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Student Domestic Travel Policy

This document covers the policies and procedures related to student domestic travel. Domestic travel includes travel within any of the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and possessions and Puerto Rico.

For information regarding international travel please see the International Travel Policy governing faculty-led international programs, or Study Abroad to search all approved study/internship programs.

1. Definitions of Sponsored and Unsponsored Travel

1.1 Sponsored Travel: Must meet one or more of the criteria below. Basic concepts of sponsored travel include:

  • The university provides the students some or all of the funding to go on the trip; funding may be direct to the individual or to the group that is participating in the travel (Student Government Travel Grants and Provost Travel Grants are university funds. Funds in student organization agency accounts are not university funds.)
  • The travel is part of the educational program and/or the institution has an interest due to the educational or mission relevant nature of the travel, e.g., mandatory or voluntary field trip; student is receiving some form of academic credit for the trip
  • The university made any travel arrangements for the trip even though it is not paying for the trip (i.e. booking hotels and flights) and meets other sponsored travel criteria
  • Other resources (like vehicles for travel, staff supervision) are provided for the trip AND it meets another sponsored travel criteria from the bullets above

1.2 Unsponsored Travel: Basic concepts of unsponsored travel include:

  • University exercises no official role, control, or approval over travel
  • Travel is for the pleasure or convenience of the students
  • There is no university role in this student travel, including but not limited to facilitating arrangements for travel, providing any university financial support, staff or faculty attendance for trip, use of university rental vehicles
  • Travel is for internships, student teaching, clinicals, and/or practicums
  • The university provides the students no funds to go on the trip, whether direct to the individual or to the group that is participating in the travel
  • The travel is not part of the educational program, e.g., mandatory or voluntary field trip, and the student is not receiving any form of academic credit for the trip
  • The university made no travel arrangements for the trip (i.e. Booking hotels and flights)
  • No resources (such as vehicles for travel, staff supervision) are provided for the trip
  • International student organizational travel that is not a part of the Center for International Programs offerings

2. Policies for Sponsored Travel

Travel deemed as sponsored requires that students follow the policies.

2.1 All sponsored travel must be approved in advance of the trip and before making any financial commitments.

2.2 Each trip must have a Designated Trip Leader. The designated trip leader may be a University representative/advisor or a student. Student Designated Trip Leaders should be in good academic and conduct standing. This person must be one of the travelers on the trip. The Designated Trip Leader should be the name listed on the Travel Authorization as the main traveler. All overnight trips must have at least two Designated Trip Leaders. (When there are two trip leaders, one should be listed as the main traveler and the other would be listed as additional trip leader.) Designated Trip Leader(s) must communicate with all participants before leaving for the trip to familiarize them with the itinerary, expectations, and specific risks associated with the trip.

2.3 An Emergency Contact list must be created for each trip. That list must include the names of all students, faculty, and staff on the trip and emergency contact information for each, including name, relationship, and phone number. It should also contain emergency phone numbers for the University of Southern Indiana. Copies of these documents should be with the Designated Trip Leader, one other individual on the trip, and with the responsible department in the event that the on-location documents are inaccessible.

2.4 Students are always expected and required to abide by all federal and state laws and the policies and procedures of the University of Southern Indiana, including the Student Rights and Responsibilities: A Code of Student Behavior. This includes sponsored travel.

2.5 Travelers must follow the hotel policies, including but not limited to the number of guests per room. Students in a relationship, regardless of biological sex and students of different biological sex or gender identity may not share a room on University sponsored trips. Students may not share a room with faculty, staff, or advisors.

2.6 Ground transportation should be in a University-owned or leased vehicle. Personal vehicles for sponsored travel may be used if traveling within 75 miles from the University. Use of personal vehicles outside of that range must be approved as an exception in advance by the Provost’s Office. Consideration for exceptions or lack thereof are listed below.

2.6.1 Intercollegiate sports is sponsored travel and is not eligible for exceptions.

2.6.2 The 75-mile distance is as defined by MapQuest, with the starting point being the University of Southern Indiana (8600 University Boulevard) regardless of the actual starting point of the driver of the personal vehicle.

2.6.3 Students approved to drive personal vehicles beyond that 75-mile distance may not have passengers, unless approved in advance as an exception by the Provost’s Office.

2.6.4 Requests for policy exceptions to use personal vehicles outside of the 75-mile distance must be made in writing, approved in advance, and for extraordinary circumstances.

2.6.5 Exceptions may be made for travelers to drive personal vehicles when no one on the trip is eligible to drive a University owned or leased vehicle.

2.6.6 When an exception is requested and a student wishes to drive their own personal vehicle a General Release and Waiver of Liability by Student Driving/Riding in Personal Vehicles for Sponsored Travel request form must be signed and attached to the Travel Authorization form.

2.6.7 The use of 12 and 15 passenger vans can be used depending on approval from Risk Management. 

2.7 Credentialing of Drivers: Drivers of University owned and/or leased vehicles are required to read and acknowledge receipt of the University's Fleet Safety Policy and must meet the minimum qualifications for drivers, including:

2.7.1 Valid and current drivers’ license.

2.7.2 Minimum of five (5) years licensed driving experience and at least 21 years of age (or the minimum age required by the car rental company).

2.7.3 Successful completion of the University’s online defensive driver training class. The link for the online defensive driver training is at Online Defensive Driver Training Class. For Login Access Code, contact 812 465-7003 or 812 461-5366.

2.8 Students and student organizations may be required to use other modes of transportation (airplane, bus, train, etc.) to be in line with safe travel practices.

2.9 When the University provides transportation, the trip should begin and end on campus, unless approved in advance as an exception by Provost’s Office.

2.10 The University Activity Waiver and Release of Liability form should be used when hazards of the trip involve risks not encountered in normal classroom or student organization settings.

3. Approval Process for Sponsored Travel

3.1 All student organizations and students on sponsored travel must complete the Academic Affairs Travel Request form as a part of the approval process.

3.2 If the travel is part of a student organization, the student organization advisor, the director of student development programs or designee, and the Provost’s Office or designee must approve with signature on the Academic Affairs Travel Request form. Student Organizations must complete the Student Organization Travel Request in EagleSync to initiate the approval process.

3.3 If student travel is related to a department, the sponsoring department designee, the Dean or Dean’s designee, and the Provost's Office or designee must approve with signature on the Academic Affairs Travel Request form.

4. Safety Suggestions for Unsponsored Travel:

4.1. Defensive Driving Techniques and Safety Tips

Defensive Driving Techniques:

  • Driver should require ALL occupants to wear seat belts as they were designed for use in your personal or leased vehicle.
  • Check instruments and gauges of the vehicle before leaving.
  • Scan parked cars carefully as you back up.
  • Make a positive glance over your shoulder when changing lanes or backing up to avoid blind spots. Have a passenger get out and help.
  • Look "Left--Right--Left" before proceeding through intersections.
  • Do not go through intersections on a yellow light; pick a point of decision and don't get caught in the middle of the intersection.
  • Check wheel-to-lane reference of vehicles next to you--anticipate their movement into your lane--next to or in front of you.
  • Following time should be 3 seconds from the vehicle in front of you, depending upon the speed and whether in city or highway driving.
  • Stop far enough behind the vehicle in front of you at intersections to see the tires of that vehicle touching the pavement.
  • Count a 2 second delay at intersections to allow appropriate following time from the car in front of you.
  • Know the stopping distance requirements for the vehicle you're driving, including effects of inclement weather conditions. As a guide, it normally takes one car length for every 10 M.P.H. of speed to stop.
  • Check the road 12 - 15 seconds ahead on the highway; 4 - 6 seconds in city driving (about two blocks).
  • Check mirrors every 3 - 5 seconds in the city, 5 - 8 on the highway.
  • Tune out passengers, concentrate on your driving and focus on the driving of those around you.
  • Avoid eating while driving; both hands should be on the wheel.
  • Avoid using cell phones while driving.
  • Be prepared for construction hazards, including narrow roads.
  • AVOID ROAD RAGE -- BE PATIENT, ALLOWING A CAR IN FRONT OF YOU TAKES LESS TIME THAN AN ACCIDENT.

4.2 Safety Tips:

What do you do in case of an accident?

  • Call local police immediately.
  • Obtain other driver's and/or witness information, including name, address, phone (work and home), date of birth, insurance carrier and policy number, license number and state of issuance, make, model, color, and tag of vehicle.
  • Notify your auto insurance agent or your rental car company as soon as practical with the make, model, and tag number of the vehicle, along with your driver's license number.

What qualifies as a reportable accident?

  • Any collision involving your personal owned or leased vehicle needs to be reported to your insurance agent or to the rental car company, whether vehicle damage occurs or not.
  • Injuries from accidents sometimes occur leading to further investigation of the accident.
  • Thus, the more timely the information, the better the investigation.
  • If a parked car is involved, it is best to leave a note on the vehicle windshield with a contact phone number.

Other safety considerations:

  • Accident: In case of accident, follow the response procedures above.
  • Fire: Evacuate Vehicle.
  • Flat Tire: Try to pull vehicle to the side of the road away from traffic with the damaged tire away from traffic. Have occupants vacate the vehicle and stand away from the road. Utilize the tire changing equipment provided. If you are unable to change the tire, or would be in harm’s way (i.e. bad weather conditions, heavy traffic, no shoulder) then pull your vehicle off the roadway as soon as possible and call your AAA, family member or rental car company.
  • Life Safety: In case of serious accident with resulting injuries, notify police/emergency response.
  • Maintenance: If the driver notices any maintenance concerns, e.g. lights, brakes, tires or horn, he/she should fix them immediately or report them immediately to their rental car company.

Appendice

Appendix One: Definitions

Agency Accounts – Student organizations on campus account. Students may use this account for sponsored or unsponsored travel.

Designated Trip Leader – Can be a staff member, students, or approved volunteer. When student or volunteer, the trip does not qualify for field trip insurance.

Field Trip – (academic and non-academic) is an activity and travel sponsored, organized, scheduled and supervised by the University of Southern Indiana personnel during which students of the University are taken off campus on behalf of and in connection with the University, excluding all sports (varsity and club). Field trips include same day and overnight supervised and sponsored activities. Field Trips must be supervised in order to be covered by the University’s Field Trip insurance.

Financial Manager – University representative authorized to approve expenditures and sign off on a travel authorization. This is not your student organization treasurer or off campus advisor. For student organizations, this is typically your faculty or staff advisor.

Academic Affairs Travel Request Form – The university form that is to be completed by travelers under the Provost's Office (division) and the Office of Student Affairs (students). This form must be completed for sponsored travel and submitted for approvals prior to traveling.

Revised: June 24, 2024