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Guidelines for Academic Field Trips

The university recognizes that supervised, curriculum-related activities held off-campus ("field trips") are often an essential part of academic course work. Risks associated with field trips can be reduced if measures are taken prior to and during each activity. These guidelines provide a basis to address student health and safety and reduce the potential for accidents.

University Policy Statement 420.105

Course activities, whether inside the classroom or not, involve varying degrees of risk to participants. Faculty assigning fields trips must discuss with all potential participants the specific nature of known risks and obtain consent prior to permitting a student to attend a field trip.

Student's Right of Non-Compliance

Any student who at any time believes that the risks associated with the field trip, whether physical or psychological, are excessive may withdraw from participation at that time without penalty. Students who have withdrawn from an activity due to their perception of the risks involved must inquire of the instructor whether there are alternative means of fulfilling the requirements. If there are none, the student may petition for withdrawal from the course without penalty or appeal for an appropriate modification of the activity.

Responsibilities

Deans and Department Chairs

Each department, in consultation with the College Dean, shall identify prior to the beginning of each semester the courses or course sections that incorporate field trips and forward this information to the Office of Risk Management, LH-802.

Faculty

Faculty members incorporating field trips into their curriculum will:

• Forward to their department chair prior to the beginning of each semester a list of those courses or course sections that incorporate field trips as part of the curriculum.
• Make any field trip a component of the course requirements and include this activity in any course syllabus. Student Travel Accident Insurance, which can provide medical expense benefits to an injured student, is only available if the field trip is listed as a course requirement.
• Inform and discuss with students the known risks associated with the field trip.
• Instruct and discuss with students how to properly and safely handle situations reasonably likely to occur during the field trip.
• Inform and discuss with students campus emergency procedures (located in your department office or at http://ehis.fullerton.edu/EmergencyInfo/) and explain their application to the field activity.
• Inform and discuss with students their right to not participate in a field trip based on their perception of the risks involved,
• Begin and end all field trips on campus whenever possible to ensure a proper head count and submission of waiver forms.
• Exercise a degree of supervision over the activity appropriate for the degree of hazards involved.
• Maintain an accurate copy of the Academic Field Trip Participant List on the field trip and in the department office. Ensure that only those students who have signed an Academic Field Trip Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement participate in the field trip.
• Inform and discuss with students UPS 330.232 and any department policy related to student use of alcohol on field trips.
• Ensure that no alcoholic beverages or controlled substances are transported in a university or privately owned vehicle used on the field trip. Student use of alcohol on field trips is governed by UPS 330.232 and department policy.
• Call 911 immediately concerning any incident involving serious injury or death, multiple injuries, extensive property damage or whenever appropriate. Contact University Police (714-278-2515) as soon as possible.

Students

Students participating on a field trip will:

• Obtain appropriate safety instructions from the field instructor and certify having received such instruction on the Academic Field Trip Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement.
• Follow the directions or instructions given to you by the instructor regarding the rules of safe conduct for the field activity.
• Inform the instructor if any part of the instructions are not understood or cannot be followed by the student, regardless of reason.

Assumption of Risk

Having been informed of the known risks associated with the field trip, students agreeing to participate in the activity assume the potential risks and consequences described. Although the student participants have assumed the risks involved, faculty members must use prudent and reasonable care in the conduct of the field trip.

Authorized Vehicle Drivers

Authorized state vehicle drivers on field trips include faculty, staff, graduate students, teaching assistants (whose duties are directly related to the class and/or field trip), and approved volunteer employees. Only individuals on state pay status may drive university vehicles, or rent vehicles under the name of the university and seek reimbursement. All vehicle drivers who transport students on a field trip must possess a valid California drivers license, a University Defensive Drivers Training certificate, and a good driving record. The driver’s record can be verified by submitting a DL254 (obtained from University Police) to University Police, T1200.

Insurance

The university does not have or provide health or non-travel accident insurance for students. Matriculated students are entitled to use services available at the Student Health Center during its normal hours of operation. Students are advised to carry an adequate health insurance policy of their own. Reasonably priced limited coverage insurance is available through the Associated Students.

If an accident or injury occurs during a field trip, the student’s personal health care plan provides primary medical coverage payment. If the student’s health care benefits are exhausted, the CSU Student Travel Accident Insurance will help to pay for additional related injury expenses. The CSU Student Travel Insurance policy covers accidental injury only. The policy does not provide coverage for any illness or disease unless an accident is the direct cause of the illness.

Environmental Health and Instructional Safety
6/29/1999
revised 7/22/2008 TW

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