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Student Travel Procedures

The Sanctioned Student Travel policy can be found in the college's Administrative Policy Manual on page 216 under Policy 8.7 Travel Policy, Section 2.

I. TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURES

  1. To obtain approval for travel, the following forms must be submitted to the appropriate administrators along with the required documents and information regarding the event. The request should be submitted at least three (3) weeks in advance of travel to the activity or event.
    1. Travel Approval Form
    2. Student List for Travel
    3. Blanket Liability Release and Indemnification Waiver
  2. Once travel is approved by the appropriate administrator(s), the following procedures must take place:
    1. Obtain quote for Conference/Registration Fee.
    2. Obtain quote for Hotel for students.
    3. Obtain quote for Car Rental (if needed).
    4. Obtain and calculate rate for Per Diem for food (https://www.gsa.gov/travel-resources).
    5. Obtain quote for any additional items needed for purchase.
    6. Fill out Purchase Requisition Form for Registration Fee, Hotel, Car Rental, and Per Diem for Food and turn into the Dean of Student Services
    7. Turn in Liability Waivers signed by all traveling students to the Director of Student Activities.
    8. Pick up checks at the Business Office for Per Diem, Hotel, and additional items needed.
    9. Cash check for per diem and disperse to students traveling (make sure all students sign the Student Travel Allowance Form, advisor keeps on file).
    10. Inform student travelers to keep all per diem receipts.
    11. Obtain gas card from the Physical Plant; keep all gas receipts and turn into the Physical Plant and Dean of Student Services.
    12. Fill out Reconciliation form for each student’s per diem and turn in any change with receipts to the Property Manager at the Business Office.

II. TRIP SPONSOR

  1. The authorizing Dean or Department Chair must designate a Trip Sponsor who will be responsible for the safety and conduct of the trip.
  2. The trip sponsor is responsible for each student who is to be a passenger in the vehicle driven on a college-related activity. (Exception): Student employees of the College, in the course of their employment, may be drivers on and in the vicinity of the campus.

III. STUDENT DRIVERS

Use of Students as Drivers: Only persons meeting the college’s policies defining “Employee”, hold a Texas driver’s license and who hold an “Approved Driver Certificate” from Lamar State College-Port Arthur are eligible to drive. Students, except student employees driving as part of their employment with the College, are expressly excluded from operating college vehicles.

IV. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSPORTING STUDENTS

  1. Special event insurance is available through the Student Services office. If students are to be transported in rental vehicles, the college, through the State of Texas, has several rental sources that offer special rate and inclusive insurance for this type of travel at no or little additional cost. The sponsor will use their State Travel Card which includes the LSCPA agency code to the rental agency. Without the State Travel Card, a sponsor must contact the Purchasing Director in the Business Office to make sure reservations and rental for the trip. This is particularly important where vans or buses are rented to transport a large number of students in a single vehicle.
  2. Each student who travels by motor vehicle or any other form of transportation to participate in a college-related activity, including but not limited to academically related field trips or courses, competitions or contest, or non-academic activities such as those sponsored by Student Services, must execute a copy of the Release and Indemnification Agreement and Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment form. Copies of these documents are available from the Student Activities website.
  3. If students use their own vehicles to drive themselves or transport other students as passengers to college-related activities, they should be informed in advance that their personal insurance will be responsible for any liability arising from the trip.

V. GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTING STUDENTS INVOLVED IN COLLEGE-RELATED ACTIVITIES

  1. Loading of the vehicle shall be done in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. Particular attention should be paid in loading the large (3/4) ton vans. No more than eleven (11) passengers should be transported and even with a reduced load the driver must remain cautious when maneuvering or making quick turns in order to avoid a rollover.
  2. All occupants must remain seated with their seat belt fastened while the vehicle is in motion. The number of occupants must never exceed the number of working seat belts in the vehicle.
  3. The use of tobacco products is not allowed in any vehicles owned or rented by the College.
  4. The Trip Manifest, Itinerary, and Authorization for Student Travel documents must be verified by the LSCPA sponsor of the trip and the driver.
  5. Excluding private vehicles, each vehicle transporting students involved in college-related activities shall be equipped with the following items: first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, a Texas state map, and a Voyager Fleet credit card. The trip sponsor should make arrangements to provide a cell phone for emergency communication.
  6. Student trips will be planned in accordance with the following restrictions:
    1. The driver may not drive more than eight (8) hours in any calendar day.
    2. The driver may not drive more than forty eight (48) hours in a week.
    3. Every driver must take a rest period of at least twelve (12) hours between driving periods.
    4. The maximum number of hours any passenger car or van may be driven during any calendar day is twelve (12).

VI. STANDARD OF CONDUCT DURING TRAVEL

Any student involved in travel that violates The Texas State University System Board of Regents and Lamar State College Port Arthur policies, or local, state, and federal laws, will be subject to disciplinary action notwithstanding any action taken by appropriate authorities because of the violations.