Welcome to the Out-of-State/Out-of-Country Travel Page for Texas Woman's University.  The Office of Undergraduate Studies is tasked with managing policy and procedure as relates to study abroad tours.  This page serves as a one-stop resource for faculty and staff planning study tours in the U.S. and abroad.  For students seeking information about traveling abroad for a full semester or any other kind of independent travel study, please refer to the Office of International Education travel site.

STUDY TOUR POLICIES

 As you begin to plan your trip, please first review the revised travel abroad policies and procedures. 

Be sure to follow the guidelines for offering a study tour course:  

1. The courses must be listed in the official course inventory of the University (CBM-003) and reported on the class report (CBM-004) as out-of-state/out-of-country locations; must utilize academic, cultural, and/or physical resources not available in Texas; must apply to an approved degree program as recognized by the Coordinating Board; must provide the same ratio of instructional contact hours to credit hours as if the course were offered on campus, exclusive of any hours spent solely in travel since the University does not authorize courses for recreation and travel; must be taught by a regular campus faculty member of the University unless special permission is granted by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs to employ a distinguished visiting faculty member on the basis of special expertise and experience; and must conform to enrollment requirements and the provisions of the University’s policy on faculty workloads.
2. The faculty member proposing or teaching the course must not receive any payment from an outside agency or organization as inducement (although travel, meals, and lodging may be provided at no cost to the instructor or the State).
3. The proposed course must not be for the particular benefit of out-of-state/out-of-country students at the location(s) selected.
4. The proposed course must involve students who have satisfied the admissions requirements of the University and of the degree program to which the course is to be applied.

Faculty leaders and all participants must attend orientations prior to travel. 

• An orientation (study abroad workshop) must have been attended by the faculty leader within 36 months of the date of travel.  The Office of Undergradaute Studies offers an annual study abroad workshop each spring and maintains records of attendance. 
• The faculty leader must offer a safety orientation for all trip partcipants prior to departure.

No trips can be made to countries with state department Travel Warnings. Even if a warning is issued after the trip arrangements have been made, the trip must be cancelled. If a group has departed when the warning is made, the group must return as soon as possible. Faculty leaders are responsible for monitoring state department travel warnings, and leaders notify participants of planned trips to those areas that a Travel Alert had been issued so that participants could decide if they wanted to cancel.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAVEL

All Participants

Minimum age requirement for travel for all participants: 18

TWU enrolled students, in order to join a study abroad class

• Must not be on disciplinary probation. (Check with Student Life)
• Must hold a GPA minimum: 2.5 (check transcript in Colleague)
• Must apply in advance so that reviews can be completed as required.
• Must have general health insurance beyond travel insurance.
• Must meet with Disability Support Services when special needs are to be accommodated.
• Must attend an orientation prior to traveling.
• Must comply with TWU student conduct policies during the time abroad.

Continuing Education Travelers/Guests

In order for any non-TWU student or employee to travel with the course, your course must be set up with Continuing Education through Lifelong Learning.  Trip participants 18 or older may travel with you by enrolling in a Continuing Education section of your course and paying the required fee.  If you do not wish to advertise your course to non-TWU students, you do not have to contact Lifelong Learning.  Your contact in Continuing Education is Colleen Ferguson.

Faculty Leading Study Abroad Course

• Must attend a risk management orientation prior to travel.
• Must monitor state department alerts and warnings before and during the trip and comply with TWU policy on trip cancellations for state department travel warnings.
• Must have general health insurance in addition to travel insurance.
• Must arrange for malpractice insurance in the destination country for clinical/ therapy courses which require it.
• Must have an emergency management plan distributed to travelers before the trip and follow the TWU emergency plan.
• Shall have the authority to dismiss a student from the course/ trip for serious violations of the code of conduct.
• Shall not leave any student behind unattended.*
• Shall be supported/ assisted by a second TWU employee unless an exception is approved by the appropriate Vice President. (Exceptions may be approved when trips are to one location rather than tours, when there are a small number of travelers, when two courses are bracketed – taught together, or there are other mitigating circumstances.)
• May have their costs or supplementary TWU employee travel costs paid by course fees.

STUDY TOUR TIMELINE

July 1 - Deadline for reporting travel for Fall - Summer of the upcoming year through the  Liability Insurance Course Information Form

Forms Schedule and Calendar

 Four months prior to Travel - The following forms must be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Studies (all required forms must be completed each time even if the course was previously approved).  [Foreign and U.S. travel require submission of all forms - no exceptions.]

• Out of State/Out of Country Brief Justification
• THECB Annotated List and Proposal Form
  • State / Country Codes [pdf]
• THECB Certification Form
• Detailed Itinerary

Undergraduate Studies will collect the necessary signatures of the Associate VP for Undergraduate Studies and the Provost for the forms above.  Upon the Provost’s approval, the course(s) will be posted to the Coordinating Board website.  Course information will be sent to University Scheduling, if the Annotated list indicates the course offers 51% or more instruction out-of-state or out-of country.

One month prior to travel - Undergraduate Studies will contact you for the forms listed below, as well as to receive the following emergency contact information:

•  Faculty Cell Phone Number
•  Travel Agency or Housing Phone Number
•  Embassy Phone Number             
•  Emergency Meeting Place
•  Date of Student safety orientation

 Two weeks prior to travel -  the following forms must be submitted to Undergraduate Studies (for foreign travel only):

• Student Travel Release Form
• Application for Study Abroad (printable version)  OR Application for Study Abroad (form fill-in)*
• Emergency Medical Treatment (printable version) OR Emergency Medical Treatment (form fill-in)
• You might also have participants complete a Student Photo Release Form which you will keep in your files.

 *Trip leaders (or their staff) are responsible for checking the GPA, academic standing, and financial status of each student in compliance with new policies (referenced above).  You may seek the assistance of Student Life and the Bursar’s office for the academic standing and financial status information.

Each participant will be charged an $85 fee to cover the cost of the liability insurance.  EACH TWU EMPLOYEE must use an IDT to cover this cost for him or herself.  This can be paid from course fees or other accounts. 

• The IDT for $85 per TWU employee per trip should be sent to account number 11.400.05.4511 no later than two weeks prior to travel.  If you have questions about this policy, please contact Undergraduate Studies.

Undergraduate Studies will create a list of emergency contacts for all trip participants and share this list with DPS and International Education.

Upon receipt of this information, UGS will create emergency contact cards and send these to the trip leader for distribution to all participants. 

WHILE ON THE STUDY TOUR

 Follow TWU emergency plan; TWU Police is the emergency number for calling TWU (940-898-2911) from abroad. This office will contact the designated office where responders will contact family, etc. and other responders as needed. An emergency email address will also be available for use when telephones do not work: emergency@twu.edu.

 All participants carry emergency contact cards which include the TWU emergency number & email, the embassy/consulate number, the faculty cell number, and the number for the travel agency/provider or foreign institutional partner.

 FACULTY TRAINING

 Study Abroad Powerpoint (2009)

INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE SUMMARY

Employees will be able to reach the multilingual Europe Assistance coordination center, toll-free or calling direct or collect by telephone, telex, and facsimile 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to confirm coverage and obtain access to available services.

• Emergency Medical Services
• Medical referrals
• Medical monitoring
• Emergency medical transport
• Repatriation of remains
• Emergency medical payments
• Hospital admission deposit
• Replacement of medication
• Emergency Travel Services
• Emergency message relay
• Emergency travel arrangements
• Emergency cash
• Legal assistance/bail
• Location of lost items
• Interpretation/translation
• Pre-Trip Information Services
• Visa, passport, and inoculation requirements
• Cultural information
• Temperature and weather conditions
• Embassy and consular referrals
• Foreign exchange rates
• Travel advisories