Frequently Asked Questions
- Student Travel is travel undertaken by one or more students currently enrolled at MSU to reach an activity or event organized and/or sponsored by MSU or to represent the University at an event or activity. By way of example only, the following is a non-exhaustive list of domestic travel that would fall under this policy as Student Travel:
- Travel partially or fully funded by MSU
- Travel required by a course or curriculum
- Travel organized by a University faculty or staff member within the scope of their University employment
- Travel in which a student uses a vehicle owned or leased by the University for transportation
- Travel to an academic or professional conference paid for with University funds
- Travel to conduct research which is organized by a University faculty or staff member within the scope of their University employment
- Travel for recreational sports club trips
- Travel to meetings of academic or professional organizations where a student is representing the University
- Travel to activities required or organized by a University recognized student organization
Travel Registry should be completed at least 2 weeks (10-14 business days) before departure.
It is the responsibility of the entity (e.g., University department, student organization, academic program, etc.) that requires, organizes or sponsors the student travel to have a monitoring process to ensure that the procedures in this policy are followed. Depending on the organization or department, the form can be filled out by the following: a student leader in charge of a trip, the advisor of the student organization, the faculty/staff member organizing the trip, or any other similarly situated person.
The following information must be provided: the name and cell phone of each student, emergency contact name and number for each student, the purpose of the travel, the funding source for the travel, the name of the organization or the person organizing the travel, the location or locations of the travel, the means of travel, the dates of the travel, and the lodging accommodations for the travel.
- See Appendix regarding university van safety recommendations at https://www.procurement.msstate.edu/pdf/FleetManagementGuidelines.pdf
- If you are using university funds, see a list of vendors under state contract at Cars, Hotels & Air Contracts - Travel Services - Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)
We encourage you to use any reputable and licensed transportation providers. Verify the safety record of bus charter service by checking their history via the Department of Transportation (DOT) at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/passenger-safety/bus-safety-search
Further, the charter services should have appropriate insurance and any charter service paid for with University funds must be contracted through the MSU Department of Procurement and Contracts.
If you are receiving funding from the University for your travel, you will need to complete Concur Travel paperwork as an individual or for group travel. You must complete Concur Travel forms 2 weeks prior to the departure date and turn in reimbursement and travel expenses 5 days after you return.
Students may voluntarily agree to carpool utilizing personal vehicles. However, faculty or staff shall not organize student carpooling in any way, including assigning drivers or passengers. When individuals use their own personal vehicles to transport themselves and/or others, they do so at their own risk. Students utilizing private vehicles are responsible for personal auto physical damage and liability insurance. Students are not covered under any insurance policies while participating in domestic travel and should acquire appropriate health insurance coverage for trips.
When overnight accommodation is necessary, every reasonable effort should be made to respect the rights of privacy and comfort needs of participants. Providing adequate space for students is also important. There will be a maximum of 4 students per room in standard double beds. While Airbnb or similar accommodations are permissible, they are not recommended. For further information, please email studenttravel@msstate.edu
Faculty and staff may not share lodging with undergraduate or graduate students, and graduate students acting in their capacity as university employees (for example, as teaching assistants) may not share lodging with undergraduates they supervise or instruct. Employees may seek a waiver of these restrictions before a trip by using the Lodging Waiver Form found at Lodging Waiver Form.
All faculty, staff, and students must follow federal, local, and state alcohol laws. We do not recommend that faculty and staff drink with students while traveling together.
Students must follow the applicable state laws and continue to follow the policy and procedures of Mississippi State University, including the Student Code of Conduct, while traveling. Any student who violates the Student Code of Conduct will be responsible for all expenses incurred due to that violation.
Please direct all questions to the Office of Compliance and Risk Management at 662-325-5839.
If it is an emergency, please call the local 911.
If you need to contact university administrators after hours, please contact the University Police Department at 662-325-2121 or email your request to studenttravel@msstate.edu . Please know that the email studenttravel@msstate.edu will be monitored during normal business hours.
Using the Custom Web Form:
https://vimeo.com/1026690078
Using an Excel Roster:
https://vimeo.com/1026691099
Individual Student Travel:
https://vimeo.com/1026692114
No. Personal student travel does not need to be recorded, nor does travel by NCAA athletic teams, travel to engage in student teaching, internships, clinical rotations, practicums, or co-ops, even if required by a course of study. Further, this does not include travel to participate in observations or research, unless the research or observation is organized by a member of the faculty within the scope of their University employment.
Please direct these questions to the Office of Compliance and Risk Management at 662-325-5839 or by emailing studenttravel@msstate.edu It is recommended that each travel leader have a plan for when this type of situation may occur while traveling. This may include setting aside funds for this type of incident.
It is best practice to help students understand your expectations of them while traveling. The Student Travel Agreement form may be useful in identifying expectations for the students in advance of the trip. Additional considerations can be added to the agreement as necessary for a particular trip.