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Academic Field Trip Guidelines for Faculty
Authorized Participants
Authorized Vehicle Drivers for Field Trips
CSU Employee Vehicle
Driver Requirements
What to Do in Case of a Vehicle Accident
Medical Coverage for Accident Injury
Campus Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Short -term study (international) travel abroad
Field Trip waiver forms, related references, and other CSU web links
**Note: Students who make their own transportation arrangements to a field trip meeting site are not subject to the University vehicle driver requirements listed below.
All authorized University vehicle drivers driving on a field trip or carrying out any State business must possess:
**Please note that personal liability insurance
is primary coverage when driving a privately owned vehicle.
*Non-academic staff and student volunteers are appointed
by the use of the Volunteer
Appointment Directive number 156E-1 which is completed and returned to the
Human Resources Department, ADM 252.
For further information on State
vehicle use, authorized drivers, and related information, please refer to the
Safety and Risk Management web pages on State Vehicles.
Please note that the CSU Student Travel Insurance policy covers accident injury only. The policy DOES NOT provide coverage for any illness or disease unless an accident is the direct cause of the illness.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits. If
you are an employee with San Francisco State University participating in a field
trip (i.e. staff, faculty, student working on a field trip as an student assistant,
college work study student, or approved student volunteer*, etc.) you may be
eligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits
to help pay for medical expenses related to your field trip accident.
Contact the Office of Risk Management to obtain a claim form or to obtain further
information at (415) 338-2565.
Authorization to Use a Private Vehicle
forms, Accident Information card, other forms, and additional related information.
Linda Medina-Sam, Risk Management Specialist
Phone: (415) 338-2565
FAX: (415) 338-2498
Department of Public Safety
University Police
Emergencies and other assistance.
Phone: (415) 338-2222
FAX: (415) 338-0905
Human Resources
Volunteer appointments.
Phone: (415) 338-1872
Environmental Health & Occupational Safety
Defensive Driver Training, DMV Pull notice
Environmental Health and Occupational
Safety (EHOS)
Phone: (415) 338-1449
How often do the Waiver
of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement forms need to be completed?
Are there any documents student interns should complete to obtain insurance coverage?
Are there risk management guidelines related to off-campus faculty receptions?
Who is qualified to be a
witness for the witness signature line on the waiver of liability form?
How may that witness signature
requirement be managed?
Where do the waivers of liability forms reside after they are collected?
What is the proof of vehicle insurance requirement for volunteer student drivers on a field trip?
The requirement that all field trips should begin and end on campus is impractical and impossible.
Who may I contact on campus regarding Community Service Learning issues and guidelines?
How often do the Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement forms need to be completed?
Each student participant should complete a waiver
of liability form for each University sponsored field trip or activity.
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to FAQs
Are there any documents student interns should complete to obtain insurance coverage?
Recognized student interns are automatically covered under the umbrella of the University’s Workers’ Compensation insurance. Examples of recognized student interns are students enrolled in the school of Nursing, the Teacher Credential program, and Hospitality Management programs. There is no documentation required of the student interns nor are there any documents to complete.
Please note that workers’ compensation
coverage is provided to student interns during periods of concurrent enrollment
in a course. Student interns that intern during the summer
or other times of non-enrollment in a course are not provided workers’
compensation coverage.
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to FAQs
Are there risk management guidelines related to off-campus faculty receptions?
All off-campus faculty receptions must comply
with the University’s Drug
and Alcohol policy (University Directive #89-12). The University
expects the campus community to be aware of all state and local laws with reference
to possession and use of alcohol and to make informed decisions and to be responsible
for the consequences of those decisions. A host of any given faculty reception
must be clear on whether the event is a mandatory function and work related
event. The University is not responsible for any faculty social
events.
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to FAQs
Do State employees automatically have vehicle liability coverage for rental cars used on state business?
State employees have vehicle liability coverage for rental cars obtained from the Sate of California's primary car rental vendor, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, for all state government related travel. In the event that the primary rental car vendor is unable to provide service, the secondary vendor, Vanguard Car Rental must be used. Vanguard Car Rental USA is the parent company of Alamo and National Car Rental.
All University employees are encouraged to reserve car rentals for state business with Fell Travel, the University's travel agency. Contact Fell Travel at (800) 321-3355 or make a reservation with Fell Travel on line by selecting SFSU Reservations. Fell Travel will make the appropriate car rental reservation with the State's vehicle liability coverage upon departmental approval. Fell Travel will email all travel and car rental confirmations to the SFSU employee traveler.
The designated car rental agencies provide vehicle liability coverage ONLY when a State employee uses a American Express (State) Government card, or any State pre-approved direct billing procedure. If an employee uses any method of payment outside of the pre-approved methods of payment, vehicle liability coverage under the State contract does not apply.
However, Enterprise Rent-A-Car of San Francisco
has agreed to extend the terms, conditions, and rates of their vehicle liability
coverage contract with the State of California with an alternate pre-approved
direct billing procedure. Enterprise Rent-A-Car agrees to directly bill
San Francisco State University and extend the State’s contract for vehicle liability
coverage for vehicle rentals to SFSU employees on state business only when employees
use Enterprise’s authorized fax reservation form. Enterprise authorized
fax reservation forms may be obtained from the Enterprise rent-a-car outlet
on campus by calling (415) 337-9000. For specific information on
Rental Cars please check the SFSU Office of Risk Management State
Vehicle website.
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to FAQs
What is the purpose of the hold harmless clause on the waiver of liability forms? I don’t believe this clause will stand up in court.
A hold harmless clause on a liability waiver form
is valid in any court of law. The participant’s signature on the
waiver form acknowledges the participant’s understanding of the risks involved
in participation. The purpose of the hold harmless clause is to provide
notice of potential risks to the participant and to discourage claims to the
University.
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to FAQs
Who is qualified to be a witness for the witness signature line on the waiver of liability form? How may that witness signature requirement be managed?
Faculty members may be witnesses to a waiver
of liability form. This may be best managed by the faculty member
asking student participants to read, sign, and pass forward the completed
the waiver forms all at the same time. A faculty member then signs
as a witness on the signature line for all completed and submitted waiver
forms.
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to FAQs
Where do the waivers of liability forms reside after they are collected?
The completed and signed waiver of liability form
should be kept for 2-years in the field trip sponsor’s
academic department. The Office of Safety and Risk Management may
request the field trip sponsor’s department to provide a copy of the participant’s
signed waiver of liability form in the event a claim is filed.
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to FAQs
What is the proof of vehicle insurance requirement for volunteer student drivers on a field trip?
Student volunteer drivers employed by a field trip sponsor to drive other students in their private vehicles on a field trip must meet all of the University's Driver Safety Program (DSP) requirements. These requirements include current Defensive Driving Training certification, a valid California Drivers license, and proof of private vehicle insurance coverage. Student volunteer drivers using their privately owned vehicle must complete a STD 261 form - Authorization to Use Private Vehicles on State business that is to kept in the employing department’s personnel files.
Students who make their own personal travel arrangements
with fellow classmates in their private vehicles are not required to provide
proof of vehicle insurance to a field trip sponsor/instructor. If
an accident occurs, the student's private vehicle insurance is primary coverage
for any injuries and/or any vehicle damage. The University is not responsible
for students who make their own personal travel arrangements.
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to FAQs
The requirement that all field trips should begin and end on campus is impractical and impossible.
The guideline that all field trips should begin and end on campus is a GUIDELINE and not a requirement. This guideline is related to the requirement of the Student Travel Accident insurance policy purchased by the University. A field trip that begins and ends on campus is less likely to be questioned as a “field trip“ by the insurance policy administrators when reviewing a claim.
Students field trip participants are encouraged to organize and/or arrange their own transportation to and from field trip site(s) whenever possible. Students that make their own personal transportation arrangements (i.e. private car, carpool with other students, MUNI, BART, etc.) to and from home and the field trip meeting site do so at their own risk. The University is not responsible for students that make their own travel arrangements to and from a field trip meeting site.
Field trip sponsors/leaders are encouraged to
designate a meeting time and their field trip destination. University faculty/staff
should notify their student participants that personal transportation arrangements
are done so at their own risk.
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to FAQs
Are students required to sign waiver forms for class assignments completed outside the classroom (i.e. work at a museum site, social service agency site, elementary school site, etc.)?
The University does not provide liability
coverage for students completing class assignments outside the classroom.
Faculty is encouraged to thoroughly scrutinize student placement sites
for potential risks and to recommend adequate personal safety practices.
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to FAQs
Are there any limitations for students who attend professional conferences and workshops as a part of their coursework?
There is no University restriction or limitation
for students who attend professional conferences and workshops for course credit.
If students attend conferences or workshops, students must be given notice that
they attend and/or participate at their own risk.
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Who may
I contact on campus regarding Community Service Learning issues and guidelines?
Perla Barrientos, Director of the Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL), through the campus San Francisco Urban Institute, is responsible for coordinating campus efforts to incorporate Community Service Learning into the curriculum at San Francisco State University. She may be contacted at (415) 338-3282.
Additional community service learning web link reference sites are listed below.
Managing Risks in Service Learning. Review the CSU systemwide recommended best practices for managing Community Service Learning. Select the "Best Practices Manual" (in pdf format).
University
Volunteers. Reviews the CSU Office of General Counsel's definition of University
volunteers. Select "University Volunteers" (in pdf
format).
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Who may I contact to obtain University approval for any short-term study abroad (international) travel?
All short-term study international travel programs organized for regularly matriculated SFSU students should consult with My Yarabinec, Associate Director at the Office of International Programs at (415) 338-3316 in ADM 450 to discuss the University's approval process for organizing student travel abroad.
All short-term study international programs organized for non-matriculated SFSU students and/or for international travel programs organized during periods of scheduled University closure (i.e. Spring break, Winter break) should consult with Jim Bryan, Associate Dean at the College of Extended Learning at (415) 338-2556 to discuss tuition/fee requirements and the University's approval process for organizing student travel abroad.
Short-term study (international) travel abroad
Administrators, faculty, and staff organizing short-term study (international) travel abroad for students are required to consult with either the Office of International Programs (OIP) or the College of Extended Learning (CEL) regarding the University’s approval process for organized student travel out of the country. The Office of Risk Management may also be consulted for recommended travel insurance purchase for any University sponsored student study travel program.
All short-term study travel programs require University approval and must comply with established University procedures and practices outlined in the Guidelines for Short-Term Study Abroad Programs & Managing Emergencies Abroad found on the Study Abroad - College of Extended Learning (CEL) web site.
Field
Trip waiver forms, related references, and other CSU web links
Waiver and Release
Agreement. (word format) This document should used
and signed by all participants to any academic field trips or any off-campus
trip sponsored by the University. The signed release and hold harmless forms
should be kept by the owning college and/or department for at least 2-years
after a field trip. This field trip waiver form should be tailored to indicate
your College and/or Department address and phone information.
Waiver and Release Agreement for Minors. (word format) This document should used and signed by all minor aged participants (under 18-years old) and their parent or guardian to any academic field trips or any off-campus trip sponsored by the University. The signed release and hold harmless forms should be kept by the owning college and/or department for at least 2-years after a field trip. This field trip waiver form should be tailored to indicate your College and/or Department address and phone information.
Participant List. (word format) This document is used to list the names of participants to any University sponsored off-campus trip. A copy of this participant list should be left with the College and/or Department sponsoring the field trip or University sponsored off-campus trip. Participants should indicate names and phone numbers for an emergency contact. Please tailor the form to indicate your College and/or Department information.
Field Trip Guidelines. (word format) This document is a one page summary of the best practices guidelines offered to supplement any existing College or Department procedures related to field trips.
Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL) This campus department is responsible for coordinating campus efforts to incorporate Community Service Learning into the curriculum at San Francisco State University.
Managing Risks in Service Learning. Review the CSU systemwide recommended best practices for managing Community Service Learning. Select the "Best Practices Manual" (in pdf format) on this CSU systemwide web site.
Guidelines for Short-Term Study Abroad Programs & Managing Emergencies Abroad. These guidelines provides established University procedures for organizing SFSU student group international travel. Administrators, faculty, and staff organizing student international travel must obtain the University's approval prior to departure from the U.S. by contacting either the Office of International Programs and/or the College of Extended Learning.
Office of Risk Management, San Francisco State
University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132
riskmgmt@sfsu.edu
Last modified 06/09/2009