Trip Planning Process
Faculty members, campus staff, or group advisors who lead students on any off campus trip during the school year or summer, should follow these major steps to get started and move along in the process.
1. Visit with the Director of Global Opportunities, Julie Johnston Hermann. She provides training for all trip leaders to cover what is needed to move forward in offering a particular type of trip for campus.
2. Work with your department, supervisor, or group to determine trip goals and purpose – why and what objectives for off-campus trips.
3. Read and review the Off-Campus Activity & Travel Guide and the resources provided on this Travel Management site to understand what is needed for various types of trips.
4. If planning an international trip, read and review the Leading Short-Term Education Abroad Programs: Know the Standards document. The Standards of Good Practice for Education Aboard were established in 2004 (and updated in 2023) by the Forum on Education Abroad. They are higher education’s benchmark for education abroad program excellence and accountability.
5. Share an anticipated academic, travel and financial outline with your supervisor / department chair so you can put together a Proposed Trip Application for your intended trip.
| Planning an international trip? | Planning a domestic trip? |
| – Planning should start at least 18 months in advance of anticipated travel dates. – Follow the Leader Check List – International Trips for specific details related to international travel planning. – When you have trip and financial details together, process a Proposed Trip Application. – Leaders must also work with the Business office on spring budget parameters and deadlines. | – Planning should take place the spring prior to the school year the trip would be offered. – Follow the Leader Check List – Domestic Trips for specific details related to domestic trip planning. – When you have trip and financial details together, process a Proposed Trip Application. – Leaders must also work with the Business office on spring budget parameters and deadlines. |
6. The Proposed Trip Application is an Adobe Sign document completed by the primary trip leader. The form is next routed to the secondary leader, and then supervisor / department chair for acknowledgments and signatures. When complete, the Application will be sent to the Academic Deans, Business Office, and Director of Global Opportunities for review. The primary trip leader will be contacted if any clarification is needed and then on approval status.
- A Proposed Trip Application notifies various offices of a pending trip so campus can provide administrative guidance needed for a safe and well-planned experience for students.
7. A Confirmed Trip Details form should be completed by the trip leader and sent to Julie 1) as a notice for trips that do not need separate campus budgeting approval involving a set group, team, etc. or 2) to provide details to build an online brochure in Via TRM, Concordia’s travel management site, for any trips where students would apply to participate in an experience.
8. Students can be directed to go to Via TRM, to use their CUNE email to set up a travel profile and then apply for a specific travel experience. Links to specific trips can be provided to share with students. Continue to communicate and work with students on travel preparations.
9. Follow the Leader Check List for your trip – work with students on payments and preparations – contact Julie on next step travel details needed for your specific travel situation.
10. Trip leaders must complete the Final Trip Plan – Traveler List – and a basic trip itinerary as soon as details are finalized and send to Julie at least two weeks before trip departure. A reminder on items to send to Julie and items for leader to carry are listed on the Final Trip Plan.
- These final trip details (including travel, housing, travel and activity itinerary, list of participants) for domestic and international trips will be entered into the Via Travel part of Via by Julie to generate a virtual Travel Plan so campus administrators know what groups and individuals are traveling at any point in time.
11. Before departing, trip leaders should gather the students’ health/medical information and emergency contact information (and passport details for international) by logging in to Via TRM to access these items.
12. As soon as possible after the trip, leaders must complete the Clery Student Trip Report and complete any other post trip tasks or reports or payments.
