Field Trips/Business Industry Visits/Guest Speakers

Dunwoody is known for its hands-on, project-centered model of learning and their strong ties to industry and student field trips can serve an important role in experiential learning. Dunwoody has established this policy and related procedures to promote the success and safety of all individuals involved with field trips.

Field Trips are college-sponsored events and must conform to college guidelines.

Faculty are responsible for:

  • obtaining approval for both off-campus field trips or events and hosting on-campus guest speakers from their academic leadership,
  • notifying all instructors, including both Technical and Arts & Sciences, whose classes will be disrupted prior to finalizing plans,
  • reporting all off-campus trips and guest speakers by completing a Business Industry Site Visit form, and
  • having each student complete a Student Travel Agreement any time they sanction an off-campus field trip, whether only a short visit or overnight travel. Minors must have a parent or guardian's signature.

Please contact studentaffairs@dunwoody.edu if there are any issues with the Student Travel Agreement or the Business Industry Site Visit form.

Field Trip Best Practices

  1. All required academic field trips must be identified as such in the course syllabus at the beginning of the term, with detailed information about date, time, locations, means of transportation, and any fees for which the student is responsible. If an unforeseen educational opportunity arises later in the term, the faculty member should discuss it with the class as soon as possible. In that case, such a trip may not be required of all students.
    1. A single Student Travel Agreement can be used for all (or multiple) field trips in a course if identified at the beginning of the term. Otherwise, a form must be completed for each additional field trip added to the course.
  2. In the first class of the term, the faculty member must discuss with students in appropriate detail any risks associated with the activity of the field trip, expectations for behavior during the trip, and relevant emergency preparedness information. A similar discussion must be repeated no less than a week in advance of the trip.
  3. Whenever practical, the site of the academic field trip should be visited in advance by the instructor to evaluate potential risks and to minimize, through effective planning, any risks associated with the location.
  4. A contract may be required for the use of facilities or the procurement of other goods or services. If a faculty member is asked to sign a contract, the contract needs to be reviewed by the CFO.
  5. Whenever possible, College-owned vehicles or chartered buses should be used for transportation for a field trip. Public transportation (e.g., regularly scheduled trains or buses) is also an appropriate means of transportation. All drivers must meet the College requirements before being approved to drive. The requirements for being an approved Dunwoody driver can be found with the Accounting Office. Private vehicles are not recommended to be used for transporting students on field trips.