VIII-11.20

Student Academic Travel

Financial Affairs   |   Approved October 17, 2024

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Responsible VP/AVP

Dawn M. Rhodes, DBA, MBA

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Applies to Faculty, Staff, Students

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Purpose

The purpose of this Policy on Student Academic Travel is to establish the requirements for students and schools, academic units, and other UMB Operational Units in preparing for and implementing travel undertaken by a student for UMB Academic Purposes.

Policy Statement

1. 1. To establish requirements for authorization of travel and travel Safety and Security for UMB students engaged in Student Academic Travel.
2. To allow the use of UMB Funds to pay for authorized allowable Student Academic Travel expenses.

STUDENT SAFETY AND SECURITY ON STUDENT ACADEMIC TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S.

UMB seeks to support the Safety and Security of international travelers through appropriate preparation and guidance, and through facilitation of use of UMB’s global assistance program provider, International SOS. Whether part of international group travel or solo
travel, each student is required to:

1. Complete the Student version of the International Traveler Attestation Form with Risk Acknowledgement (see Global Hub). Doing so will indicate if travel is to a high-risk destination.
2. If traveling to a high-risk destination, await International Operations (IO) approval prior to booking travel. If IO does not approve that travel because of the risk, the Dean of the school in which the student is enrolled may make a final determination.
3. Provide International SOS (ISOS) with their itinerary (uploading via MyTrips) and should download ISOS resources prior to departure (see Global Hub).

In the context of international group travel, the Operational Unit or faculty, staff, or student lead should advise IO as to who will be the primary point of contact for Safety and Security matters. 

STUDENT ACADEMIC TRAVEL COMBINED WITH PERSONAL TRAVEL

UMB has specific requirements for student academic travel that is combined with Personal Travel, which is defined as any travel undertaken by a student for personal reasons, and which includes, but is not limited to: 

• Personal side trips
• Vacation travel
• Adding extra destinations while traveling between their country of residence and the country where travel for UMB Academic Purposes is being conducted
• Extending the duration of the trip (earlier departure and/or later return) for personal reasons
• Other travel with academic purposes not related to the UMB academic program in which the student is enrolled

Expenses: Expenses for any portion that represents Personal Travel must be clearly identified and excluded from any UMB payment request. Failure to provide separate and clear documentation of the cost differential may result in the disallowance of the entire cost.

If the transportation or lodging for a combined academic and personal trip will be paid through Concur/TMC, the incremental costs associated with Personal Travel must be paid at the time of booking.

Travel Tracking and Insurance: If the student includes Personal Travel on the way to the destination where the student is traveling for UMB Academic Purposes, UMB deems the student’s engagement in the UMB academic activity as starting once the student arrives at
the destination. Similarly, if the student includes personal travel during the return from the destination where the student traveled for UMB Academic Purposes, UMB deems the student’s engagement in the UMB academic activity as ending once the student departs
that academic travel destination.

UMB insurance coverage ends when a student makes a personal deviation during travel outside their country of residence and/or citizenship, which means when the student makes an itinerary change not reasonably related to the Student Academic Travel and not
incidental to the UMB Academic Purposes for which the student is traveling.

UMB requires that students traveling internationally not only register international Student Academic Travel with International SOS, but also register all overnight personal side-trip itineraries with International SOS. This enables UMB to track where and when students are
away from the Student Academic Travel destination.

Example: If a student wants to spend 4 or 5 days in Istanbul before going to Tel Aviv, only the route Istanbul-Tel Aviv is considered UMB-related. If the student wants to spend 4 or 5 days in Istanbul on their way home, only the first leg of their trip is considered UMB-related travel, and they are "on their own" from Istanbul to the USA or other destination.

Definitions

Business Travel – A trip undertaken for UMB business purposes or UMB Employee work related business. Business travel includes travel of faculty and other UMB Employees who participate in academic travel as part of their job functions. It also includes travel by UMB Employees that is not paid for by UMB Funds.

Domestic Travel - Travel solely within the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Employee - Includes (but is not limited to) all types (regular, contingent I and contingent II) and classes (faculty, staff, students, post-doctoral fellows) of individuals who receive compensation from UMB through the State of Maryland Central Payroll Bureau.

International Travel – Travel with a departure from, transit through, or destination outside the U.S. and U.S. Territories.

Personal Travel is any travel undertaken by a student for personal reasons, which includes,
but is not limited to: 

• Personal side trips
• Vacation travel
• Travel on the way to or on the return from the destination where the student is traveling for UMB Academic Purposes, including adding destinations for personal reasons
• Extending the duration of the trip (earlier departure and/or later return) for personal reasons
• Other travel with academic purposes not related to the UMB academic program in which the student is enrolled

Safety and Security – Safety is primarily concerned with unintentional, natural, or accidental acts or events. Security is primarily concerned with intentional acts of violence and other harm.

Student Academic Travel - Travel undertaken by a student for academic study or other UMB Academic Purposes. Traveling for academic purposes includes: travel and activities where credit is awarded or degree requirements are fulfilled, travel and activities associated with sponsored research, and other travel and activities arranged and/or led by UMB. Student Academic Travel could be funded in part or in whole by UMB Funds or UMB Foundation funds.

UMB Academic Purposes is defined as an academic program or course of research or study or other academic purpose and which is explicitly related to the UMB course of study in which the student is enrolled.

UMB Funds – All funds administered by UMB, regardless of fund source. UMB Funds include State-appropriated general funds, tuition, fees, other income, auxiliary funds, revolving/discretionary funds, Designated Research Initiative Funds, gifts, contract or grant revenues, funds belonging to registered or recognized student organizations, and other restricted funds.

UMB Operational Unit or Operational Unit – A UMB school, division, department, office, etc., including UMB academic units and the Provost’s Office.

Scope and Exceptions

This policy applies to travel that is undertaken by a current student, which is a person enrolled in a UMB academic program. It applies to Student Academic Travel, which is defined as travel undertaken by a student for academic study or other UMB Academic Purposes, whether the Student Academic Travel is funded solely by the student or funded in part or in whole by UMB Funds or by UMB student organization funds.

This policy does not apply to student travel that does not meet the Student Academic Travel criteria, as long as it is not funded by UMB in any way. For example, it does not apply to personal travel, such as spring break vacations or personal side trips in conjunction with UMB-related travel.

This policy does not apply to enrolled students who also hold employment with UMB and who undertake Business Travel that is clearly related to the student’s job at UMB. Travel by student Employees is subject to the UMB Policy VIII-14.00 (A) Policy on Approval, Payment and Reimbursement of Personal Business-Related Expenses of UMB Employees and UMB Procedure on Business Travel for UMB Employees. 

Roles and Responsibilities

As per UMB travel policy and procedure, UMB Employees and students involved in arranging travel and initiating, approving, or processing travel authorization requests or travel expense payments are required to follow the rules set forth in travel and related
policies and procedures. Individuals who travel without proper authorization, improperly authorize travel, improperly use UMB Funds for travel, or improperly submit travel expense payment claims may forfeit the right to reimbursement, be subject to disciplinary action, or referred for criminal investigation and possible prosecution.

Academic unit or other UMB Operational Unit: Under the direction of the dean, chair, or other authorized individual, the Operational Unit has the discretion to establish additional procedures, forms, and other requirements for Student Academic Travel to meet their
business operations and reporting needs. Any such requirements must be consistent with IRS regulations and applicable USM and UMB policies.

The vast majority of students do not have access to UMB’s online travel system. As a result, if the Operational Unit is booking airfare or accommodations directly on behalf of student travelers, the Operational Unit and/or Travel Administrator will need to coordinate and
process student travel authorizations, approvals, tickets, and other travel details in Concur on behalf of student travelers.

If booking travel on behalf of student(s), the Operational Unit is responsible for stating the purpose of and/or reason for travel for the purpose of determining if the funds need to be declared to the IRS as taxable income.

The following guidelines are available to Academic and Operational units processing student academic travel, link to UMB Guidelines for Student Academic Travel.

International Operations (IO): IO is responsible for establishing procedures and guidelines to promote the Safety and Security of UMB international travelers and to promote compliance with UMB policies and procedures related to International Travel. IO is responsible for handling Operational Units’ requests for advice and guidance related to international travel, Safety and Security, and receiving and responding to international Safety and Security issues and incidents. 

Office of the Controller (OOTC): Under the direction of the SVP/CBFO, OOTC is responsible for establishing procedures to promote compliance with the UMB Policy VIII-11.00(A) Policy on Business Travel for UMB Employees and Nonemployees and the UMB Procedure on Business Travel for Non-Employees and to adhere to proper taxation under IRS regulations.

UMB students on Student Academic Travel: Under the guidance of the student’s academic unit or other Operational Unit, the student traveler is responsible for fulfilling the Operational Unit’s travel requirements, which could include pre-travel authorization,
procedures related to financial assistance for travel, and adherence to approved travel arrangements (e.g., itinerary, flight schedules, and check-in and check-out times).

Students are responsible for travel-related costs not covered by UMB Funds. Furthermore, travel that is not in accordance with UMB travel policy and procedures and that has been charged to UMB Funds must be reimbursed to UMB from the student’s personal funds. If necessary, funds owed to UMB may be recovered by UMB through any available, lawful means, including referral of debt to the State Central Collection Unit.

Students traveling internationally on Student Academic Travel are responsible for fulfilling UMB Safety and Security requirements as laid out on the Global Hub and request a predeparture security briefing from International Operations, especially when traveling to high risk destinations. Students are also responsible for complying with all visa and immunization requirements and the laws and regulations of the country to which they are traveling, including obtaining and maintaining any visas, permits, and immunizations required for international travel.