Hosting Seminar Speakers: Guidelines and Procedures

If you are hosting a visiting speaker, here are the key procedures to follow regarding arrangements, reimbursements, and departmental support.

• Invitation Confirmation: As the host, you must forward to mathoffice@binghamton.edu the email trail showing the invitation and acceptance correspondence, including the seminar date.
• Itinerary: If the speaker will be staying for more than one day (e.g., arriving the night before the seminar), provide a itinerary outlining the daily schedule, including times and activities.

• Expense Submission: If your speaker will be submitting expenses for reimbursement, they must visit the Department Office before 4 PM on the last of day of the visit to complete the necessary reimbursement forms.

• Hotel Reservations: Email mathoffice@binghamton.edu with the speaker's name and their check-in/check-out dates.
• Visitor Office: If an office is needed for the day, notify the administrative assistants who will arrange an office and key.
• Parking Passes: Speakers can pick up a parking pass from the Department Office. Visitor parking is available in the parking garage or the lot across from Bartle Library.

• BU Dining Services:
  • Obtain a CrediDine card from the administrative assistants before dining.
  • Return the card and original itemized receipt the same day.
  • The department covers meals for the speaker, host faculty and one more faculty member.
• Dining at a Restaurant:
  • Submit the original itemized receipt showing the payment method to the administrative assistants.
  • Alcohol and tax are not reimbursed (a tax-exempt form is available, though not all places accept it).
  • A tip up to 20% is reimbursable.
  • The department covers meals for the speaker, host faculty and one more faculty member.
• Maximum allowable expense per person: Lunch = 25.00 (incl. tip), Dinner = 45.00 (incl. tip).

• Public Transportation (Bus/Uber/Lyft, etc.):
  • Submit the original itemized receipt showing the payment method for reimbursement.
  • Electronic receipts can be emailed to mathoffice@binghamton.edu, while paper receipts should be submitted by email, mail or in person. The original paper form or a scanned copy is needed for reimbursement.
• Car Travel:
  • Rental Car: NY State reimburses rental car expenses plus gas (with original receipts). The rental must be compact or standard size. Visitors must book their own rental; do not offer the NYS/BU account number. The base rate and damage waiver will be reimbursed (for compact or standard size). NYS will not reimburse liability insurance.
  • Personal Car: Mileage is reimbursed based on the distance from the visitor's address to Binghamton University, following the NYS/IRS standard mileage rate. Gas receipts will not be reimbursed, as fuel costs are included in the mileage rate. New York State will reimburse the lower amount between the mileage costs (calculated using NYS/IRS rates) and the market rate for rental cars. Please ensure your visitor is informed of these reimbursement limits.
• Air Travel:
  • Please consult with Dianne for the latest guidelines regarding visitor air travel, as these rules frequently change.