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Approved: 5/29/09
Since 9/11 the University and the International Education and Programs (IEP) have developed a series of policies and guidelines that pertain to all academic off-campus programs. As a result, faculty interested in conducting academic class field trips, extended domestic and foreign travel field trips, and quarterly or year-long off-campus programs, must follow the University protocol.
The following provides a brief summary of the guidelines faculty are required to follow when conducting field trips. We recommend that you go to the Cal Poly Contracts, Procurement, and Risk Management web page and review the Field Trip Guidelines and Field Trip Procedures, as well as the IEP Travel Abroad Guidelines in the early stages of planning a class field trip in addition to the information provided here. The department has also created a Field Trip Checklist for your convenience.
Please email Lisa Rutherford in the Architecture Department or phone her at 805.756.2930 if you have any questions or need assistance concerning field trips.
Important Notice
Field trips that have not met all requirements will be cancelled.
Short Field Trips
Short field trip are defined as 2 days or less with simple logistics.
Faculty/Trip Leader
Faculty/Trip Leaders who travel with students and do not follow the procedures will be personally liable and not covered by the CSU or Cal Poly in the event of an accident or emergency.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must complete the Travel Request (1A) form.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit a trip itnerary. If several similar required field trips are planed throughout the quarter, each trip itinerary may be listed on a single Field Activities Notification Form that students can sign once, rather than filling out the form for each individual short field trip.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must notify students that a University Activity Release Agreement is required if the field trip involves abnormal risks (i.e. visiting a construction site).
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit all forms to the department at least 5 business days before the departure date.
Students
Students that do not submit the required forms and information to the faculty member/trip leader on-time will not be permitted to participate in the field trip.
- Students must complete the Field Activities Notification Form (doc).
- If the field trip involves abnormal risks (i.e. visiting a construction site) students must complete the University Activity Release Agreement (doc). The Faculty/Trip Leader will notify you if this form is required.
Extended Domestic Field Trips
Extended domestic field trips are defined as 2 or more days and/or including extensive logistics.
Faculty/Trip Leader
Faculty who travel with students and do not follow the procedures will be personally liable and not covered by the CSU or Cal Poly in the event of an accident or emergency.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must complete the Travel Request (1A) form and provide a detailed itinerary with emergency contact information for each trip location.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit a Field Trip Proposal that includes a timeline, itinerary and budget to the department for approval.
The budget must provide an estimate of student expenses including any fees that the student will be assessed.
Download the Field Trip Proposal Template (doc).
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit all forms to the department at least 10 business days before the departure date.
Students
Students that do not submit the required forms and information to the faculty member/trip leader on-time will not be permitted to participate in the field trip.
- Students must fill out and submit the following forms to the faculty member/trip leader:
Student Participation Agreement (pdf)
Student Participation Agreement (InDesign)
Student Participation Agreement (rtf)
Medical Information and Authorization Form (pdf)
Assumption of Risk and Release Agreement (pdf) - Students must provide the faculty member/trip leader their empl ID number and Cal Poly email alias.
Foreign Travel Field Trips
Foreign travel field trips are defined as any trip that leaves the United States.
Faculty/Trip Leader
Faculty/Trip Leaders who travel with students and do not follow the procedures will be personally liable and not covered by the CSU or Cal Poly in the event of an accident or emergency.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit a Field Trip Proposal that includes a timeline, itinerary and budget to the department a minimum of 10 weeks prior to trip departure.
The budget must provide an estimate of student expenses including any fees that the student will be assessed. Fees must include the foreign travel assistance insurance (medical, personal and travel assistance) the department is required to purchase for the group from Cal Poly.
Download the Field Trip Proposal Template (doc).
- Faculty/Trip Leader must complete the Travel Request (1A) form.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must send a Field Trip Memo to International Education and Programs certifying that student participants have signed the three required risk management documents.
The memo must include the name of the student participants, their identification number, Cal Poly email alias, emergency contact information, and dates, destinations, and overseas contact information for all field trip destinations. This information will be logged with the Cal Poly Police Department for the duration of the trip. A copy of the memo must be provided to the Architecture Department.
Download the Draft Field Trip Proposal Memo (doc).
Email John Battenburg, Director of International Education and Programs.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must contact International Education and Programs (IEP- X61477) to review emergency plans while overseas and procedures for guiding students while abroad.
- Faculty/Trip Leader must submit all forms to the department at least one month prior to the departure date.
Students
Students that do not submit the required forms and information to the faculty member/trip leader on-time will not be permitted to participate in the field trip.
- Students must fill out and submit the following forms to the faculty member/trip leader:
Student Participation Agreement (pdf)
Student Participation Agreement (InDesign)
Student Participation Agreement (rtf)
Medical Information and Authorization Form (pdf)
Assumption of Risk and Release Agreement (pdf) - Students must provide the faculty member/trip leader a copy of their valid passport, empl ID number and Cal Poly email alias.