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:
- Activities associated with organized courses or
officially recognized independent study, either for credit (e.g., field
trip courses) or non-credit.
- Activities associated with individual work or research
off-campus; e.g., co-ops, internships, student teaching, and practica.
- Extracurricular activities including, but not limited
to intramural sports, intercollegiate athletics, and similar activities.
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:
- Seat Belts: Occupants of motor vehicles shall use seat
belts or other approved safety restraint devices as required by law at all
times when the vehicle is in operation.
- Weapons, alcohol, and illegal substances prohibited:
Occupants of motor vehicles shall not consume, possess, or transport any
weapons, alcoholic beverages, or illegal substances at any time when the
vehicle is in operation.
- Passenger Capacity and Hours of Driving: The total
number of passengers, including the driver, in any vehicle at any time it
is in operation shall not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended capacity.
- The distance to the destination and/or the number of
participants needing transportation should determine the type of
transportation to be used. On long trips, each vehicle should have a
minimum of two drivers certified by the UTD Safety Officer. Drivers
should rotate periodically, and no more than 10 hours of driving should
be completed during any one day. Trips requiring more than 10 hours
driving to reach the destination will require overnight lodging. There
should be no driving between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
without prior approval of the appropriate administrative official. Van
drivers must take a thirty-minute rest break every four hours.
- For trips scheduled for longer than 2 hours, a
navigator must be assigned to assist the driver. The navigator must stay
awake while on duty.
- No more than nine (9) people, including the driver
plus gear, should be loaded on any one 15- passenger van. The weight of
the passengers and their gear should be distributed evenly throughout the
van. Luggage should be placed in the rear behind the last seat and is not
allowed on the roof when the van is being operated.
- On trips where the number of participants exceeds that
which can comfortably fit in two or three vans, a chartered bus should be
considered. All vehicles should have access to a cellular phone, and the
number should be indicated in the notification to the Police Chief.
- Medical Insurance: Students traveling on a University-sponsored
overnight trip must have medical insurance. Student health insurance is
available at minimal cost through the Student Insurance Division of UICI,
a local company that provides tailored health insurance programs for
students enrolled in universities. Contact the representative for UTD at
469-229-6700 for information on insurance for special events such as field
trips and off-campus activities. Insurance may be provided by the
sponsoring office as part of the cost of the activity, or may be purchased
by individual students.
- Driver Authorization: All University employees who
drive University owned vehicles or who drive a rental vehicle that is used
to transport students must be certified by the UTD Safety Officer as
having met the requirements for the authorization of drivers in this
policy and The U.T. System Business Procedure Memorandum No. 16-05-02.
This does not apply to employees who are driving rental vehicles on
University business but are not transporting students. Requirements for being
an authorized driver include a 36-month Motor Vehicle Record score of 2 or
less, as well as appropriate driver training. Van-specific training,
including on-the-road training, is required for drivers of 15-passenger
vans.
- Insurance Coverage: The U.T. System Business Procedure
Memorandum No. 16-05-02 includes information, policies, and procedures
regarding insurance policies covering the authorized use of owned, hired
and non-owned vehicles; requirements for the safe use of vehicles;
requirements for authorization of drivers; and procedures for reporting
vehicle accidents or occurrences which may lead to claims. This Memorandum
may be found at http://www.utsystem.edu/bpm/16.htm.
- Valid Driver’s License: An employee who operates a
University-owned, rented, leased, or personal vehicle for official
University business at a time when his or her license was suspended or
revoked shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including
dismissal.
- Emergency Procedures. Important: Copies of participant
Medical Information Release forms and the Emergency Procedures Checklist
must accompany the responsible faculty or staff member assigned to each
vehicle for University-sponsored travel.
For
University-Owned or Rental Vehicles:
Accident:
- Notify local authorities @ 911.
- Notify UTD Police @ 972-883-2331 who will notify the
Safety Officer, the Risk Manager, and the administrator in charge of the
sponsoring unit. The need for follow-up with the participants’ emergency
contact persons or others is discussed at this time.
- Leave a cellular phone number with the University
Police dispatcher. For rentals, call the 800 number provided by the rental
company.
- While at the scene of the accident, authorized drivers
must attempt to obtain as much information as possible, including:
- The license plate number of any vehicles at the scene;
- The names and telephone numbers of the other parties;
- Insurance information from the other parties involved
in the accident;
- As soon as possible, the authorized driver will
provide this information to the fleet contact at 972-883- 2249.
- Authorized drivers of the University-owned vehicles
should advise other parties involved in the accident that the accident
will be reported to the University’s insurance company who will be in
contact with the claimant.
- In the case of rental vehicles, the University has an
insurance policy that becomes applicable if the cost exceeds what is
covered by the rental agency’s insurance policy. Authorized drivers of the
University-owned vehicles should advise other parties involved in the
accident that the accident will be reported to the rental agency and to
the University’s insurance company.
- Authorized drivers should not make any representations
regarding insurance coverage to other parties involved in the accident,
because the insurance company’s adjuster will make the determination of
coverage available under the insurance policy. Should the other party
require some type of insurance information, a copy of UTD’s insurance
policy is in the glove compartment (University-owned vehicles only) or
they may contact UTD’s fleet contact at 972-883-2249 for assistance.
- Upon returning to campus, the fleet contact will
provide you with insurance claim forms to be filled out with all pertinent
information about the accident. The fleet contact will then forward the
claim form to the insurance company for handling.
Mechanical
Breakdown (University-Owned Vehicles):
- Notify the dispatcher in the UTD Police Department @
972-883-2331 who will the supervisor of the authorized driver.
- Contact some form of roadside assistance (local auto
dealer service department, garage, etc.)
- Leave a cellular phone number for someone to call you
back.
- Do not attempt to make repairs, including changing a
tire. Wait for roadside assistance.
Mechanical
Breakdown (Rental Vehicles):
- Call the 800 number provided by the rental company.