The following summary explains how Illinois Tech manages off-campus travel by students and recognized student organizations. Its purpose is practical: to protect participants, to ensure university oversight when a trip is taken on behalf of Illinois Tech, and to clarify exceptions. This policy covers both trips that are directly organized or funded by Illinois Tech and those where students or recognized student organizations act on the institution’s behalf or receive support from an Illinois Tech academic or administrative unit. Note that travel that stays beyond campus but within Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry or Will Counties is treated as a field trip and is not governed by this policy. Students initiating travel should begin by completing the Illinois Tech Student Travel Request Form so the review process can begin.
Scope and core definitions
To apply the rules consistently the policy defines key terms. An appropriate administrator is a senior campus official such as the President, Provost, an academic Dean, a Vice Provost, or the Dean of Students, or a designated representative of one of those roles. A recognized student organization is a group formed for educational, professional, social or recreational purposes, whose leadership and majority membership are current Illinois Tech students, and whose recognition and registration are maintained with the Office of Student Life. The organizing individual or group must prepare a travel summary describing the trip purpose, a full itinerary including lodging and contact information, and a list of participants and their relationship to Illinois Tech. The policy also defines Illinois Tech sponsored student travel as travel planned or overseen by Illinois Tech faculty, staff or recognized student organizations with approval, or travel that involves Illinois Tech financial, physical or administrative oversight. Travel under Athletics or study abroad administered by the Office of Global Services are handled separately and excluded from this policy.
Field trip exception
Trips that occur beyond the campus perimeter but remain within Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry or Will Counties are categorized as field trips and do not follow the student travel approval steps outlined here. For any travel beyond those county lines, the organizer must follow the policy procedures, secure approvals, and submit the required paperwork in a timely manner.
Approval process and timelines
All Illinois Tech sponsored student travel must be approved by an appropriate administrator in advance so the institution can assess academic alignment and safety. The organizing party should submit the travel summary for review no less than 60 days before the proposed departure date. Administrators may request additional information to reach an informed decision. When travel is academic in nature and involves students from multiple Colleges, approval by an appropriate administrator in each College is typically required. Administrators must evaluate health, safety and security risks and must not approve travel if conditions present an undue risk to participants.
Non-approval and revision
If the appropriate administrator does not approve the travel summary, that decision will be communicated with reasons for non-approval and the travel summary returned unsigned. Organizers may revise the travel summary to address concerns and resubmit it for reconsideration. Once an administrator signs the travel summary, it documents institutional approval and any required mitigating measures; the signed summary is the official authorization for the trip.
Submission to Office of Global Services and participant forms
After an appropriate administrator signs the travel summary, organizers must forward it to the Office of Global Services no later than 30 calendar days before travel. Changes to an approved summary require the original approving administrator’s consent. Every student participant must submit a Voluntary Assumption of Risk and Release and Waiver of Liability Agreement and an Emergency Contact and Medical Information Form to the Office of Global Services at least 15 calendar days before departure. The Office of Global Services will provide pre-departure orientation and retain completed forms for six months after the trip conclusion. If a travel itinerary includes an area under a U.S. State Department Travel Warning, that warning and related details will be noted in the waiver documentation.
Responsibilities, restrictions and disciplinary consequences
Unless specifically permitted otherwise, Illinois Tech sponsored student travel must be chaperoned by a faculty or staff member. When travel without a faculty or staff chaperone is authorized, a student officer from the recognized student organization must accompany the trip and will be viewed as the party responsible. In no case may a student lead sponsored travel to a location subject to a travel warning. The chaperone or student officer must carry emergency contact lists for all participants and relevant Illinois Tech contact numbers. Students are expected to follow the Student Handbook and applicable Illinois Tech policies; travel conducted without a complete and accurate approved travel summary or in violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action under the Student Handbook and other institutional measures.
Health, eligibility and organizational obligations
Illinois Tech does not provide medical insurance for student travel; participants are responsible for medical expenses incurred during travel. Students on academic or disciplinary probation or on leave should not be approved for sponsored travel. Travel to fulfill degree or grading requirements will not be mandated in locations under U.S. State Department Travel Warnings, and travel to countries under a mandatory evacuation order is prohibited. Recognized student organizations must attend a mandatory travel presentation once per semester and require all attendees traveling on the organization’s behalf to complete the Student Organization Travel Behavioral Agreement. Unless explicit permission is granted by an appropriate administrator, friends and family members are not eligible to join Illinois Tech sponsored student travel.
