3.05 Student Domestic Travel

Examples of activities and events covered by this policy are sponsored field trips, club sports trips, the activities of registered student organizations, students attending and/or presenting at professional conferences, community service travel and circumstances where a student or registered student organization officially represents the university.

Covered activity does not include travel undertaken by individual students attending athletic/recreational events as a non-participant; engaging in student teaching, internships, practica, observations or research; participating in intercollegiate athletics activities under the auspices of the Department of Athletics; or travel undertaken under the auspices of international travel and study abroad policies.

A registered student organization is one that has been granted registered status by the Northern Iowa Student Government and has maintained registered status according to the records of the Office of Student Life.  

A university-sponsored event or activity is one that is initiated, actively managed, planned and arranged by a member of the university’s faculty or staff as part of their official duties, or by members of a registered student organization, and is approved by an appropriate administrator, and/or an event or activity that the university actively manages, is involved with or oversees financially, physically or administratively.  

A currently enrolled student is a student who is currently registered at the university or, relative to periods between the fall and spring term, was enrolled in the fall term and is registered for the spring term.  

An appropriate administrator is a dean, department chair or director of a department or administrative unit or his/her authorized representative.

An authorized driver is a faculty, staff, student or non-employee authorized per University Policy 9.63: Motor Vehicle Usage to drive a university vehicle for purposes of conducting university business, either on campus or off campus. 

Requirements

All student and registered student organization travel covered by this policy must meet the following requirements:

1. Students on approved travel are expected to conduct themselves according to the University of Northern Iowa Student Conduct Code and all other applicable policies and procedures.  Behavioral misconduct on trips may result in disciplinary action.
2. Participants in activities involving 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 regulations, policies or applicable law.
3. The university does not provide medical insurance for any student’s participation in trips.  All student participants shall be responsible for personal medical costs incurred during and/or as a result of the trip.
4. Registered student organization travel must be consistent with the organization’s mission. 
5. An individual student, registered student organization, or faculty/staff sponsor or advisor of a covered activity must obtain approval to travel by creating a trip through ProTrav, and complete and submit an itinerary and emergency contact information for all travelers to their advisor or appropriate administrator no later than five (5) business days prior to the scheduled trip.  The advisor or appropriate administrator is required to keep this information on file for one (1) year.   A copy of the approved ProTrav trip must be provided to the Department of Public Safety.
6. Faculty and staff who serve as advisors to student organizations are considered “campus security authorities” under the Clery Act and, thus, are required to report any crime related to student travel of which they become aware to the Department of Public Safety.
7. Any issues that arise for travelers in terms of alleged acts of discrimination, harassment, and/or sexual misconduct must be reported to the Title IX Officer or Title IX Deputy Coordinator as soon as possible.
8. In the case of student organization travel, if no faculty or staff member is accompanying student travelers, a student from the registered student organization may be designated as being in charge of the trip.  The student officer must carry a copy of all emergency contact information for all students participating in the trip.
9. Persons unaffiliated with the university or the activity sponsor (e.g. friends or relatives of students or staff) are not permitted to travel in the same vehicles or to sleep in the same rooms as approved University travelers.   Exceptions must be approved in advance by the appropriate administrator.  Exceptions must be noted in writing and emergency contact information for unaffiliated travelers must be included with that of University travelers.

Other university policies/resources

Student Conduct Code:
https://policies.uni.edu/302

University Vehicle Reservations, Policies and Procedures:
https://fm.uni.edu/motor-pool

Student Organization Handbook:
https://studentlife.uni.edu/student-organization-handbook

Travel Expense Authorization and Reimbursement:
https://obo.uni.edu/accounts-payable
https://obo.uni.edu/accounts-payable/travel-guidelines

Vice President for Student Affairs, approved November 9, 2013
President’s Cabinet, approved April 6, 2015
President and Executive Management Team, approved April 13, 2015