St. Lawrence University
Faculty and Staff Taking Students Abroad

The Faculty/Staff Leader’s Role (Open as Word file)

Responsibilities of the group organizer

• making initial application to CIIS (see website for application form: http://www.stlawu.edu/ciis/index.html)
• meeting with health center director about health concerns and the appropriate medical form to give to students (short or long form)
• planning the trip, publicizing, recruiting, selecting, budgeting booking of air travel, host country accommodations, guides, etc.
• ensuring that counseling, the health center, student services and student financial services have cleared all students
• developing and having each student and the parent/legal guardian sign a form that acknowledges the risks, especially those specific to your program, and is a waiver of liability
• keeping records of all forms completed by student participants
• orienting students
• providing information to participants about passport and visa requirements
• when you travel, taking the medical emergency forms and other essential health records, especially noting special medical conditions and medications for participants
• providing essential information to parents and to CIIS about itinerary and contacts
• handling all finances appropriately and reporting all expenses when travel is completed.

1. The Application Process.

Students must complete and return to you before they are accepted:

• Personal data form
• A release form for Counseling Services
• A medical form [Talk to the director of the health center about whether you should use the long or short form. The long form should be used when students need inoculations before travel or where there are unusual health risks. The long form requires students to have a consult with the health center immediately upon acceptance into your program.]

Optional: for those who want students to apply competitively, you may require an essay from them, an advising transcript and/or an evaluation from a member of faculty or staff.

Sample forms of all documents mentioned in this document are attached.

When you have all applications, and before you accept anyone, send a list of applicants to:

• Counseling Services (include the students release forms)
• Health Center (include the medical reports)
• Student Services (so that you will get information about students who are on social or disciplinary status)
• Student Financial Services

ALL students who travel abroad must be cleared by the Health Center, Counseling Services, Student Services and Student Financial Services. The Health Center requires each student to complete a Medical Report form prior to their screening your list of applicants. In the release forms mentioned above, the student authorizes the Health Center and Counseling Services to screen on your behalf and to raise any concerns with you. Students Services (information on social/disciplinary status) and Student Financial Services do not require releases from the student.

2. The Acceptance Process

Once you have a list of accepted students, notify those students that their first stop is to make an appointment with the Health Center for a consultation about any immunizations or prophylaxes advised for your program. This appointment should be at least SIX weeks prior to departure.
This consult may be waived ONLY if you have previously consulted with the Health Center Director and have her approval to use the short form.

Send each accepted student a copy of your Parent/Student Agreement: Terms and Conditions. You will craft one specific to your program. This form is to be signed by the student and a parent/guardian as an indication that they commit to participating and on the terms that you have laid out. In this document the student and parent acknowledge the risks of participating in your program (full disclosure of the risks specific to your country and the activities of your program is essential). Refer to any global conditions which may pose some risk. The student and parent also release SLU from any claims for injury. In this document you should also indicate that the Center for International and Intercultural Studies will be the contact office for you and for parents, while you are traveling and in case of emergencies. Provide the telephone number (315-229-5991) and email: twig@stlawu.edu. Our office would like to have one copy of this form. YOU should retain in your office the signed student copies.

In this document you also spell out the expectations for program participants and indicate that failure to follow these expectations may result in the student being dismissed from the program.
If a student is dismissed for cause, there is no refund. However, if the program is suspended or cancelled, there may be a refund. Consult with the Business Office to determine the appropriate language to use in this matter.

Along with this Parent/Student Agreement Form, you should consider at what point you want students to pay a deposit to SLU to express their commitment to your program. Set a specific deadline. The Business Office will set up an account for your program. You collect the deposits and take them immediately to the Business Office. If you need to purchase tickets, you may want a sizeable deposit by an early date in order to get good prices on air fare.

• Signed Parent/Student Agreement Form
• Deposit
• Medical Emergency/Contact Information/Insurance Form
• Photocopy of ID page of passport

We strongly recommend that students have supplementary medical insurance when they travel (for medical evacuation). Students who have the SLU/College Blue insurance automatically have this supplement. Students on other insurance plans can buy this Medex supplement for $3/month, going through Campus Support. Evacuation coverage is also part of the ISIC card (international student identity card) which also provides students with additional discounts for museums, travel, etc. ISIC cards can be provided by CIIS at a cost of $22.

3. Sample checklist for each student
We suggest that you create a checklist for each student applicant so that you can easily track whether materials have been submitted.

• Personal data form


• (Optional – application essay, transcript, evaluation form)


• Release form for Counseling Services


• Medical Report and Release


• Signed Parent/Student Agreement


• Deposit


• Final Payment


• Medical Emergency/Contact and Insurance Form


• Medex or ISIC card


• Photocopy of ID page of passport

4. Sample checklist for Faculty/Staff Leader

• Plan your advertising and recruitment, hold information meetings, and set deadline for student applications
• Meet with the Health Center about recommended immunizations and prophylaxes
• Meet with the Business Office about the Parent/Student Agreement and your banking arrangements for this program
• Prepare a Parent/Student Agreement form
• Send lists of student applicants to Health Center, Counseling, Student Financial Services and Student Services to be cleared
• Collect signed Parent/Student Agreement forms
• Collect deposits (made out to SLU) and take them immediately to the Business Office
• Insure that final payments are received by Business Office
• Provide information about your itinerary (including flight information) and your contact information in the host country to students and to parents; notify parents that CIIS will be the contact office in case of emergencies
• Advise students about supplementary insurance (ISIC card or Medex)
• Take with you as you travel copies of each student's Medical Emergency/Contact/Insurance form and their Medical Report (provided to you by the Health Center)
• Take with you a copy of the ID page of each student's passport

5. Before you go, leave with CIIS

• a list of participants
• a detailed itinerary with contact information for group leader throughout the period of travel, including all flight information and where students should be picked up at the trip’s end.
• a copy of the ID page of each student’s passport
• a copy of the Medical Emergency/Contact sheet for each applicant