Travel Grant Policy: These guidelines are in effect July 2024.

Principle:  We want to create an environment where members of the IS department are encouraged to take advantage of the academic opportunities at our two locations in Ithaca and at Cornell Tech. To encourage such interactions, academic-focused travel by Ph.D. students and faculty between the two campuses may be financially supported whenever there is a clear business purpose. This grant is intended for short term travel, i.e. 1–5 days, not for long term visits. 

Grants are intended for the following reasons:

  • Ph.D. student travels from one campus to another to network with prospective faculty advisors or committee members.
  • Ph.D. student with an advisor based at the other campus traveling to meet with their advisor/group.
  • Ph.D. student is enrolled in a Distance Learning core course and would like to attend a lecture at the other campus in person.
  • Ph.D. student traveling to the opposite campus for an academic related event hosted by a CIS faculty member.

The funding available to support Ph.D. travel is limited. The travel grant is being provided to help offset the cost of transportation, lodging and food while they are traveling and while they are staying at the opposite campus. The grant is a flat rate of $600 per trip; the limit for any one traveler is 2 trips per academic year. Subject to these limits, all travel in the above categories will be supported if funding is available. If funds for a particular semester run low, support for Ph.D. travel will be prioritized with preference to travelers who have not already been supported in that semester.

GRANTS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR:

  • Moving expenses
  • Non-Cornell hosted conference travel
  • Recreation

TRAVEL PLANNING PROCESS:

To ensure smooth and convenient travel, and to ensure funds are still available, arrangements/approval for trips should be made 2 weeks in advance. Trips taken without prior approval may be denied if funding has run low.

Process to Apply for IS Travel Funding:

Step 1: Fill out the Travel Support Application, obtain the host signature and email the completed form to Nicole Roy at is-phd@cornell.edu at least 2 weeks prior to your planned travel date. Students will receive a decision, via email, shortly after the request is received.  Please use the subject line: C2C Travel Grant Request.  An email confirmation from the host is also acceptable.  Please attach this to the application in one PDF before submitting the application. 

Step 2: Within 5 business days after your return to your home campus email the faculty host copying is-phd@cornell.edu asking the host to confirm your visit during the time you indicated on the form.  Please use the subject line:  C2C Travel Grant Host Confirmation.

Once the host confirmation email is received, students will receive an email acknowledgement and should expect the grant to be posted to their student Bursar account a few days after receiving this email.  Please be sure to enroll in the Bursar direct deposit to receive the grant promptly. 

ID Card Access for each campus:

Ithaca Students Going to Tech:

Your Ithaca student ID cards do not work at the Tech campus. The faculty person you are meeting with at Tech, must arrange with the Security Office at the Tech Campus for you to have access during your time at Tech.

You will need to coordinate this with the faculty person you are visiting at least 2 weeks in advance.

Long period access is only granted to students who change their campus location for at least a semester or longer. In this case, your Ithaca card will be collected at Tech and you will receive a Tech Campus ID card if you are switching campuses.

Tech Students Going to Ithaca:

Tech Student’s current ID cards should have been activated, to be used both in Ithaca and at Tech, when you were matriculated.

In Ithaca this access allows you to gain entry to Gates Hall after hours.  You also will have access to the PhD labs, offices and experiment rooms that are located on the 2nd floor.  There are hoteling desks reserved for visiting Tech Students in Gates 235 for your use while here.  Or please check with your host to see if they have space in their lab area to use desk space.  Please note, hoteling space is subject to change after the AY 2025 in Ithaca. 

If you arrive on campus and find your card is not working, please email is-phd@cornell.edu to alert us your card is not working. We will submit a trouble ticket to have this resolved. 

Please note card access request take 24 – 48 hours to be completed and are only dealt with on Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.  If you arrive on a Saturday, you may not have the issue resolved until the following Monday or Tuesday.

In emergencies, a temporary card may be borrowed from the Main office in 236 Gates Hall, Monday to Friday from 8am – 4:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please email these to is-phd@cornell.edu.