Event Requirements

When planning an off-campus event, the student event planner needs to set up an appointment with the group's Program Advisor immediately.  The student planner will then be responsible for completing the appropriate paperwork and in gathering the appropriate information.  You will need to:

1. Supply the address, phone number and name of a contact at the event site.

2. Depending on the event, the organization may be required to provide transportation.

3. Arrange for a police/security detail, if the establishment does not provide one.

4. Supply the name of the Advisor that will be present for the duration of the event.

5. Process all financial request through organization's on campus account.

If your organization advisor can not be present, you must identify a member of the faculty, administration or staff who is willing to attend and serve as advisor to that event.

Other points of interest

1. Any event sponsored by a recognized club/organization requires signed approval from the group's Program Advisor.

2. Your event is not confirmed until you have received approval from the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.  Do not book/reserve a site before receiving approval.

3. Each event must have an Advisor present throughout the duration of the event.  This person can be a faculty, staff, administrator or graduate assistant at the College.

4. The sponsoring organization assumes full responsibility for any/all activities related to this event.

Advisor responsibilities

1. As mentioned earlier, the advisor needs to be present for the duration of the event.

2. The advisor is to act in the capacity of a College official.  If a concern arises that cannot be addressed by the organization's President, the Advisor should assist.

3. After the event, OSIL requests that the Advisor report any concerns, incidents or questions that may have arisen during the event to the Program Advisor.

Third Party Vendor Agreement (if alcohol is to be served at the event):

1. The student planner needs to have the vendor sign and comply with the information listed on the Vendor Agreement.  Information included but not limited to the following would include:
  
a. A confirmation that the premises are properly licensed for the service of alcohol by the appropriate local and/or state authority.

b. Vendor is properly insured for the service of alcohol with a minimum of $1,000,000 of general liability insurance.

c. Vendor confirms that they are solely responsible for all aspects of the service of alcohol.

Crisis Management

If there is an accident/injury at your event, you should immediately notify the College.  Notification may be made as follows:

1. Have a representative from your organization, preferably the advisor or the president, call the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership at 508-531-1273, Monday through Friday, from 9 AM - 5 PM.

2. Call the Bridgewater State College Police at 508- 531-1380 at any time, if OSIL is closed.

3. When notifying either location be prepared to leave a number at which you can be reached; in case the College official needs to contact you.  Please have the names of any students (who are involved) as well as the description of the accident/injury.

4. If there is an accident/injury, please gather as much information as possible, including the names, phone numbers and addresses of witnesses.  Upon your return to campus, you will have to meet with a College official.

Student Organization Travel Guidelines

Events planned by student organizations at off-campus locations are considered college events and are subject to college program and travel policies and guidelines.  This would include, but not be limited to social events at off-campus function facilities, organizational trips to area attractions (i.e., Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts), and attendance by some or all organization members at conferences, workshops, etc.

Since the guidelines covering these types of events vary significantly based upon the distance to be traveled, the number in attendance, the duration of the event, and the mode of transportation, it is important to discuss an off-campus events with your program advisor as soon as possible.

The following guidelines should be kept in mind as you begin to plan these types of events:

• All paperwork must be filed with the Student Involvement and Leadership program advisor.
• All Bridgewater State College policies regarding purchasing, contracts, alcohol, etc. are in effect at off-campus events.
• Faculty/staff trip advisors may be required.  When a chaperone is required, the student organization is responsible for identifying the chaperone and gaining his/her agreement to attend.  Any cost associated with the chaperone (tickets, etc) is borne by organization.

Please consult the Student Organization Travel Policy for requirements for your off campus travel.

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Campus Transportation

The Transportation Office will provide a fifteen (15) passenger van(s) when available.

Paperwork will have to be filled out and returned to the transportation office prior to the approval of the trip.  A professional staff member, faculty member, or graduate assistant must drive the van and take full responsibility for the group.  Please keep in mind that no vans will be given to student trips where alcohol is served, such as: baseball games, Boston bar hopping, or formals.

All groups will be asked to sign off on the policies and procedures form for student organization trips.

For specific information, please visit the Campus Transit website.  

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Student Organization Travel Policy

Off-campus travel can be an important learning tool for students and the College supports student off-campus trips.  However, these trips must be planned and conducted in ways that promote the safety of student participants.  Additionally, the College must operate within state liability guidelines.  It is for these reasons that the following guidelines have been established for student organization travel.

General Guidelines

• All student organization travel shall be accomplished in accordance with all state motor vehicle laws.
• All student organization travel must be registered with Student Involvement and Leadership at least two weeks prior to the departure date or the date that a financial or contractual commitment is required.   To register an off-campus trip the student organization must submit the following items:
  • Student Organization Travel Form;
  • an itinerary of the trip;
  • description of the selection process for students participating (when college funds are being used to cover any of the trip expenses)
    post-trip evaluation process (when college funds are being used to cover any of the trip expenses)
• All student organization travel must be approved through the student organization program advisor.
• Student organizations are expected to prepare detailed information sheets about the off-campus trip and provide this information to all trip participants prior to any commitment on their part to participate in the trip, particularly when there is a financial commitment.  These information sheets should include the following information:
  • the full travel itinerary, including dates and times of departure and return;
  • the full cost of participating in the trip, including any costs that will not be included in a participation fee;
  • the rendezvous location for departure (and a statement regarding personal responsibility for transportation if the participant is not at the rendezvous location at the designated time);
  • the name of the trip advisor (when applicable);
  • name and address of overnight accommodations (when applicable)
• Prior to departure, the sponsoring organization must submit a complete list of all trip participants and the original signed travel waiver form from each participant to Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.  In the event that the office is closed, you may submit a copy to the Information Booth.
• Only Bridgewater State College students, faculty, staff and authorized guests may participate in student organization sponsored trips.
• Alcohol will not be permitted on buses or other vehicles on College trips.

Means of Transportation

College Transportation
Student organizations are encouraged to request college transportation for their trips.  College-owned vans and buses may be available for student organization travel.  The Transportation Department will set the policies and guidelines for student organization use of college transportation.

Rental Vehicles
If College transportation is not available, cars, vans or buses may be rented from outside agencies. Student organizations should contact Student Involvement and Leadership to identify a rental agency that will be able to provide vehicles for the trip.

Student organizations are required to rent buses from one of the bus companies with whom the College has contracts.  Student Involvement and Leadership can provide the names of these companies and make the necessary arrangements for the organization.

Personal Vehicles
The College does not recommend the use of personal vehicles for student organization sponsored travel.   When a student uses a personal vehicle to transport participants to an off-campus event, the driver assumes all liability for himself/herself and all passengers in the event of an accident or injury.  The College will approve trips involving the use of personal vehicles under the following conditions:

• the trip involves less than 20 students
• the travel is 50 miles or less from the College
• college transportation is not available
• all drivers are licensed and insured (the driver's license number should be included on the Off-Campus Travel Form
• all vehicles are registered and properly inspected

Additional Considerations

Trips involving 20 or more students/Long distance travel

When the trip involves 20 or more students or the destination is more than 50 miles from the College, the transportation for the trip must be either a college van or bus; a rental van or bus; or public transportation.  

Overnight Travel

When a trip is overnight, Student Involvement and Leadership must approve the full itinerary before the trip can be confirmed.   Organizations will be required to use the services of a travel agency for most overnight trips.

Trip Advisors

The scope and purpose of some off-campus trips require that the student organization's faculty advisor or another full-time member of the college staff or faculty agree to accompany the organization as the trip advisor.  The trip advisor's expenses will be the responsibility of the sponsoring organization.  Student Involvement and Leadership will meet with him/her to clarify responsibilities, emergency procedures, and guidelines for the trip if needed.

The following types of trips will generally require a trip advisor:

• any trip on a rental bus, regardless of the distance from campus;
• out-of-state trips (exceptions may be made for trips of an academic nature);
• overnight travel trips;
• trips involving an element of risk to participants, i.e., ski trips, white water rafting, etc.;
• trips of a purely social or entertainment nature
• any other trip where presence of a college official is deemed necessary by the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership
  

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Last Modified: August 25, 2006