Manual of Policies and Procedures for Student Affairs

Chapter 13 Student Travel

Chapter 13. Guidelines For Student Travel and Off-Campus Activities (Exceeding 25 miles)

The University of Texas at Tyler sponsors numerous off-campus activities involving student travel. The liability risk to the University for such activities is significant. To effectively manage these activities, the Office of Student Affairs has developed the following guidelines. For purposes of this document, the staff adviser, coordinator, director, coach, faculty member or other paid professional overseeing the off-campus activity shall be identified as the Responsible University Official (RUO). In this guideline the Chief Student Affairs Officer and the Office of International Programs Executive Director may refer to those persons or their designees. These guidelines apply to all student travel if the activity or event meets all of the following criteria and is undertaken by one or more currently enrolled students to reach an activity or event.
1. The activity or event is sponsored, organized and funded by UT Tyler.
2. The activity or event is located more than twenty-five (25) miles from UT Tyler.
3. The activity or event is either:
1. undertaken, using a vehicle owned, leased, or rented by the institution; or
2. attendance at the activity or event is required by a registered student organization and approved in writing by the Chief Student Affairs Officer.

International Travel:
A Request for Approval of Foreign Travel – Faculty/Staff Sponsored Student International Travel form must be completed and submitted to the Office of International Programs Executive Director at least 45 days in advance of travel. Mandatory registration with International SOS is required prior to travel for all faculty, staff and students traveling
internationally on university-sponsored trips. The RUO may refer to the Financial Services webpage at http://www.uttyler.edu/finserv/travelsos.php for information on how to obtain an International SOS membership card.

Guidelines:
The following guidelines have been extrapolated from The University of Texas System Business Procedures Memorandum 16-03-02, 16-05-02 and the POLICY ON STUDENT TRAVEL adopted by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, November 8, 2001, and apply to off-campus trips. All RUO’s must be familiar with these
documents.

Responsible University Official
At least one RUO must accompany students on any off-campus activity. RUO’s are responsible for knowing the University Code of Conduct and its policies. The consequences of noncompliance must be made clear to participants and the RUO must take appropriate action when aware that participants are in violation. RUO’s are trained annually  regarding this policy, the sexual harassment policy, ADA guidelines, and the University Code of Conduct. The forms to be completed referred to in this policy are located after the policy.
1. Pre-Trip Orientation
A pre-trip orientation meeting must be conducted for participants prior to the date of departure. Participants should be informed of as much detail about the trip and its circumstances as reasonably possible, including all known risks. Participants should also be informed of emergency response measures and conduct expectations (Appendix F).
2. Group Travel Authorization Request Form – Appendix A Domestic travel - complete and submit to the Chief Student Affairs Officer for approval at least two weeks prior to departure. International travel – complete and submit to the Office of International Programs Executive Director at least 45 days prior to departure.
3. If the trip is approved the RUO must complete the following paperwork and maintain a copy of these records throughout the trip in a manner that ensures immediate access to the information for each participant in case of an accident or health-related emergency. Copies of the necessary paperwork should also be left with the on-campus forms custodian (indicated on Appendix G). Originals of Appendix B and Appendix G must be submitted to Student  Affairs Office for Domestic travel at least one week prior to departure or to the Office of International Programs for International travel at least two weeks prior to departure.
4. A copy of Appendix A, Appendix B and Appendix G should be forwarded to the UT Tyler Police Department prior to departure.
5. Departmental Travel Authorization Travel authorization, payment and reimbursement processes required by a department or college are required in addition to these procedures.
6. Medical Insurance Students traveling on a University-sponsored overnight trip must have medical insurance. Student health insurance is available to students through Academic Health Plans at https://www.academichealthplans.com/uttyler/. Special Event Insurance is available for departments to purchase for uninsured students if necessary but must be purchased prior to the trip. NOTE: The Athletic Department provides secondary catastrophic athletic injury insurance for all student-athletes, but not health insurance. Student-athletes must secure their own primary health insurance which does not exclude athletic activities.
7. Weapons, Drugs, and Alcohol Use or possession of weapons, alcohol or illegal drugs is forbidden while traveling on a University-sponsored trip.
8. Departmental Equipment Departmental property must be cared for properly. Participants may be charged a replacement fee for lost or damaged equipment.
9. Drivers and Travel Using a Vehicle Owned or Leased All travel subject to this policy must be undertaken in vehicles owned, leased or rented by The University or with
common carriers. No personal vehicles are permitted for use in travel that is subject to this policy. Approval includes the driver being a University employee, having a valid operator’s license with a Motor Vehicle Record of 2 or less, and participating in instruction and hands-on training (15-passenger vans only). Drivers of motor vehicles shall comply with all laws, regulations, and posted signs regarding speed and traffic control, or additional directives stipulated by UT Tyler or the UT System. If University-owned vehicles are available, they should be used for trips within a 60-mile radius of UT Tyler. All other trips must be booked through the UT Tyler contracted rental company or a charter bus company. All forms must be completed and all guidelines followed whether travel is in University-owned vehicles, rental vehicles, chartered bus, or other common carrier.
10. Vehicle Determination and Passenger Capacity The distance to the destination and/or the number of participants needing transportation determines the type of
transportation to be used. Each vehicle using University employees as drivers should attempt to have two certified drivers. However, when a trip exceeds 350 miles one way two certified drivers per vehicle are required. On long trips, drivers should rotate every three hours*, and no more than eight hours of driving should be completed during any one day. No more than twelve (12) people plus gear, luggage or other items may be loaded in any one 15-passenger van. In all other vehicles, the total number of passengers may not exceed the manufacture’s recommended capacity or the number specified in applicable federal or state law or regulations, whichever is lower. Passengers should be seated toward the front of the van in recognized seating with gear, luggage and other items distributed evenly in the rear behind the last seat. On trips where the number of participants and available drivers preclude the use of 15-passenger vans, a chartered bus or mini-bus should be used. When a trip exceeds 450 miles one way and/or require driving after 11:00 p.m., professional drivers must be contracted. *There may be occasions when, in the best judgment of the RUO, circumstances such as weather, road
construction, sleep deprivation of drivers, unsafe operation of vehicle by drivers, etc., would make this rotation unsafe. Such decisions should be documented in writing by the RUO to the Chief Student Affairs Officer after returning to campus.
11. Seat Belts Occupants of motor vehicles (except charter buses) must use seat belts or other approved safety restraint devices at all times when the vehicle is in operation.
12. Liability Insurance Drivers of all motor vehicles must check to make sure that the vehicle has a current proof of liability insurance card, State inspection certification, be equipped with all safety devices or equipment required by law or regulation and comply with all other applicable requirements of federal or State law or regulations before departing from campus.
13. Periodic Maintenance Each vehicle owned or leased by UT Tyler must be subject to scheduled periodic maintenance by qualified persons and comply with all applicable requirements of The University of Texas System Business Procurement Memoranda.
14. Emergency Procedures The RUO must implement the following procedures in the event of an emergency:
For University-owned vehicles:
Accident:
o Notify local authorities @ 911.
o Notify UT Tyler Police @ 903-566-7300 who will notify the Director of Environmental Health & Safety.
o Leave a cellular phone number with the dispatcher.
o Refer to BPM 16-03-02 for Post-Accident Claims Procedures. Mechanical Breakdown:
o Notify the dispatcher in the UT Tyler Police Dept. @ 903-566-7300 who will notify the Director of Environmental Health & Safety.
o Leave a cellular phone number for someone to call you back.
o Do not attempt to make repairs, including changing a tire. Wait for the Director of Environmental Health & Safety or UT Tyler Police to call and confirm roadside assistance to the breakdown location.
For rental vehicles:
Accident:
o Notify local authorities @ 911.
o Call the 800 number provided by the rental company.
o Refer to BPM 16-03-02 for Post-Accident Claims Procedures
o Notify the UT Tyler Police dispatcher @ 903-566-7300.
o Leave a cellular phone number for someone to call you back.
Mechanical Breakdown:
o Call the 800 number provided by the rental company.
o Call UT Tyler Police (903-566-7300) if assistance is needed.

15. Monitoring When any incident occurs, i.e. accident, mechanical failure, medical emergency, code of conduct violation, etc., the RUO must call his/her supervisor as soon as is feasibly possible. The supervisor will notify the Chief Student Affairs Officer or Office of International Programs Executive Director. A meeting must be called as soon as feasibly possible after returning from the trip to investigate the incident. For medical emergencies or conduct violations, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or Office of International Programs Executive Director will contact Environmental Health and Safety and UT Tyler Police when appropriate.
16. Side Trips/Early and Late Departures Non-University business side trips, such as a trip for entertainment purposes, must be planned and approved in advance. Trips to known high-risk areas will not be approved and must not be undertaken. Spontaneous activities, while on the primary trip, such as going to a local movie or special restaurant, shall be at the discretion of the RUO. Students traveling on University funded trips must arrive at and depart the site at the same time as the advisers. The RUO’s immediate supervisor and the Chief Student Affairs Officer or Office of International Programs Executive Director must approve any exceptions to this policy.
17. Parental Permission Form – Appendix H (Intercollegiate Athletics Only) This form must be completed by the student-athlete’s parent or legal guardian and returned to the Director of Athletics prior to the student-athlete’s first practice.

 

All forms and appendicies related to this policy are available via pdf. 

Revised: 8/12/2014