UIW Travel Policy

Consistent with the Employee Handbook, UIW requires faculty, staff, and administrators to report UIW associated and/or international sponsored travel programs and trips, including travel dates, international location(s), accompanying students (if any), and purpose of travel to the International Affairs Department. Report the required information via email to, Javier Lozano, Ph.D., Director of International Affairs.
The student must obtain authorization from various academic and administrative departments as outlined in the Study Abroad Process in order to be eligible to study abroad. Please refer to the Steps to Study Abroad page to access the process. For further information regarding authorization and the Request to Study Abroad form. Please review Step 6.

In order to protect the educational environment and safeguard the health and well-being of the individual and the community, the policy concerning alcohol and illegal substance policy is as follows:

Alcohol Policy:

  • The national/local laws of the host country govern your behavior while you are visiting the country.
  • You will adhere to the UIW Code of Conduct Policy during the entire faculty-led study abroad program.
  • At all times, you are responsible for the consequences of your behavior. If the consumption of alcohol causes or influences you to subsequently violate University policy, program rules, local laws, and/or otherwise engage in conduct that is harmful to the reputation of the University or program (as judged by the faculty leaders) you may be expelled from the program at your own expense. Upon returning, you may also face disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, receiving a failing grade for the class, academic probation, and/or expulsion from the University.

Illegal Substance Policy:

  • The University of the Incarnate Word and all study abroad programs, including faculty-led, prohibit the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, promotion, sale, or use of illegal drugs or other illegal substances, illegal paraphernalia, or look-alike (simulated) illegal drugs.
  • The possession, use, sale, or other distribution of narcotics, hallucinogenic, or controlled substances (except as permitted by law) during the faculty-led trip by any student, employee, or visitor is prohibited and is considered a serious offense.
  • The use, sale, or possession of any drug paraphernalia, including, but not limited to, water pipes, bongs, and hypodermic syringes/needles not prescribed by a licensed physician is prohibited and will subject the student to disciplinary action.
  • Students who are traveling with prescription medication are required to have their doctor's note verifying the use of medications.
  • Violation of the Illegal Substance Policy will result in expulsion from the faculty-led program at your own expense. Upon returning, you may face disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, receiving a failing grade for the class, academic probation, and/or expulsion from the University.
  • The penalties for illegal substances in some countries may be more severe than in the United States and commonly include deportation, fines, jail time, and, at times, the death penalty.

In the event a participant requires legal representation in the host country, the participant is responsible for seeking and acquiring legal representation. The participant is solely responsible for any and all legal fees and consequences.

All study abroad participants are required to purchase international health and travel insurance before participating in the program. Dependent on the program, student's insurance may be purchased on their behalf. It is the participant’s responsibility to purchase additional health and travel insurance coverage if they choose to increase insurance coverage.

Participants are responsible for understanding their insurance plans and must be aware of certain incidents, costs, and/or claims may that may not be covered by the international and travel insurance plan. Participants are fully responsible for any and all costs that international health and travel insurance may not cover. Furthermore, participants are responsible for researching and understanding whether pre-existing conditions may not be covered.

Participants are fully responsible for consulting with their healthcare provider for any medical needs that they may require while participating in the studying abroad and/or international program.

 

While participating in study abroad and/or international programs, participants are representing the University of the Incarnate Word. Any violation of the policies and procedures of UIW, including the UIW Student Code of Conduct, and/or violation of the host country laws, could result in dismissal from the program and additional disciplinary action upon return, including the possibility of being expelled from the host/home university.

Participants will adhere to the laws of the host country. In the event participants require legal representation in the host country, participants will be responsible for seeking and acquiring legal representation. Participants are solely responsible for any and all legal fees.

Participants will agree and understand the following are unacceptable, and engaging in any of them constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program, banned from participating in the program and being returned to the United States at the participant’s own expense at the absolute and sole discretion of the UIW representative(s) on-site:

  • Behavior that disturbs other persons in the program or other persons in the hotel or other accommodations;
  • Breaking the law(s) of the host country or violation of the policies and procedures of UIW, including the UIW Student Code of Conduct;
  • Posting, sharing, disseminating photos, videos, and/or other multimedia sources that are inappropriate, offensive, and/or violate the UIW Code of Conduct;
  • Excessive absence from class as determined by the professor(s);
  • Failure to participate in field trips or other activities of program;
  • Any use of and/or involvement with illegal drugs;
  • Failure to complete homework assignments;
  • Abuse of alcohol.
Effective immediately, all unused funds shall be refunded back to the students as soon as the trip expenses have been reviewed and finalized by the UIW Comptroller's Office and supervisory dean.

Participants will not be able to participate, in any study abroad and/or international program, if any unpaid balances are owed to the University. Before pursuing any study abroad and/or international program, participants must satisfy any outstanding balances owed to the University.

Tuition must be paid in full before being able to leave for the study abroad and/or international program. Even if the participant does not participate in the trip, whether voluntary/involuntary, participants are still responsible for all costs, which are non-refundable.

The participant is fully responsible for all tuition, deposits, payments, and fees in connection with the study abroad and/or international program. After the application of any scholarship, financial aid, or other assistance, if there is a remaining balance resulting from the study abroad and/or international program, the participant is fully responsible to pay the remaining balance out of their own personal funds. As such, all “out of pocket” costs are the participant’s responsibility.

If applicable, participants agree to adhere to the payment schedule outlined by the professor. Failure to pay by the set deadlines may result in late fees, dismissal from the program, and forfeiture of previously paid installments. No portion of any funds that have been paid, either directly or with financial assistance, to participate in the travel portion of the program will be refunded at any time for any reason.

Participants are responsible for consulting with their doctor prior to departure to obtain any vaccination, prescriptions, and/or medications needed for the duration of their international program. Participants are also responsible for researching the laws of the host country regarding medications they plan to take into the country.

Participants are responsible for having the available (or access to the) financial funds to cover any medical insurance deductibles (if applicable), in case of a medical emergency.

UIW requires all faculty, staff, and administrators to report their UIW, non-leisure, international sponsored travel programs/trips, including travel dates, international location(s), accompanying students (if any), and purpose of travel to the International Affairs Department. Questions regarding the characterization of any travel shall be directed to the International Affairs Department for clarification.

University policy does not permit participants to study in a country where a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory has been issued by the U.S. Department of State unless the participant or the lead faculty has received specific approval from the Division of International Affairs and the supervisory dean. Furthermore, the University acknowledges that a Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory does not always negate compelling academic reasons for traveling to a country and that security situations may vary considerably in different locations of a country under a Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory. Therefore, the International Affairs Office, in collaboration with the supervisory dean, will review on a case-by-case basis all University-sponsored and/or funded student travel to any country under a Department of State Travel Warning.

In the event, a level 3 or level 4 travel advisory is issued and the International Affairs Office and the supervisory dean render the decision not to approve the study abroad program, the University reserves the right to cancel any and all study abroad programs to the location(s) during planning or while abroad, participants may have to cancel their trip and/or return to the states at their own expense. It is the responsibility of the participant to obtain adequate travel insurance to cover such circumstances.

All UIW sponsored programs must obtain an initial airfare quote from the University’s travel agency, CTP. After receiving a quote from a travel agent, participants may obtain and compare quotes from outside sources.

  • Jeanne Shadle
    • jshadle@ctp-travel.com
    • (210) 524-3307
    • Available Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CST
    • A 24-hour emergency assistance phone number will be provided prior to travel.
      • Please note there is an additional fee for after-hours calls.

Dependent on the study abroad and/or international program, participants may be permitted, by the Vice President for International Affairs in collaboration with the supervisory dean, to have a travel companion. Participants are fully responsible for all costs, planning, supervision, and safety for travel companion(s), which include spouses, children, significant others, and acquaintances.

Due to the type of program, responsibilities, and/or other factors the Vice President for International Affairs in collaboration with the supervisory dean (or UIW representative) reserves the right to limit or deny the travel companion’s participation in any UIW sponsored International Program.

Travel companions, who will be participating in UIW sponsored events, excursions, and/or programs, are required to sign and adhere to the Non-UIW Participant Agreement.

The following policy expands on the current University of the Incarnate Word’s (UIW) Employee’s Children on Campus policy implemented on June 1, 2010, to include accompanying family members, including children under the age of 18 and who are not otherwise enrolled as students of UIW, participating in UIW sponsored international programs.

As stated on the Employee’s Children on Campus Policy:

"The University campus grounds and infrastructure are designed to provide an environment conducive to academic and occupational activities performed by students and employees. For reasons that include safety of children, and assuring the professional efficient performance of academic pursuits, operations and services, the University ".

The following policy also includes students and non-UIW participants, with accompanying family members, specifically children, participating in international programs (academic and occupational activities) sponsored by UIW. Partner institutions, including the UIW European Study Center (ESC) and Centro Universitario Incarnate Word (CIW), may have additional policies and regulations regarding accompanying family members, including children. All individuals shall abide by both UIW and other partner institutions’ policies.

As stated on the Employee’s Children on Campus Policy, Children are not allowed in offices on campus in the following situations:

  • An alternative to regular childcare, e.g., childcare during summers and holidays
  • When the child is too ill to be sent to regular childcare or school or camp
  • Provision of regular and routine childcare after school has been dismissed, regardless of duration
  • The presence of a child interferes with normal operations

As such, leaders of international programs must be available at all times to respond to student needs or emergencies. For this reason, it is not recommended they, or others, take accompanying children in programs that require full-time attention and supervisory guidance.

All international program participants, including leaders, may not bring accompanying family members, including children, without prior authorization from the supervisory dean in collaboration with the Vice President for International Affairs. Minor children accompanying program participants must be adequately supervised at all times. The presence of family members or minor children should not interfere with normal operations in the international program in any way.

If the dean, in collaboration with the Vice President for International Affairs, approve accompanying children, they must be accompanied by an adult who will be fully responsible for the child(ren). Furthermore, the participant will pay for all expenses incurred on their behalf. Children 18, or under, will normally be accompanied by an adult having no formal or informal role in the program (i.e. a full-time caretaker).

The dean in collaboration with the Vice President for International Affairs reserves the right to impose limits and/or conditions on the roles, activities, and presence of family members or friends who accompany program leaders. Such limits or conditions derive from “reasons that include safety of children, and assuring the professional efficient performance of academic pursuits, operations, and services”. In some cases, accompanying family members may not be permitted to join the international program group for some or all activities.

The following describes the specific limits or conditions that apply to family members accompanying, including children, participants on international programs.

  1. Liability: The University of the Incarnate Word assumes no responsibility for accompanying family members or friends. The family members are responsible for their own safety and international health and travel insurance coverage.
  2. Expenses: Any and all expenses are NOT covered by UIW, including airplane tickets, living accommodations, excursions, etc. Furthermore, the international program shall not incur additional costs due to accompanying family members.
  3. International Medical Insurance: UIW employees, traveling under 90 days, and operating in an official university capacity are provided international health care insurance through CHUBB’s insurance. All Accompanying family members are required to obtain international travel and health coverage, at their own expense.
  4. Accommodations: Accompanying family members may share accommodations with the participant(s), provided such sharing is allowed by the housing provider. If housing costs are based on a "per person" rate, the program leader will be reimbursed for only one person. In no case should participants or family members share accommodations with students? All accommodation preparations must be discussed and arranged before departure.
  5. Group Meals: If participating in group meals, the participant must reimburse the program for any expenses incurred by accompanying family members, if a separate bill cannot be obtained. Program money shall not be used to buy meals for accompanying family members. Only limited and special exceptions may be made to this specific aspect of the policy, such as a host institution inviting guests to which a couple, including family members, are invited for a meal.
  6. Excursions/Travel: Dependent on the dean and Vice President for International Affairs approval, accompanying family members may participate in program excursions and field trips, provided that such participation does not inflate the cost of the excursion to the participating students. Program excursions are planned to accommodate all students plus the participating leader(s). If there are empty seats on the arranged travel (i.e., bus, boat, etc.) accompanying family members may travel with the group at no extra cost. However, at no time, will a bigger or additional transportation (i.e., bus, boat or another mode of transportation, etc.) be arranged in order to accommodate accompanying family members.
  7. Excursion Expenses: If participating in group excursions, accompanying family members must separately pay all per person expenses (i.e., entrances to parks or museums, theatre tickets, etc.). In no case is program money to be used to fund family member participation in special events. If the cost for the family member is included on the group receipt, it must be deducted before the receipt is submitted for reimbursement.
  8. Employment: Family members may NOT be hired to perform duties on the study abroad program if the fulfillment of such duties is under the general supervision or direction of the program leader. In the case of study abroad programs, "hired" means receiving monetary compensation for services performed, or receiving payment of expenses (travel, etc.) in exchange for performance of duties.

Contingency Plan: Leaders of international programs, in collaboration with their supervisory dean, shall have pre-selected a replacement faculty member if the leader cannot perform their duties due to accompanying members, including children, requiring emergency medical attention or require returning home before the end of the program.

Dependent on the study abroad and/or international program, participants may be traveling alone during or for the entire duration of the program. During the period of time participants may not be part of a group or under faculty/guide’s supervision; participants assume full responsibility for their own safekeeping and welfare.

Participants who are participating in faculty-led programs require permission from the lead faculty and, in certain cases from the supervisory dean, before traveling independently from the group.

The lead faculty and supervisory dean in collaboration with the Vice President for International Affairs reserve the right to limit and/or deny the participant’s request to travel independently

Non-Sister School Study Abroad Policy

Students choosing to study abroad at a non-sister school will not be registered at UIW for the duration of the semester in which they are abroad. In addition, students studying at a non-sister school will not be able to receive financial aid through the UIW Office of Financial Assistance.

Students attending a non-sister school must complete and submit a Request to Study at Another Institution Form to the Registrar’s Office before they depart. The Enrollment Policy for Studying at Another Institution is as follows:

After matriculating at the university as a degree-seeking student, a student must obtain prior written approval to transfer any additional credits from other institutions. The "Request to Study at Another Institution" form is available in the Registrar's Office and must be approved before enrolling for credit elsewhere. Transfer work approved on this form will be accepted and applied toward the degree indicated if the grade earned is a "C" or higher. It will be the student's responsibility to furnish the Registrar's Office with an official transcript reflecting completion of the course work. All institutional policies will be observed when considering all requests to Study at Another Institution. Approval will not be granted if an equivalent course is offered at UIW.

Upon returning from your sojourn, students must apply for re-admission to UIW. Students can visit the Registrar’s office website titled Re-Admission to UIW in order to download or submit the required paperwork online.

Student Organizations, who are recognized by the Student Government Association (SGA), and are traveling internationally utilizing the organization's name, are subject to the same rules and protocol as faculty-led study abroad trips.

Please contact Javier Lozano, Ph.D., Director of International Affairs, for further details at (210) 805-3015 or lozano@uiwtx.edu.

Any UIW student participating in an international experience organized by the Women’s Global Connection and receiving funds from UIW is required to follow the established UIW study abroad protocols. Note: Women’s Global Connection is not-affiliated with UIW.

In an international emergency, contact International SOS (ISOS). ISOS will initially address and manage all international emergencies.

International SOS (ISOS) provides medical, security, and logistical expertise to help safeguard UIW's international travelers. ISOS can ensure faculty, staff, administrators, and students acquire immediate care whether it requires evacuation to a center of medical excellence or closely monitoring your condition with local doctors. International SOS can also take care of details associated with the traveler's situation, such as making travel arrangements for family members so you can focus on getting better.

Please email studyabroad@uiwtx.edu, in order to obtain UIW's official ISOS member number required to access this service.

Only after the initial emergency has been addressed and you are in a safe or normalized environment, all participants are required to contact the Study Abroad Office and/or the UIW University Police to report any and all emergencies. If an emergency should occur during non-office hours, participants should contact UIW university police at (210) 829-6030 or by email.

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed on all University and Federal Holidays

Phone Number: (210) 829-6030
Fax Number: (210) 283-5058

You may also email your questions to:

police@uiwtx.edu

Hours of Duty:

Police Officers patrol the UIW, IWHS, and SACHS campuses 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Important note to remember:

When the main police office is closed, all the incoming calls are forwarded to the Police Departments' two-way radio system. The system only allows for 45 seconds of talk time. Please speak clearly and specifically about what you need. If the officers are not able to assist you with the information you need, they may give you another number to call.