Cornell University will soon be changing its corporate travel card providers from Diners Club and American Express to US Bank. The new US Bank Travel Card is a VISA product. Many of the benefits offered by the US Bank card are comparable to those offered by Diners Club and American Express.
During the week of February 6, letters were sent to the home addresses (the address on file with Payroll) of all current Diners Club and American Express cardholders. The letter states that their current Diners/American Express card will be canceled after March 30, 2012, and that they must accept or decline the new US Bank card online.
Note: The online confirmation is only available to current cardholders. See a copy of the letter sent to cardholders.
Any current cardholder who has not accepted or declined the US Bank Travel Card by February 15 will also receive a reminder e-mail.
We have been informed by Diners Club that they are not currently accepting new personal Diners Club applications. The moratorium on new applications is due to the shift of data from Citibank to the Bank of Montreal. Any current Diners Club cardholders who are interested in applying for a new personal Diners Club account may e-mail Credit Card Programs for an update on the availability of those applications.
The corporate travel card is a personal liability credit card that is used for the payment of business-related expenses. The bill is sent directly to the cardholder, and he or she is responsible for remitting payment directly to the financial institution. The card has certain benefits that have been negotiated by the university. For example, there is no annual fee. (Please see the Card Highlights Chart.)
Cornell University faculty or staff members are eligible to apply for a corporate travel card if they meet all of the following criteria:
Note: If you have only an occasional need to pay for business-related expenses, contact your unit manager, because other payment options may be available.
To apply for a corporate travel card, use the application form. After the applicant completes his or her portion, the supervisor will sign and attest to the applicant's eligibility. The unit business manager or chair may then approve the form and send it to the Office of Credit Card Programs, which will perform a final review and submit it to the financial institution. The applicant will receive the card approximately two weeks from the date that Credit Card Programs receives the application.
The financial institution may refuse to issue a card or limit the amount of credit available based on their evaluation of the applicant's credit worthiness. In any case, the financial institution will contact the applicant directly. Cards are mailed directly to the applicant at the billing address specified on his or her application.
Although the corporate travel card is a personal liability, the cardholder's agreement with the financial institution requires that purchases and cash advances be for business-related expenses only.
The corporate travel card offers several benefits. For example, cash access, no annual fee, rental car insurance, and baggage insurance. The following information outlines the benefits of the card:
The corporate travel card is a personal liability, and it is the cardholder's responsibility to pay each monthly statement by the due date indicated on the statement, even when on an extended trip. If a corporate travel card bill is due before the time the cardholder will return from his or her trip, then the cardholder should request a cash advance from the university. (For information on cash advances and the reimbursement of business expenses, please see University Policy 3.2, University Travel.)
Caution: The financial institution will assess late fees to any account that is not paid on time. (Late fees will not be reimbursed by the university.) Accounts not paid by the due date of the second statement will have the cash access feature removed. Accounts with a balance that is past due by 90 days will be closed by the financial institution.
Cardholders may access their US Bank accounts and view transactions online at https://access.usbank.com. Select Register Online. Note that our "Organization Short Name" is cornel (yes, just one L) and this is not case sensitive. You will be asked for information related to your account (account number, card expiration date, address, etc.), and you will create a user name and password. If you have any difficulties, please contact Credit Card Programs at 255-4548 or 255-5039.
Cardholders may choose to make a single payment or set up recurring payments online via US Bank’s Access Online. (Cardholders will first need to register. See Online Access above.)
Once registered, log into your account. From the main menu (on the left side of screen), select "Account Information," followed by "Statement." From the center/bottom of screen, click the “Pay Electronically” button. You will then be prompted to enter information on the personal bank account from which you wish to make the payment(s).
| Event | Cardholder | Current Unit Business Manager |
New Unit Business Manager |
Office of Credit Card Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardholder no longer eligible (i.e., change of responsibilities) |
Pay your corporate travel card bill in full. |
Contact the Office of Credit Card Programs and request account closure. |
N/A | Notify financial institution of account closure. |
| Cardholder transfers to a new unit within the university. |
|
Contact the Office of Credit Card Programs and request suspension of account. | Contact the Office of Credit Card Programs and request account closure or reinstatement based on employee's current eligibility for a card. |
Notify financial institution of account suspension, account closure, or reinstatement. |
| Cardholder terminates employment or retires from the university. |
Pay your corporate travel card bill in full. |
Contact the Office of Credit Card Programs and request account closure. |
N/A | Notify financial institution of account closure. |
Note: The corporate travel cardholder may close his or her account at any time by contacting the issuing financial institution directly.
If a card is ever lost or stolen, it is essential that the cardholder contact the financial institution immediately, so that the account can be shut down. A new card, with a new account number, will be mailed to the cardholder.
Since the corporate travel card is a personal liability, in most cases the cardholder will contact the financial institution directly for inquiries or changes to the account. For example, if the cardholder's name or address changes, he or she should contact the financial institution to request the change. Cardholders may also close the corporate travel card account at any time by contacting the financial institution.
The financial institution will close any corporate travel card account not used within a 24-month period.
If the university is held liable for charge(s) to a corporate travel card incurred after a cardholder is no longer in the service of the university, the unit that employed the cardholder will be responsible for paying those charges.
These definitions apply to the terms used in reference to Cornell's Corporate Travel Cards.
| Business Expenses |
Goods or services that foster or support the ongoing missions of the university, which, based on University Policy 3.14, Business Expenses, may be charged to a university account. Some examples related to business travel are transportation, lodging, and meals. |
|---|---|
| Corporate Travel Card |
A personal liability credit card that is used primarily for the payment of business travel expenses, and that has been obtained by a university employee through a contract between Cornell University and a financial institution. |
| Financial Institution |
The issuer of the corporate travel card - Diners Club, Citibank. |
| University | Cornell University |
| You | The person applying for and using the corporate travel card. |
