Activity, Event and Travel Planning

An education that consists solely of class time and homework is an incomplete education, and Biola offers a wealth of opportunities for learning, growing, ministering, and playing that go well beyond the classroom. All students are encouraged to become involved in activities, events, and ministry and missions trips. In order to maintain the quality and safety of these programs and their participants, the following policies have been crafted.

Disclaimers and Releases

All students participating in Biola-sponsored events are subject to giving consent to (and provide signature so acknowledging) the statements below. Forms with these or similar statements are usually for off-campus activities and on-campus events involving physical or higher risk activities. Please note that minors must obtain similar, but separate, forms where their parent/legal guardian must sign for them.

• Liability Release: In consideration of being permitted to participate in (activity title) (hereinafter "activity") on (date) I, the undersigned participant, in full recognition and appreciation of the dangers and hazards inherent in this activity including transportation to and from such activity, do hereby agree to assume all the risks and responsibilities surrounding my participation in the activity; and, further, I do for myself, my heirs, and personal representative(s) hereby defend, hold harmless, indemnify, release, and forever discharge BIOLA UNIVERSITY, INC. and all its trustees, officers, representatives, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, or causes of action on account of damage to personal property, or personal injury, or death which may result from my participation in the activity, and which result from causes beyond the control of, and without the fault or negligence of, BIOLA UNIVERSITY, INC., its trustees, officers, representatives, agents, or employees.
• Medical Consent: I, the undersigned participant, give my consent to receive treatment for illness or injury, medication, or immunization deemed advisable through the Biola University Student Health Center, and to make the necessary referrals to other facilities, if indicated. I consent to any x-ray examination, laboratory test, anesthetic, medical or surgical diagnosis, and hospital service that may be rendered under the general or special instruction of any licensed physician, whether such treatment or diagnosis or immunization is rendered at the office of the physician or at a licensed hospital or health department. It is understood that this consent authorizes the physician to exercise his/her best judgment as to what is best for the individual patient. This consent will remain effective throughout the duration of this event unless revoked in writing and delivered to Biola University.
• Statement of Responsibility: Biola University has established guidelines for the conduct of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students. These guidelines also apply to non-students participating in Biola sponsored activities. Participants are expected to refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, illegal drugs, or the abuse of either prescription or non-prescription drugs, and from gambling. Also, Biola does not allow social dancing at University-related or sponsored activities (any activity that involves an identifiable University group, is publicized on campus, and/or has the appearance of being University-related, whether held on or off campus). Further, they are expected to use discernment to abstain from activities that are morally degrading; this includes movies and television programs viewed and other entertainment, recreational, and social activities.

Responsibilies of the Advisor

1. Every Biola-sponsored event or trip must have an Advisor.
2. The Advisor (the faculty, chairperson or staff member directing the activity) must be on the payroll of the university as a full-time 01 or 02 employee. No students may be advisors. The choice and selection of an advisor is usually based on the initiative of the student leaders, program requirements or the department chair/director.
3. The Advisor is ultimately responsible for the completion, accuracy, and submission of all official forms, such as the Student Activity Log. Student leaders may assist but they may not assume final responsibility.
4. Responsibilities of the Advisor include an active participation in training and team development; supervision of the group and the student leaders (if any), including administrative support; and development and implementation of emergency procedures in conjunction with the appropriate departments and governing bodies of the University. The Advisor must be accessible for the duration of the trip for communication and emergency needs.
5. The Advisor should maintain a team roster and have a completed copy of the Student Activity log along with a current itinerary (if the group is traveling).
6. Advisors or administrative staff involved in the coordination of student activities should be trained in the procedures and use of the Student Activity Log by their respective departments before they are required to use the forms.

The number, variety, scope, and complexity of events occurring on the Biola University campus increase significantly each year. In order to maximize the success of these events, foster cooperation, resolve conflicts, and enhance our overall professionalism, a basic system of coordination and scheduling is imperative. This responsibility is delegated to the Public Events Board (PEB), working in concert with the Campus Coordinator, under a mandate from University Communications & Marketing. 

Students and student groups work directly with their group, club or activity advisor to schedule and plan events based on established university protocols (which may be found in the Employee Handbook).

The Office of Travel Safety & Risk Mitigation (TSRM) is responsible for travel safety and risk mitigation for international travel and certain domestic travel. TSRM oversees the travel approval process and helps prepare students, faculty, and staff to have a safe trip to the extent possible and works with other campus partners to outline requirements and recommendations to mitigate risk, manage any unforeseen major emergencies, and provide helpful travel resources.

Further, university-sponsored groups or programs are not permitted to travel to locations that Biola University and/or Campus Safety designates as dangerous. Student groups or programs who travel to a proscribed location will be considered to be in violation of university policy and therefore subject to discipline and sanctions, including disqualification from future Biola-sponsored international travel.

For more information about the process of trip planning and approval, please go to biola.edu/campus-safety/travel-safety-risk-mitigation#travel_assessment_approval_process.

Student Activity Logs (SAL) are completed online.

1. For Single-Day Trips:
   1. No budget or itinerary are necessary.
   2. No Student Health Form are necessary.
   3. After receiving and processing the SAL, the Risk Management Assistant will send the trip leader a link to a liability release form – ALL participants must sign this release before engaging in the activity.
2. For Multi-Day, Domestic Trips: 
   1. Itinerary may be requested.
   2. All participants must have a Student Health Form on record (submitted once a school year).
   3. After receiving and processing the SAL, the Risk Management Assistant will send the trip leader a link to a liability release form – ALL participants must sign this release before engaging in the activity.
3. For International Trips:
   1. A budget must be submitted to the Risk Management Assistant.
   2. A detailed itinerary must be submitted to the Risk Management Assistant.
   3. All participants must have a Student Health Form on file.
   4. All participants must have an appointment with the Health Center where an Immunization Form will be generated.
   5. After receiving and processing the SAL, the Risk Management Assistant will send the trip leader a link to a liability release form – ALL participants must sign this release before engaging in the activity.

As submissions of Student Health Forms and Release Forms come in, the Risk Management Assistant will keep a record of them and send the team leader periodic updates. It is fully up to the team leader to ensure that all documents are signed and submitted in a timely fashion so as to allow everyone to participate. After everything has been submitted and logged, a copy of all the files will be sent to the Trip Advisor and will also be made available to Campus Safety, in case of an emergency.

For all INTERNATIONAL trips: There is a $58/person charge associated with international trips to cover the costs of Biola’s Travel Accident coverage. This will be charged to the trip’s account once the SAL process has been completed.

For all DOMESTIC trips: There is a $30/person charge associated with domestic trips to cover the costs of Biola’s Travel Accident coverage. This will be charged to the trip’s account once the SAL process has been completed. Domestic trips include anything within the United States outside a 100-mile radius from Biola’s Campus.

Questions can be directed to the Risk Management Assistant at rmassistant@biola.edu. Review and approval of SALs for the Risk Management Department are handled by the Risk and Insurance Administrator and can be contacted directly at risk.management@biola.edu.

If an emergency occurs during a Biola sponsored or sanctioned international trip, please follow the protocol outlined on Campus Safety’s Emergency Procedures for Travelers page.

For the well-being of the students participating in a program, all immunizations required by the Health Center must be completed in order to participate in the event or trip. Immunizations may be obtained through other health care providers.

Biola Health Center requirements are based on information from the Centers for Disease Control. In the event of differences in recommendations between Biola Health Center and other Health Care providers, the Biola Health Center will take precedence.

An Advisor may petition to the appropriate Dean, on behalf of the team, for an exemption from required immunizations. The Dean shall consult with the Director of the Biola Health Center and the doctor in residence to determine whether these may be waived for the group. The Biola Health Center has the final decision-making authority whether the exemption may be granted. Individual student team members may not request exemptions directly from the Health Center.

Immunization disclaimers and releases

• The participant agrees to take full responsibility for the implementation of required immunizations. These immunizations are available at the Student Health Center, but may also be acquired through a private physician or clinic. Required immunizations must be completed one month before travel and the participant acknowledges that if he/she has not received the required immunizations within the required time, they will not be allowed to participate in the activity.
• The participant also understands that, in planning to participate in this planned activity, there may be recommended immunizations for the activity. The participant will take full responsibility for their own decision to receive, or not receive, any of the recommended immunizations. Further, the participant understands that refusing recommended immunizations or medications could result in serious medical illness. The participant will not hold Biola University or the Student Health Center responsible for contracting diseases, which could have been prevented through receiving recommended immunizations and/or prophylaxis for malaria.

Students may have reason to drive on behalf of the university for employment, volunteer, or similar reasons. Such occurrences of driving activity fall subject to the Approved Drivers Policy for University Owned, Leased or Rented Vehicles (biola.edu/risk-management/driving), which includes screening of drivers prior to approval.

Please note that driving in a vehicle not owned, leased, or rented by the university (i.e., a personally owned vehicle) does not fall under the stipulations of the Approved Drivers Policy, except for the No Carpooling policy (see the Approved Drivers Policy for more details). Drivers / owners are responsible for their own insurance, maintenance, and any liability associated with these vehicles.

Driving to and from class and class-related field trips is considered a personal cost associated with going to school and is therefore not eligible for reimbursement from the university. Faculty may choose to organize approved modes of transportation for field trips, but are not required to do so.