Re: GNOME Travel Committee & Travel Policy: A proposal for consideration and feedback

[Stormy Peters <stormy gnome org>]

You can find the missing attachment (the application form for travel
assistance) at http://live.gnome.org/Travel?action=AttachFile&do=view&target=gnome_travel_subsidy.odt.

Stormy

On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 1:53 PM, Stormy Peters <stormy gnome org> wrote:
> The GNOME Board of Directors is proposing a GNOME Travel Committee to
> handle travel assistance for GNOME developers traveling to events. The
> GNOME Foundation supports the GNOME project and one important way of
> doing that is sponsoring contributors to travel to GNOME events like
> conferences and hackfests. The sponsored travel is meant to help those
> that would like to attend GNOME related events but are unable to do so
> for financial reasons. All GNOME contributors are always encouraged to
> apply.
>
> The GNOME Travel Committee would ensure that all requests and
> reimbursements are handled in a timely and consistent manner.
>
> Two things in this email:
> 1) Proposal for a travel committee (with attached form - thanks to the
> GNOME.Asia planners for the first draft of the form!)
> 2) Proposal to change standard travel reimbursement policy to 85% of
> costs or total costs minus €200.
>
>
> == GNOME Travel Committee Proposal  ==
>
> Here's how the new travel committee would work. (Open to comments.)
> When a new event is planned:
>
> * The event planners will indicate to the travel committee what their
> travel budget is and if there are any special circumstances like
> invited speakers or a specific attendee that they would like to make sure comes.
> * The travel committee puts out a notice to the foundation-list
> announcing that they are now taking applications for travel assistance
> and stating a deadline for applications.
> * Developers who would like sponsored travel apply by filling out the
> application form (see attached form) and emailing to
> travel-list gnome org (not created yet.)
> * At the deadline, the travel committee will weigh in on all the applications.
> * Two weeks after the application deadline, the travel committee
> should notify all applicants of whether their travel has been approved
> for sponsorship or not, the amount of sponsorship, and point all
> approved applicants to the policy for reimbursement and the deadline
> for submitting expenses.
> * After the event, all sponsored developers should submit their travel
> reimbursement form with receipts within 2 weeks. (Receipts sent after
> this date may not be reimbursed and will definitely take more time to approve.)
> * Checks should be mailed within four weeks after the expenses deadline.
>
> == Travel Policy Proposal ==
>
> Travel reimbursement policy proposal. Currently, the GNOME
> Foundation's general policy is to reimburse travel and lodging. It has
> been proposed to have the sponsored travelers pay some of the costs.
> By doing so, people would be encouraged to spend money wisely and it
> would enable us to fund more people. Exceptions could always be made
> on a case by case basis (like maybe for students) or on an event basis
> (like for a particular hackfest.)
>
> Current policy: Transportation and lodging only.
>
> Proposed policy: Total transportation and lodging minus €200 or 15%
> (which ever is greater.) The amount to be agreed on before hand
> between the travel committee and the traveler. Documented on the
> application form.
>
> Please let us know your thoughts or if you'd like to help out on the
> travel committee.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Stormy
>
> --
> Stormy Peters
> Executive Director
> GNOME Foundation
>