Student Travel Guidelines
Off-Campus Field Trips/Sponsored Events
I. RATIONALE FOR TRAVEL GUIDELINES
A. Field trips and other sponsored events for students are encouraged when the trip or event contributes to the learning experience in a manner that cannot be achieved on campus within campus facilities.
B. These guidelines have been developed to help regulate student travel that is organized, sponsored and/or funded (either partially or fully) by Rogue Community College
C. The Student Travel Guidelines, hereinafter referred to as “Guidelines” provide provisions that address:
1. Varying modes of travel
2. Instructor/event sponsor responsibilities
3. Safety and liability issues
D. The primary goals of the Guidelines are to:
1. Provide a unified, college-wide approach to off campus student travel;
2. Address the issue of Risk Management while limiting the risks of individual and institutional exposure to liability;
3. Inform students of their rights and responsibilities while participating in a sponsored off-campus event.
II. TYPES OF STUDENT TRAVEL
A. Student travel that is covered by these Guidelines
1. Field Trips – (curricular in nature) an instructor organized activity that adds significant educational value for the students involved. Field trips are taken by students as part of a credit or non-credit class, and may be either required or voluntary in nature. Field trips are curricular in nature and the course instructor is responsible for the administrative and supervisory aspects of this travel. Field trips must be approved by the departmental head/supervisor and the appropriate authorizing associate dean.
2. College Sponsored Events (co-curricular in nature) – ASGRCC chartered clubs/organizations or departmental travel that involves voluntary student participation. (Examples of affected group travel/events include ASGRCC travel/events, Discovery Program travel/events, club/organization travel/events, TRiO travel/events). Co-curricular trips must be approved by the department manager and the Associate Dean of Student Services.
B. Travel that is EXEMPT from these Guidelines
1. Off Campus Classes – classes that normally meet off-campus (i.e. PE, construction) are NOT considered to be field trips or sponsored events, and are not regulated by these Guidelines. Separate arrangements for student coverage or waivers may be appropriate; therefore contact the Director of Human Resources for more information.
2. CWE Experience – Cooperative Work Experience is not considered to be a field trip; separate CWE guidelines are available through the Individualized Career Training (ICT) department.
3. Homework Assignments – if a course assignment requires that a student go off-campus on his/her own time for research or experience, it is not considered to be a field trip and is NOT regulated by these Guidelines.
4. Non-College Sponsored Events – events or activities that involve RCC students but are not officially sponsored by the College are not covered by these Guidelines.
III. CODE OF CONDUCT
A. Students are expected to conduct themselves in manners that reflect favorably on Rogue Community College. While traveling on field trips or sponsored events, participating students are subject to all provisions and regulations found within the RCC Student Code of Conduct http://www.roguecc.edu/Students/StuRights/StudentRightsFreedomsResp.pdfuct. The following behaviors are prohibited by the Code of Conduct:
1. Defying institutional authority, engaging in willful disobedience or otherwise disrupting the educational process. This does not prohibit students from taking reasoned exception to material or views offered by instructors or others, or expressing views which are relevant to the instruction in an academically appropriate and reasoned manner.
2. Engaging in academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, stealing examinations or course material, furnishing false information, or forging, altering or misusing college documents, records, or identification.
3. Threatening the safety of themselves or others, disrupting the educational process, or otherwise violating college policy or procedure.
4. Engaging in disorderly, abusive, lewd, obscene, or violent behavior.
5. Stealing or damaging property of the college or of college community members.
6. Using college funds, college owned equipment, electronic resources or supplies for personal, pornographic, or other unauthorized purpose.
7. Illegal or unauthorized distribution, possession, use or being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or controlled substances on college property or at college sponsored or supervised functions.
8. Personal or any other unauthorized possession of explosives, firearms, dangerous chemicals, or other weapons on college property or at college-sponsored and supervised functions.
9. Physically or verbally abusing, coercing, menacing, threatening, intimidating, or otherwise harassing any member of the college community regardless of geographic location.
B. While traveling, students may also be expected to meet higher standards of personal conduct and appearance than those set forth in the Student Code of Conduct. The instructor/event sponsor is responsible for determining additional standards of personal conduct, and making these standards known to trip/event participants. Students’ failure to abide by the Student Code of Conduct and other travel guidelines will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for review and imposition of appropriate disciplinary action.
C. Egregious Student Code of Conduct violations that expose the College to serious legal or public relations ramifications may require immediate administrative intervention. In this event, the authorizing director or associate dean should be notified at the earliest possible time. The Dean of Student Services shall also be notified at the earliest possible time. The appropriate College representative may require the student be sent home at the student’s expense.
IV. TRAVELING WITH MINORS – SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
When minor RCC students (under age 18) are involved in the field trip/sponsored event, special considerations apply. These are internal guidelines for information purposes only, and do not establish a standard of care for legal purposes. However, failing to follow them could also violate a standard of care.
A. Criminal Background Checks. No minor should ever be alone with an event sponsor or chaperone that does not have a criminal background check on file with the RCC Human Resources Department. Consequently, all RCC staff members, field trip/event sponsors, volunteers, and/or chaperones must have a criminal background check completed by the HR Department (unless the responsible party attending the event is the parent or legal guardian of the minor child). The results of the criminal background check must be received prior to participation in the field trip/event. It takes several weeks to complete the criminal background check process, so it is important to begin the process as early as possible. Contact the Human Resources office for procedures, forms, and information.
B. Event Sponsor. The event sponsor must be an RCC employee. Other chaperones on the trip may be RCC employees or volunteers. All expectations of conduct and standards of behavior that apply to employees apply to all non-employee chaperones as well.
C. Ratio. Depending on the ages of the minor student and the nature of the activity, recommended chaperone to minor student ratios generally range from 1:5 (overnight trips) to 1:10 (day trips). Required ratio and/or exceptions may be made by the appropriate associate dean on an individual activity basis.
D. Checking in and out. A formal check-in and check-out procedure should be developed. This would be similar to a property chain-of-custody procedure whereby processes ensure that there are no gaps in the custodial sequence. This is to ensure that no minor student is left unattended.
E. First Aid/CPR. In the event of a medical emergency, always first dial 9-1-1 and seek emergency assistance. It is highly recommended that one or more of the chaperones be currently certified and trained in first aid and CPR. One or more first aid kits should be carried with the group. No medicines should be carried in the kits. Only dispense medicines to minor students which have been provided by the parents or guardians along with written specific directions provided by the parents, guardians or professional health care providers.
F. Emergency Treatment. Most emergencies rooms and clinics will treat or stabilize injuries without parental or guardian permission. However, it is a good idea to have parents and guardians sign a permission slip anyway. Be familiar with the emergency medical services in the area where you are traveling. Taking minors to remote areas that have limited or no emergency medical services requires additional arrangements.
G. Medical Records. In most cases, to avoid an impression that the College will provide medical treatment, you should not collect medical records. The parents and guardians can communicate the needs for special medical, physical, or psychological accommodations to you both verbally and on the “Emergency Information” page of the “Student Travel Participation Agreement.” In some cases, the special needs accommodations may be beyond the capabilities or resources of the program. When this occurs, the appropriate associate dean should be contacted to assist in decision making.
H. Overnight trips
1. Make sure the parents have the proper phone number and address of the field trip/event and contact information for the event sponsor.
2. Make sure there are separate sleeping areas and bath/shower facilities for the males and females.
3. Avoid situations that involve just one student and one chaperone, especially of the opposite gender. Make sure chaperones have more than one student around them.
I. Types of activities
1. The following activities are not recommended when minor students are involved: swimming, boating, rafting, or any other water related activities; mountain climbing, bungee jumping, skydiving, racing, or any other “extreme” sport activities; or wilderness camping.
J. General Travel Requirements
1. RCC staff, event sponsors, chaperones, volunteers or anyone acting on behalf of the College should never travel with a minor without first obtaining a “Field Trip, Off-Site Training and Club Events Agreements and Release Form” signed by the student’s parent or legal guardian. This includes High School students participating in recruitment activities or other on or off campus RCC sponsored events.
2. The parent or legal guardian must participate in the pre-travel meeting mentioned in Section V.A.2.
V. TRAVEL PROCESS
A. Prior to travel
1. Any faculty/staff member (event sponsor) planning a field trip or sponsored event must submit a “Off-Campus Travel Request Form” and an “Event Sponsor Responsibilities Form” to his/her department head/supervisor/manager for initial approval. The department head/supervisor/manager shall then forward the request to their appropriate authorizing associate dean for final approval. This form should be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the actual travel date. Upon final administrative approval of the travel, the authorizing associate dean shall send a copy of the request form back to the originating faculty/staff member and retain the original request form for documentation purposes.
2. If the trip involves charging participants, or if students are required to pay above and beyond the normal tuition and fees assessed on the class, please contact the Budget and Financial Services Office to make arrangements for the students to submit their payments to Rogue Central.
3. Upon receiving travel approval, the event sponsor should schedule a pre-travel meeting with all travel participants to discuss the following :
a. Event goals and outcomes.
b. Travel expectations, code of conduct, rights and responsibilities.
c. Basic costs for travel, meals, lodging/accommodations, and other fees such as entrance fees, miscellaneous spending.
d. Travel arrangements including trip itinerary and overnight accommodations as needed.
e. Arrangements for coping with illness, accidents or other emergencies.
f. Need for special equipment or clothing (or any specific dress code requirements).
g. Deadlines for payments, refunds, etc.
h. Individual questions answered and shared with group as appropriate.
4. Prior to participation in the field trip/sponsored event, each event participant must complete the following documents:
a. “Field Trip, Off-Site Training and Club Events Agreements and Release Form.”
b. “Student Participation Travel Agreement” and the “Emergency Information” page. Once completed, this form will remain with the event sponsor for use in the event of an emergency during the trip.
5. During the actual field trip/sponsored event, all forms should be kept on file with the event sponsor. Upon completion of the field trip/sponsored event, all forms and documentation pertaining to the event should be forwarded to the authorizing associate dean within 48 hours.
6. In those cases where participants in the travel/activity have multiple events and the persons participating do not change, each participant may complete the Release form and the agreement form once at the beginning of the academic term. Participants must update information on the forms, as necessary, prior to each trip/activity.
7. Courses which require field trips must ensure that field trip sites, supplementary materials and assignments are accessible to students with documented disabilities, including hearing, visual, health, mobility, psychiatric, and learning disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities will be made if requested from the Disabilities Service Office preferably two weeks, but at least seven (7) days in advance of travel.
B. Transportation
The event sponsor is responsible for organizing transportation to and from the event. Transportation options are as follows:
1. Personal or Privately Owned Vehicles. Travel by personal or privately owned vehicle may be the most economical means of transportation; however, it is not without special consideration.
a. It is preferable to schedule the field trip/event so that it begins upon arrival at the event site and ends when the planned time at the site is over. In this manner, students are legally and financially responsible for their own transportation to and from the planned activity. Students are not the responsibility of the College during travel to and from the field trip/event location. While it is not recommended that students transport other students to/from the activity, students who choose to transport themselves and others should be certain they have a valid drivers’ license and adequate and applicable personal automobile liability coverage in force. NO INSTRUCTOR SHALL ASSIGN ANY STUDENT TO RIDE IN THE PRIVATE VEHICLE OF ANOTHER STUDENT.
b. Staff members should refrain from transporting students to/from an activity in their personal vehicle. If a staff member does transport students in their own vehicle, the staff member could be held legally and financially responsible in the event of an accident or other incident. A staff member that transports a student(s) in their personal vehicle must complete the “Drivers’ License and Automobile Insurance Verification Form” and obtain a copy of their motor vehicle report (MVR) from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in order to provide evidence of an acceptable driving record prior to transporting students. The cost of obtaining a MVR will be reimbursed by the College if a receipt is submitted along with the MVR. Drivers must also provide proof of insurance on private vehicles with minimum limits of $100,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate. This paperwork will be kept on file with the HR Department, and the HR Director should be notified if Insurance information changes.