Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Policy statement. Youngstown state
university (university) recognizes that students can and do benefit from
learning experiences which occur off-campus. The university seeks to provide
safe opportunities and methods of transportation and to mitigate any risks that
might be associated with student travel for off-campus activities and
events.
(B) Purpose. To provide the
framework for planning and implementing student travel.
(C) Scope. This policy applies to enrolled
and matriculated undergraduate and graduate student travel and student
organization travel to events or activities that are organized and/or sponsored
by the university and to international travel for study abroad programs
available through the university's international programs office (IPO).
This policy does not apply to travel undertaken by individual
students attending out-of-town athletic/recreational events; to students
traveling to engage in domestic student teaching, internships, experiential
practicum, observations or research; or to student athletes participating in
intercollegiate athletics competitions under the sponsorship of the
university's athletics department.
(D) Definitions for purposes of this policy.
(1) "Enrolled student
" - a student
who has been admitted to and is attending classes at the university.
(2) "Matriculated student
" - a student
who has been admitted to the university, has registered a major, and is
attending classes at the university towards a degree.
(3) "Student organization
" - a student
group or organization officially registered and recognized by the
university.
(4) "Student
organization member
" - an enrolled or matriculated student who is a
current member of a student organization.
(5) "University-organized event or
activity
" -
an event or activity that is planned and arranged by a member of the
university's faculty, staff, or a recognized student organization and is
approved by the appropriate university official.
(6) "University-sponsored event or
activity
" -
an event or activity that is endorsed by the university through financial
support or by sending student participants as official representatives of the
university and is approved by the appropriate university official.
(7) Appropriate university official.
(a) For approval of course or
faculty-sponsored travel, the dean, or designee, of the applicable college is
the appropriate university official.
(b) For approval of student organization
travel, the associate vice president for student experience, or designee, is
the appropriate university official. However, for student organizations
traveling internationally, travel approval is required from both the associate
vice president of student experience or designee and the associate provost for
international and global initiatives or designee.
(c) For study abroad programs, the associate
provost for international and global initiatives, or designee, is the
appropriate university official.
(d) For travel on behalf of a program,
office, or department not noted in this paragraph, the appropriate university
official will be the highest level administrator overseeing the program,
office, or department, excluding the president and vice presidents of the
university.
(8)
Designated trip leader. A university representative/faculty member/advisor who
serves as the point of contact to and from the university during travel. When
no representative/faculty member/ advisor is on a trip, a student may serve as
the designated trip leader.
(E) General requirements. The following
requirements apply to all travel under this policy.
(1) Enrolled students, including college
credit plus students, under the age of eighteen are not permitted to travel.
However, see paragraph (D)(1) of this
rule which
allows participants in certain university sponsored educational or sports
programs/activities that are under the age of eighteen to travel as part of
their participation in the program/activity.
(2) Matriculated students under the age of
eighteen are permitted to travel provided that the student's parent/guardian
completes and signs the "Off-Campus Travel and Assumption of Risk" form and the
"Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment" form.
(3) A student wishing to travel as part of a
student organization event or activity must be a current member of the student
organization.
(4) Unless otherwise
specified, the university does not provide medical insurance for any student's
participation in travel. All student participants should maintain medical
insurance and are responsible for any medical costs they incur during and/or as
a result of the trip.
(5) All
students traveling internationally must obtain international travel medical
insurance through the university's IPO.
(6) Participants in student travel are
responsible for their own behavior and any resulting consequences. The
university shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury, or other
consequence resulting from a participant's failure to comply with university
rules and policies, including the student code of conduct, the direction of
university employees, or applicable law.
(7) Travel must be consistent with the goals
of the academic unit, program, or department. Student organization travel must
be consistent with the organization's mission statement.
The individuals requesting approval for course or
faculty sponsored travel, student organization travel, study abroad travel, or
travel on behalf of a program, office or department must complete the "Travel
Justification Form" available on the university's risk management website and
said form will be electronically routed to the appropriate university office
for review.
(8) Travel must
have either a university representative or faculty member/advisor as a
designated trip leader. However, if students are traveling on their own for the
purpose of a recognized student organization and university funds are being
utilized to support the activity, then the president or representative of the
student organization or the designated trip leader must meet with the associate
vice president of student experience, or designee, prior to the trip to review
details of the trip.
(9) Travel
must be supported by an approved "Student Travel Authorization Form," with the
exception that students on study abroad programs offered through the IPO will
complete program specific form(s) in lieu of the authorization to travel
form.
(10)
Participants must complete and submit an "Off-Campus Travel and Assumption of
Risk" form and an "Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment" to the office
of the appropriate university official at least five business days prior to
scheduled travel within the United States and at least thirty days prior to
international travel. The appropriate university officials may alter these time
periods within their discretion for travel, which cannot be preplanned, such as
university-sponsored student travel for athletics playoff competition. Students
on study abroad programs offered through the IPO will complete program-specific
form(s) in lieu of these forms.
(11) Friends and family of participants and
designated trip leaders are not eligible to participate in student travel
opportunities except in those instances where prior written permission of the
appropriate university official has been given, appropriate forms have been
submitted, and required insurance coverage has been obtained.
(12) Students are responsible for making
arrangements to complete all assignments and/or examinations that are scheduled
during travel.
(13)
Training. Designated trip leaders and authorized
university officials must complete student travel training.
(14)
Sponsors or organizers of events or activities may impose additional
requirements in order to address unique circumstances associated with a
particular activity, destination, or travel.
(F) Transportation. The university office,
unit, or department planning or sponsoring an event or activity should be
prepared to arrange for transportation by university-owned or rental vehicle;
contracted/chartered transportation service; regularly scheduled transportation
service (e.g., Greyhound, Amtrak, commercial airline service); or if necessary,
personal vehicles. Contracting, purchasing, and insurance requirements can be
found on the university's procurement services website.
The following rules apply to transportation:
(1) University-owned or leased vehicles may
only be utilized in a manner compliant with rule
3356-4-18 of the Administrative
Code,
university policy 3356-4-18
http://cms.ysu.edu/administrative-offices/university-policies/university-policies
"Use of university
vehicle."
(2) All university
purchasing policies apply when procuring chartered or commercial
transportation.
(3) Personal
vehicles may only be used on a voluntary basis. All participants choosing to
ride in a private automobile do so voluntarily and at their own risk. The
university shall not insure or accept liability for any damage, loss, or injury
resulting from the use of a private vehicle. The university does not provide
comprehensive or collision insurance for private vehicles driven on university
business, and the vehicle owner/driver is responsible for insurance coverage
for the vehicle. The university does carry nonowner excess liability coverage
to protect the university, student, or employee in the event of a suit
resulting from an automobile accident in which an employee was driving on
university business.
(4) Under no
circumstance will a vehicle driver be reimbursed for fines for moving or
parking violations.
(5) Occupants
of motor vehicles must use seat belts or other approved safety restraint
devices as required by law or regulation at all times when the vehicle is in
operation.
(6) Occupants of motor
vehicles shall not consume, possess, or transport any alcoholic beverages or
illegal substances.
(G)
Accident and emergency procedures. Prior to travel, designated leaders and
group participants
shall review the YSU
"Student Crisis Notification and Response Plan" found
on the dean of students website and any appendices and follow applicable
guidance and suggestions.
(H)
Accommodations for students with disabilities. Any student with a disability
who requires accommodation, must contact the office of
accessibility services for assistance in determining
reasonable accommodations. The office of
accessibility services will consult with the
sponsoring unit regarding this determination.
(I) Student travel pursuant to educational or
sports programs. Participants in university sponsored educational or sports
programs/activities such as upward bound, academic achievers, summer or sports
camps, and who are under the age of eighteen, are permitted to travel as part
of their participation in the educational or sports program/activity regardless
of whether they are enrolled students. Travel pursuant to such programs must
have at a minimum a designated trip leader who is over the age of eighteen, a
student travel authorization form, a waiver and assumption of risk form, an
emergency medical treatment form, and emergency contact and response guideline.
University employees (including student employees), volunteers, and
participants must adhere to rule
3356-7-56 of the Administrative
Code (see university policy 3356-7-50, "Minors on campus") and all other
applicable rules, regulations, and university policies.
(J) Compliance. Failure to comply with any
policy requirements may result in restrictions or loss of travel opportunities,
travel funds and/or reimbursements. Students and student organizations are
subject to sanctions under "The Student Code of Conduct" up to and including
expulsion and loss of organization recognition. Employees are subject to
discipline up to and including termination.
