What is Supplemental Approval?

Supplemental Approval provides certain senior officers (within a school or department) with the ability to approve specific common policy exceptions.

For a specified list of common circumstances (also noted below), see the Supplemental Approval Form.  

Supplemental Approval Form

Accounts Payable will rely on the approved form from an individual designated as the “Supplemental Approver” to authorize the exception.  To further streamline payment processing, AP will rely on this approval information when reviewing the voucher in order to understand specific requested exceptions. The individual requesting the exception must document the circumstances surrounding the policy departure and provide the department with sufficient explanation for the Supplemental Approver to evaluate the situation.  The Supplemental Approver should evaluate the situation and either approve or deny. 

Examples of exceptions that are eligible for approval by a Supplemental Approver (with an appropriate business purpose) include business/first class flights for travel in excess of 5 hours or with medical need and hotel expenses no more than 50% over the established thresholds (see below for further exception types).

Note: If there is a policy exception that is not eligible for Supplemental Approval, the Policy Exception or Adjustment Request form must be fully completed, documented and approved by a the appropriate Senior Business Officer and submitted to Accounts Payable for review. 

Procedure

If the Employee Expense Reimbursement Voucher requires Supplemental Approval, the ARC Voucher Initiator must select the appropriate Supplemental Approver through the AD Hoc Approver functionality in ARC.  The ARC Voucher Initiator must upload the Supplemental Approval Form and provide information on the item requiring Supplemental Approval.  The SA If the Supplemental Approver and the Travel Approver is the same person; the first approval will cover both. 

Please note: The manual supplemental approval form does not have to be manually signed; however AD Hoc/supplemental approval must be designated in ARC.

Typical Exceptions Requiring Supplemental Approval

 The following circumstances require the approval of a Dean, VP, Associate Dean or Senior Financial Officer.  Those situations under the Travel Expense Policy include expenses for:

• First or business class travel by air (flights in excess of 5 hours or medical need). 
• First or business class travel by rail/bus (not including Amtrak's Acela train). 
• Lodging greater than $350 per night domestic and $400 (US dollars) per night international by no more than 50%. 
• Appreciation given for lodging in a private residence. 
• Short-term rental accommodations. 
• Reimbursed travel extended beyond the minimum days required for business purposes
• Required travel by an employee's spouse, significant other and/or dependent. (Note: may be taxable) 
• Meals exceeding the per meal thresholds ($25 breakfast, $35 lunch, $50 dinner) by no more than 50%. 
• Meals (fundraising, recruitment, speaking engagements) involving external parties exceeding the per person threshold of $100 (excluding tips and taxes) by no more than 50%. 
• Use of per diems on non-grant accounts. . (Only in instances of international travel to destinations where local custom or culture makes it difficult to obtain receipts). 
• Meals that require attendance by an employee's spouse, significant other, and/or dependent.
• Purchase of emergency supplies/equipment in excess of $500. 
• Issuance of a second travel advance before the first one has been reconciled 
• Reimbursements submitted more than 120 days after the date of the expense
• Missing receipt for expenses of $75 or more ($25 for meals), all lodging.