POLICY PURPOSE:

This policy establishes rules governing student travel to ensure adequate university oversight, quality and consistency, and the ability of the University to communicate and respond appropriately in the event of a problem or emergency.

POLICY APPLIES TO (Persons affected by):

The Policy applies to all students, staff and faculty who participate in domestic or international university-sanctioned travel.

DEFINITIONS:

Coordinating Administrator is the person assigned by the Sponsoring Department to be responsible for planning and overseeing the Travel Program. This may include department support staff, instructors, faculty, professional staff and advisors. A Responsible Administrator may be a Coordinating Administrator.

Domestic Travel is any travel within the United States and its territories.

Higher Risk Travel: Travel to or from any destination determined to be higher risk by the TRC based on U.S. State Department Travel Advisories, insurance company information, and any other information pertaining to elevated risk of harm to travelers from the U.S., and any Travel Program, international or domestic, that involves higher-risk activities (e.g., mountaineering, SCUBA, spelunking, small plane or helicopter transportation, etc.).

International Travel is any travel other than Domestic Travel, i.e., to a destination not within the United States and its territories.

Primary Backup Person is the person designated by the Coordinating Administrator to be on call 24 hours a day during the Trip. The Primary Backup Person is not on the trip. The Primary Backup Person will have a copy of the roster and itinerary and must have a full understanding of the Travel Program/University Emergency Plan.

Responsible Administrator is the senior staff person, such as a department chair or director, overseeing the travel program for the Sponsoring Department.

Sponsoring Department is the department or unit within the University that is organizing, administering, and/or financially supporting the Travel Program.

Student Travel: All Travel Programs in which students are included as travelers, not including domestic Athletic Team Travel. Student clubs and organizations, Outdoor Pursuits, students sponsored by academic departments, and intramural sports clubs are subject to this policy and the related procedures.

Third-Party Travel Organization (TPO): An organization that provides lodging, programming, and/or other services to a student group while traveling internationally.

Travel Program: Any plan for Student Travel organized and sponsored by a university department, group, faculty member or other official, including extracurricular programs that utilize funding from or are sponsored by CSU Pueblo.

Travel Review Committee (TRC): A committee comprised of the Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management, the Assistant Dean of Student Support and Advocacy, the Dean of Students, a faculty member who travels internationally with students, and any other members or individuals deemed appropriate from time to time. The TRC makes recommendations to the Vice President of Student Affairs or, for academic programs, to the Provost, concerning each Travel Program including considerations of safety, logistics, preparedness, in-country resources, and any other matters pertinent to the approval of the Travel Program.

Trip Leader: Any CSU Pueblo employee or who is responsible for preparing the student group before the trip and accompanying the group on the trip in a role that includes responsibility as outlined below.

POLICY:

1. All Student Travel must be approved by the Sponsoring Department in advance of the trip and before making any financial or contractual commitments. Prior travel approval ensures that the Sponsoring Department approves of the activity; funds are available for reimbursement of expenses when applicable; travel is allowable with the funding source; and any staff, faculty, or organization advisor with benefits is covered under workers compensation insurance when applicable.
   
   
2. Each Travel Program must be organized and overseen by a Coordinating Administrator. The Coordinating Administrator must have the trip approved by the applicable Responsible Administrator prior to notifying any students about the availability of a Travel Program. The Coordinating Administrator, in conjunction with the Sponsoring Department, is responsible for managing all financial arrangements and obligations for each Travel Program as well as for ensuring that any fundraising for the program complies with applicable university procedures including Financial Procedure Instructions 5-1 and 5-1-IT for International Travel.
   
   
3. Each Travel Program must be approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs, or, for academically-related programs, the Provost.
   
   
4. Each Travel Program must have at least one Trip Leader approved by the Responsible Administrator. The Sponsoring Department will utilize best practices for their industry to determine the ratio of Trip Leaders to students; groups including more than 15 student travelers should have at least two Trip Leaders. All International Travel Programs must include at least two Trip Leaders. Exceptions to this requirement must be reviewed by the Travel Review Committee and approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Provost, based on the circumstances and risks involved (e.g., conference presentations with a faculty member and one student would likely be sufficient).
   
   
5. A student must be in good standing to participate in Student Travel. Students’ standing will be vetted through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS) prior to participation in a Travel Program. Coordinating Administrators will submit a list of students participating in the Travel Program to the OSCCS for review prior to accepting any funds from a student for travel and no less than one week in advance of the planned trip. The Responsible Administrator will determine student eligibility for travel based on the information provided by OSCCS.
   
   
6. All international travelers (including those going to Mexico and Canada) must have a valid passport in advance of the travel date. This can take time, so travelers are cautioned to apply for a passport several months in advance. Travelers holding a foreign passport may be required to obtain visas for specific destinations. If these documents are not in order, the traveler will not be permitted to travel. Refunds may not be available, depending on the travel arrangements.
   
   
7. Insurance: All students traveling internationally must have medical insurance. All students traveling abroad will be covered by travel and medical insurance procured by the University, for which the student pays a fee. Students may elect to obtain additional coverage on their own.
   
   
8. Each Travel Program involving International Travel and/or Higher-Risk Travel must be reviewed by the TRC. The TRC will make recommendations to the Provost as to approval of the proposed Travel Program and any particular conditions or concerns to consider. All travelers must acknowledge and accept the risks on the Release of Liability Form.
   
   
9. Student Conduct:
   • Any incident of misconduct may result in the dismissal of the student participant from the Travel Program and subject the student to disciplinary action. Failure to attend meetings prior to travel as required can be grounds for dismissal from the Travel Program.
   • The possession or use of illegal substances by any trip participant will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the Travel Program.
   • Any student removed from a Travel Program will be required to return home at their own expense via the method determined by the Responsible Administrator in consultation with the Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management.
   • CSU Pueblo policies and procedures, including the Code of Student Conduct, will apply to all travelers during the entire trip. Non-compliance with any university policy, federal, national, state or local law, or other applicable rules may result in disciplinary or administrative actions up to and including expulsion from the University.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsible Administrator

1. Each Responsible Administrator is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy within their department and approving all Travel Programs that are sponsored, managed, or conducted under the auspices of that department.
   
   
2. The Responsible Administrator, acting under the guidance of policies and procedures of the Sponsoring Department, may establish restrictions, or an absolute prohibition, concerning alcohol consumption during the trip. Students on a trip are still under the jurisdiction of the Student Code of Conduct.

Coordinating Administrator

The Coordinating Administrator will ensure that:

1. A list of students’ names, mobile phone numbers, and emergency contact information must be collected and kept with the Trip Leaders for the duration of the trip.
   
   
2. A copy of these documents must be provided to the Responsible Administrator and the TRC.
   
   
3. A copy of the roster, itinerary, and contact information of the Primary Backup person/Coordinating Administrator and or Responsible Administrator must also be kept with the Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management and the Dean of Students, and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. This information must be submitted using the online form.
   
   
4. When developing the Travel Program, Coordinating Administrators must consider the complications that could arise and develop contingency plans in advance. Examples include: a student needs to leave early because of a personal emergency; a student violates established rules, including the Student Code of Conduct; weather or transportation causing delays or cancellations.
   
   
5. The Coordinating Administrator is responsible for facilitating reasonable disability accommodations, to the extent practicable, for a traveler who is an individual with a disability. The individual is expected to communicate with the Coordinating Administrator well in advance and to take primary responsibility for arranging any accommodations needed outside of the United States.
   
   
6. The Coordinating Administrator must complete the online form to report to the University’s Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management (or their designee) the dates, times and addresses of the hotels (with room numbers when assigned) or spaces rented by the institution. If a TPO is tasked with arranging for lodging and space rentals, the name and contact information of the TPO must be reported.

Trip Leaders

1. Trip Leaders, in conjunction with the Coordinating Administrator, must host an orientation to establish expectations, develop skills, and clarify rules and remind students about University Policies for the Travel Program.
   
   
2. Trip Leaders must have access to emergency phone numbers to reach the necessary University personnel.
   
   
3. Trip Leaders must inform students of the sleeping arrangements in advance and approve of roommate selection and sleeping space. Trip Leaders will do their best to accommodate individual preferences for overnight lodging situations. Trip Leaders must not share rooms with student travelers.
   
   
4. Trip Leaders are to stay in close proximity and be readily available to student participants. In the case of home stays or accommodations in a local residence, Trip Leaders and students are to stay in the same community.
   
   
5. Trip Leaders, together with the Sponsoring Department, must establish and communicate to the student participants the expectations regarding independent student activities during any free time on the trip. Expectations of “official” and “personal time” will be designated prior to the trip. Students must follow the Trip Leaders’ instructions regarding independent activities. Students are under the jurisdiction of the Student Conduct Code at all times during the trip.
   
   
6. The Trip Leader must report to the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards (or their designee) any student conduct matter or other student behavioral concern that arises on a trip. Any matters concerning a potential violation of Title IX must be immediately reported to the Office of Institutional Equity. Conduct issues must be reported to the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards within 24 hours of the issue occurrence using the University Incident Reporting Form.

Students

1. Students assume primary responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing while traveling and are expected to behave in a way that is socially acceptable and respectful of the rights of others. Students must remove themselves from any situation or behaviors that endanger their safety or the safety of others, obstruct the Travel Program, or reflect badly on the University.
   
   
2. All students and employees, including faculty members, traveling with students internationally or to higher risk destinations for academic or extracurricular CSU Pueblo purposes must register their travel with the TRC.
   
   
3. No student is permitted to leave the group during scheduled activity or class sessions, and no student will be left behind during a trip unless appropriate arrangements are made for the safety of that student.
   
   
4. If illness detains a student during travel, arrangements will be made to leave an appropriate Trip Leader or designee with the student until they are transferred to care or returned home.
   
   
5. Students involved in university-sanctioned travel, whether supervised or unsupervised, are required to:

• Abide by international, national, state and local laws as well as the policies and procedures of CSU Pueblo, including the Student Code of Conduct, and directions from Trip Leaders and administrators.
• Respect the rights of others and to refrain from any conduct which may obstruct the mission of the University or lead to the endangerment of any person.
• Attend all scheduled events and activities. Permission to leave the group must be received from the Coordinating Administrator or designated Trip Leaders once all scheduled events and activities have concluded.
• Arrive on time at all scheduled activities and events as indicated by school representatives and/or distributed itinerary.
• Be responsible for all expenses they personally incur beyond what is authorized by the University.
• Be financially responsible for any damages or loss to property that result from their misuse of such property, e.g., damages to hotel rooms, theft of hotel linen, etc.
• Follow lodging policies, including, but not limited to, the number of guests permitted in a room.
• Follow the CSU Pueblo Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy for students.
• Carry state-issued identification, and, for international travel, a valid passport, and current medical insurance cards. All students traveling internationally must have medical and travel insurance covering the entire period of travel and must provide proof of insurance to the Coordinating Administrator. Students may obtain international medical and travel insurance through The Center for Student Support and Advocacy.
• Know how to contact the University from the site.

Travel Review Committee

1. The TRC is responsible for reviewing each proposed Travel Program for risk factors and making recommendations to the Provost or the Vice President of Student Affairs, as appropriate, regarding approval.
   
   
2. The TRC will maintain a record of each Travel Program and the names, contact information, and other pertinent information about each traveler.
   
   
3. The TRC will maintain a Higher Risk Destination List informed by US State Department Travel Advisories, insurance company recommendations if any, and other pertinent information.
   
   
4. The TRC will help coordinate any unexpected return of a traveler to the United States, including emergency evacuation and rescue as applicable.

FORMS:

Release of Liability Form

Student Travel Information and Roster Form

HISTORY OF REVISIONS:

Adopted: 10/19/2019

Revised: 1/27/2025

Approved by: Marie Humphrey, Vice President for Student Affairs