International Travel Volunteer Agreement

The University supports global awareness and international experiences for faculty, staff and students when there is alignment to cultural or academic enrichment. International travel for limited expanse of time and for a specific purpose have internal protocols that may or may not be inclusive to the full scope covered by study abroad programs.

The protocols listed below are specific to short term international travel that is often associated with campus auxiliary groups. The initiation of these protocols begins with academic chairs and deans.

All international travel by faculty and student groups under the representation or sponsorship of the University must be approved by the provost before any internal or external contractual or verbal commitments are made.

All requests for travel must follow the protocols below:

Six Months Prior to Travel (Academic Deans and Chairs, Organization advisors)

• Invitations from international vendor for CSU participation must be presented to General Counsel and Academic Affairs. All invitations must be presented within 36 hours of receipt. Only written invitations will be considered for approval.
• Request for International Travel form and estimated travel budget must be submitted with the written invitation. Forms can be accessed at centralstate.edu/academics/travel.
• US State Department travel advisory must be submitted along with the written invitation. Travel advisories can be accessed at travel.state.gov.

Four Months Prior to Approved Travel (Academic Deans and Chairs, Organization advisors)

If there is tentative approval by Academic Affairs,

• All students and staff who will be travelling must be identified in a written manifest. Only currently enrolled students will be permitted to travel. Students must be verified in good standing by Student Affairs prior to travel. Any student failing to remain in good standing through the date of travel will not be permitted to travel with the group
• Any other participants who travel with the group must be approved in writing by Academic Affairs and will be required to have a current background check prior to travel.
• Applications for passports, visas and any other travel documentation must be filed and copies of the receipts for travel documents for each traveler must be submitted to Academic Affairs and Student Affairs.

Two Months Prior to Travel (Academic Deans and Chairs, Organization advisors)

The department/unit travelling must prepare a travelers' manifest that includes:

• Names and ID numbers of travelers;
• Chaperones contract or volunteer agreement;
• Copies of all passports;
• Verification of travel insurance and emergency medical insurance for each traveler (insurance can be obtained by contacting the Center for Global Education for information on the current University insurance contract);
• Confirmed transportation arrangements (airfare and ground transport) and hotel accommodations stateside and while traveling to the destination, and during the time in the destination country;
• Food and international travel budget;
• Travel itinerary (with daily detail);
• Signed liability waiver from each traveler and, if a minor, the liability waiver must be signed by a parent/guardian;
• Emergency contact form and FERPA waiver are required for each traveler; and
• Evidence that traveler has the independent financial means to travel back to the US should this become necessary.

Vendor and/or traveler payments should be received by Cash Management at least three months before date of travel unless otherwise specified by written contract.

Notification of travel to the American Embassy is required before travel.

Policies and forms required for international travel can be reviewed at http://www.centralstate.edu/academics/index.php?num=21.