Faculty/Staff/Grad Resources
Business Travel
All BSE travelers are responsible for completing and submitting a Travel Authorization (TA) request and a Travel Reimbursement (TR) request in the online travel system. The TA must be submitted prior to any travel outside Blacksburg, even for one day.
You can find the online system in Hokiespa—Hokie Team—TEM Application—Manage Travel Reports—self—Expense Manager.
Follow these guidelines:
- Fund numbers: Add a fund number in your profile—you can always change the fund number for each TA.
- Process order: You must enter a TA first, then generate a TR from the TA, which must be approved.
- Trip name format: Name (last name, first initial), Date (first day of your travel, not the TA entry day), and place (city, state). For example: Li, L. 20141031 Boston, MA.
- Multiple funds: To confirm multiple funds on a TR, email Teresa Smith BEFORE YOU SUBMIT.
- Receipts: You must scan all receipts and attach the file in the system. Please try your best to match the receipt items with the expense report. Please remember to give Teresa Smith (202 Seitz) the original receipts as early as possible. The department is required to keep receipts for at least one year for auditing purpose.
- Your approval: After you submit your TA or TR, you will receive an email notification. Please approve your TA or TR through the link provided in the email notification.
A VT Travel Estimate and Approval Form is required to be completed and returned prior to any business travel outside Blacksburg, even if only for one day. Travel Approval forms (paper form) for reimbursements from VTF FUNDS ONLY should be submitted to Laura Eanes, 200A Seitz Hall.
A Travel Voucher Form should be completed online and printed, or completed NEATLY & LEGIBLY by hand, and submitted to Laura Eanes, 200A Seitz Hall, within 30 working days after completion of the trip. Original receipts for all itemized expenses must be attached. Policies and rates on meals and lodging are available from the Controller’s Office/Travel.
These awards are intended to provide graduate students in the BSE department with partial support to participate in national and international conferences at which they present papers or posters about their scholarly work in BSE. Awards will be made in the form of reimbursement of travel expenses.
Policy:
- To be eligible for a travel award, a student must be:
- Enrolled full-time as a graduate student in BSE and
- Present a paper or poster at a national/international conference.
- The maximum allocation awarded per conference will be $600.
- Masters students may receive up to a total of $1200 in BSE Supplemental Travel Awards during their MS degree program.
- Ph.D. students may receive up to a total of $2400 in BSE Supplemental Travel Awards during their PhD degree program.
To apply:
Complete and submit the application form, along with (1) the abstract submitted or to be submitted and (2) written confirmation that paper/poster has been accepted for presentation; funds can be awarded provisionally until this written confirmation is submitted, to Teresa Smith.
If you're a current BSE faculty member or graduate student and have upcoming travel, complete this form and send an email to our Assistant Director of Business Operations, Jaden Ringley. This form will collect necessary documents and information when submitting for reimbursement.
VT Business Cards
The department is in the process of working with a new vendor for printing business cards. Once the process has been finalized, we'll update this page.
Further information around licensed printing vendors will be shared in VT Daily News, on the Printing Services website, Procurement Printing Services website, and on the VT Brand site in the coming months. For immediate inquiries around licensed vendors, please refer to the Licensee section on the VT Brand site or contact the VT Brand team.
Department Vehicles
The Department has trucks which can be checked out for research and fieldwork. These trucks are for project use by faculty and staff employed by the department. A fleet services FS-2 Form must be signed by the employee and kept on file with the department prior to use of a Fleet Services vehicle. A signed form and valid driver’s license must be presented to Laura Lehmann (111 Seitz Hall). Forms are kept on file in the department for as long as the employee is with the department.
Keys are available in the Ecological Engineering Laboratory (113 Seitz Hall). A signed FS-2 form and valid driver’s license must be presented to Laura Lehmann (111 Seitz Hall) before you are authorized to use the vehicles. Users must present a valid fund number obtained from the project PI to charge the mileage. Department Truck checkout sheets are located in 113 Seitz Hall. Faculty and staff must provide name, purpose for use, fund number, beginning and ending mileage and the location the truck was parked in when it was returned on the checkout sheet. Trucks may be reserved ahead of a scheduled trip by contacting Laura Lehmann to determine availability.
Our Department trucks are state vehicles and are considered service vehicles. As such, they can be parked in any service (S) space on campus. If no service spaces are available, they can be parked in faculty/staff (F/S) spaces or commuter/grad (C/G) spaces. Department trucks CANNOT be parked in handicap, carpool, or specially marked spaces for TA's or departments. The trucks may be parked behind Seitz by the loading bay door for short-term loading/unloading. Vehicles may NOT be parked behind Seitz in the striped No Parking area. If you have any questions regarding the use of departmental vehicles, please contact Laura Lehmann (111 Seitz).
If you are involved in an accident while using a department truck, you must contact the police and the department as soon as possible. Contact Laura Eanes at (540) 231-6615 or Laura Lehmann at (540) 231-6094 to report any accidents to the department. Insurance information and a copy of the vehicle registration are located in the yellow packet in the glove box of the truck. The yellow packet has a blue form which must be filled out by the police officer on the scene and returned to the department as soon as possible. Further instructions for reporting the accident are outlined on the yellow packet.
Water Quality Laboratory
The BSE Water Quality Laboratory, located in 352 and 358 HABB1, provides support for BSE students and faculty involved in stream and wetland ecology engineering research, and extension projects related to water quality.
The WQL Guidelines for Analysis describes how samples should be prepared and submitted for analysis, guidelines for working in the WQL, and an overview of general lab safety. Contact the lab manager, Kelly Peeler via email at kapeeler@vt.edu or by phone (540) 231-4334, for additional information.
List of services currently available and cost per sample. Contact the lab manager, Kelly Peeler via email at kapeeler@vt.edu or by phone (540) 231-4334, for additional information.
A Request for Analysis (RFA) form must be completed and submitted to the lab manager at least two weeks prior to sample submission. Contact the lab manager, Kelly Peeler via email at kapeeler@vt.edu or by phone (540) 231-4334, for additional information.