College Travel and Transportation Policy and Procedures

Table of Contents

 

1. Philosophy and Scope
   
   
2. Definitions for the Purpose of this Policy and Procedures
   
   
3. Responsible Senior Leader and Responsible Office
   
   
4. Entities Affected by this Policy and Procedures
   
   
5. General Procedures for Utilizing College Transportation Services
   
   
6. Procedures for Field Trips
   
   
7. Procedures for Other Student Travel
   
   
8. Procedures for Auxiliary Groups and other College-sponsored Activities
   
   
9. Requirements for All Participants in College-Sponsored Off Campus Events Requiring Travel
   
   
   

I. Philosophy and Scope

Frederick Community College (“FCC” or the “College”) supports transportation services for College travel associated with academic, continuing education, and co-curricular learning. This policy also applies to the transportation needs of extra curricular activities,auxiliary groups, and other College-sponsored business. FCC will make every attempt to provide transportation services based on available resources. Travel must be planned as far in advance as possible in order to secure the most economical mode of transportation and to minimize interference with other scheduled activities.

This Policy and Procedures applies to College travel that has been budgeted and approved for the use of College transportation services, as well as field trips with independently coordinated transportation. For international travel experiences, refer to the International Travel Policy and Procedures.

College funds for field trips, other student travel, and College-sponsored activities may be available through the Associate Vice President (AVP)/Dean of Liberal Arts, the AVP for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, the Executive Director of the Center for Student Engagement, or the Executive Associate to the President and Board of Trustees, as applicable.

II. Definitions for the Purpose of this Policy and Procedures

 

1. “Authorized budget approver” refers to the employees who are authorized to approve requests for College transportation services and who are accountable for transportation budget management. They include the Associate Vice President/Dean of Liberal Arts, the Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, the Executive Director of the Center for Student Engagement, and the Executive Associate to the President and Board of Trustees.
   
   
2. “College community” refers to trustees, students, and all employees of the College.
   
   
3. “College-sponsored activity” refers to any activity that is initiated, authorized, or supervised by the College, or that involves representation of the College.
   
   
4. “College transportation services” refers to the use of College-owned or contracted vehicles. The College fleet of vehicles include two (2) 11-passenger vans and one (1) 35-passenger bus.
   
   
5. “FCC Transportation and Communications Manager” refers to College Security staff who performs a variety of organizational duties including receiving and scheduling transportation requests.
   
   
6. “Field trip” refers to an assigned group event or activity involving the participation of the entire class, accompanied by a faculty member or staff advisor, that is part ofa course requirement as designated in the course syllabus. Field  trips may utilize but do not require college transportation services.
   
   
7. “Other student travel” refers to any event or activity that is offered as part of membership in a recognized student club or organization, functioning under the auspices of the Center for Student Engagement; or, is related to academic activity that is not a field trip; or, is travel related to participation in athletics; or, is part of a Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) event.
   
   
8. “Requestor” refers to the FCC faculty or staff member who requests College transportation services.
   
   
9. “Student” refers to an individual who is registered at the College, either full or part- time, in a credit or continuing education class or classes who has either paid or made arrangement for payment of tuition and/or fees.
   
   
10. “Trip leader” refers to the College employee who is responsible for coordinating and leading the student travel (i.e., Faculty, Staff Advisor, CEWD Adjunct, Coach,or Club Advisor). For all travel using College transportation services, trip  leaders (or their approved designee), must travel with the group from the point of departure, remain on the trip, and travel back with the group. The trip leader designee must be a College employee and approved by the Authorized Budget Approver.
     
    
    

III. Responsible Senior Leader and Responsible Office

Vice President for Learning Support – Learning Support
Chief of Operations – Operations

IV. Entities Affected by this Policy and Procedures

All students, faculty, and staff

V. General Procedures for Utilizing College Transportation Services

 

1. Request for College Transportation Services
   
   
   1. A minimum of six (6) passengers, including the trip leader or their approved designee, is required to request College transportation services.
      
      
   2. A request for the use of College transportation services must be submitted to the authorized budget approver using the Request for College Transportation Services Form and should be submitted as far in advance as possible of the departure date. To best ensure that a request can be honored, a minimum of twenty-one (21) calendar days is required.
      
      
   3. To request accommodations for a disability, contact the Disability Access Services office at 301-846-2408 or DisabilityServices@frederick.edu. To request a sign language interpreter, please email Interpreting@frederick.edu. Sign language interpreters will not be automatically provided for College-sponsored events without a request for services. To guarantee accommodations, requests must be made at least five workdays in advance of a scheduled event.
      
      Requests pertaining to accessible transportation for a College-sponsored trip, require at least 21 calendar days in advance. Requests made less than 21 calendar days in advance may not be able to be guaranteed.
      
      
2. Assignment of Transportation Services
   
   The FCC Transportation and Communications Manager will confirm details with the requestor and authorizer within 48 hours of receiving the request. No further contact is necessary unless the request cannot be satisfied. The trip leader is required to notify the FCC Transportation and Communications Manager of any changes in the number of travelers.
   
   
3. Cancellations/Changes
   
   Previously authorized travel may be cancelled or changed for several reasons. Any trip that does not meet the minimum number of travelers may be subject to cancellation at the discretion of the trip leader or College. Based on extenuating circumstances, the College reserves the right to change and/or cancel a scheduled trip using College transportation services. In the event that the College is closed all College travel is cancelled.
   
   
   1. Cancellations authorized by Trip Leader
      
      Any cancellation/change made by a trip leader must be communicated to the College Security office at 301-846-2453 by the trip leader or requestor as soon as possible. Trip leaders should be persistent in getting a cancellation notice to the College Security office.
      
      
   2. Cancellations Authorized by FCC
      
      Any cancellation/change made by the College will be communicated by the FCC Transportation and Communications Manager to the trip leader and/or the requestor immediately.
      
      
   Whether the trip is cancelled by the trip leader or the College, the trip leader is expected to communicate all travel changes to participants.
   
   
4. Destination Travel
   
   Ground transportation needed after arrival at the destination must be provided through public or commercial transportation providers.
   
   
   

VI. Procedures for Field Trips

Field trips do not necessarily require the utilization of College transportation services. Field trips requiring College transportation services are contingent upon the approval of available funding through the Associate Vice President (AVP)/Dean of Liberal Arts or the Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development

All field trips, whether or not they utilize College transportation services, must be included in the syllabus and their inclusion should be highlighted on the first day of class. Reasonable accommodations must be made when assigning field trips. An appropriate alternative assignment must be provided to students for whom accommodations cannot be made or for students who have been given a faculty-approved absence.

1. Credit and non-credit faculty should note field trips in the submission of syllabi, which are due to program managers and department chairs before the start of the session. To best ensure that a request can be honored, a minimum of twenty-one (21) calendar days is required.
   
   
2. If College transportation services are requested, trip leaders are responsible for the submission of a Request for College Transportation Services Form to the AVP/Dean of Liberal Arts or the AVP for Continuing Education and Workforce Development a minimum of 21 calendar days in advance of the departure date. The AVP/Dean of  Liberal Arts or the Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development will forward all approved request forms to the Transportation and Communications Manager who will confirm receipt with the requestor and authorized budget approver within 48 hours of receiving the request.
   
   
3. If College transportation services are not used, individual faculty/adjunct faculty members are responsible for ensuring that students have accessible transportation or appropriate alternative assignments.
   
   
4. All field trips are officially convened and dismissed at the field trip site.
   
   
5. Participants in field trips should follow all relevant requirements outlined in Section IX.
   
   
   

VII. Procedures for Other Student Travel

Other student travel does not necessarily require the utilization of College transportation services. Other student travel requiring College transportation services are contingent upon the approval of available funding through the Executive Director of the Center for Student Engagement. All student travel other than field trips is voluntary and must meet the following requirements:

1. Travel must be planned so as not to create an undue interference with academic responsibilities.
   
   
2. If College transportation services are requested for student club-related activities or voluntary travel that is offered as a co-curricular or extra-curricular supplement to academic or CEWD programs, the trip leader is responsible for submission of a Request for College Transportation Services Form to the appropriate budget approver. To best ensure that a request can be honored, a minimum of twenty-one (21) calendar days is required.
   
   
3. Other student travel is officially convened and dismissed at the destination.
   
   
4. Participants in other student travel should follow all relevant requirements outlined in Section IX.
   
   
   

VIII. Procedures for Auxiliary Groups and other College-sponsored Activities

 

1. Travel must be planned so as not to create an undue interference with academic responsibilities.
   
   
2. If College transportation services are requested for auxiliary groups, and other College-sponsored business, the trip leader is responsible for submission of a Request for College Transportation Services Form to the Executive Associate to the President and Board of Trustees. To best ensure that a request can be honored, a minimum of twenty-one (21) calendar days is required.
   
   
3. Participants in auxiliary groups and other College-sponsored business travel should follow all relevant requirements outlined in Section IX.
   
   
   

IX. Requirements for All Participants in College Sponsored Off Campus Events Requiring Travel

 

1. All participants, whether they use College transportation services or not, are required to complete an Excursion Waiver and Release prior to departure. An Excursion Waiver and Release is not required for events and activities made available to participants, but not supervised by the College.
   
   
2. If College transportation services are not used, participants will assume the responsibility of risk for the travel.
   
   
3. All trip leaders are responsible for ensuring that all participants on the excursion, whether they use College transportation services or not, have completed the Excursion Waiver and Release before departure.
   
   
4. The trip leader is responsible for documenting on the Excursion Roster all trip participants utilizing College transportation services.
   
   
5. The trip leader is responsible for documenting on the Excursion Roster that all Excursion Waiver and Release forms have been received. All Excursion Waiver and Release forms must be submitted by the trip leader to the authorized budget approver within two weeks of completion of the event. The authorized budget approver will archive the waivers for a period of three years.
   
   
6. Trip leaders must provide a copy of the completed Excursion Roster to College Security immediately prior to departure and must take a copy with them on the trip. College Security will archive the rosters for a period of three years. Rosters can be handed to security personnel at the departure site or emailed to the FCC Transportation and Communications Manager immediately prior to departure.
   
   
7. Travel for students under the age of 18 requires parent or legal guardian signature on all forms.
   
   
8. Prior to departure, trip leaders or their designees must provide all participants with their cell phone number, and remain accessible at that number for the duration of the excursion.
   
   
9. Trip leaders or their designees are expected to help ensure the vehicles are returned in a clean condition.
   
   
10. Driver and passengers must wear seat belts, if available.
    
    
11. Use of tobacco products and vaping are prohibited in all vehicles.
    
    
12. Transportation or possession of alcohol, weapons, or illegal drugs is prohibited while utilizing College transportation services.
    
    
13. Students and employees are representing the College at all times during trip, travel, activities, and events. All College policies and procedures apply.
    
    
14. All Athletic rules and regulations apply for athletic travel.
    
    
15. Students are not allowed to drive College vehicles.
    
    
16. Only employees with a current Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with passenger endorsement who also pass a College-approved online driving course annually, and who are authorized by the Director of College Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness, will be allowed to drive College vehicles.
    
    
17. All participants utilizing college transportation services must abide by existing College health and safety protocols.