The Athletic Department maintains a Travel Policy Handbook that outlines travel guidelines to be followed by all staff, coaches, and student-athletes. The following is a summary of the policies that apply to student-athletes.
Policy:
Transportation
It is not permissible for a student-athlete to miss class for practice, except when a team is traveling to an away-from-home contest and the practice is in conjunction with the contest.
The safe and efficient transportation of student-athletes is one of the Department’s top priorities. Travel to all away competitions will be done as a team, in a UW-provided mode of transportation.
In certain limited circumstances, student-athletes may travel to and/or from away competition separate from the team with prior written approval from the head coach and sport administrator using the Student-Athlete/Student Staff Travel Release Form on JumpForward.
If a student-athlete chooses to drive their own car on UW business (campus event, practice, and/or competition), then their own insurance policy will serve as the “primary” policy for third-party liability and physical damage to property.
Team Lodging
Coaches and staff members are not permitted to share hotel rooms (or bedrooms if utilizing private housing) with student-athletes, student managers, or other student workers. The Division recognizes that some unique circumstances (e.g., an ill/injured student-athlete) may warrant/require other accommodations, but care must be taken at all times to ensure the safety and comfort of each individual student-athlete.
Each student-athlete or student worker must be provided a bed for their exclusive use. It is acceptable to have three or four students per room if a rollaway or pull-out bed(s) is used. The Division recognizes that some unexpected/uncontrollable circumstances may warrant/require other accommodations (e.g., the hotel is overbooked), but care must be taken at all times to ensure the safety and comfort of each individual student-athlete or student worker.
Efforts will be made to the maximum extent possible to ensure that care (including sports medicine and massage services) is not provided in a staff member’s or student-athlete’s hotel room. In lieu of a hotel room, the following options are suitable alternatives:
Using banquet space that may already be reserved for team meals or meetings.
Obtaining a separate conference space if available.
Departing for the venue earlier to provide care at the practice/competition site if available.
Asking that beds be removed from a hotel room to provide a treatment/massage space.
If none of the above are an option, utilization of a suite with a living area and separate bedroom, and having another adult present and the door propped open would be encouraged
Policy Administration
Approval Authority:
UW Director of Athletics
Policy Manager:
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations, Chief Financial Officer
Contact:
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations, Chief Financial Officer -- Adam Barnes, ab5@athletics.wisc.edu, (608) 265-4134
