GAS REIMBURSEMENT

Original Query from Sara Hardman, Lifelong Learning Institute, Bard College, New York
At Bard we are wondering if any groups have been compensating presenters for mileage/gas in light of increased costs. We have several presenters who have asked us to do this and we are studying the problem. We would appreciate your thoughts, suggestions and ideas. Thanks!

From Trish O’Leary, ILR, Albertus Magnus College, CT
Our ILR at Albertus Magnus in New Haven has not done this yet, but given the ever-rising gas prices, you have given us something to talk about as we plan for the fall. I believe the business world reimburses (or used to) at 38 cents a mile.

From George Kaplan, LLI, Manassas, VA
For the last two years we paid mileage in only one instance for a speaker some 90+ mile away. Since gas prices were moderate before I doubt if mileage paid except for similar circumstance.

From Lynn Lagreid, Creative Retirement Institute, Edmonds Community College, WA
At this time we are not providing gas reimbursement for speakers or instructors. We have not had any requests.

From Monica Hughes, LLI, Chesterfield, VA
Funny you should ask….. We are having the same discussion here at LLI Chesterfield. Would love to hear what you find out and I will share with you what we come up with.

From Patricia Szezepanski, OLLI, University of Pittsburgh, PA
We do not reimburse for gas and in fact, so far have not been asked. Parking is a bigger issue with us. We have validated parking for speakers who do not receive an honorarium. We are centrally located and are easily accessible by public transportation. From Jon Neidy, ILR, Bradley University, Peoria, IL We do reimburse for mileage at the current university rate for instructors who are driving from out of town.

From Connie Dawe, ILR, Kellogg Community College, MI
The Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) at Kellogg Community College recently discussed this very question. The Board of Directors for the ILR voted to allow instructors who travel over 15 miles one way and live outside of the city limits to be paid mileage at the rate of regular college travel. We did discuss the fact that in paying travel, the cost of the classes would need to be increased to cover those additional costs. The Board felt that this action was necessary in order to keep the level of instruction consistent within the ILR. The Board also had the language read that it is possible for the instructor (presenter) to be paid, not that the individual MUST be paid.

From Lucy Kline, Brevard ElderLearning
Florida Brevard ElderLearning in Florida has - for some years now - always given an honorarium or made a donation to charity of choice, to thank our speakers. Only one gentleman last year felt the distance he had to drive was "costly" so instead of "donation" we gave him the honorarium. So we really haven't run into that problem - - yet.

From Dee Miller, Senior College, Bridgton, ME
Regarding the question from Bard: Here in little Bridgton, Maine we give $30.00 gift certificates to our local bookstore. (Most of our presenters live in the general area.) This fall, we have agreed to pay expenses for two presenters who live some great distance away. Since these are specialists in their fields we though it was worth it. I don't think we'll going to make that widely known since we believe strongly that out presenters should not be paid.

From Joseph Harris, Washington Georgia Chapter LIR, Inc.
Yes. We have always compensated for mileage.

From John Phillips, LIFE Program, Laramie CC, Cheyenne, WY
In Cheyenne, WY we are also considering gas compensating. We have some Profs who come from about 60 miles away. They have not asked us, but we feel they should be compensated.

From Joan Ray, Stockton Institute for Continued Learning, CA
We have a speaker program as part of our campus lifelong learning program which also includes classes, tours, and social activities. I have a budget of $500 per year to cover speaker expenses and also a budget of $500 to cover curriculum expenses which includes making copies for speakers and classes. Campus provides free room and audio visual services provides free use of equipment if needed. If a speaker has a government or corporate car and can submit the mileage as a usual expense, we do not reimburse. If the speaker lives close by we do not reimburse. Close by is defined as within 15 – 20 miles - nearby adjacent towns. If they come further than that we reimburse at whatever the campus reimbursement rate is at that time - IRS rate. If they have the time, we also treat speakers to lunch at our campus Student Chef, which has delectable food; that cost is usually about $10 per person. So far we've been lucky to have all our speakers volunteer their time and knowledge.

From Wallace Bratt, Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI
In regard to gas reimbursement: We do not give gas reimbursement to presenters who live in our city. However, we have for some years already given such reimbursement to presenters who live in other cities. We ask for their mileage, and pay them accordingly. From Janette Brown, Emerti College, University of S. California, Los Angeles At the USC Emeriti College, we reimburse all of our presenters $75. It is costly, but it is part of our community service. The speaker sites normally pay $100 for a speaker.

From Maurine Nelson, Adult Learners Institute, Chelsea, Michigan
Regarding BARD and gas reimbursement -- no, we don't reimburse instructors for anything. Their contribution is all voluntary. From Janice (Admin. Asst.), SOAR, SUNY Potsdam, NY Rene-Paul is the current Board Chair. I am going to add that our Presenters are volunteer. Since they do not receive pay they probably will not think in terms of compensation for gas usage, rather they will agree or not to teach according to their own resources. Some of us have been wondering if the increase in petrol costs will act to reduce enrollment. One person has pointed out that with increasing travel costs individuals may be looking more and more to local social activities.

From Rene-Paul, SOAR, SUNY Potsdam, NY
In my opinion, we will not start any reimbursement of gas or mileage. It will start a long term and eternal problem. I know that it is becoming a concern for all of us, but we still have room for individually handled the issue.

From June Kreutzkampf, University for Seniors, University of Minnesota, Duluth
University of MN Duluth has not been giving money for gasoline for "locals", but for some of the presenters in the Sept. (beginnings) meetings we have given a stated amount--i.e., $100 for whatever the distance--like a stipend, not the cost. From Anita Dittrich, Mankato Area Lifelong Learners, Minnesota Mankato Area Lifelong Learners (formerly known as MSU for Seniors) DO offer Gas Reimbursement (at the current mileage/reimbursement rate) to lecturers who come from out of town, we cover course costs up to $35, but we do NOT pay the lecturers anything else.

From Marvin Schlaffer, OLLI, Rutgers University, New Jersey
OLLI RU has a policy to reimburse instructors who teach at our satellites at the rate of .31 cents per mile(University policy).Not all those qualified apply.

From Helen Ueberbacher, LIR, Stamford, CT
LIR at Sacred Heart U. in Stamford has decided to add a gasoline bonus to honorariums - for those lecturers who travel from other towns.

From SLU (Society for Learning Unlimited), Beloit College, Beloit, WI
We have not reimbursing any presenters as of yet, but we are carpooling for some classes and making a small donation to them for the gas. We realize this maybe in the future as many of our presenters come from out of town.

From Sheila Place, Academy for Lifelong Learning, Cape Cod, MA
We at the Academy For Lifelong Learning have had this question arise, and our board has decided not to reimburse mileage at this time. All of our off campus sites are on Cape Cod, and although that can still mean a fair amount of driving, we felt this was a "slippery slope" We'd be interested in hearing what others are doing.

From Claudia Boles, Lifelong Learning, Anderson College, SC
Yes, We’ve reimbursed for years if course leaders have asked for it. From LIR, Jefferson City, MO Learning in Retirement, Inc. in Jefferson City, Missouri has always reimbursed presenters who come here from out of town.

From ILR, Old Dominion University, VA
The subject has not come up with our institute but it certainly is a dilemma. I would possibly pay mileage for people coming from out of town or more than let say 50 miles. I hope our impute helps with your decision. I would like to know what you decide in case we face the same situation.

From Pat Mielke, SPARK, UMKC, Kansas City, MO
It, perhaps, will become a great problem. But how do you give to one and not to all. Therefore, distance is not the issue. Cutting the cost of classes, if possible, may help. The question is: Are they interested enough to take classes? We are all going to have to cut back somewhere. Where do we put our priorities? This may be a bigger issue in more rural areas where alternate transportation is not as available as the metropolitan areas.

From Janet St. Laurent, Adventures in Learning, Colby-Sawyer College, NH
The Adventures in Learning program offers $.40 per mile to our study group leaders who travel 30 miles or more one way. They must submit a request to receive the compensation.

From Joe Krause, WALLA, (Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association)
Purdue University, IN WALLA, (Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association) affiliated with Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana only pays for out-of-town presenters. We pay whatever the mileage rate is at Purdue University.