Appendix IV

Travel and Risk-Related Activities

Release Forms

The University�s Release and Indemnification Agreement and Medical Information Release forms must be completed and signed by each student or member of the public prior to participating in University-sponsored travel or a risk-related activity (see Exhibits B4 through B4-E). There are separate forms for adults and minors and for foreign travel. In the case of a minor, the parent or guardian must sign the forms. A minor is any person who has not yet attained the age of eighteen (18). A student is any person presently enrolled in The University of Texas at Dallas.

A designated contact person in the academic or student affairs unit that is sponsoring the travel or activity must maintain the completed forms for a period of two years. When travel is involved, a Student Travel/Off-Campus Activity Checklist form (Exhibit B14-A), indicating that the required Release and Indemnification Agreements have been completed, should be attached to the unit�s copy of Student/Team/Group Travel Authorization (Exhibit B14) and must be provided to the Office of Procurement Management. (NOTE: If the travel is to a foreign country, Exhibit B14 must be approved by the President.)

In those cases where participants in the travel/activity have multiple events and the persons participating do not change, each participant may complete the Medical Information and Release form once at the beginning of a semester. Participants must update information on the form, as necessary, prior to each trip/activity.

Applicability

These policies and procedures apply to all University sponsored travel and other activities associated with high risks that involve one or more students and members of the public. In general, the applicable travel/activities may be categorized as follows:

NOTE: This policy also applies to registered student organizations if the activity or event is organized and sponsored by UTD and if travel to the activity or event is funded and undertaken using a vehicle owned or leased by UTD. Registered student organizations may not require members to travel beyond 25 miles from UTD.

Activities sponsored by an academic unit are under the purview of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Questions regarding the policies, procedures, or forms should be directed to the Vice Provost at extension 2791.

Activities sponsored by Student Affairs are under the purview of the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Questions regarding those activities should be directed to the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at extension 6391.

Notifications

Students should be thoroughly informed through the catalog, the class schedule, and the course syllabus about all travel and other risk-related activities required by or associated with a credit course. For non-credit courses or programs, the course or program materials should provide this information.

Students and members of the public engaged in travel or other high-risk activities associated with the University should be informed of the nature of such risks prior to participating in the activity. An attachment to the Release and Indemnification Agreement that would be referenced on the form may be appropriate for this purpose.

Prior to each travel of other risk-related activity, the administrator of the unit sponsoring the activity must provide the Police Chief with the name of the faculty or staff member in direct charge of the activity, the name of a member of the unit not participating in the activity who can be contacted if needed, and, for travel-related activity, the names of the students and members of the public who are traveling. For the risk-related activities not involving travel, the administrator must notify the Police Chief regarding the site of the activity and the approximate number of participants. The Student/Team/Group/Travel Authorization form (Exhibit B14) and the Student Travel/Off-Campus Activity Checklist (Exhibit B14-A) are used for these notifications.

Incidents of a serious nature should be reported immediately to the administrator in charge of the sponsoring unit.

Safety Issues and Modes of Travel

General

Circumstances such as terrain, road conditions, length of trip, etc., may make it prudent that students and/or members of the public go with available group transportation rather than travel by personal vehicle. In some situations, it may be that travel with the group should be required. The faculty, staff member, and/or supervisor in charge of the travel should consider this issue as he or she would any safety matter. As with all of these issues, the use of caution and common sense are an important part of this process.

In all cases where an adult participant is permitted to choose to drive/ride in private transportation, that circumstance should be described in the Mode of Transportation line on the Release and Indemnification Agreement.

For minor participants, the key issue is giving notice to parents/guardians exactly how their child is to be transported to/from the activity. The Mode of Transportation information should provide notice. It would be best to limit the transportation of minors who are not accompanied by a parent/guardian to UTD owned/leased/rented vehicles, or vehicle driven by UTD employees acting within the scope of their employment. Such a requirement should be stated on the Release and Indemnification Agreement.

All Motor Vehicle Travel

The administrator of the unit sponsoring an activity involving travel for students or members of the public must ensure that the following safety precautions are followed:

For University-Owned or Rental Vehicles:

Accident:
Mechanical Breakdown (University-Owned Vehicles):
Mechanical Breakdown (Rental Vehicles):