Student Travel Policy

1. Centre recognizes that engaged learning experiences sometimes take place outside the boundaries of campus. The following policy exists to promote safe travel to events and activities occurring beyond College property by students and recognized student organizations. This policy applies to both individual student and recognized student organization travel in cases where the travel is sponsored by Student Life and related offices, SGA, or in cases where the travel is independent of SLO or SGA sponsorship but where an individual student or recognized student organization travels on behalf of, or with the financial support of, one or more recognized student organizations of Centre College. Examples of activities and events that fall under this policy might include, but are not limited to: sponsored field trips, club sports trips, the activities of recognized student organizations, College funded community service travel, or in situations where a student or recognized student organization officially represents the College, e.g. conferences and other programs. This Policy does not apply to travel undertaken by individual students attending out of town athletic/recreational events as a non-participant (except when traveling on behalf or with the financial support of the College or a recognized student organization as described above), engaging in student teaching, internships, practicums, observations or research, or participating in intercollegiate athletics competitions under the auspices of the Athletic Department.
2. Definitions. A registered student organization is one that has been formed by Centre College students for educational, professional, social, recreational or other lawful purposes, derives the membership and leadership from the student body has been approved for recognition by the Student Life and SGA, and maintains a current registration status with the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life. A College sponsored event or activity is one that is initiated, actively managed, planned and arranged by a member of the College’s faculty or staff, or by members of a recognized student organization that has been granted sponsorship by the College, and is approved by an appropriate administrator and/or an event or activity that the College actively manages, is involved with, or oversees financially, physically, or administratively. A currently enrolled student is one who is a student who is currently registered at the College, whether on a full- or part-time basis. An appropriate administrator is a Dean, Department Chair, or Director of an administrative unit, or their authorized designee.
3. General Requirements.  All student and recognized student organization travel falling within this policy must meet the following requirements:

   3.1. Recognized student organization travel must be consistent with the organization’s mission statement and constitution on file with the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life. Travel must be planned so as not to create an undue interference with academic responsibilities.
   3.2. An individual student or recognized student organization must complete and submit the Student Travel Form to the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life no later than five (5) business days before the scheduled trip.
   3.3. All students traveling must complete and submit an Off-Campus Travel Waiver and Assumption of Risk Form to the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life no later than five (5) business days before the scheduled trip.
   3.4. All College sponsored travel must be chaperoned by a faculty or staff advisor or approved alternate, except as provided in Section 5.3 below. A student officer from the recognized student organization must accompany the trip for all non-College sponsored travel. Centre College will view this student officer as the party responsible for the trip. Furthermore, the student officer must carry a copy of all emergency contact information for all students participating in the trip.
   3.5. The name, address, and telephone number of the faculty/staff advisor to the recognized student organization must be submitted utilizing the appropriate form. Faculty/staff advisors also are required to maintain a copy of the appropriate form and discuss the Centre College Student Conduct Code with the recognized student organization leader(s) organizing the trip. The faculty/staff advisor is expected to exchange emergency contact numbers with students and obtain an indication of who each student desires to be notified in the event of an emergency.
   3.6. All trips are required to follow the Student Life Travel Guidelines noted in section 7, below.
   3.7. Any trip taken without submission of a complete and accurate Student Travel Form or other violations of this policy, may result in individual and/or organizational discipline as outlined in the Student Handbook, together with such additional action as may be deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

4. College Sponsored Student Travel. To assure that events or activities involving student travel are consistent with the College’s mission and that student safety issues have been addressed, College sponsored student travel must be approved in advance by an appropriate administrator. The appropriate administrator will assure that the proposed travel request conforms to the procedures outlined in the Student Life Travel Guidelines in section 6, below. The following rules apply to the travel of currently enrolled undergraduate students attending activities or events sponsored by Student Life that occur beyond the boundaries of campus.

   4.1. To request authorization, members of the faculty, staff or recognized student organization granted funding who organize activities covered by this policy must submit a completed Student Travel Form to the appropriate administrator for approval. The request must be submitted at least five (5) business days in advance of travel. Sport Clubs organizations should consult with the Department of Recreation Services for specific details concerning exceptions to the five business day notice period.
   4.2. All College sponsored trips must be chaperoned by a staff or faculty member, except with the approval of an appropriate administrator. If students are traveling on their own for the purpose of a recognized student organization, and College funds are being utilized to support the activity (e.g., Sport Clubs teams participating in out of town competition), the president of the student organization must meet with an administrator in the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life prior to the trip to review specific trip details.
   4.3. Names and pertinent information may be submitted via the Student Travel Form. Faculty or staff chaperones are expected to carry emergency contact information for all students on the trip.

5. Non-College Sponsored Travel. Non-College sponsored travel occurs when travel to an off-campus activity or event beyond the boundaries of campus is required as part of membership in a recognized student organization functioning under the auspices of the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life, but College funds are not utilized to support the travel. In some cases, SGA may support the recognized student organization travel by providing funding for conference registration. This funding does not alter the non-College sponsored nature of the travel. When participating in non-College sponsored travel, recognized student organizations are required to submit the Student Travel Form available via the Office of Campus Activities and Greek Life under “travel policy.” In addition, the recognized student organization is subject to those requirements described in Section 3 of this policy.
6. Student Life Travel Guidelines.  Centre College, through its affiliated offices and recognized organizations, provides opportunities for student travel to activities that facilitate and/or enhance the learning process taking place within the College community. Participation in such activities shall be limited to members of the College community. These Guidelines do not apply to study abroad travel, or travel under the auspices of the Department of Athletics. Participants in activities involving student travel are responsible for their own behavior and any resulting consequences. The College shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury or other consequence resulting from a participant’s failure to comply with College rules and regulations, the direction of College employees, or applicable law. Without limiting the foregoing, all trip participants are required to (a) comply with the standards set forth in the Centre College Student Conduct Code and with applicable College policies, procedures, rules and regulations, understanding that such compliance is important to the success of the trip and to the College’s willingness to permit future similar activities; and (b) conform their conduct to the standards surrounding the trip and assume responsibility for their own actions, understanding the circumstances of an off-campus activity may require a standard of decorum that may differ from that applicable on campus. Violations of the foregoing requirements may subject participants and sponsoring organizations to disciplinary action. Please note for College sponsored travel, it is the responsibility of the department sponsoring the program to assure compliance with these guidelines including any reference policies such as the College’s vehicle safety policy. The following additional guidelines also apply to all travel activities subject to the Centre College Student Travel Guidelines:

   6.1. Pre-trip Meeting: The faculty member, administrator, and/or recognized student organization in charge of the trip, should hold a pre-trip planning meeting with all participants to discuss the planned itinerary, behavioral expectations, and transportation details.
   6.2. Transportation: The sponsoring College department should be prepared to arrange for transportation by official College vehicle(s), rental vehicle(s), chartered service, or, if necessary, personal vehicles.
   6.3. The following rules apply to the use of vehicles.
   6.3.1. College Vehicles – When possible, use of college-owned vehicles would be the preferred method of travel.
   6.3.2. Rental Vehicles – Rental vehicles should be organized by the sponsoring department utilizing College funds and institutional insurance coverage.
   6.3.3. Contract Bus Service – Adequate insurance coverage for personal injury and property damage must be provided by the bus company.
   6.3.4. Personal Vehicles – Personal Vehicles should only be used on a voluntary basis. The owners/drivers must provide their own insurance coverage. All student participants choosing to ride in a private automobile do so voluntarily and at their own risk. The College shall not insure or accept liability for any damage, loss or injury resulting from the use of a private vehicle. The College does not provide comprehensive or collision (physical damage) insurance for private vehicles driven on College business, and the owner is responsible for primary liability insurance. The College does carry non-owner excess liability coverage to protect the College and employee in the event of a suit resulting from an automobile accident in which an employee was driving on College business.
   6.3.5. It is the clear preference for faculty/staff to drive on College-sanctioned trips. 
   6.3.6. All drivers should be appropriately trained for the trip being undertaken.
   6.3.7. Refer to the full College Policy on Driving for further information about minimum standards and training for driving on College-sanctioned trips.
   6.4. Accident and Medical Insurance The faculty/staff member or administrators responsible for the trip shall communicate to the participants that the College does not provide medical insurance for any student’s participation in trips. All student participants shall be responsible for any medical costs they incur during and/or as a result of the trip.
   6.5. Participation Except with the permission of the appropriate administrator, friends and family of students are not eligible to participate in travel opportunities falling under the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience Travel Policy. All participants are required to engage in the planned activities of the trip. Unstructured time should be kept to a minimum to reduce the risks inherent in unsupervised activity. The sponsoring department or organization should keep a list of all participants involved in the trip.