Redbook Section in Question:

Bylaws Article IV Section 7 Clause 1.4

Date:

03/10/2021

Question (Be as specific as possible):

Does attendance to virtual conferences qualify as travel funding?

Attorney General:

Dallas Blackburn

Text Section in Question:

Bylaws IV § 7 (1)
1. ASUU Government travel funding outside of official ASUU Government business will be funded through the following application process:
1.1 An application will be used to fund travel for academic conferences, student conferences, competitions, and other travel as deemed appropriate by the ASUU Travel Review Committee.
1.2 Applications will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis differentiated by month.
1.3 A student or a student organization can request up to 100% of their eligible travel costs be covered by the ASUU Government, up to six hundred dollars ($600) per trip per student.
1.3.1 The total amount funded per student is not to exceed six hundred ($600) per fiscal year.
1.4 Eligible costs include airfare, car rental, taxi, lodging price during conference (including one night prior to conference and one night following the conference), conference registration, and poster printing.
1.5 Signed Assumption of Risk Waivers are required from each traveler per trip.
1.6 Every travel requires a twelve-dollar travel audit fee ($12). This amount will be deducted from each travel reimbursement.
1.7 Travel awards associated with student organizations will be attributed to their overall prescribed maximum per fiscal year.
1.8 All travel applications submitted by students or sponsored student organization affiliated with a College Student Council must be approved by and forwarded to the Travel Committee by the College Student Council.
1.8.1 If the College Student Council rejects the application due to a perceived bias, the affected student or student organization may appeal to the Travel Committee. The Travel Committee may use its discretion in deciding whether to accept the application.

Interpretation:

The posed question is whether or not the ASUU Travel Review Committee can disburse travel funds to pay for students attending virtual conferences. The purpose of travel funding is to allow students to take part of conferences and present their research without having to worry about financial implications. Bylaws Article IV § 7 (1.4) states that eligible costs include “airfare, car rental, taxi, lodging price during conference…conference registration, and poster printing.” Airfare, car rental, taxi, and lodging costs are presumably not an issue with virtual conferences as physical travel is not required for these types of events. On the other hand, virtual conferences still require registration fees and poster uploads. In order to alleviate potential financial burdens, which is the purpose of this process, travel funding may be used to cover registration fees and any fees associated with the creation and uploading of posters. The ASUU Travel Review Committee may also approve funding for other items related to Section 1.4 that they deem appropriate to allow students to participate in virtual conferences.