Rule 3344-80-01 | University-sponsored international travel policy.
(A) Purpose
Cleveland state university encourages students and community members to take advantage of international travel opportunities as a means of enriching their education and serving the global community. This rule sets forth the requirements for university-sponsored international travel in order to balance the benefits of such travel against its risks.
(B) Definitions
(1) "International travel review committee" means the committee appointed by the provost to review proposed travel to travel warning countries or involving non-enrolled minors. The committee shall be chaired by the director of the center for international studies and programs or designee, and include the vice president of student affairs or designee, at least one faculty member, and other members as determined by the provost.
(2) "Participant" means any participant in university-sponsored travel, including faculty and staff members leading the travel.
(3) "Travel warning country" means a country subject to a current U.S. state department travel advisory level 3 or 4 or a travel warning issued by the world health organization or the centers for disease control.
(4) "University-sponsored travel" means any of the following:
(a) Faculty or staff led international travel for which students receive academic credit. Examples include study abroad programs;
(b) Travel by students with faculty members to conferences abroad or to assist in research, whether or not the student receives academic credit;
(c) Internships abroad arranged by the university, whether or not the student receives academic credit;
(d) International service-learning opportunities led by faculty or staff;
(e) International travel organized by a university department or office, such as the athletics department or the Confucius institute; and
(f) International travel organized by student organizations as an activity of that organization.
(g) "University-sponsored travel" does not include:
(i) Travel that has no connection to CSU, such as vacations, service trips not affiliated with CSU, enrollment at foreign universities (whether or not academic credit will be awarded by CSU), and any other travel not defined in this rule as university-sponsored travel;
(ii) Travel that is organized by an entity other than CSU, even when participants are recruited through CSU student organizations or other on-campus marketing efforts; and
(iii) Travel that is funded by CSU but for which CSU offers no oversight, such as research grants, scholarships for programs offered by third parties or tuition payment for enrollment in foreign universities.
(iv) Faculty or staff travel that does not involve students or community members and is governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement or policy.
(C) Scope
This rule applies to all university-sponsored travel and must be adhered to by all participants, including faculty and staff leading the travel.
(D) Requirements
(1) International travel registration. Faculty and staff leading university-sponsored travel must provide the center for international studies and programs (CISP) with registration information at least two weeks prior to travel, or as soon as practicable prior to departure. Registration information shall include the dates and locations of travel, contact information for the employee while abroad, and the names and CSU ID numbers of all participants. If no faculty or staff member is leading the travel of a student organization, that organization's advisor must complete the registration.
(2) Travel waiver form. All participants in university-sponsored travel must complete and sign a travel waiver form provided by CISP. The parents or guardians of participants under eighteen years of age must sign the form on behalf of the minor participant.
(3) Health insurance. Prior to departure, all participants must obtain health insurance that will provide coverage in the countries to which they are traveling.
(4) Participant conduct.
(a) The university student code of conduct, Chapter 3344-83 of the Administrative Code, applies to all university-sponsored travel by students. During university-sponsored travel, the vice president of student affairs or designee has the authority to alter deadlines or processes set forth in the student code of conduct in the interest of protecting the health and safety of the participants or providing appropriate due process to affected parties.
(b) In addition, participants are expected to obey the laws of their host countries and any rules established by the leader of the travel. Failure to do so may result in the termination of a participant's participation in the university-sponsored travel or the cancelation of the travel.
(5) Family members and other non-participants. Generally, family members of participants (who are not themselves participants) and other non-participants are not permitted to accompany participants on university-sponsored travel. Exceptions may be approved by the provost or designee when good cause is presented by the participant.
(E) Additional approvals.
(1) Minors
(a) Minors enrolled as students may participate in university-sponsored travel so long as their parents or guardians review and sign all travel waivers and other required documents.
(b) University-sponsored travel in which participants may be minors who are not enrolled as students must receive prior approval by the international travel review committee. Examples of such travel include language instruction and cultural exchanges for school-age community members. The university's minors on campus policy, Chapter 3344-94 of the Administrative Code, applies to university-sponsored travel by non-enrolled minors. All adults accompanying non-enrolled minors on university-sponsored travel shall review the minors on campus policy prior to departure.
(2) Travel to travel warning countries. CSU reserves the right to prohibit, cancel or recall any university-sponsored travel to a travel warning country when it determines that the risks of the travel outweigh the benefits. All travel to travel warning countries must be approved by the international travel review committee.
(3) Approval by the international travel review committee. Requests for approval of travel to travel warning countries or by non-enrolled minors must be submitted for approval in accordance with the following procedure:
(a) An approval request for the travel must be submitted to CISP prior to soliciting participants, or at least sixty days prior to departure, whichever is earlier. The approval request must include the dates and locations of travel, the nature of the activities to be undertaken, an assessment of the benefits and risks of the travel for the participants, and any proposed steps for mitigating the risks of travel.
(i) Requests for approval involving travel to a travel warning country must also include an explanation as to how the goals of the travel could not be met by travel to a non-travel warning country.
(ii) Requests for approval involving travel by non-enrolled minors must also include the ages of the participants, the level of supervision and the experience of the supervisors, and information regarding the accommodations to be provided.
(b) Upon receipt of an approval request, CISP will convene the international travel review committee to review the request. The request will be approved if the international travel review committee determines that the travel provides significant benefits to the participants and that the risks of travel can be reasonably mitigated.
(i) Factors to be considered for travel warning countries include the level of risk presented in the travel warning country, the experience of the participants, the degree to which the travel experience could not be replicated in a non-travel warning country, and any contingency plans for addressing health and safety concerns.
(ii) Factors to be considered for travel involving minors include the age and experience of the participants, the level of supervision, including the experience of the adults involved in the travel, and the appropriateness of the activities and accommodations.
(c) In approving a request, the international travel review committee may impose conditions on the travel, such as requiring additional travel waivers or parental notifications, mandatory orientations, or changes to the travel itinerary.
(d) If the international travel review committee denies the request, the appropriate dean or vice president may submit an appeal to the provost.
(e) If conditions in a travel warning country deteriorate, or a new travel warning is issued for a country not previously subject to a warning, CISP may convene the international travel review committee to consider all travel that is planned or on-going in that country. The international travel review committee shall recommend to the provost whether to cancel or recall travel that is on-going or has previously been approved. The provost's decision to cancel or recall travel shall be final.