DEM Travel Guidance for FY26+

There has be an update to the DEM Travel Guidance we issued on March 25, 2025. You may recall this guidance was issued to curtail non-essential travel. It is important to emphasize that this is not a restriction on all university travel. Rather, it is an adjustment to ensure that vital travel continues while protecting resources by limiting other types of travel. The travel guidance has been revised to further detail what is acceptable ‘Required Travel’.  Each team member’s professional growth and development is critical to our collective success. These stricter conditions on travel are necessary given the fiscal realities we currently face, but we should continue to consider any available virtual and local options. The following revised guidance applies to all DEM team members effective immediately and will remain in effect until further notice. If you have questions, please contact Jeremy Traska or Kelly Layton.   What is Travel?
  • “Travel” refers to transportation (e.g., mileage, bus fare, airfare), lodging, and per diem expenses incurred in addition to a registration fee.
  • Expense reports must include a clear justification explaining how the expenses qualify as essential or required travel.
  • These restrictions do not apply to virtual registrations with unit director approval.
  • These restrictions do not apply to local events with unit director approval. “Local” is defined as an event that requires only a registration fee and day-trip-related expenses, such as mileage, bus fare, and per diem. “Local” does not include airfare or lodging expenses.
Travel That Can Still Occur  Essential Travel: University travel that, if not undertaken, will directly and negatively affect the divisional enrollment strategy to attract, enroll, support, and graduate the most talented students. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  • Recruitment activities
  • Outreach activities
  • Compliance-related professional training activities as determined and approved by the unit director
Required Travel: University travel that is necessary to uphold a commitment and/or university travel deemed critical to maintaining UW–Madison’s reputation.
  • Approved commitment travel is limited to, with documented unit director approval:
    • Board meetings (no virtual alternatives)
    • Committee meetings (no virtual alternatives)
    • Presentations/Panels (no virtual alternatives)
    • SSTAR Lab research meetings (no virtual alternatives)
  • If other travel is considered necessary to maintain UW–Madison’s reputation, prior approval must be obtained from the unit director, along with a detailed explanation outlining the potential reputational harm if the traveler does not attend. Unit directors are expected to conduct a thoughtful review of how the travel may—or may not—impact the university’s prestige and brand.
Already Booked Travel with Director Approval: University travel that is not deemed essential or required but was booked on or before March 24, 2025, AND the unit director determined that the cost savings from cancellation would not result in a material benefit to UW–Madison. Documentation of director approval is required. DEM Development Days: The new travel guidance does not affect the expectations for in-person campus attendance for the two annual division-wide team engagement and development days.   Travel That Cannot Occur Non-Essential/Non-Required Travel: Any university travel that does not fall within the essential or required travel definitions. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  •  Conference attendance (if not presenting or required to attend)
Already Booked Travel without Director Approval: University travel that is not deemed essential or required and was booked on or before March 24, 2025, AND the unit director determined that the cost savings from cancellation would result in a material benefit to UW–Madison. Contact Kelly Layton or unit finance leads for the cancellation process.