These Standards provide guidance on the implementation of the University Travel Policy ("Travel Policy”), established pursuant to the authority granted in M.G.L. c. 75, § 32 to: set requirements and expectations for University Travel; provide systemwide uniformity for addressing safety, security, and compliance during University Travel; set forth approval requirements for domestic and international travel and travel to high-risk destinations; and set forth requirements pertaining to University Devices and Data when traveling to International Destinations.

All University Travelers must comply with the Policy, these associated Standards, and applicable Campus guidelines.

A. Applicability

The Travel Policy and these Standards apply to all University Travel and all University Travelers as defined in the Policy, regardless of funding source.

B. Definitions

  1. Approver: Duly Authorized university representative with authority to approve travel for budgetary and programmatic purposes.
  2. Campus: Individual academic institution of the University of Massachusetts system (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, Chan Medical School). For purposes of the Policy, the President’s Office is also considered to be a campus component.
  3. Campus Travel Risk Review Committee: Committee authorized by each campus or the UMass President’s Office (UMPO) to review requests by prospective Traveler(s) from the respective campus/UMPO for University Travel to High-Risk Destinations and to make recommendations to the Travel Risk Approver.
  4. Comprehensively Sanctioned Destination: Countries and geographic regions subject to comprehensive U.S. trade, economic restrictions, or embargo.
  5. Domestic Travel Destination: Any travel destination that is a state or territory of the United States.
  6. Duly Authorized: With the authority of the University per Policy, Standard, or campus procedures.
  7. Elevated Cyber Security Risk Destination: Any International Travel Destination designated by the Systemwide Travel Risk Management Advisory Committee or the campus as posing substantive cybersecurity risk to a University Traveler and/or the University.
  8. High-Risk Destination(s): Any Comprehensively Sanctioned Destination(s); any country, region, province or city, including Domestic Travel Destinations and International Travel Destinations, designated by the Systemwide Travel Risk Management Advisory Committee or the campus as posing substantive health, safety, security risk to a University Traveler and/or the University.
  9. High-Risk Travel Destination Request Review Protocol: The pre-departure process for identifying, reviewing, and approving or denying proposed University Travel to High-Risk Destinations.
  10. International Travel Destination: Any travel destination that is not a state or territory of the United States.
  11. Personal Side Trip: Personal Travel made by a University Traveler while on approved University Travel.
  12. Personal Travel: Travel that is not University Travel including any Personal Side Trips.
  13. Travel Risk Approver: Duly Authorized University representative(s) designated by the Campus or UMPO with authority to approve or deny Travel to High-Risk Destinations, generally after evaluating recommendations of the Campus Travel Risk Review Committee.
  14. Travel Risk Management Advisory Committee (TARMAC): Systemwide, five-campus and the UMass President’s Office (UMPO) advisory committee established per Section II(G) of the Policy and authorized to designate and periodically review the University’s systemwide High-Risk Destinations and advise on travel compliance and management protocols.
  15. Unauthorized Travel: Any travel that has been denied or is unapproved by the Campus as University Travel.
  16. University Business: Any activity, practice, commerce, trade, service, research, education, etc. in furtherance of the University’s mission and functions.
  17. University Device(s): Electronic devices such as laptops/computers, tablets, mobile phones, smartphones, and the like which are owned by the University and used to collect, store, access, transmit, carry, use, or hold University Data whether during or outside of normal working hours and whether it is used at a normal place of work or not.
  18. University Data: Data created, received, maintained or transmitted by or on behalf of the University through the course of its academic, administrative, research, or outreach activities.
  19. University Property: University-owned equipment, specimens and/or materials.
  20. University Travel (“Travel”): Any travel by Travelers for University Business regardless of funding source. University Travel includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Travel in the course and scope of the Traveler’s employment at the University.
    2. Travel financed, in full or part, through university funding, grants, scholarship, or sponsorship.
    3. Travel sponsored, arranged, endorsed, promoted, or administered by the University, or by university faculty or staff members.
    4. Travel that is credit-bearing, or necessary for meeting a course or degree requirement, including graduate research at the University.
    5. Travel that involves the physical transport of University Property regardless of funding source for such travel.
    6. Travel directly related to a University-sponsored grant or contract.
    7. Travel to an International Travel Destination when the Traveler will be performing any university-related work remotely on a regular basis.
  21. University Traveler(s) (“Traveler”): Duly Authorized employee, student, recognized student group or organization, trustee and Special State Employee as defined in MGL Chapter 268A, or non-employee (e.g., speaker, lecturer, student, visiting professor, candidate for university employment, guest etc.) on University Travel.
  22. University Travel Registry: Platform for maintaining critical travel information of University Travelers for safety and security purposes.