UBC Business Expense Rules FAQs

The expenditure guidelines are a compilation of existing UBC policies and best practice consolidated into one document for ease of reference.

The goal is to be reasonable but not too prescriptive. In an organization as large and diverse as UBC, no single practice applies to all situations. The guidelines allow units to use judgment when assessing individual cases.

Who was involved in the development of these Business Rules?

As a public institution, UBC aims to use its resources in a reasonable, appropriate, and financially prudent manner. To support this goal, an advisory committee with members from the UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver campuses — including members of faculty, administrative units, central finance and legal — was established to review the current Expenditure Guidelines and prepare the proposed rules. 

What was the process of consultation that was followed?

Based on the current Expenditure Guidelines, the committee drafted proposed rules with the intention of improving transparency, enhancing stewardship of public funds, facilitating consistency between units, and providing greater direction and clarity about requirements when incurring and claiming reimbursement of expenses.

Deans and VP’s of both campuses were consulted prior to the community consultation, where feedback was reviewed by the Committee prior to the VP Finance approval before the new rules come into effect.

Is the 30-day reimbursement requirement new?

No, the 30-day reimbursement requirement is not new for travel and related expenses.UBC's Business Expenses Policy and Business Expense Rules state “Travel Claims should be submitted within thirty (30) working days of the traveller’s return.”

Who can I contact regarding the Business Expense Rules?

To get help and clarification about the Business Expense Rules, please contact your unit's finance lead.

Do these Business Expense Rules apply to Faculty Professional Development (PD) Funds?

These guidelines are not meant to override another program’s procedures, such as the Faculty Professional Development Reimbursement Fund.

The use of Faculty Professional Development Funds is governed by the applicable Faculty Professional Development Fund rules that are currently in place. If there are no rules in place regarding the specific use of the Faculty PD Funds, then these Business Expense Rules will apply.