For Faculty & Staff

Travel Associated With Students

A faculty or staff member attending an international activity with USF students is designated an Associate Traveler.

The Lead Associate Traveler (group leader), or a designated representative, must complete an application for registration of a Student Group. Registration for non-credit, student organization, or research travel should begin 6-8 weeks prior to departure to allow adequate time to approve and process the application. The process for taking students abroad for research or non-credit activities is described here.  If you have questions, please contact globaltravel@usf.edu. 

If faculty would like to propose a faculty-led program for Education Abroad, please visit Education Abroad Office for details on For-Credit Proposals. 

If the travel is affiliated with USF Health, please follow the USF Health international travel processes.

TRAVELER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

The following international student-related travel requirements are managed by the Global Travel Safety and Health team in USF World. Please contact the Global Travel Safety and Health office if you have any questions about the orientation process or any of the requirements for associate travelers.

Associate Traveler Requirements

  • Associate Traveler Registration Process:
    Once a registration request is approved and a program is created, all Associate Travelers will be required to complete an Associate Traveler Application to register their participation in the international activity.
  • Associate Traveler Required training:

USF World Safety and Health Orientation

Clery Act and Campus Security Authority Orientation (CSA Orientation)

Title IX Responsible Employee Orientation

  • Personal Travel:
    Personal travel may be conducted prior to or after the international activity. The additional purchase of international health and evacuation coverage for personal travel is strongly encouraged.
  • Lead Associate and Associate Travelers are expected to be in residence with the students during the entire international experience.

  • Lead Associate and Associate Travelers should always be available to immediately respond in-person 24/7 to a student or traveler in distress.

  • Registered travel dates may differ from the registered travel dates of students.

Lead Associate Traveler Requirements

In addition to completing the training and registration requirements for an Associate Traveler, The Lead Associate Traveler is responsible for completing the below listed tasks.

  • Determine Risk Level:
    Determine the risk level of the destination you are traveling to. Go to www.travel.state.gov and enter the destination country's name.

    • If the country is a Risk Level 1 or Level 2, verify that the specific location does not have any additional security advisories. Review the current U.S. Department of State Risk Advisory.

    • If the country or location is a Risk Level 3 or 4 country, or if the program involves activities with an inherent risk, follow the directions for obtaining approval for travel from the Global Risk Assessment Committee.

    • While reviewing the risk level of your destination, be sure to note the key security and health risks for your destination and provide mitigation measures in your registration request.

  • Registration Request for Student Related Travel Group Process: 
    Complete the processes as outlined on the Proposal for Student Related Travel Groups Creation Process.

  • Emergency Card:
    Work with your USF World representative to create an Emergency Card and distribute it to all participants on the travel experience before departure. You can access a useful template here.

  • International SOS Assistance App:
    Download and install the International SOS Assistance App and register before departure.  All of your travelers need to do this too. Instructions can be found on the Insurance Information page.

  • Travel Specific Pre-Departure Orientations:
    Organize at least one travel specific pre-departure orientation to be held before departure. The ISOS Assistance App can assist with this. Schedule a country specific orientation on the first day of the program to review all necessary travel-specific and risk and security information. Again, International SOS has a comprehensive database of country specific travel and health information and provides alert notifications via the International SOS Assistance App, so download this and explore your reources as early as possible.

  • Post Travel Recommendations:

    • Associate Traveler Evaluation: Travelers are asked to complete a short on-line Evaluation Form upon return from the program. For all first-time travel, Lead Associate Travelers should meet with the Education Abroad advisor post-travel to have an in-depth conversation about the program.

    • Student Re-entry Event: It is best to hold a reentry meeting or event with students following their return from the international experience. Group Leaders or Associate Travelers may also create an online reentry program to help students reflect on their experiences. 

Student Associate Traveler Requirements

  • Registration Process:
    Once a registration request for student related travel groups is created and approved, all participating Student Travelers will be required to complete an application to register for the international activity. Follow all processes as instructed in the Student Associate Traveler Application.

  • General Pre-departure Online Orientation in CANVAS:
    After you have started the electronic registration application, you will receive an invitation to participate in a General Pre-departure Online Orientation in CANVAS.

  • International Health and Evacuation Insurance:
    Upon completion of registration, you will be enrolled in USF’s Global Health and Security Insurance. Policy information will be sent to your USF email address. You can learn more in our Insurance Information section.

  • Medical Information Health Questionnaire:
    Complete your medical questionnaire thoroughly and disclose all relevant medications you may be taking and any health conditions, both temporary and chronic. Contact Student Health Services to discuss your health conditions and how you can best prepare to travel with them.

    • Individuals who require disability accommodations for travel should request such accommodations through the appropriate USF process. USF students (including USF Health Students) consult with Student Accessibility Services.

  • Emergency Card:  
    An Emergency Card should contain important phone numbers, websites and email addresses relevant to your group experience. You can create your own from this useful template.

  • Download and Install the International SOS Assistance App:
    Travelers should use the International SOS Assistance App or call the subscriber services line, to coordinate all emergency services while traveling.

Guest Requirements

  • Student Travelers:
    Students are generally not permitted to bring guests, or family members with them on a USF international activity. Student participants are expected to travel with the group as the itinerary dictates, engage in all USF travel activities and sleep in USF World arrangements and not have overnight guests. USF World and USF faculty cannot make special arrangements or support student guests in the event of an emergency. Travelers who have a condition that requires an accompanying person should contact GlobalTravel@usf.edu.

  • Associate Traveler Family Members and Guests:
    Lead Associate Traveler and Staff or Faculty Associate Travelers may decide to bring accompanying family members or guests with them on an international experience. USF reserves the right to impose limits and/or conditions on the roles, activities, and presence of family members or guests who accompany Associate Travelers. Accompanying family members or guests may not be permitted to join some or all activities.

  • Liability: 
    USF assumes no responsibility for accompanying family members or guests. It is the responsibility of all guests of the Associate Travelers to read the U.S. State Department information sheets if they participate in any group travel by land, sea, or air. Guests are responsible for their own safety.

  • Excursions:
    Accompanying family members and guests may participate in program excursions and field trips, provided that such participation does not create increases in costs that would be transferred to student travelers AND that their participation in the program in no way interferes with the academic nature of an experience.

  • Excursion Expenses:
    Accompanying family members and guests must separately pay all per person expenses (i.e. entrances to parks or museums, theatre tickets, etc.). Program money is not to be used to fund family members and guest participation in special events.

  • Group Meals:
    If participating in group meals, the Associate Traveler must reimburse the program for any expenses incurred by their guests if a separate bill cannot be obtained. Program money will not be used to buy meals for guests. The exception to this policy is entertainment of host institution guests to which a couple is invited for a meal. The Lead Associate and Associate Travelers may bring their spouse/partner/guest to such an event and receive reimbursement for the meal.

  • Minor Children:
    Minor children accompanying Lead Associate and Associate Travelers must be adequately supervised at all times. The presence of minor children or other family members and guests should not disrupt or alter the international experience in any way.

  • International Health and Evacuation Coverage: 
    Guests are not insured under the USF policy. Please refer to the Insurance Information section for information on options to purchase Global Health and Security Insurance for guests. This must be done within 15 days of submission of the first payment for the event.

Required TRAINING AND ORIENTATIONs

All Associate Travelers (faculty, staff and students) must complete Clery Act (Campus Security Authority) training, Title IX Responsible Employee training, and Risk and Security Orientation Training.

For details and registration information, click here.