Travel, Events, & Outreach

Information, tool kits, one stop for forms and best practices. Use the buttons to jump to the section you want more information about.

Travel

CAL is the Pilot for the New Travel Solution

MSU is implementing a new travel system from Concur that aligns with EBS. Travelers can fill out travel requests (pre-trips), submit receipts electronically, prepare and submit travel expense reports and track reimbursements easily.  Find more information on the Travel at State Project website. Please download the CAL Travel Flyer and share with your unit. 

CAL Travel Support Implementation Team 

The College of Arts & Letters has an implementation team that's here to support you.  Whether you are the traveler, faculty, or support staff, CAL Travel Support Team is happy to help.

Bring your laptop and a current travel project when you drop in at the Cal Travel Lab: Wednesdays at Wells Hall in Room B243 9-11 am  Cal Travel Lab is open to everyone.

Email questions to Caltravl@msu.edu

Team members:  Penny Shanks, Pete Havlaka, Jennifer Nelson, Sherri Stevens, Viki Townsend-Geitzel.

Getting started

Setting up travel profiles; assigning delegates; creating your first travel request (pre-trip).

What Support Staff needs to know [PDF]

What Faculty need to know [PDF]

Getting Reimbursed

Travel Expense reports; linking to an itinerary; claiming per diem; allocating funding to a different account (or multiple accounts); 

FAQS

Pre-Trips

Saving receipts

Expense reports

Policy Changes

 

Educational Travel Courses and Information

MSU offers various courses throughout the year. Enrollment can be found in  EBS and within the Controller's Office. Some of the courses available are:

  • Travel Regulations and Reimbursement Processing
  • Travel Office Summer Series
  • Travel Arrangers Day 2020 TBA
  • Travel ListServ
    • MSU offers information for business travelers and travel arrangers. Subscribers will be alerted whenever a posting occurs regarding current travel information as well as policy updates.​​​​​​Travel Tips
      • MSU offers a variety of "Tips and Tricks" on travel including prepayment of airfare, rail, Michigan Flyer, and conference registration.

Plan Your Trip

Know Before You Go

Travel Apps

  • Several travel applications can be downloaded to your smart or electronic devices to assist while in travel status. MSU has partnered with Concur and promotes the use of the following travel apps.

Travel Partners

  • MSU currently has contracts with three Preferred Travel Agencies which works with specific sections of MSU's population.
    • MSU employees can contact Conlin Travel for domestic and international flights. With the implementation of the new online Concur Travel Solution, departments and centers are no longer charged booking fees when using Conlin Travel.
    • Anthony Travel is the official travel partner for Spartan Athletics. They provides full-service travel assistance for Spartan coaches, student-athletes, staff and fans.
    • STA Travel is the provider for education abroad and study away programs. They assist with all travel logistics, including group and individual airfare, accommodation, ground transportation, cultural activities and more.
  • Airlines
    • MSU has discounts off published domestic and international airfares with the following airlines. These discounts apply to all Michigan State University business travel when booked through the preferred travel agency.
      • American Airlines
      • Delta Airlines
      • Southwest
      • United
  • Ground Transportation
    • MSU partners with the following companies in support of business and personal travel within the MSU community. Services can be direct billed to MSU accounts.

Travel Reimbursement 

Upon completion of your MSU business trip, receipts are to be itemized by the traveler and submitted to the department for reimbursement. The MSU Travel Reimbursement Chart is a helpful resource when determining required documentation. MSU travel policies and procedures are available in Section 70 of the Manual Business Procedures. The following forms and resources are available when reconciling reimbursements.

Events

Statement of Work (Plan of Work outline)

Increase the efficiency of your event planning and improve outcomes by using project management tools. 

Template for a Statement of Work (SOW), which can also be referred to as a Plan of Work. [WORD]

Definition of work unit with sample calculations [PDF]

Communication

When planning an event, make sure everyone is in agreement about what is to be accomplished. If your event includes an element that involves fundraising, it is required that you contact the CAL Development office and consult with them on best practices and regulations. 

Develop a planning timeline to stay on track and use it as a tool to have a successful event. Assign and delegate tasks with expectations and completion dates.

Events are most successful when keeping a checklist. The following sample checklists include information on registration tables, conference agenda or program, name badges, parking passes, swag items, student and on-call hiring, and volunteers. 

Budget

When planning an event, it is important to review the budget. Determine the funding amounts and sources to ensure your event will be successful. After the event has ended, the following are possible items to place on a spreadsheet. 

  • Funding Sources
  • Expected Expenses
  • Co-Sponsors

Catering and Meals

Many events request food and other refreshments be provided. When ordering, keep in mind delivery times, number of attendees, and dietary restrictions.

There are several vendors in the MSU area that will direct bill. The following is a list of companies that allow invoices to be direct billed to department accounts.

Reservations are sometimes required in advance. MSU also provides meal tickets (1855 Place) for dining in the various campus residence halls and can be billed to a department account.

During your event, remember to contact IPF for assistance in emptying trash or recycling food waste.

Educational Resources

MSU offers courses and workshops for employees in the EBS system. These courses are benefical when planning various events.

  • Event Planning 101
  • Conference and Event Planning Made Easy
  • Fraud Prevention & Business Ethics MSU

Marketing and Promotion

It is never too early to start advertising for an event. Start engaging with your attendees to gather information in order to create flyers and update websites. There are various ways to promote your events.

Guest Speakers

MSU invited guests are contacted prior to arriving at MSU. Communicate with the coordinator what assistance the speakers will need. The pre-trip profile is helpful in obtaining information needed to book flight, hotel, and recognize any dietary restrictions or additional assistance. The following forms and information are also helpful when creating vendors.

Reserving Venues

When considering locations, keep in mind the event type and participant expectations. Venues can be local, urban, or near airports. The following are resources to assist in reserving rooms on campus or in the community.

  • Academic Room Scheduling
  • CAL Conference Room Scheduling
  • Greater Lansing Visitor's Bureau
  • Some items to keep in mind are making sure the location is scheduled and the room is unlocked.
    • IPF has been notified to turn on air, order table and chairs. 
    • IT Services provides, microphones, recording devices, and other technology services.
  • Department of Police and Public Safety can provide access to any MSU campus locations that have swipe access panels.
  • It is important to have a plan for how you would like the room set-up.

 

Event Wrap-Up

At the end of the event, a post event discussion with your committee will help plan for the next event. A Qualtrics surveys, exit questionnaire, or other Feedback Forms can be provided to attendees to help gauge pros and cons of your event. Other things to consider are thank you letters to speaker and reconciling expenses via EBS or P-Card.

Other Important Documents

Outreach

In the spirit of fulfilling Michigan State University’s land-grant mission, the College of Arts & Letters makes serving the needs of community a priority. Faculty members work in partnership with students, alumni, support staff, policy makers and community to strengthen the connections between theory and real world application, providing meaningful opportunities to serve and learn in/with the community and develop civic engagement leaders.

This commitment to service includes providing continuous professional development opportunities.  It means sharing researched-based knowledge with leaders at all levels.  The MSU College of Arts & Letters is particularly engaged in efforts to promote international perspectives, diversity, inclusion and social equity.

MSU Outreach and Engagement

The Office of University Outreach and Engagement supports faculty, staff, and students in their engagement activities. From fostering partnerships, to providing learning opportunities, to facilitating service-learning placements, these resources are designed to advance MSU’s culture of high performance by promoting community-engaged research and creative activity, teaching, and service. Overview [PDF]

Internships

College of Arts & Letters Excel Network

Donations and Sponsorships

MSU offers various ways to give.

Marketing and Communication

There are various tools to assist with Outreach. The College of Arts & Letters provides templates, brochures, website design, and other sources. Submitting the Marketing Request Form will provide assistance with MSU branding, editing and video. Other options available:

  • List Serves
  • Newsletters
  • Social Media

 

Travel, Events and Outreach Content Owner: Penny Shanks.  Content contributor: Jennifer Nelson.  If you are interested in providing comment, content or suggestions for this resource page please contact Penny. 

For Staff

Quick Links

Feedback

For content suggestions, questions, or to reach out to the content owners, please fill out the following survey.

 

 

NEWS

View All News

Events

View All Events

PROGRAMS

View All Programs