ticket stubs (or travel agency print out), for any charges you are claiming reimbursement for or have put on your travel card.

Sales tax for lodging is only reimbursable if it is out of NY State.

Sign and have account signatory sign.

All reimbursements come from Albany. If your paycheck is direct deposited, then your travel reimbursement will be the same. If you receive a paper check, a state check will be sent to your home address from Albany. You can expect a turnaround time of up to three weeks from the time you submit your voucher to the time you see your reimbursement.

Travel Card

This Travel Card is intended to reduce the amount of employee out-of-pocket expenses when traveling on behalf of the State. It is to be used when you are traveling using State Funds. This if for your travel expenses, not for any other persons travel.

The NET Card is intended for Non-Employee Travel. The NET Card can be used for Student travel expenses (including athletic team travel), Research Foundation (non-State) employee travel and Travel for potential candidate for employment.

Travel/Net Card Application

**Alcoholic beverages CANNOT be paid with NET or Travel Cards**

Reconciling a Travel/NET Card

ALL charges on the Travel Card must be supported by a   Travel card reconciliation form and a   Travel Authorization Form .

ALL charges on the NET Card must be supported by a   NET card reconciliation form  and a   Travel Authorization Form .

The Travel Card billing period ends on the 22nd of each month and the NET Card billing period ends on the 6th of each month.

Around the 23rd, travelers will receive an email notification from the Travel Office stating that they have charges to their Travel Card for that billing period.

Around the 7th, travelers will receive an email notification from the Travel Office stating that they have charges to their NET Card for that billing period.

The   original   receipts for all items charged on the State travel/NET card need to be submitted, with a corresponding Travel or NET Reconciliation form for each trip, to the Travel Office at SUNY ESF within 10 days after the email is sent out. (Example: all February's charges need to be turned in by March 2nd. for the Travel card and by the 20th for NET card)

Timely submission of all documentation will make this reconciliation process successful.

This process helps to ensure there is no duplicate payment of expenses and that all expenses related to one trip are accounted for.

As part of the monthly reconciliation and travel voucher submission, any charges that are unable to be offset against allowable costs/expenses per SUNY guidelines must be paid back to the travel office at SUNY ESF via check.   The check will be made payable to "SUNY ESF" and sent to the Travel Coordinator   together with the Travel information for that trip.

Per the State-wide Financial System (SFS), the monthly statement must be submitted in one monthly payment. Any late submissions may result in a late fee being charged to the campus. Should a late reconciliation create a late fee charge, the late fee will be charged to the department late in reconciling.

Average monthly credit limit on the Travel Card will be $1,000 - 5,000 depending on department needs. Failure to submit monthly documentation and reimbursement will result in an immediate credit limit reduction to $1 until such time the breach is corrected.

NYS Travel Information

Meal allowance breakdown.

The breakdown of the meal allowance for breakfast and dinner are allocated as follows, with different allowances based on location:

Note: Incidental expenses such as tips to bellmen, porters, hotel maids, etc., continue to be included in the allowances.

Documents and Forms

Updated september 2011.

• Determining Travel Status
• GSA per diem rates
• Non-employee Travel
• Non-employee Travel reimbursements - Interview Candidates  
• Over-the-Max Travel Request
• Tax Exempt Certificate   (hotel rooms)
• Travel Authorization Form   (Fillable PDF)
• Travel Documentation Checklist   (list of needed forms)

State Travel Forms

• Net Card Form   (Fillable PDF)
• NET Card Policies   (DOCX)
• NYS Auto Mileage form   (PDF)
• NYS Employee Travel Reimbursement form   (Fillable PDF)
• NYS Non-employee Travel Reimbursement form   (Fillable PDF)
• NYS Travel Card Policies and Responsibilities  
• NYS Volunteer Form
• Online Rental Reservations - State   (PDF)
• State Travel Guide  
• Travel Card Form   (Fillable PDF)

Tax Exempt Forms (STATE)

• Florida Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• Maine Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• Missouri Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• New Jersey Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• North Dakota Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• NYS Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)
• Rhode Island Tax Exempt Form   (PDF)

Travelers should use the most efficient and cost effective method of transportation available. Often times this means using a common carrier such as a train, bus, taxicab or airplane. When choosing a method of transportation several factors should be considered like; the distance traveled, the travel time, number of travelers, number of locations to be visited, and type of transportation available.

When a common carrier is available but a more expensive method is chosen without sufficient justification, reimbursement may be limited to the common carrier rate. Attach all original receipts to voucher to show means of transportation and amount paid.

If a trip is cancelled at the direction of the agency, the traveler will not be responsible for any costs incurred. If cancelled for the traveler's convenience, he/she may be responsible for any costs.

State Vehicles

Important vehicle reservation information.

To reserve a vehicle, please complete the   Vehicle Request Form   and include the following information:

Vehicle use and destination

Reservation dates/times

Desired vehicle type (car, van or truck)

***Drivers MUST be entered and approved through the NYS DMV License Event Notification Service (LENS) Program before reservations can be confirmed. Visit UPD, located at 16 Bray, with your Driver's License at your earliest convenience if you have not already been entered in to LENS

24-Passenger Bus Reservation Request Form (PDF)

Bus Layout Template (XLS)

Please fill out this online form for Vehicle Request and Bus Request   Online Form . Next day vehicle requests must be made before 2:00pm the day before your desired reservation.

This email will be checked daily and you will receive a confirmation email with relevant information once your request is approved.

For more information on the fleet vehicle reservation process, please visit the   Garage webpage.

Rental Vehicles

Rent in the name of New York State and sign the agreement as an agent for the State. Do not purchase the additional insurance on the vehicle when using your NYS Travel card. The rental agreement and receipt should be submitted with the Travel Voucher upon your return. Gasoline purchases as well as any other direct costs associated with the rental vehicle can be placed on the Travel card and receipts should be submitted with your travel voucher upon your return. Reasons for using a rental car may be public transportation not available or a rental car is cheaper than alternative transportation.

SUNY ESF has contract pricing with Enterprise. Please use this link for information on rental vehicles:   Online Rental Reservations for ESF State Employees  

Personal Car Mileage

A personal vehicle may be used when common carrier transportation is not available or cost effective. Mileage will be reimbursed in accordance with the current collective bargaining agreement, regardless of the number of passengers.

Mileage Rate Reimbursement for Personal car

MapQuest   or Google Maps directions should be submitted with your   Mileage form as back up for the miles traveled. Charges for fuel, accessories, repairs, depreciation, antifreeze, towing and other similar expenditures will not be allowed. These are considered operating costs of a vehicle and are covered in the mileage allowance.

For employees traveling within 35 miles from both their official work station and home , travel reimbursement for personal car mileage will follow the   Lesser of Mileage Rule as is stated in the OSC travel manual. No meals will be reimbursed. The Office of State Comptroller (OSC) Travel Manual also states,   it is the traveler's responsibility to know State travel rules and regulations and the agency's specific travel policies and procedures.

Federal Mileage Allowance Inclusions

Charges for gasoline, accessories, repairs, depreciation, anti-freeze, towing, insurance, auto club memberships and other expenditures may be included.

What can be claimed?

If you travel from home to another location and then continue to your primary work location during the day, only the additional mileage incurred beyond the normal commute is reimbursable

You can claim only the mileage incurred during the course of daily business for the distance greater than your normal commute to your official work station. You can only have one official work station.

Travel Office will round down mileage totals when reimbursements are calculated.

Mileage Rates for Official College Travel

You may use a personal vehicle for official travel when an ESF owned vehicle or common carrier is not available, not cost effective, or otherwise not appropriate. Before a trip, justification may be required for use of a personal vehicle.

OGS Travel Calculator   (standard size vehicle may be used for comparison)

Mileage Rates

Travel Reimbursements

Travel reimbursements will either be direct deposited or mailed to the address currently in PAYSERV for the individual.

Employees that receive part or all of their pay in a check will continue to receive a check for their travel/expense reimbursements. However, that check will be mailed to the same address as the one that appears on the employee's paycheck. There is no option to have travel reimbursements returned to the campus or sent to an address different from the one on the paycheck.

Employees that have their full paycheck direct deposited to one bank account will have their travel/expense reimbursements deposited to that same account.

Employees that have their direct deposit split across more than one account will have their travel/ expense reimbursements deposited into the account where the balance of their pay goes. For example, if you have $300 per paycheck direct deposited to Bank A and the balance to Bank B, your travel/expense reimbursement will go to Bank B. If you are unsure how your direct deposit is set up in regard to multiple deposits or if you wish to make changes to your direct deposit account, contact Human Resources.

Employees will not receive any notification that a direct deposit has occurred, they would be aware that a reimbursement will be coming and the amount when they submit their Expense Report.

Employee reimbursements for travel/expenses will be paid on an ongoing basis and are not impacted by the payroll schedule. Employees will be reimbursed as reimbursement vouchers are processed.

Day Trip Reimbursement

When an employee takes a day trip only and does not incur an overnight stay, the following unreceipted meal rates apply. To be entitled to these meal rates the employee must be in travel status (over 35 miles from home and official station and gone for more than 3 hours) and meet the departure and arrival time requirements for breakfast and dinner. Per IRS guidelines, non-overnight meals are taxable.

Unreceipted meal rates for day trips Guidelines for Meal Reimbursement

If meals are included in a conference or provided by any other source, they will not be reimbursed.

Travel Authorization must be on file prior to travel.

The meeting/conference agenda must be provided.

Breakfast and dinner are the only meals that are reimbursable.

Reimbursement is not provided for lunch.

Incidental expenses such as tips to bellmen, porters, hotel maid are included in the per diem allowance.

Overnight Travel Reimbursement

Employees may choose one of two methods for expense reimbursement for overnight travel, whichever is to their advantage. Travelers may not, however, combine the two methods on the same overnight trip.   Breakfast and dinner are reimbursable meals; lunch is not.

Unreceipted Method (Method 1)

This method provides for a fixed rate allowance for meals, lodging and incidental expenses regardless of where lodging is obtained, including lodging with relatives or friends. Rates are established based on the city or county where lodging is obtained or the location to which the employee was traveling (whichever rate is less), and such location must be indicated on the expense report.   No receipts are required to claim this method of reimbursement.   Current rates are as follows:

Travelers using this unreceipted method are also eligible for an additional $5.00 for breakfast on the day of departure if they have to leave at least one hour before their normal work start time. They are also eligible for an additional $12.00 for dinner on the day of return if they return at least two hours later than their normal work ending time. For example, a traveler leaves Albany at 7:00 a.m. heading to New York City. The traveler stays overnight at a friend's house in New York City and arrives back in Albany the next day at 6:00 p.m. The traveler's scheduled work hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The traveler is entitled to the unreceipted per diem of $50 for the one night stay in New York City. In addition, the traveler is entitled to an additional $5.00 for breakfast and $12.00 for dinner.

Receipted Method (Method 2)

This method provides reimbursement of actual lodging costs and an allowance for meals and incidental expenses based on federal reimbursement rates for the county of lodging. The   per diem rates   for locations within the continental United States are revised annually. Since rates are based on location of lodging, the city and state of the lodging location must be indicated on the expense report.   Receipts are required for lodging, but not for meals, when using Method 2 . Meal expense reimbursements that are associated with overnight business travel are not taxable. Each day the traveler is in overnight travel status, the traveler is eligible for reimbursement for lodging up to a maximum lodging per diem and a per diem allowance for meals. The meal per diem is for dinner the first night and breakfast the following day.   Please note that bank and credit card statements are not accepted in lieu of actual receipts or folios for expenses.

Travelers using this method are also eligible for an additional per diem for breakfast if they have to leave at least one hour before their normal work start time the first day, and/or for dinner if they return at least two hours later than their normal work ending time on the last day of travel. In these cases, breakfast and/or dinner will be reimbursed up to the maximum amount of the meal per diem allowance specified for the particular area of lodging. The current   meal allowance   are apportioned by 20% of per diem for breakfast and 80% of per diem for dinner.

Maximum lodging rates exclude taxes. For travel within New York State, a   Tax Exempt Certificate ST-129   (PDF) must be used as taxes are not a refundable item. For travel outside of New York State, state and local taxes are not included in the maximum lodging amount but will be reimbursed in addition to the per diem amount.

Occasionally, travelers may be unable to find a hotel at a rate that does not exceed the maximum federal lodging per diem rate for the location of travel. If that occurs, the traveler must obtain prior approval to exceed the federal rate by submitting an   Over the Max Form   (PDF). If over per diem is not justifiable and extremely over the rate, only up to the rate for that area may be paid.

Meals and Incidental Expenses Breakdown

International Travel

• Fly America Act

Foreign Per Diem Rates

(Includes Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. Possessions)

Foreign Per Diem Rates Be sure to choose the correct fiscal year.

Foreign currency converter Foreign Meal Allowance Breakdown

The foreign meal allowance schedule lists the meal allowance as a lump sum. The meal allowance is broken down as follows:

80% for dinner

20% for breakfast

Check these links for travel advisories prior to booking international travel.

Center for Disease Control Travel Advice

Department of State Travel Advisories

For further information on international travel contact the office of International Education at   [email protected]

Bank/credit card statements are not accepted in lieu of actual receipts.

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Open Academy Sustainability Management

Improving our world by advancing and applying sustainability practices.

Enter the world where the science of sustainability meets real world applications. With a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability Management, you can be a force of change in making a business, nonprofit organization, or government agency more sustainable. You will learn how to create socially and economically viable policies and practices while better understanding the interconnected nature of environmental issues.

Get to know the program

We invite you to participate in an informational webinar which will include a general overview of Sustainability Management including coursework, admissions requirements, and the application process. Staff and faculty from SUNY ESF Admissions and the Sustainability Management program will lead the event and conclude with a question & answer period.

Program Requirements and Pre-Requisites

Spring 2024 Webinar Registration

Hear from a Sustainability Management graduate

All of the faculty and staff in the program have been amazingly supportive!

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Real world sustainability

Our students explore current sustainability challenges and solutions.  The curriculum integrates discipline- and career-focused knowledge, skills, and perspectives based on the three pillars of sustainability: economics, society, and the environment.  Our students develop a skill set that includes sustainability focused methods of assessment, analysis, and communication that is needed in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Making a difference

Our alumni are making an impact and improving their world.  Our graduates are working in renewable energy management, solar energy policy, operations management, and economics and some have gone on for graduate degrees as well. These professionals are leading the transformation to a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future. 

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In this program, you work on your schedule to engage in an interactive online learning experience. The courses are fully online and asynchronous, so you can make progress on your degree while working or caring for your family.

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Time to Completion

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Over 400 students graduate from SUNY ESF in Syracuse

• Updated: May. 11, 2024, 9:29 p.m. |
• Published: May. 11, 2024, 9:28 p.m.

More than 400 students graduated from The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The ceremony was held at the Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview. Provided photo

• Rylee Kirk | [email protected]

Syracuse, N.Y. — Over 400 students graduated from The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on Saturday afternoon.

The graduation ceremony took place at 2 p.m. at the Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview.

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SUNY ESF celebrates the graduating Class of 2024

S UNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) held its Commencement on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview.

Along with the awarding of 409 degrees, including 55 master's degrees and 16 Doctor of Philosophy degrees. An Honorary degree was presented to Camille Dungy, an award-winning author and editor who has worked tirelessly to expand the realm of nature literature and environmental studies by bringing African American voices into the canon.

“You here at ESF, with your Robin Hood Oak, the first tree to be listed on the National Register of Historic Trees, must understand why it’s necessary to consider another living being worthy of the kind of sustained and sustaining love that is too often reserved for the humans who look and act essentially the same ways we do,” said Dungy. “I’m heartened by your Earth Week, your Earth terms, your Earth years. As you commence the next stages of your Earth journeys, I hope you remain empowered by what you’ve learned here about the possibilities of action-oriented engagement with fostering sustainable pathways for living in and loving our interconnected world.”

Along with their degrees, the class of '24 amassed other honors. Erin Tochelli, Interim Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs, noted these achievements:

• 8 bachelor's candidates completed the ESF Honors Program
• 29 inducted into Alpha Xi Sigma, the ESF Honor Society
• 10 inducted into Sigma Lambda Alpha, the national landscape architecture honor society
• 3 inducted into Sigma Lambda Chi, the International Construction Honor Society
• 5 graduating seniors were ESF in the High School participants
• 1 received the Norman McConney Jr. Award
• 3 veterans of the United States Armed Forces

Gary Lipp, president of the ESF Alumni Association and a retired science teacher, gave the class of 2024 one final assignment.

“Your assignment is simple yet very important, be active and get involved. Wherever you go or whatever positions you occupy, be sure to pay it forward. “It” being the knowledge you have learned from the faculty and staff at this amazing institution.”

Congratulations to the 2024 graduates.