07:02:02

TRAVEL: Student/Group/Abroad

 

Please refer to Tennessee Board of Regents Policy 4:03:03:50 Athletic and Other Group Travel

All travel must comply with Policy 07:02:02, Student/Group Travel.  This policy applies to all student/groups not traveling under individual travel authorization.

Pellissippi State Technical Community College recognizes the benefits of off-campus student/group travel in conjunction with academic, co-curricular, and university sponsored programs.  Pellissippi State Technical Community College also acknowledges the need for certain regulations and procedures to promote safety, maximize educational value, manage risk, minimize liability, and enable appropriate response in times of crisis.

Pellissippi State Technical Community College will assume no liability for unscheduled and/or unauthorized student/group travel.  Authorized travel requires that all college and/or state travel forms be completed and approved prior to travel.  Approval by the President, or his/her designee, is required for any travel involving students.

This policy applies to all student/group travel in conjunction with official college sponsored activities, and registered student organizations, including but not limited to instructional field trips, college-recognized club or organization activities, music and athletic events, student/group travel abroad to conferences, workshops, and programs sponsored or endorsed by the College.  This policy governs the following:

·      Activities or events sponsored and/or funded by the College.

·      Travel by student organizations registered at the College.

·      Travel required by academic departments as part of fulfilling requirements for completion of a class or extra credit.

This policy and the associated student travel procedures are considered the minimum required for authorized, organized student travel.  Departments, classes, and/or student organizations may mandate additional standards as deemed necessary to address the unique requirements associated with a particular type of organized student travel.  The faculty or club advisor should submit proposals for such additional standards to the appropriate Academic Department Dean or the Director of Student Life and Recreation.

All students/groups must be accompanied by a member of the faculty or a college staff employee (sponsor) regardless of the mode of travel.  The designated faculty or staff member is responsible for compliance with this policy.

I.             Field Trips

Faculty will receive approval from their Academic Department Dean and club advisors/sponsors will receive approval from Director of Student Life and Recreation at least ten (10) working days prior to the field trip.  Faculty/club advisors are responsible for making all trip preparations, including transportation.

If students will miss classes, the faculty/club advisor should submit a list of students' names, classes to be missed, and the instructors of those classes to the department secretary.  The department secretary will inform the students' instructors of the absences and request an allowance for students to make up missed work.

All students participating in a field trip must complete a Hold Harmless Agreement form (see Required Documentation) and submit the form to the faculty/club advisor who will maintain the forms.

Individual departmental or group travel may have further requirements for approval of student/group travel.

Various modes of transportation may be required for student/group travel.  Each mode of transportation requires that common and mode-specific safety precautions (e.g. seatbelts in use) be used at all times.  In addition to following applicable local, state and federal laws and using sound judgment when traveling, students and college personnel must follow the procedures associated with this policy according to the specific mode of travel involved.  Travel conditions must be considered prior to departure on any travel involving students.

II.          Student/Sponsor Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the College department, registered student organization, academic program, College employee, etc, that sponsors the organized student/group travel to assure compliance with policy and procedures.  If an individual student travels under this policy, a college employee (sponsor) must assume the responsibility for compliance with the policy and procedures.

The sponsor must advise students of rules and regulations regarding conduct during the trip including, but not limited to, hotel curfew and responsibility for obligations, purchases or damages incurred by the students/group.  Students will be subject to enforcement of the Pellissippi State Technical Community College Student Code of Conduct and local, state, and federal laws at all times while traveling.  The sponsor must report any disciplinary issue to the Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management immediately.

III.        Required Documentation

The President or an authorized designee of the president must authorize all official student/group travel in advance.  A Request for Travel Approval form must be submitted for approval no less than 10 working days prior to the date of departure.  Faculty or staff sponsor should maintain the Hold Harmless Agreement forms.

A.     Itinerary.  The sponsor must provide appropriate trip information to all students traveling.

B.     Hold Harmless Agreement Form.  All student/group travelers must complete a Hold Harmless Agreement form verifying they understand and accept the risks involved in participating in the travel activity and assume responsibility for their behavior, applicable emergency information, etc.

C.     Minority Age Students.  Student/groups under the age of eighteen (18) must have a Hold Harmless Agreement form signed by their parent or legal guardian.

D.     Volunteer Agreement Form.  All Pellissippi State Technical Community College volunteers traveling with student/groups must execute a volunteer agreement form prior to travel.  Volunteers must be prepared to show all required information.  Completed agreements must be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources for approval.

E.      Medical Coverage.  Pellissippi State Technical Community College assumes no responsibility for medical coverage of student travelers.  It is recommended that each student, staff, or faculty member have their own medical and accident insurance.  Any costs not covered by insurance will be the responsibility of the traveler.  Insured travelers must carry their insurance cards with them on the trip.

F.      Unapproved Expenses.  Any unapproved travel-related expense incurred by the traveler is the responsibility of the traveler.  Students must be informed that the College assumes no responsibility for providing student/groups with funds in case of unanticipated delays or other incidents, which may require additional expenditures.  Reimbursement for emergency circumstances may be considered.

IV.       Modes of Travel

A.     Vehicles Owned, Leased, Rented or Borrowed by the College.  All drivers operating College owned, rented, leased or borrowed vehicles as part of organized student/group travel must:

1.      be a full or part-time faculty or staff member, or student employee,

2.      possess a valid Tennessee or other state driver’s license,

3.      possess an acceptable driving record, and

4.      be approved in accordance with the policy and procedures.

If an individual who meets the above criteria has any driving offense occur after receiving approval to drive, the offense must be reported immediately.

B.     Privately-Owned Vehicles.  Drivers of privately-owned vehicles must have a valid Tennessee or other state driver’s license and possess personal automobile insurance coverage as mandated by the State of Tennessee, and their vehicle must have a current registration.  The driver and all passengers must complete a Hold Harmless Agreement form when driving or being transported in a privately-owned vehicle.  The owner, driver and passengers of private cars assume liability in the event of accidents.

C.     Commercial Travel. Students traveling by commercial transportation, whether domestic or international, must comply with all laws regulating travel and the rules of the specific carrier.

V.          Safety Requirements

Drivers and passengers must act responsibly and use sound judgment when traveling.  Further, drivers must:

A.     Obey all traffic laws and regulations, including posted speed limits.

B.     Not drive under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs or transport or possess alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, unauthorized firearms or other types of weapons as indicated in the Code of Conduct.

C.     Wear seat belts at all times.  The number of occupants in the vehicle must not exceed the number of seat belts.

D.     Not exceed the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended load capacity (see owner manuals for specific instructions.)

E.      Avoid horseplay, racing or other distracting or aggressive behavior.

VI.       Travel Abroad

In addition to the preceding requirements (III A & B), departments, units, and student organizations sponsoring organized travel outside the United States are responsible for assuring that no State Department Travel Advisory restricts travel by U.S. citizens to the destination country.  Specific information on international travel safety procedures, etc. may be obtained through the following link: U.S. State Department: A Safe Trip Abroad.

When traveling abroad, not every contingency can be anticipated.  However, planning is the key to enabling the student and sponsors traveling to respond appropriately.  Please refer to Travel Abroad Procedures (see links below).

VII.     Procedures

Student/Group Travel Procedures

International Program Proposal Guidelines and Travel Abroad Procedures

 

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, February 07, 2005

Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Staff, September 3, 2008

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, September 3, 2008

Editorial Changes, May 15, 2009