Mid provides opportunities for employees to create and/or provide access to experiences that require students to be off campus. The College-Sponsored Student Travel Policy is designed to support employees in the development and facilitation of these experiences.
Student Travel means travel by individual students, student groups, and Mid employees or agents traveling with students
Broadly, student travel is defined as educational activities that require students and faculty members to leave the campus, including but not limited to the following.
At least one Mid employee, who will serve as the Trip Organizer, must accompany students participating in domestic College-Sponsored Student Travel. There must be one employee per twelve students.
Students participating in international College-Sponsored Student Travel must be accompanied by at least two Trip Organizers, regardless of the number of students.
If trips require an overnight stay, Mid views the employee(s) selected as the Trip Organizer as the party responsible for the trip, and the Trip Organizer must be designated as a Campus Security Authority required by the Jeanne Clery Crime Statistics Act for the duration of the trip. The selected employee(s) must complete the necessary training and are required to report any crime statistics that occur during their trip using the Overnight Trip Crime Stats Reporting Form.
College administration may cancel travel or parts of the planned itinerary for any reason it deems necessary, including but not limited to inclement weather conditions, travel advisories, emergencies, infectious disease outbreaks, or funding or budget-related matters.
It is the responsibility of participants in College-Sponsored Student Travel to familiarize themselves with the laws, regulations, and customs and to obey the rules of each location they visit during the travel experience. For students participating in study abroad/away travel experiences at foreign institutions, it is the responsibility of those students to familiarize themselves with the foreign institution’s code of conduct and policies.
College-Sponsored Student Travel outside of the United States requires additional approval by the appropriate College budget administrators.
Proof of Travel/Medical Insurance must be submitted to the College. Supplemental travel insurance/medical insurance may be purchased from any vendor who provides such services.
Trip Organizers and participants whose primary role at the College is as an employee shall not lodge in the same room with participants whose primary role at the College is as a student, unless they are immediate relatives.
No person may accompany a Trip Organizer or participant unless that person is a participant.
All College-Sponsored Student Travel must be facilitated in accordance with the guidelines, practices, and procedures of all Mid Michigan College Policies & Procedures.
Before departure, the Trip Organizer must meet with all students who will be traveling to discuss the final itinerary, behavioral expectations, and transportation details. Each student must be presented with a copy of the Mid Michigan College Student Code of Conduct, emphasizing that students traveling are subject to the Code of Conduct as if they are on campus during the trip.
Students found in violation of the Student Code of Conduct by a Dean, Vice President, or designee are subject to appropriate interim or disciplinary action, and any associated costs (e.g., flights, ground transportation, accommodations, meals, etc.) to return home are at the student’s expense.
If any training is deemed required, it must be completed by the Trip Organizer and participants before departure.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the approval of the Provost.
If you are arranging College-related travel for employees (not with students), refer to the Travel & Reimbursement Policy.
Use this step-by-step procedure to plan your next trip, paying careful attention to submission deadlines, required documents, and detailed procedures that impact College-sponsored travel.
Approval of a trip is initiated by informing your supervisor through the submission of the Student Travel Authorization Form. This form is designed to capture all of the essential information about your planned trip to ensure proper parties are aware and prepared to review your proposal. You'll receive an update within five working days via your Mid Mich Email.
*If your travel experience needs to be promoted to the campus community to encourage registration, you must inform your supervisor two to three months before the trip to allow enough time for the gathering of details and promotion.
Review the following policies.
If your trip is approved, you'll receive confirmation via your Mid Mich Email.
One week (7 working days) or more before departure, the Trip Organizer must meet with all students who will be traveling to discuss the final itinerary, behavioral expectations, and transportation details. Each student must be presented with a copy of the Mid Michigan College Student Code of Conduct, emphasizing that students traveling are subject to the Code of Conduct as if they are on campus during the trip.
One week (7 working days) before departure, submit all required documents specific to your travel experience to your supervisor, including the final itinerary and a confirmed list of all individuals who will be traveling.
On the day of departure, confirm the list of all individuals who are traveling and submit this list to your supervisor.
Employees planning college-sponsored student travel must carefully plan and collaborate with their supervisor and various departments to ensure the trip is approved and runs smoothly. Upon approval, trip coordinators must meet with various departments to discuss the planning and facilitation of the trip.
The Business Services team plays a key role in organizing travel for teams across the College. Be sure to connect with them for help before and after your trip.
Mid's Compliance team plays a key role in ensuring the safety of Mid employees and students, and the College's compliance with state and federal laws. Navigating these requirements can be tough, but this team excels at guiding you through them.
Emergencies can and do occur, which is one of the reasons student travel requires preparation and proper authorization, forms, and emergency contacts on file to aid in quick communication and response when an incident occurs.
It is important to adhere to some of the same safety best practices our Campus Safety & Security team recommends, including remaining aware of your surroundings, asking for escort or assistance from a nearby and identifiable public safety officer if necessary, communicating with others about your whereabouts, and having a plan should an incident arise.
In the event of an emergency while traveling, here are the immediate steps to take.
It is important to gather your thoughts and ideas as soon as possible upon returning. If assessments or reporting requirements were established before the trip, the Trip Organizer should fulfill those requirements soon after returning.
Mid's Strategic Communications team helps Trip Organizers with a variety of services. It's essential to connect with this team at least 8 weeks before your trip so there is adequate time for promotion to take place.
Your Supervisor or Department Coordinator plays a key role in day-to-day operations in your specific area. It's important to stay in touch with them and keep them informed about travel details throughout the process.