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Club Travel

Purpose

Clubs who are wanting to travel are able to do so through the prior approval process facilitated through Student Engagement.

Last Reviewed

July 29, 2025

Clubs who are wanting to travel are able to do so through the prior approval process facilitated through Student Engagement. All official club travel must be pre-approved, even if there are no expenses or club members are paying for expenses up front.

Summer Club Travel

For a club to be active and travel during summer, they must:

Exceptions may apply, such as if a club qualifies through a competitive event. For further clarification and guidance please work with Student Engagement early on in your summer planning process. 

The current travel policy is under revision for Summer/Fall 2025, please contact Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu for further assistance.

Day Trips or Field Trips

Clubs can enrich their members' experiences through off-campus day trips. To ensure safety and proper procedure, please note the following: 

  • Trips Beyond a 100-Mile Radius: If a club is planning a day trip (no overnight stays) that extends outside a 100-mile radius from CWI, the club will need to submit a travel request. This process helps ensure all necessary arrangements and approvals are in place for longer distances. 

  • Trips Within a 100-Mile Radius:  For club field trips or day trips within a 100-mile radius that may or may not require the use of CWI vans, the club will need to submit an event request to gain pre-approval.  

In both scenarios, submitting the required request enables Student Engagement to assist the club throughout the pre-approval process. All students and advisors traveling will be required to complete travel waivers prior to leaving on the trip and return them to Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu

Requesting Overnight Club Travel

Overnight student club travel needs to be requested by the club through the Office of Student Engagement at least two (2) months before the first day of the month the travel will occur.

  • It is recommended to submit a request earlier if registration or reservations are needed to be made early due to price deals or are limited at the travel destination.
  • A meeting between at least one of the traveling advisors and a student officer must be held either in person or virtually to review the requested travel plans and budget for accuracy.
  • Overnight travel can only occur when travel is to a destination outside of 100-mile radius. 

For consultation in planning upcoming travel ideas or plans, please schedule a time with Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu

Budget Requests

When submitting the request for overnight travel, the following items should be included in your budget requests:

  • Travel estimates including mileage, airfares, ground transportation, tolls, parking, registration fees, hotel, meals, and cab/shuttle fares, as applicable. 
  • Documentation for quotes (e.g., registration pages, flight estimates, hotel pricing, etc.).
  • A 10% contingency due to changes in rates, fares, etc.
  • Travel for academic purposes (to fulfill a course or program requirement) may not be paid through the club accounts. 

Travel Policies & Guidelines

In planning for your travel, the following policies and guidelines must be followed:

  • Eligible travel must be related directly to the club's purpose.
  • A Prior Approval for Student Travel form must be completed prior to any purchases being made for travel expenses or reservations. 
  • If any student traveling will be a minor at the start of travel, Risk Management must be notified at least 60 days prior to the start of travel, and the requirements of CW-050 Protection of Minors will apply. 
  • CWI employees must accompany students on a trip and must follow the CWI Employee Travel policy. CWI or club funds cannot be used to pay for the travel of persons, including spouses or family members, who are not students or employees. 
    • A ratio of one (1)1 employee per 10 students is required for overnight travel. 
    • All employees must have completed Clery Act and Title IX training within one year of the start of travel. 
  • Students must completely fill out the required documents for approval before leaving for the trip. All paperwork must be pre-approved by the Dean of Students before making any arrangements. 
  • Clubs must have funds available before making any arrangements for the trip. This includes any conference or event registrations/reservation. 
  • If a trip is over $2,000, a Purchase Order must be completed and additional approvals may be necessary. 
  • must be completed by the lead advisor or faculty member within five (5) days of returning from student travel. 
  • All relevant CWI policies and handbooks apply to students and employees for the duration of travel. 

Creating Your Travel Budget

Clubs are responsible for putting together initial estimates for their travel requests prior to requesting funds or requesting travel approval through Student Engagement.

  • Travel prior approvals must be given before booking any flights, hotel reservations, registration fees, educational expenses, etc.
  • Student Engagement will verify there are funds in the clubs account to support the travel request.
  • Most conferences/competitions have food included in the registration fee. Clubs are encouraged to take advantage of this as much as possible.

Breakdown of Travel Costs

Prior approval must be given by the College, and the clubs advisor must submit an itinerary/outline for all expenses. Reimbursement will not be given for any expenses, if approval is not granted prior to travel. Clubs should be prepared to show evidence of how funds were raised and how club voted to spend funds.

The following is a list of expenses you will need to have provided information for when submitting your request to travel. If you would like assistance in researching these costs, contact Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu.

  1. Per Diem: Per Diem is the allowance for meals and incidental expenses. 
    • Faculty/Staff (Adviser) Per Diem: Advisors must be provided the full per diem amount.
      • The General Services Administration (GSA) establishes for destinations within the lower 48 continental United States.
      • Travel days will only receive 75% of the daily per diem rate.
    • Student Per Diem: Clubs may opt-out of paying per diem for students.
      • Student per diem will be increased to the standard GSA rate for Idaho of $63, with first and last day of travel calculated at 75% of the GSA rate. Example of meals:
        • $16 for breakfast 
        • $19 for lunch
        • $28 for dinner 
      • Student per diem is provided in advance of travel and is the responsibility of the advisor traveling with the students. 
        • The advisor is required to work with Student Engagement to submit an approved payment request, along with supporting prior approval travel documentation, to Accounts Payable at least two (2) weeks in advance of travel. 
        • A check is processed to the advisor, and funds are disbursed to the students accordingly.
        • Any monies not used are required to be returned to Accounts Payable along with the Per Diem Cash Advance Signature Sheet before the advisor’s reimbursement is processed.
      • No alcohol may be purchased with any college or club funds, including per diem funds, or consumed by any person engaging in student travel while traveling on behalf of the College without prior presidential approval. 
  2. Hotel reservations are made through Student Engagement once travel is approved. If the competition you are attending has blocks of rooms reserved at a reduced rate, this is the hotel that should be used in your calculations. Otherwise, clubs are able to select their hotels based on their funds available.
    • Rooms: Advisor(s) must have their own room(s). Students will share a room with a minimum of two to a room. Notwithstanding this rule, students will not be required to share a room with students of another gender. 
      • If traveling with minors, rooming assignments will be determined in collaboration with the Dean of Students, Risk Management, and other identified stakeholders.
  3. Airline reservations are made in coordination with Student Engagement and the business office.
    • When looking at airlines, do not pick the cheapest ones for your estimate as those will likely not be available by the time we are able to move forward with booking. We recommend in selecting the mid-range price for flight estimates. 
  4. Reimbursement
    • An Employee Travel Reimbursement form is due from the advisor to Student Engagement for review five (5) business days after the club returns.
    • The advisor must review and approve this form prior to submission.
    • Student Engagement also reviews the form and accompanying receipts for accuracy and adherence to policy.
    • The Payment Request form will then be given to the Business Office for review and reimbursement.
    • Checks will be mailed to you, so please make sure you have indicated your current address in the details box on the form.
    • Reimbursement requests submitted to Business Office 20 business days after returning from travel will not be accepted.

Questions or Concerns: If the club officers or advisor(s) have any questions or concerns, they should contact Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu or the Dean of Students at DOS@cwi.edu.

CWI Vans & Rental Cars

If a club plans to travel by car, a CWI van must be used when feasible. Vans must be reserved through an event request in 25Live. If a van is not feasible (e.g., small group size, winter travel, etc.) it is highly recommended clubs rent a vehicle from a rental car company rather than use personally owned vehicles. To rent a car, coordinate with the Office of Student Engagement. Reservations must be made with a CWI P-card. Enterprise  currently holds a State of Idaho contract for discounted rentals. 

Only certified CWI faculty and staff may drive CWI vans or vehicles rented under the College. Advisors wishing to be complete driver certification must begin the process at least 10 business days before travel. Certification steps are outlined in myCWI under Employee Resources > Facilities Planning and Management > Motor Pool. 

Personal Vehicles

If your club is planning travel outside a 100-mile radius and members wish to use personal vehicles, please indicate this on your travel request. Members opting to drive must submit a copy of their valid driver's license and proof of insurance by completing the .

Important Considerations for Personal Vehicle Use:

  • Liability: Drivers of personal vehicles assume full liability for any incidents or accidents.
  • Expenses: All maintenance, repairs, fuel, and operating costs for personal vehicles are the responsibility of the owner.
  • Advisor/Student Transportation: To avoid conflicts of interest and ensure safety, advisors should not transport students in their personal vehicles, and students should not transport advisors.

Please carefully review these guidelines before deciding to use personal vehicles for club travel.

Travel Expectations: Students & Advisors

Those participating or traveling to an off-campus activity are representing Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµÍø (CWI). Thus, it is essential for their behavior to meet the highest standards of integrity and propriety. If your club intends to travel, it is best to get started by emailing clubs@cwi.edu

Club members are to uphold expectations in the Student Handbook at all times. If Student Handbook policies are violated on the trip, the club advisor is to report those violations to Student Engagement. The student(s) will be held accountable for those policy violations through the student conduct process. Please ensure you keep a detailed record of the incidents, who was involved, who witnessed the activity, and the alleged policy violation. 

Guidelines for Overnight Student Travel

  • A Student Travel Release form to include emergency contact information for the student is required.
    • A parent or guardian’s signature is required if the student is under 18 years of age. 
  • Students traveling on behalf of CWI are responsible for their own health and injury insurance coverage. 
  • Students and employees traveling on behalf of CWI are required to depart and return as a group.
    • Travelers are neither permitted to individually depart before the rest of the group nor stay behind after the majority of the group leave to return home.
    • In cases where one or more participants are not physically located in the Boise metro area, alternate travel plans may be necessary, but arrivals and departures should be timed as closely as possible.
    • At no time should a student be left without an advisor while the rest of the group has departed to return home (e.g., leaving a student to catch a later bus, train, or flight) as any delays or travel issues may strand a student without resources for food, shelter, or alternate transportation. 
  • Accommodations for Student Travel:
    • Employees and students are prohibited from sharing a room in any situation. 
    • Students will share a room with a minimum of two (2) to a room. Notwithstanding this rule, students will not be required to share a room with students of another gender. 
  • Students and faculty will be expected to cover all expenses of a personal nature incurred solely for the convenience of the student or faculty member including, but not limited to, meals included in the cost of registration or provided by the event, room service, cancellation charges, late or early check in/out fees, lost or stolen cash or property, etc. 
  • Expenses incurred while on personal leave, even if it is scheduled in conjunction with CWI sponsored travel, must be covered by the student or faculty member. 

Early Return from Travel 

  • If a student is expelled or otherwise removed from an event or activity by the organizer, the student will be sent home immediately and will be responsible for any additional charges, pending the outcome of Student Conduct proceedings.
  • If a student’s behavior is inappropriate or disruptive, the advisor, in consultation with the Dean of Students, may require a student to return home immediately, and the student may be responsible for any additional charges, pending the outcome of Student Conduct proceedings. 
  • If a student chooses to leave the event or activity, or fails to appropriately participate or engage (e.g., leaves the event without permission, fails to attend sessions, does not attend required events, refuses to participate in competitions, etc.) the advisor, in consultation with the Dean of Students, may require a student to return home immediately, and the student may be responsible for any additional charges, pending the outcome of Student Conduct proceedings. 
  • If a student experiences an emergency which requires them to return home prior to the scheduled date of return, the student must communicate the emergency prior to leaving the event. The Dean of Students will determine if the student is responsible for any additional charges.