Travel Expense Management Policy | University Policies | Memorial University of Newfoundland

In December 2025, the President’s Executive Council (PEC) approved a policy proposal related to the development of a new travel policy and updated procedures, with the intent of consolidating the following policies into one travel policy for the university:  

Summary of Work to Date

This policy work aligns with Memorial’s commitment to address 2023 recommendations of the Auditor General’s Office, which included updating policies as well as reviewing the oversight of the travel policies.

After a review of travel policies and procedures of comparator and U15 universities, it was determined that the typical approach is one travel policy and the development of other related procedures as required. In this drafting phase, a similar approach has been adopted, anticipating that separate, but more detailed procedures for involved processes such as travel authorization, expense management and reimbursement will be helpful.

Policy and procedure review and drafting was conducted by a dedicated Travel Expense Management Policy working group, chaired by the director, Office of the Associate Vice-President (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer. As a result of two calls for early consultation via Newsline, the working group met with those who responded to the call to identify current policy challenges and opportunities. The working group looks forward to hearing from more members of the Memorial community through this public consultation phase.

For Consideration During Review

Since the draft Travel Expense Management Policy is a new document, and many of the draft procedures are either new or a combination of existing procedures and policies, annotated versions are not provided. For a summary of which policies and procedures have been combined into the draft documents or proposed for rescission, please review Appendix A.

Here are some other guiding points that may be helpful during review:

A primary goal of this new policy is to outline a consistent approach to travel authorization, planning, expense management and reimbursement for the Memorial community, in line with Auditor General recommendations.
While procedures are not commonly shared for public consultation, many current university travel policies have been reclassified as procedures due to their detailed and process-oriented nature. As such, seven procedures have been posted for feedback.
An updated Procedure for Travel Expense Reimbursement (replacing the current Procedure for Travel Claims) is planned but requires a firmer understanding of what the new travel expense management system can do before a draft can be finalized. Shortlisted proposals for this new system are currently under evaluation.
Members of the Memorial community are encouraged to share feedback on any common travel expenses not currently included in the draft Procedure for Travel Expense Management, to be considered for inclusion.
Current rates posted on the Schedule of Reimbursable Expenses are being evaluated. Any further changes will be communicated when approved. Suggestions and rationale for adjustments can be submitted for consideration.
As capabilities and processes for the incoming travel expense management system are defined, it is expected that language in the proposed drafts may require further amendments to reflect policy and procedural alignment with system capabilities. For example, the system may automate workflows that seem complex when written into a procedure and conducted manually.
The Travel Outside of Canada and Hosting policies are not a part of this review, but are planned to be reviewed as part of the ongoing policy review plan.
There may be some items in the procedures that still feel unclear to you. If so, we would like to hear from you. There are many processes that we expect the new system to be able to help with (e.g. foreign currency conversion); however, for those processes that the system cannot simplify, the intention is to build a knowledge centre with further guidance and examples for complex processes. You can help us build this knowledge centre through recommendations.

Comments on policies open for consultation can be sent to policy@mun.ca

Drafts for Review

Travel Expense Management Policy
Procedure for Familiarization Visits
Procedure for Pre-Employment Interviews
Procedure for Relocation of Postdoctoral Fellows
Procedure for Relocation and Removal
Procedure for Travel Authorization
Procedure for Travel Expense Management
Procedure for Visitor Travel
Appendix A: Summary of Draft Policy and Procedure Combinations