Units sponsoring student travel are required to complete and submit a Clery Act Student Travel Form if the travel meets the following Department of Education guidelines.

  1. If there is a written agreement between the university and the academic or lodging space.
  2. An overnight field trip.
  3. An overnight trip or short stay away trip.
  4. Staying at other universities.

More information about how these qualify is below.

Fill out a Clery Act Student Travel Form online

 

 

Written Agreement between MSU and Lodging/Academic Space

If there is a written agreement, defined as a rental or lease document or other written form of agreement, directly between the university and a provider for use of academic (classroom) and/or residential/lodging space. The agreement need not be a formal one; anything in writing agreeing to the utilization of space by MSU suffices (including a letter, email or hotel receipt). It does not matter whether a fee is chargfed or if the agreement allows use of the space free of charge.

If there is an agreement, Clery reporting requirements apply for those areas specified in theagreement as well as the common areas leading to those spaces (such as lobby, elevator, hallways, entryways, stairwells, etc.). 

Field Trips

A Travel Form is required for field trips that require an overnight stay and the university enters into an agreement for the trip/program accommodations and any related academic space used in conjunction with the trip. You are not required to report field trips that are not overnight and are at locations MSU that MSU has not entered into an agreement to use.

Overnight Trips or Short Stay Away Trips

If MSU sponsors short-stay "away" trips of more than one night for its students, all locations used by students during the trip, controlled by the institution during the trip (hotels and rented classroom space) and used to support educational purposes should be reported on the Travel Form. This includes study abroad programs.

Normally private home stays or host families do not qualify as non-campus locations and do not invoke Clery reporting.   Clery reporting requirements would apply only if MSU has some kind of written agreement directly with the provider of the home stay or host family which gives MSU some significant control over space in the family home (such as an agreement to provide certain services for our student).

If students are involved in a study abroad program which includes overnight side trips to various locations (covered by an agreement with MSU) and the same hotels/hostels are used on a regular basis those hotels/ hostels are considered a non-campus location regardless of the amount of time each group of students spends at the location.  (Travel Form required)

Overnight side trips organized by the attending students or by host families which are not covered by an agreement with MSU and are not officially organized by MSU do need to be reported on the Clery Travel Form

Staying at Other Universities

If MSU has an agreement with another university to, directly or indirectly rent, lease or use a building or property or a portion of a building or property (room or floor) at the other university, a Clery Travel Form should be submitted.

If MSU does not have an agreement for the space used, a Travel Form is not required.

The ultimate determination of whether Clery Reporting is required in any particular trip is a decision that will be made the MSU Office of Clery Compliance.  If you have questions about whether to submit a Clery Travel Form, please feel free to consult with the MSU Office of Clery Compliance.