Student Organization Travel Policy [Effective 2/18/2026]

This policy outlines the guidelines and requirements for all student organization travel through the Center for Student Involvement (“CSI”), to ensure that all travel activities are conducted safely, responsibly, and in alignment with institutional policies.

This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff participating in student organization trips taking place 25 miles or more from campus. It outlines requirements for transportation, supervision, accommodation, safety, and liability to ensure responsible and well-organized travel.

• Chaperone: the RISD employee contact responsible for traveling with the students (see chaperone requirements below) when required.
• Primary Point of Contact: a RISD student participant who is the first point of contact for the trip and is responsible for coordinating travel with the Center for Student Involvement.
• Secondary Contact: a RISD student participant who is designated to support the Primary Point of Contact (and the Chaperone, where applicable). This individual serves as a backup point of contact in case the Primary Point of Contact (and Chaperone, where applicable) is unavailable.
• Mandatory Reporter: all RISD employees (including student employees and Confidential Employees who are voluntarily acting outside of their usual scope of employment) are Mandatory Reporters and are required to promptly report all known details of actual or suspected discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and/or retaliation to Equity & Compliance.
• Student Organization: a student group that is registered through the Center for Student Involvement.
• Volunteer: consistent with the U.S. Department of Labor, a volunteer is an individual who performs hours of service for a public agency for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation, or receipt of compensation for services rendered.

Trip Registration

• All travel must be registered with the Center for Student Involvement at least six (6) weeks in advance.
• Registration is completed through the Student Organization Event Proposal Form on Involved, and approval is subject to review and is not guaranteed.
• A Primary Point of Contact and a Secondary Point of Contact must be designated for each trip.
• All travel must be reserved, booked, and confirmed by CSI in a booking meeting (see Procedures) with the Primary Point of Contact. CSI will not provide reimbursement to any individual who pays for travel expenses on their own outside of the required booking meeting.

Chaperone Requirement

• All trips involving air travel must include a Chaperone who is a non-student employee of the college. When a chaperone is present, they will act as the trip leader and designate a student as the secondary point of contact.
• All chaperones must be an exempt employee of RISD and complete a Trip Leader Agreement.
• The Student Organization budget will fund up to one faculty or staff chaperone’s travel (transportation and accommodation only). Chaperones are volunteers and must coordinate any hours they are away with their direct supervisor.
• CSI staff are not eligible to serve as chaperones for student trips.
• Student employees are not eligible to serve as chaperones for student trips.
• Overnight trips that do not involve air travel do not require a staff chaperone.
• All chaperones are considered mandatory reporters and must comply with the requirements listed below.

Waivers and Risk Acknowledgement

• For overnight trips, all participants must complete a trip waiver form, which can be obtained from the CSI office during your booking meeting. This form must be sent to CSI at least one week prior to the departure date in order for itinerary details to be released to the student organization.
• Please be aware that third-party vendors or venues may require you to sign a waiver on-site as a condition of participation that is separate and apart from RISD’s own required waivers. RISD is not requiring you to sign these external waivers, nor have we reviewed or endorsed their content. Signing such external documents is at your own individual discretion.
• Camping trips must occur at a licensed campground, and participants are required to sign a waiver. Private and commercial campgrounds are licensed through the Bureau of Land Management.
• Certain high-risk or adventure activities may require additional review by the Office of Risk Management. In such cases, Risk Management may require documentation from the vendor, such as a certificate of insurance and a copy of their business license, before the activity is approved.
• RISD Waiver Compliance: Trip Leaders are responsible for ensuring all required waivers, as required by RISD, are completed and collected prior to participation in applicable activities. Once all RISD-required waivers have been collected, they should be sent to CSI. Failure to ensure all RISD-required waivers are completed and collected may result in disciplinary measures as outlined under policy sanctions. Participants who do not timely submit a waiver may not be allowed to participate and are fully responsible for all costs that may have been incurred.

Transportation Requirements

Approved Transportation Methods:

• School buses (Only approved for trips that anticipate more than 20 attendees. For trips with fewer than 20 attendees, CSI Vans must be used).
• Charter buses (Only approved for trips exceeding 150 miles from RISD and which anticipate more than 25 attendees).
• Amtrak trains
• CSI Vans
• Public transportation (e.g., RIPTA)

Prohibited Methods:

• Personal vehicles (student- or employee-owned) are not permitted to transport students.
• 15-passenger vans (CSI vans are 10-passenger)
• Rental Cars or ZipCars
• Ride-share services (e.g., Lyft, Uber)

Driver Requirements:

• All drivers of college-owned vehicles must:
  • Meet the college’s approved driver criteria.
  • Complete a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check.
  • Successfully pass a defensive driving course.
• Information on becoming an approved driver is available through Public Safety at pubsafe@risd.edu.

For guidance on using CSI vans, refer to the CSI Van Guidelines.

Accommodation Requirements

• Overnight accommodations must be in licensed hotels or licensed bed and breakfasts.
• Homestays, home shares (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO), and hostels are not permitted.
• For camping trips, accommodations must be at a licensed campground approved by RISD.

Pre-Trip Checklist

All student organizations must review and complete a student organization travel planning checklist prior to submitting a travel request.

Questions or Support?
Please contact the Center for Student Involvement at csi@risd.edu.

1. Submit Request: At least 6 weeks in advance, the student organization must request travel through the Student Organization Event Proposal Form on Involved. All requests are reviewed, and approval is not guaranteed.
   • In the Event Proposal Form, a Trip Leader and a secondary point of contact must be identified. For trips involving air travel, a staff chaperone must also be identified.
2. CSI will review the request, determine approval or denial, and outline any conditions that must be met to support the trip, considering institutional finance, health and safety, and risk management requirements. Once this outcome is determined, CSI will notify the student organization through the Involved platform.
   • In addition to normal review processes, for trips involving flights, where a chaperone is listed, CSI will need confirmation from the chaperone on their commitment to attend throughout the duration of the trip prior to approval.
3. If approved, CSI will notify the student organization and include a link to meet in order to move forward with booking the travel. Student Organizations must come prepared to the meeting with all travelers' names, dates of birth, email addresses, the traveler's phone numbers, and the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of emergency contacts.
4. For trips that require a trip waiver as outlined above, a signed waiver for each attendee must be provided to CSI at least one week prior to the trip departure date. Only once CSI receives these waivers will the trip itinerary be sent to the trip leader. In the event that waivers are not provided at least one week prior to the departure date, CSI reserves the right to cancel the trip.
5. For trips that do not require a trip waiver as outlined above, CSI will release the trip itinerary after the booking meeting.
6. Incident Reporting and Emergency Support: All injuries, accidents and or violations of RISD Policy must be reported to the Center for Student Involvement as soon as it is safe to do so. In the event of an emergency or if you need immediate support from campus, please contact Public Safety at 401-454-6666.
7. Mandatory Reporting: RISD employees or student employees must comply with Mandatory Reporting requirements when incidents of actual or suspected discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and/or retaliation occur on a field trip. While on a field trip, if an individual discloses that they experienced an incident of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and/or retaliation, Mandatory Reporters can file a report by using the Equity & Compliance Report Form or by contacting Public Safety at 401-454-6666.

Policy Sanctions

RISD reserves the right to review alleged violations of this policy in conjunction with other appropriate offices and under other applicable College policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements, including but not limited to those listed under Related Policies. Failure to comply with this policy and other Related Policies is subject to disciplinary action and sanctions per applicable disciplinary procedures.

Any violations of this policy may lead to the revocation of travel privileges for individual members of the student organization or for the organization as a whole.

• Procurement Policy
• Business Travel Transportation Policy
• Business Travel Lodging Policy
• Catering and Entertainment Policy
• Business Expenses Policy
• Code of Student Conduct
• Nondiscrimination Policy & Procedures
• Fleet Safety Policy

This policy was created on: 9/17/2025

This policy was last reviewed/modified on: 2/3/2026

Next scheduled review: 9/17/2027

Issuing Office

Center for Student Involvement

Responsible Officer

Vice President, Student Life

Individuals/offices required for review and changes

Director, Center for Student Involvement

Director, Risk, Emergency Management, & RISD Property Holdings