Co-Curricular Student Travel
I. Applicability
These policies and procedures apply to social, cultural, educational and/or recreational trips that depart from Kean University (“University”) and/or have an off-campus destination and are organized by a recognized University student group or organization or by a University faculty/staff member on behalf of students that is advertised and open to the campus community and is not related to an academic course. There may be additional regulations and requirements based upon the nature of the trip or activity. Please consult the University Events Board or sponsoring University department for information regarding any additional requirements or procedures.
II. General Procedures
A. Notification Form. All student co-curricular travel activity must be approved by means of the Co-Curricular Student Travel Notification Form (Form CCST-1). The form must be completed and approved by the respective department director no later than 30 days prior to the trip and prior to any advertisement of the trip. Depending on the nature of the trip, additional forms may be deemed necessary as a condition of approval. The University administration reserves the right to deny any request for co-curricular student travel that is submitted late.
B. Trip Advisor Instructions. Upon approval, the faculty/staff advisor in charge of the trip will be responsible to familiarize himself or herself with the Trip Advisor Instructions for Co-Curricular Student Travel (Form CCST-2).
C. Student Travel Roster Form. A preliminary list of students expected to participate in the trip must be filed as indicated on the Student Travel Roster Form (Form CCST-3). A final roster should be sent to the department director and the Department of Public Safety and Police. In the event that the University has contracted a transportation service, the Student Travel Roster must also be sent to University Purchasing.
D. Transportation Requirements:
1. Bus and Van Travel.
a. University Transportation. Kean University maintains several University vehicles that may be available for use depending on availability and the nature of the trip. To request a University vehicle in the form of a 20- or 38-passenger bus, a Bus Trip Approval Form (Form CCST-5) will need to be approved by the department director and the respective college dean or appropriate vice president. The approved form should be forwarded to the Office of Facilities and Campus Planning at least two weeks prior to the trip. Upon receipt, the request for University transportation will be evaluated based upon availability, staffing needs and the nature of the trip. Upon approval, a University driver will be assigned to the trip based upon the information contained within the Bus Trip Approval Form. If the trip requires transportation smaller than a bus (e.g., a 12-passenger van), requests may be made to individual departments that manage the vehicle(s) utilizing the respective department’s procedures. For more information about University transportation vehicles, please contact the Office of Facilities and Campus Planning.
b. Contracted Transportation Service. If a contracted transportation service (e.g., a charter bus) is required to transport students, a Bus Trip Approval Form (Form CCST-5) will need to be approved by the department director and the respective college dean or appropriate vice president. The approved Bus Trip Approval Form, which must be an original, should be sent to University Purchasing. Upon receipt, University Purchasing will obtain two or three quotes for a contracted transportation service (e.g., a charter bus). Once the quotes are received, University Purchasing will forward the quotes to the respective administrative department for internal approvals to begin the requisition process. The administrative department coordinating the trip will be responsible for generating a purchasing requisition and obtaining a purchase order for the bus utilizing one of the quoted bus vendors from University Purchasing. Please note that most charter buses can accommodate up to 49 passengers, and certain charter bus companies can only provide 55-, 57- or 58-passenger buses.
2. Air and Rail Travel. For details regarding air and rail travel arrangements, please consult the Kean University Travel Manual on the University website at http://www.kean.edu/offices/human-resources/travel-manual.
3. Student Transportation Waiver Form. All students participating in co-curricular student travel should be encouraged to travel to and from the destination on an authorized bus or other means of transportation arranged for by the University. Any exceptions require permission of the trip advisor and the completion of a Transportation Waiver (Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Form: Section 4).
III. Trip Advisor
It is suggested that a trip advisor be present on all bus trips. A trip advisor shall be a faculty/staff member of Kean University who shall act as an agent of the University to coordinate the events of the trip and follow the Policies and Procedures Governing Co-Curricular Student Travel.
A. Day Trips. It is suggested that for co-curricular student travel day trips that utilize University-arranged transportation, there should be one faculty/staff trip advisor for up to 48 persons. Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the respective vice president. Trip advisors are responsible for knowing the whereabouts, activities or schedules of all students throughout the duration of the trip.
B. Overnight Trips. Co-Curricular student travel that utilizes University-arranged transportation and requires overnight travel or accommodations will require one faculty/staff trip advisor for up to 25 persons and one additional faculty/staff advisor for every additional 25 persons. In the event a trip requires two or more full-time faculty/staff advisors, permission must be granted by the respective department director and vice president. Overnight trips must be advised by a University faculty/staff member who is housed in the same hotel/accommodation as the students. Any exceptions to overnight trip advisor requirements must be approved by the respective vice president. Trip Advisors are responsible for knowing the whereabouts, activities or schedules of all students throughout the duration of the trip.
C. Advisor Travel Costs. The trip advisor may have his or her travel costs incorporated into the cost of the trip as long as the costs are in compliance with all state ethics laws and regulations and University policies/procedures. No compensation or other types of benefits are to be received by any University employee or representative or any family member of any University employee without prior written approval from the corresponding vice president and the University Ethics Liaison Officer.
IV. Student Participant Registration
It is suggested that all student participants fully register at least one week prior to the departure of the trip. Student participant registration can occur through various methods as determined by the host department and/or student group or organization. Registration methods can include registration forms, participant applications and/or bus trip ticket sales. While these methods can be used at the discretion of the host department or organization, they are not a substitute for required University paperwork and student information needed prior to departure.
A. Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Form. Each student participant, and any applicable guests of a student host, are required to execute a liability release/indemnification for a co-curricular trip by completing a Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Form.
1. Day Trips. For day trips, participants must complete and sign the Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Form – Day Trip Form (Form CCST-4A). The Day Trip Form collects student participant and emergency contact information and consists of a Release and Indemnification Agreement, Participant Conduct Agreement, Transportation Waiver and FERPA Information Release. Original forms shall be maintained by the faculty/staff advisor, and appropriate copies shall be forwarded to the department director.
2. Overnight Trips. For overnight travel, participants must complete and sign the Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Form – Overnight Trip Form (Form CCST-4B). The Overnight Trip Form collects student participant information and consists of a Participation Agreement, Authorization and Liability Release, Waiver, Discharge and Agreement Not To Sue, Participant Conduct Agreement, Transportation Waiver, FERPA Information Release, and Health, Insurance and Emergency Contact Information Collection Form. Copies of these forms must be given to the students and returned to the faculty/staff advisor no later than ten (10) business days prior to the trip. Original forms shall be maintained by the faculty/staff advisor, and appropriate copies shall be forwarded to the department director.
B. Student Activity Participant Agreement (SAPA) Form. Many co-curricular student trips are planned and budged based upon attendance. When the actual cost of attendance exceeds the cost of participation (e.g., ticket sale), a host University department may charge the student’s account the full cost of attendance if the student participant and/or their guest does not fully participate with prior approval from the student participant and their guest. In the event that these participation terms and conditions apply, a Student Activity Participant Agreement (SAPA) Form (Form CCST-6) must be completed by the student participant and his or her respective guest(s).
C. Kean Stage Ticket Order Form. It is suggested that if tickets are required for trips, that they be distributed through the Kean Stage Box Office. To request ticket sales, a Kean Stage Ticket Order Form must be completed and approved by the events board representative or department director. All ticket sale requests must comply with the Kean Stage Box Office Policies. For more information, please contact the Kean Stage Box Office.
D. Alternative and Modified Forms. Under certain circumstances depending on the nature of the trip, alternative or modified forms and paperwork may be used by a department or organization for student participant registration with prior written approval from the corresponding vice president and the Office of University Counsel.
E. Other Requirements. In addition to the requirement that all student participants must be currently registered and University students in good standing with the University, a number of additional criteria as determined on the Co-Curricular Student Travel Notification Form may apply (e.g.,: graduate and part-time students only, organization members only, resident students only, etc.).
V. Denial of Participation in a Trip
The University may deny participation, cancel reservations or otherwise terminate participation in University-sponsored trips when a participant violates University policies and regulations and/or local, state, federal or international law, or any written condition/requirement of the trip. The University reserves the right to remove any person from the trip for due cause without a refund, as determined by the designated University agent for the trip. All University disciplinary regulations shall be in effect during the trip, and the University Code of Conduct is in effect for all approved co-curricular student travel.
VI. Forfeiture of Tickets
If a registered participant does not show up at the scheduled departure time, that person forfeits the right to participate in the trip. No substitutions of participants may be made or refunds granted, if applicable, without prior approval from the department director. Registered students who do not fully participate in the scheduled trip or activity may be charged the cost attendance if the student participant agrees to those terms and conditions upon trip registration or ticket sale (e.g., Student Activity Participant Agreement).
VII. Additional University Travel Policies and Procedures
In addition to the policies and procedures described herein, trip advisors and sponsoring department directors are responsible for being familiar with other travel requirements as noted in the Kean University Travel Manual on the University website at http://www.kean.edu/offices/human-resources/travel-manual.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
Effective Fall 2021, all co-curricular student travel participants, students and potential guests, must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus in order to participate. All participants bring their COVID-19 vaccination card and a state-issued photo identification so that vaccination status may be verified by one of the activity/trip chaperones. This information is now reflected on the Co-Curricular Student Travel Registration Forms.