171st Convention

Travel Reimbursement Policy: All undergraduate delegates will be reimbursed for travel from their Charge or current residence, whichever is closest to Richmond, VA.

Please use this document to book your own travel to the 171st Convention. Registration and lodging will be taken care of for you. No matter how you travel to Richmond you will need to arrive in Richmond at or before 4:00 PM EST on Thursday August 9, 2018.

Delegates will receive a travel reimbursement form at Convention or shortly after. The form along with the necessary documentation must be returned to the Central Fraternity Office (CFO) no later than September 17th, 2018. Reimbursement checks will be mailed to you after October 15, 2018 as long as your Charge is in good financial standing with the Grand Lodge.

Flying:

Flights must arrive into Richmond International Airport (RIC) no later than 4:00 PM EST on Thursday August 9, 2018. All departure flights must leave no earlier than the morning of Sunday, August 12, 2018.

The arrival time of 4:00pm EST on Thursday August 9th will give you enough time to take public transportation to the Hotel in time for the first Convention event (1st General Business Session at 5:30pm, dress code is shirt and tie).

You must provide a copy of your itinerary/receipt to the CFO along with the travel reimbursement form. Please submit items to jlowry@tdx.org.

The maximum reimbursement amount per person is determined by a four-week advance ticket purchase, based on the delegate traveling from the closest major airport to the Charge. This does not mean you have to travel from the Charge location to receive reimbursement, but this is the location used to determine the reimbursement limit. The CFO will do a search of flights in early July to set the flight reimbursement limits.

Ground transportation from the airport to the hotel will also be reimbursed. You will receive instructions prior to Convention on which ground transportation options are eligible for reimbursement. The CFO will not provide reimbursement for checked bags or flight change costs.

Ground Transportation:

If your Charge location is approximately a six-hour drive or less from Richmond, you will be expected to drive take a train or take a bus (if available).

Bus/Train:

You must arrive no later than 4:00 PM EST on Thursday August 9, 2018 and depart no earlier than the morning of Sunday, August 12, 2018.

If bus/train travel is available, the maximum reimbursement amount per person is determined by a four-week advance ticket purchase, based on the delegate traveling from the closest terminal to the Charge. This does not mean you have to travel from the Charge location to receive reimbursement, but this is the location used to determine the reimbursement limit. The CFO will do a search of bus tickets in early July to set the reimbursement limits.

You must provide a copy of your bus ticket receipt to the CFO along with the travel reimbursement form.

Driving:

You must arrive no later than 4:00 PM EST on Thursday August 9, 2018 and depart no earlier than the morning of Sunday, August 12, 2018.

If you choose to drive, the cap for mileage reimbursement is set at the round-trip mileage from your Charge location to Richmond.

Mileage is reimbursed at 29.5 cents per mile. You must provide a map with the number of miles driven (ex. Google Maps or MapQuest) along with the travel reimbursement form.

Driving delegates will be reimbursed the cost of parking. You will receive instructions prior to Convention on which parking options are eligible for reimbursement.

NOTE: Failure to attend any required events will make you ineligible for travel reimbursement. If you have any questions, please contact John Lowry at jlowry@tdx.org.

ARTICLE IX

Section 11. Any Charge whose undergraduate delegate or delegates fails to attend the Preamble Institute or Convention without prior written consent from the Executive Director shall immediately be subject to the following:

• (a) The Charge shall immediately have its charter suspended as defined by these Bylaws.
• (b) The Charge will be responsible for reimbursing the Grand Lodge for all costs associated with the delegates’ travel and attendance. The attendance costs of Preamble Institute and Convention will be determined by the Executive Director and distributed in writing to the Charge Presidents and registered attendees at least 30 days prior to either event. Travel costs will be determined based on the actual cost spent by the Grand Lodge for the delegate or delegates.
• (c) The charter of the Charge will remain suspended until the Charge has reimbursed the Grand Lodge for all travel and attendance costs.
• (d) In the event that undergraduate delegates of a Charge fail to attend the Convention and Preamble Institute on two out of three consecutive occasions, the Executive Director shall take the necessary actions to request a charter revocation hearing with the Grand Lodge. (Section 11 Added October 15, 2013)