Risk Scenario 1: UIS Student Affairs receives a phone call from a student’s guardian. “My child went on a trip with UIS, and I haven’t been able to reach him/her. I have reason to think that something went wrong. I’m not 100% sure what the trip was or where s/he was going. Can you help me?” 

Risk Scenario 2: UIS Student Affairs receives a phone call from a law enforcement agency. “A University vehicle was involved in an accident, but due to circumstances, we are currently unsure that all passengers are accounted for. Can you provide us with a list of people that were in the vehicle?” 

This policy applies to Division-Sponsored Trips 

A Division-Sponsored Trip is defined as: 

  • A trip that involves transporting students and is organized, staffed, or funded by a UIS Student Affairs Unit. 
  • A trip organized by a registered student organization that involves overnight travel, destinations further than 75 miles from campus, or activities that incur some level of risk (skiing, volunteering to build houses, attending a protest, etc.). 

 

The following are not considered Division-Sponsored Trips: 

  • Trips by employees or student-staff that do not include non-employee passengers and are being conducted within the job duties of the employees and/or student-staff (i.e. employees traveling to a training, a Career Development Center student-staff member traveling to Walmart to get Career Expo-related supplies during his/her work hours, etc.). 
  • Trips organized by student organizations (without departmental/unit sponsorship) that: 1) Do not involve overnight travel 2) Are to destinations less than 75 miles from campus; and 3) Do not involve an increased level of risk (i.e. History Club making a day visit to the Lincoln Library). 

 

Guiding Principles: 

  • This policy does not affect any other established trip approval policies and procedures (see OBFS Business and Financial Policies and Procedures Section 15). 
  • The Dean of Students Office must be able to access accurate information for all Division- Sponsored Trips, including the “who,” (which employees and students are on that trip, and the name of the trip leader), “when” (departure and return dates and times) and “where” (location/s and dates at each location). 
  • All Division-Sponsored Trips should have a designated trip leader. 
  • All attending students should complete a UIS LIABILITY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT for all off-campus trips*. 
  • The trip leader should have access to the participants’ emergency contact information during the trip. 

 

* (A student can complete one liability form for multiple occurrences of the same trip.) 

Protocol for a Division-Sponsored Trip: 

  • Please complete the Off-Campus Trip Notification Form no less than 48 hours in advance of the trip with the following information: 
    • Name/(brief) Purpose of trip 
    • Sponsoring unit 
    • Name of trip leader 
    • Cell phone number for trip leader 
    • Departure date/time 
    • Location(s) and dates at each location 
    • Return date/time 
    • The means by which the departure roster will be sent (email, UIS Connection, etc.) 
    • If this is an overnight trip, or a trip of more than 75 miles (from campus), the team leader should provide a contingency plan in the event s/he becomes unable to fulfil his/her duty (i.e. other eligible van drivers, etc.). 
  • At the time of departure, the trip leader should provide the Dean of Students Office with an accurate list of attendees. Note: A UIS Connection swipe/check-in is sufficient. 
  • Students should complete a “UIS LIABILITY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT” (including emergency contact information) prior to departing. 
  • The team leader should collect the liability release forms, and keep the associated emergency contact information for students with him/her during the trip in the event of an emergency. 
  • If a student leaves the trip prior to its conclusion, the departure should be documented using the sign-out section on the bottom of the liability release form. 
  • Upon completion of the trip, liability forms should be safely filed with the sponsoring unit for one year, after which time they should be shredded. 

 

A Note About Liability Waivers: 

The UIS LIABILITY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT, commonly known as a “Liability Waiver,” is applicable when event participation is voluntary. If you are transporting student(s) to an event that is required by a course, an academic program, an on-campus job, etc., you should have students complete the form so that you have emergency contact information; but you should also understand that a Liability Waiver is generally not applicable in these scenarios, and should take specific care to ensure the safety of students in said circumstances. 

Related Policies: 

Use of Private Vehicles: 

“Non-employee passengers are not covered by the State of Illinois Self-Insured Motor Vehicle Liability Plan.” For more detail, please visit OBFS Business and Financial Policies and Procedures Section 15.3.3. 

Using Motorpool Vehicles: 

Use of Motorpool Vehicles requires obtaining permission and confirming funds from a unit head, ensuring the driver is eligible, and completing a Car Release Form. For more detail, please visit OBFS Business and Financial Policies and Procedures Section 15.4. 

Eligibility to Drive Motor Pool Vehicles 

Student-staff must have “driving a university vehicle” listed as a part of their job function/description, and student-staff must be performing that job function for that unit while using the vehicle. For more details on driver eligibility, please visit OBFS Business and Financial Policies and Procedures Section 15.4.2.