UNM, State split travel costs

A debate over per diem rates for traveling UNM faculty and graduate students ended last week when the Board of Regents approved the “split check” policy.

The policy allows travelers to claim federal per diem rates of up to $71 per day for meal reimbursements, but only part of that reimbursement will come from state-appropriated money.

State money will cover reimbursements up to $30 per day for in-state meals and $45 per day for out-of-state meals, but UNM will cover the rest with money from other sources.

Timothy Ross, UNM’s Faculty Senate president, said he is worried about where the UNM funds are from.

“Are they going to come out of the units (departments) again, who are already stretched so thin that they can’t afford to buy basic things like paper, toner, pens and markers?” he said.

University spokeswomen Cinnamon Blair said meal reimbursement under the old per diem policy depended on location.

“Before this new policy passed, the meal per diem for in-state travel depended on the destination within the state,” she said.

“For example, Santa Fe is considered by the federal per diem rate-setting agency to be a high-cost destination, and the all-day rate would be $71, but Silver City is considered a low-cost destination and the all-day rate would be $46.”

GPSA President Katie Richardson said the new policy is what’s best for University faculty.

“Ultimately, faculty and grad students are doing University business out of pocket when they travel,” she said. “Every time you travel, you lose money as an individual. I’m glad the policy that least impacts the University budget and travelers passed.”