Funding summer travel before position starts

[presumptuous]

I'm wondering how people manage to pay for conferences the summer before they start a new job. Pay out of pocket? Ask the dean for money before the contract even starts? (But is that really bad form?) Any advice would be appreciated--clearly I didn't think to negotiate for this....

[hurryup]

Good question. I hope we get an answer because if someone says you can negotiate this in to an offer I may still have a chance.

[anonym]

I've been told that, short of moving expenses, you can't really negotiate for anything before the position officially starts - and if you have signed the contract already, then you are probably SOL for sure.

Of course, that could be wrong, or at least sometimes wrong. The soc job markets seems to be pretty "wild west", so I'd say it would not hurt to ask before hand. Then again, of all the things to negotiate for, is this really something to set as a high priority?

[hurryup]

Yah, I wouldn't advise anyone to start off negotiating for travel funds in the Summer before you start. I think it should be one of those last minute "Oh, by the way..." things. However, if you are already happy with what you have negotiated then what the hell, it can't hurt to ask.

[hrm]

I didn't know there were that many conferences held over the summer but I know some individuals who have new jobs have backed out of conference attendance since there is so much other stuff to worry about with moving and so forth. So if it isn't crucial for you to attend you could just not go this year. Or (you used the plural "conferences") limit your attendance and pay out of pocket.

If you haven't gotten an offer yet, you could certainly negotiate for it, but as someone else said this hardly seems like a priority negotiating item.

If you've already signed a contract, I don't think it would hurt to politely inquire (I would probably start by asking department colleagues and/or the chair - not the dean), particularly if attending the conference has demonstrable benefit to your professional development.

This also seems like something good to ask your faculty mentors about.

[another anon]

Your situation might be more straightforward and bureaucratic than you imagine.

My last two VAP positions came with full benefits, including a budget for travel to conferences. This was not a negotiating point, because the institutions had a standard policy for individual budgets. In each case the faculty handbook or personnel/accounting documents specified that travel must occur during the fiscal year -- in both cases from July 1 through June 30. Travel to ASA in August before the semester began was covered in both cases. I had to pay up front (which is also pretty standard) and submit receipts for reimbursement.

You didn't say if you have already accepted a position, or if it came with a travel budget. The Dean could/should have explained this during your interview (it should be a selling point, after all), and it would have been okay to ask if what their policy is. You can see if the institution's handbook or travel guidelines are posted online, or call the Dean's administrative assistant (or the human resources office) to ask for clarification.

Maybe I'm missing the point, and you want extra travel funds. If that's the case, it is probably too late to ask.

[anon123]

The last set of comments works if your official hire date is before the travel, but I think in many cases the hire date for people is after the ASA's. I suppose one might be able to turn the receipts in after you start and hope it works, but that doesn't seem guaranteed and may not work in all cases-especially at schools that require prior authorization. It looks like there is no obvious answer. I think you will just have to read your faculty handbook for loopholes and/or ask someone. I think if you tell your new department that you need travel funds for a conference that they may be more than happy to pay for it since you are now representing them. At the very least they may help offset some of the expenses. Let us know what happens.

[another anon]

The main point I was trying to make is that most institutions already have policies in place regarding these situations. You shouldn't be reluctant to find out what those are, and administrators shouldn't be offended by such an inquiry. (Travel reimbursements are a standard benefit given by the college/university, btw, not the department -- I wouldn't expect my new colleagues to direct any portion of their department budget towards my personal benefits package.)

In both of my cases my contract didn't officially begin until after ASA had ended, but the conference was still paid for. Your mileage might vary.

[metoo]

Here was my situation: my contract was set to start August 16, but ASA starts August 14, and I am presenting. I asked the department chair if there was some way that I could use my travel money to go to ASA, and he asked the dean, and they just bumped my official start date back to August 12 so I could use my travel money for ASA. It sounds like it really wasn't a big deal. It can't hurt to ask, especially if it's just a matter of a few days.

[tnrd]

metoo - That seems like a nice (and smart) thing for them to have done and good for you for requesting this change!

Generally speaking, if the contract date is later than the conference then there is nothing the institution can do, because they cannot reimburse you for travel before your affiliation with the institution.