Student Travel Program

Please reach out to Dave Bourassa, [email protected], to discuss potential travel options and the process of seeking approval.

Due to the challenges of COVID-19, the Student Travel Program has modified the proposal deadlines in an effort to make the proposal process more streamlined and accessible.  The new proposal deadline is 21 days prior to the first date of travel.

Qualifying Travel

The Student Travel Program is a student fee funded program that provides travel grants for MSU Denver students. These grants help fund the cost of transportation, registration and lodging for qualified individuals or student groups wishing to attend regional, national, or international professional development events/meetings. Individual students, pairs or student groups may apply for funding once each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

Travel must be related to the participant’s area of study or leadership position on campus. The Student Travel Program does not support travel unrelated to a student’s area of study, attending courses at other schools, or general research costs. Study abroad and other forms of travel for credit are not permitted.

The following forms of professional development are eligible for program participation:

• Workshops
• Conferences and conventions
• Seminars
• Competitions (non-athletic, co-curricular only)

The lead student must complete a consultation meeting (click on the following link for the Consultation Request Form) prior to the proposal deadline. This consultation meeting is required so that the specifics of the funding process, including the proposal and presentation, may be discussed. Failure to complete a consultation meeting prior to the proposal deadline will result in a 10-point deduction from the scoring rubric used to determine funding. Please pay close attention to proposal deadlines. Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. The Student Travel Program proposal and presentation must be student-led.

Funding Overview

Students are able to receive funding once per fiscal year. The fiscal year begins in July and continues through the following June (e.g.,Fiscal year 2020-2021 runs from July 1, 2020– June 30, 2021).

The Student Travel Program will consider funding the following:

• Transportation to and from the event. Transportation may include airfare and/or ground transportation.
• Event registration
• Lodging

The Student Travel Program does not provide funding for meals or other incidental expenses. Student proposals for international travel must be approved by the Associate Vice President, Student Engagement & Wellness.

If funding is approved, what happens next?

Each individual, pair or group awarded funding through the Student Travel Program is required to meet with the Director of the Student Travel Program to finalize travel arrangements and to discuss their obligations and responsibilities as a part of their travel award. Upon return, students and the advisor are required to complete an evaluation Form (sent via email for completion within two weeks of return from travel).

• Individual Funding – One student presenting original research at a professional development event. Eligible for up to $625.
• Pair Funding- Two students presenting original research at a professional development event. Eligible for up to $1,250.
• Group Funding- Three or more students who just want to attend a professional development event. Group funding does not require the students to present at the professional development event. Eligible for up to $1,875.

Student Travel Advisor Info

The opportunity to serve as an advisor for students attending a professional development event is priceless. Often students return from these travel experiences with a newfound excitement that cannot be duplicated in a traditional classroom experience. It is these travel opportunities that often determine a student’s career goals and aspirations. For an advisor to play a role in a student’s development is pivotal to his/her success at MSU Denver.

All students (both undergraduate and graduate students) must have a travel advisor (full-time MSU Denver faculty or staff member) agree to accompany them on the trip. Students will not be eligible to apply for funding unless they have an approved travel advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the proposal and presentation. The travel advisor may only be listed on a maximum of 3 proposals per professional development event. One advisor may not accompany more than 3 groups/pairs/individuals to one professional development event. This rule applies to group, pair, and individual funding.

Please note the deadlines for proposal submissions. There will not be any exceptions made to these deadlines. The travel advisor must adhere to all MSU Denver travel policies outlined in the Travel Guide. If the mode of transportation decided upon is an automobile, the advisor must either travel in the same car or in a caravan situation, with the students.

Additionally, the advisor must complete the Student Travel Advisor’s Role & Responsibilities Form.  This form must be submitted before the deadline for which the group is applying for. In addition to completing this form, the advisor must attend the student presentation.

Once funding has been received the advisor will work with the Lead Student and Director of Student Travel to make the student(s) travel arrangements.

Student Eligibility

• Participation in the Student Travel Program may be contingent on a student’s prior behavior at the University. Conduct history is checked through the Dean of Students Office for all participants. A student conduct file does not automatically prohibit participation in the program, but will be considered along with the application materials.
• All students (both undergraduate and graduate) must have a travel advisor (full-time MSU Denver faculty or staff member) agree to accompany them on the trip. Student Travel does not provide funding for the travel advisor. Students will not be eligible to apply for funding unless they have an approved travel advisor.
• Students who receive a Student Travel grant will not be eligible to apply again for funding until the following fiscal year. Student Travel recognizes July 1st – June 30th as the fiscal year for funding.
• Full time employees of MSU Denver are not eligible even if they are a student. Employees have access to professional development funds through their departments and the University.

How to Apply

The following actions/items are required for a Student Travel Proposal to be considered for funding:

1. The Individual/Lead student must complete a consultation meeting prior to the proposal deadline. This consultation meeting is required so that the specifics of the funding process, including the proposal and presentation, may be discussed. Failure to complete a consultation meeting prior to the proposal deadline will result in a 10-point deduction from your scoring rubric.
2. The Student Travel Proposal Form, Student Travel Waiver, Responsibilities and Conduct Form(s), and the Travel Advisor Role and Responsibilities Form must be submitted in accordance with the proposal submission deadline. Each student in your group must complete the Student Travel Waiver, Responsibilities and Conduct Form.
3. The Individual/Lead Student is required to give a 15-minute presentation of their proposed travel to the Student Travel committee. The advisor must be in attendance during this presentation. The Student Travel committee meets once a month on a Friday.

Student Travel Committee

The Student Travel committee consists of MSU Denver faculty, staff, and students. The Student Travel committee has four regular voting members.

The committee members include the following:

• Program Manager (non-voting member, committee chair)
• Student Government Assembly representative
• Student Travel Assistant (student employee)
• Faculty/Staff representative
• Student at-large

Funding allocations are based on the following criteria:

• Completion of consultation meeting
• Thoroughness and quality of proposal materials and completion of all application requirements
• Academic enrichment of the event (both to those attending and to the MSU Denver student body)
• Personal goals
• Enhancement of diverse thinking at MSU Denver
• Skill development
• How you will share the knowledge learned
• How the travel proposal supports the educational mission of the University
• Personal enrichment of the event to the individual(s) attending
• Compliance with all MSU Denver and State of Colorado fiscal rules
• Availability of funds

The committee scores each presentation utilizing a scoring rubric. The individual or lead student will receive a copy of the scoring rubric during their consultation. Funding decisions may be appealed to the Program Manager for Student Engagement, Travel, & Professional Development for reconsideration in special situations.

Stipulations

1. Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted.
2. Last minute changes accruing a fee are the financial responsibility of the organization, club or individual making the changes, not the responsibility of the Student Travel Program.
3. No funding is available for any individuals other than MSU Denver students as this is a student fee funded program. The program is unable to fund faculty or staff.
4. A travel advisor is required to accompany students on trips. This helps to enhance the educational experience of the students, ensure positive institutional representation and participation, ensure proper conduct and handle any emergency that may arise while traveling.
5. All students applying for Student Travel funding must read and electronically sign the Student Travel Waiver, Responsibilities and Conduct Form on RoadrunnerLink when they apply for funding.
6. Each student traveling is expected to abide by the Code of Conduct while traveling as a representative of MSU Denver.
7. Incomplete forms or non-compliance with any condition of this program could result in refusal of funding for the individual or the organization for the following academic year.
8. If a student does not travel for any reason and registration, lodging and/or transportation have been purchased, that student is responsible for paying back all expenses to the program. If the student chooses to not pay the program back, that student may have to go through the conduct process.

Proposal Due Dates

Please note:

1. Before submitting a proposal, the lead student must meet with the Student Travel Assistant for a consultation. Please complete the Student Travel Consultation Request Form to schedule this meeting.
2. All proposals must be complete, and include all electronic signatures and attachments as indicated in the Proposal form description. Incomplete or late proposals will not be accepted.
3. Proposals must be submitted using RoadrunnerLink at least 21 days prior to the first date of travel

Student Travel Forms

The following forms must be completed by the lead student:

• Student Travel Consultation Request Form
• Student Travel Proposal
• Student Travel Waiver, Responsibilities and Conduct Form

The following forms must be completed by each additional student traveling:

• Student Travel Waiver, Responsibilities and Conduct Form

The Travel Advisor must complete the following form:

• Travel Advisor Role and Responsibilities Form