Marine Mammal Institute

Guide for Graduate Students and Faculty

Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association

Hatfield Student Organization (HsO)

Graduate School: Current Students

Graduate Student Success

There are several methods for purchasing research and administrative supplies under $5,000. Every purchase will need a business purpose and index.

1. BennyBuy
   • This is the optimal method for purchasing supplies and minor equipment. OSU receives discounts from contracted vendors, and the purchasing and payment processes are streamlined. 
   • Each person at OSU is a "shopper"
   • Add the index or funding source in the comments
   • "Assign your cart" to Admin Manager Minda Stiles or Fiscal Manager Mark Wilke (we will add the accounting information and finalize the purchase)
   • Note that BennyBuy undergoes continuing improvement, so processes may change. Please refer to BennyBuy training & tip sheets for details, or contact MMI's admin manager or fiscal manager for assistance.
2. Accounts at local stores
   • MMI has accounts at limited local stores. Check with the admin manager for details.
3. Online vendors
   • Authorized p-card users may check out the p-card from the MMI admin manager for one-time online purchases
   • Please email the itemized purchase receipt to the MMI admin manager
4. Amazon.com
   • Email requests to the MMI admin manager, who will make the purchase on MMI's account. Please include hyperlinks to the products, or an Amazon "wish list," with a description of purchase, the item's purpose, and the funding index.
   • If you are not the budget authority for the index, make sure you have cleared the purchase with that person. Formal signature approval will be requested after the purchase is made.
5. Procurement card (“p-card”)
   • The p-card is designed to make supplies purchases efficient. However, there are many restrictions and obligations for both the user and card administrator. Please talk to the MMI admin manager if you have a need to make p-card purchases. A user test is required.
   • The p-cards are generally assigned to a department, not an individual. Therefore, the p-card must be checked out from the MMI office. The card is then returned immediately after the purchase has been made. In limited cases, a p-card may be checked out to an authorized individual for a field season
   • Procurement Card Policy
6. Personal reimbursement
   • Personal reimbursements should only be used when there are no other purchasing options. When personal reimbursements are necessary, OSU expects the purchases to be under $100.
   • Complete the Personal Reimbursement Form and submit that to the MMI admin manager along with your original itemized receipt(s)
   • IMPORTANT: Requests for expense reimbursement must be submitted within 60 days of the date of purchase completion. Due to IRS regulations, reimbursements submitted after the 60-day window will be processed as taxable payments. In addition, employees who regularly turn in reimbursements past the 60 days may be denied reimbursement.
   • Annual Reminder of OSU's Expense Reimbursement Responsibility
   • Personal Reimbursement Policy

For purchases of $5,000 or above, personal services contracts, vendor contracts, subawards, sole-source acquisitions, vessel charters, or other related purchasing needs, please reach out to MMI's Fiscal Manager (Mark Wilke) for assistance.

Additional resources:

• Procurement (formerly PaCS)
• Procurement, Contracts and Materials Management
• Is This a Subaward (Subcontract, Subgrant) or a Procurement?
• Independent Contractor Determination Form

MMI Biannual Strategic Meetings with Staff (PDF)

Guidelines for Periodic Review of Faculty (PDF)

Performance Evaluation Management System (EvalS)

Professional Faculty Evaluation 

Promotion & Tenure

Faculty Union Bargaining

Traveling on behalf of OSU is restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Guidelines for Essential Travel

Frequently Asked Questions (click on "Travel" tag)

COVID-19 Essential Travel Approval Resources (College of AgSci)

If you have a need to travel on OSU business during the pandemic, discuss this with your supervisor prior to making travel arrangements. If your travel is deemed essential and is approved, you will be required to submit your signed travel approval in order to receive any expense reimbursement.

As MMI student, staff, or faculty, you are responsible for booking and managing your own travel. However, there are resources in place to support you! At any time, please feel free to request assistance from the MMI travel coordinator (Minda Stiles). 

IMPORTANT: The summaries of policies and procedures listed on this page are provided as a courtesy to help streamline your travel and reimbursement experience. It is each traveler's responsibility to understand and follow OSU's Travel Policy.

First, complete a Travel Authorization Form prior to booking your trip. Be sure to indicate your business purpose, including any poster/presentation titles. Indicate your funding source (list the exact name of the funding grant/project if you don't know the index). The purpose for your travel must clearly match the purpose of the funding source — that will be checked by the travel approvers at AMBC and OSRAA. Once signed by your PI/supervisor, return your authorization to the MMI travel coordinator.

If your trip will be international and funded in any part by a grant, it needs additional approval by OSRAA prior to booking your flight. You may email your signed travel authorization directly to OSRAA@oregonstate.edu or ask the MMI travel coordinator for assistance. OSRAA will indicate on your authorization if your flight will be subject to the Fly America Act (U.S. airlines only). For more information about foreign travel, please see also the section below, "Are You Traveling Internationally?"

Once your authorization is approved, you may make your travel reservations.

There are several mechanisms in place to limit your out-of-pocket costs as a traveler for OSU. Please see the related sections on this page for important details.

• Direct bill (autopay) airfare through Azumano
• Direct bill (autopay) rental car through Enterprise (you will need to pay personally for fuel)
• Check out an MMI truck for research travel (you may use the p-card for fuel for MMI-owned vehicles)
• Check out a Motor Pool vehicle at HMSC or OSU Corvallis for local round-trip travel (you will need an index)
• Prepay lodging room and tax only with MMI p-card at some hotels, or direct bill (Radisson PDX only at this time) (Note: All other travel expenses are prohibited on the p-card)
• Prepay conference registration with MMI p-card (registration and workshops only; you must pay personally for anything else such as field trips, conference souvenirs, or events)
• Travel advance (talk to your lab lead to determine if this is an appropriate option)

Most travelers will still be required to front some travel expenses. You may request a reimbursement for eligible travel expenses once your trip has completed. Be sure to discuss this with your PI, if applicable. Regardless of policy, your reimbursement will be limited by your available funding. 

To book your flight and charge to an index, use the Azumano Travel Request Form. CI Azumano is OSU's contracted travel agency. Each transaction incurs a $25 fee. 

For additional assistance, contact: 

• jmcomber@ciazumano.com or call (503) 221-6103
• azcorvallis@ciazumano.com or call (800) 334-2929

Can I include vacation time in my itinerary?  For a trip that includes personal time, you must request a comparison quote with the business-only portion. Any additional costs will be your responsibility and should be split at the time of purchase. Azumano can do this for you.

Can I purchase my own flight?  Yes, at your own risk. A traveler may pay out of pocket for their flight and request reimbursement after their trip, but the traveler (not OSU) will be responsible for cancellations, itinerary changes, or other charges unless the charges are necessary for OSU’s business needs or are outside the control of the traveler. (Example: If you pay for your own flight to a conference but cannot attend due to illness, OSU cannot reimburse you for the flight.)

For more details, see the Air Transportation policy.

When traveling for an OSU business purpose, OSU staff and eligible students may book a rental car through Enterprise or National using the State of Oregon contract.

To receive the benefits of the negotiated contract and to have the car rental direct billed to the University, you must use the online reservation portal through MyOSU (employee tab) or through the OSU Car Rentals web page. Alternately, you may contact Azumano to book the car, which will incur a $7 fee if the rental is booked separately from air travel. All other options (phone or drop in), you will have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed after the trip.

1. If you have not already done so, first complete a Driver Authorization Form. Please provide a copy to the MMI office.

2. Book your car rental

   • To book a rental vehicle online, go to MyOSU (employee tab) or OSU Car Rentals:

     • Select "OSU Employees on Business"
     • To charge to an index, select "Enterprise Rent-a-Car (or National Car Rental)"
     • To charge your personal credit card, select "Employee Use (nonbilling)"
     • Follow the prompts. Your cost center is AMBC.

   • To book your car through Azumano ($7 fee if booked separately from air travel), contact: 

     • jmcomber@ciazumano.com or call (503) 221-6103
     • azcorvallis@ciazumano.com or call (800) 334-2929

3. After you have returned your vehicle, please check your Enterprise receipt to make sure the charges are correct. If errors were made, alert the Enterprise branch and the MMI travel coordinator.

Some highlights of booking on the contract:

• You can either direct bill to an index or pay with your personal credit card.
• Insurance is included.
• Drop fees are waived for most one-way trips, but rates vary. 
• Fuel is not included. If you do not refill the tank before returning the vehicle, you may be charged a higher fuel rate.

For applicable policies, including information about vehicle insurance, please see:

• Travel - Ground Transportation
• Risk Management - Vehicle Use

In most cases, you will need to pay for your own lodging and request reimbursement after your trip.

In some cases, MMI can prepay your lodging with the departmental Procurement Card. If your hotel will allow you to prepay lodging and tax only, ask the hotel to email you a credit card authorization form. Send that form and a copy of your hotel reservation to the MMI travel coordinator with an emailed request to prepay the lodging. The index indicated on your travel authorization will be charged.

Your lodging rate must be "economical and reasonable" in order to be reimbursed at actual cost.

• The Airbnb nightly rate is the total of all lodging, cleaning fees, additional fees, and taxes divided by numbers of nights. 

What if I am sharing a hotel room?  If you are sharing a room at a hotel, please ask the hotel to split the bill at checkout. 

What if I am staying at a friend's house?  You may claim a "noncommercial lodging" reimbursement after your trip at the rate of $25/day. 

First, complete your MMI travel authorization. Please note that the following pre-approvals may also be required:

• Pre-approval from OSRAA is required when an employee travels internationally using a grant index or funding source.
• Pre-approval from your college Dean's office is required for travel to a "high-risk" destination. To determine if your destination is considered high risk, see the OSU International Travel Policy section 4.3, and check the US State Department Travel Advisory. For approval, follow the process outlined in the OSU International Travel Policy, section 5.3. For the College of Agricultural Sciences, completed forms should be emailed to CAS-Deans.Approval@oregonstate.edu.
• Pre-approval from the CAS Dean's office is required for unit leaders traveling internationally on grant funds. Unit Leader approval may be obtained by emailing a completed international travel pre-approval form or the following information: name, the purpose of the trip, the dates of the trip, the destination, the index, and the total estimated cost to CAS-Deans.Approval@oregonstate.edu. 

After your trip has been approved, you may book your travel.

Register your itinerary in OSU's International Travel Registry. This is now required of anyone traveling internationally on behalf of the university (employees, students, volunteers).

The registry benefits OSU’s international travelers in many ways, including:

• Enrollment in international travel insurance,* which includes medical care and evacuation or security assistance, if needed;
• 24/7 support from OSU’s international health and safety coordinator;
• Optional pre-departure, travel location-specific orientations;
• Secure storage of passport copies and emergency contact information; and
• Ability for the university to provide incident assistance and support communication with family members and others in the event of unforeseen incidents.

*Travel insurance is provided at no additional cost to individuals who register as employees (faculty, staff, graduate assistants, post docs, volunteers). Students will be given the opportunity in the registration form to provide an index to bill for their insurance costs. If an index is not provided, the student's account will be billed at the end of the month in which their trip begins. The cost for the insurance plan is $2.00/day and will be billed for the total number of days the student enters in their travel registration itinerary.

Additional contacts and support:

• Travel insurance: Samuel Gras, International Health and Safety Coordinator, 541-737-6493
• Travel registry: Jennifer Grant, Information coordinator, International Programs, 541-737-6465
• Risk Management
• OSU International Travel Policy

Students: Please complete the Clery Act Property and Travel Form prior to all overnight trips. If you are unable to complete the form ahead of time, then you may report it after your travel as long as it is within 60 days.

The federal Clery Act, which reports crime statistics on university property, requires us to report where students lodge when they travel.

• This only applies to OSU students
• This only applies to travel that is more than one night
• This only applies to lodging that OSU or students pay for (eg, hotels, Airbnb, field stations, or friend/family home if a noncommercial lodging reimbursement is claimed)

If you have any questions about these requirements, please contact Clery Act Compliance at Clery.Compliance@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-4538. 

You must initiate the request for your travel reimbursement, even if the travel coordinator is aware of your trip.

Travel reimbursement requests must be submitted to MMI's travel coordinator (Minda Stiles) within 60 days of travel completion. Due to IRS regulations, reimbursements submitted after the 60-day window will be processed as taxable payments. In addition, employees who regularly turn in reimbursements past the 60 days may be denied reimbursement. (See "Annual Reminder of OSU's Expense Reimbursement Responsibility" below for details.) 

Please submit the following to the MMI travel coordinator as soon as possible after your trip:

1. Your completed MMI Travel Expense Form. This is where you would request meals per diem and noncommercial lodging.

2. Your conference program/agenda. Please submit only the pages that show the conference dates and location; the name of the conference hotel, if you stayed there; and your presentation/poster titles. If you did not attend a conference, please submit other related documentation, such as a letter of invitation.

3. Receipts for expenses you are claiming, other than personal meals or mileage.

   • All receipts must be originals, itemized, and show proof of payment.
   • Lodging is reimbursed at actual cost. Receipts must show room rate and tax.
   • Foreign currency will be converted using OANDA unless documentation of conversion rate is submitted.
   • For any ambiguous receipts, or to request a precise currency conversion, please also include a redacted copy of your credit card statement that shows the purchase(s) in question.

4. Mileage log, if applicable. Travel in a personal vehicle is reimbursed through mileage. Submit a mileage log with dates, locations, and odometer readings; or use standard city-to-city mileage with backup from a site such as Google Maps.

   • Note that in OSU-owned vehicles, fuel rather than mileage, will be reimbursed. Submit receipts for any fuel you purchased for use in an OSU-owned vehicle.

The travel coordinator will enter your expenses into Travel Reimbursement Entry System (TRES) on your behalf and then request your review and signature.

Applicable policies:

• Travel Policy
• Annual Reminder of OSU's Expense Reimbursement Responsibility

Note: Please be sure your Vendor Payment address is current. You can check this in MyOregonState. If your address has changed, please provide your current address to the MMI travel coordinator by email as soon as possible.

There are several ways to travel between HMSC (Newport) and main campus (Corvallis). MMI does not require a travel authorization for in-state one-day travel.

• Coast to Valley Express Bus ($10 each way; $7 for disabled passengers)
  • Schedule - Coast to Valley Express_8.13.18
• HMSC Motor Pool Car*
  • There is one Motor Pool vehicle based at HMSC. Check availability on the HMSC Automobile Calendar. To reserve it, use the Room Reservation Request Form or email HMSC Scheduling. The HSMC car costs approximately $35/day and is billed to an index. The HMSC Automobile has parking privileges (no permit required) on the OSU Corvallis campus in A, B, and C lots but not in BR- or CR-designated areas of those lots.
• Your Personal Vehicle
  • You will need to pay for parking on the Corvallis campus. If you are not an annual OSU parking permit holder, you can use hourly parking meters or purchase a permit online in advance. (Be sure to select "Login for more permit type options" to access the discounted daily "Infrequent Daily Driver Permit," if this applies to you.)
  • Please note that parking cannot be billed to an index. If your trip is eligible for reimbursement, you may submit your request to the travel coordinator.
• Enterprise Rental Car*
  • Please see the "Booking a Rental Car" section above for details.
• MMI Truck*
  • MMI maintains a small fleet of E-plated trucks specifically for travel related to field research. You may check one out for local travel related to OSU business if one is available and this has been approved by the MMI Program Manager. You would be responsible for fueling the vehicle and paying for parking on campus. Please note that driving a government vehicle comes with additional responsibilities and restrictions.

*These options require that you have an approved Driver Authorization Form on file. If you have not yet completed one, please do so online and provide a copy to the MMI office for signature approval. 

OSU Travel Portal Website (includes links to per diem & mileage rates)

• OSU Travel Policy
• OSU Travel Policy Update 2020 (summary)
• Contracted Travel Services
• CI Azumano Business Travel

International Travel:

• International Travel Registry
• OSU International Travel Policy
• Risk Management (International Travel)
• US State Department Travel Advisory
• OANDA currency converter

Travel Forms:

• MMI Travel Authorization Form
• MMI Travel Expense Form (.docx)
• MMI Travel Expense Form (.pdf)
• Personal Vehicle Mileage Log (2021 Mileage Rate is $0.56 cents/mile)

Ground transportation:

• Motor Pool
• Groome Transportation (Corvallis-PDX shuttle)
• Enterprise Rent-a-Car