Graduate Student Field Research Procedures

When graduate students take graduate students, undergraduate students or volunteers on Field Research Trips (US or foreign), certain documents should be prepared by the Group Leader prior to travel. The purpose of these documents is to help graduate students better plan their field trips, encourage people to think about the potential risks of field trips prior to beginning them, and reduce the University’s exposure to costly claims and lawsuits. Additional information is available at http://www.busserv.ucsb.edu/riskmanagement/rmi.htm

Group Leader: You! The graduate student in charge of a research field trip is the Group Leader. It is the responsibility of the Group Leader to provide the required documentation and information as described above to all research field trip participants.

Please complete the UC Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk & Indemnity Agreement –Elective/Voluntary Activities when conducting research in the field. If you are employed by UC (receiving research/stipend funding through a grant), it is not necessary to complete a form.

1. WAIVER OF LIABILITY: There are two kinds of waivers
   • UC Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk & Indemnity Agreement –Elective/Voluntary Activities form should be signed by everyone except students required to take the class and/or conduct fieldwork to fulfill degree requirements in their major. This includes students not registered in the class, students registered in the class who are not required to take the class to fulfill degree requirements in their major, non-students, volunteers, and employees not in the course and scope of their job duties. The waiver can be found at
     http://www.busserv.ucsb.edu/Forms/rm/WaiverElecActivities.pdf
     
     
   • The UC Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk & Indemnity Agreement– Required Activities form is signed solely by students participating in off-campus activities that are required for a degree in their major and that is supervised by university faculty or staff. The waiver can be found at
     http://www.busserv.ucsb.edu/Forms/rm/WaiverReqdActivities.pdf
     
     Every field research trip participant must sign the appropriate waiver form prior to the trip. The signed waiver forms are kept on file in the Department of Anthropology (give to Undergrad Advisor or MSO).
     
     
2. STUDENT AGREEMENT: It is highly recommended that a Student Agreement be developed that spells out the responsibilities and obligations of both the University and the participant, and all associated terms and conditions. The Student Agreement should be signed by the student/volunteer prior to the trip and be kept on file in the Anthropology Dept (give to undergrad assistant or MSO). This Agreement provides participant information to the individual. The department has a few samples on file and we are working to develop a generic Agreement format that can be easily adapted to field research trips.
3. STUDENT GUIDE: It is highly recommended that a Student Guide be developed that contains information about the specific program and course of study as well as issues of general concern – travel arrangements, insurance, duties, customs, and cultural issues. This kind of information allows the participant to maximize their learning experience and minimize unanticipated surprises. The department has a few samples on file and we are working to develop a generic Guide format that can be easily adapted to field research trips.
4. INSURANCE: If the Group Leader is not going to purchase medical/accident insurance and medical evacuation & repatriation insurance for participants, it is important that participants be advised of this. Participants should be advised of what kinds of insurance they should carry, and that their participation is contingent upon their providing proof that they carry the minimum recommended levels. Students receiving course credit may have some minimal medical/accident coverage under the University’s Student Off-Campus Insurance Program, (please see Quick Tips: Student Off-Campus Insurance at the above website).
5. VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM: At UCSB, volunteers are eligible for coverage under the University’s Workers’ Compensation. Registered volunteers at UCSB are eligible to file a claim if they become injured or ill in the course and scope of their volunteer activity. To qualify for this coverage, volunteer forms must be submitted to the department and the department will submit to UCSB’s Workers’ Compensation Manager for approval PRIOR TO THE TRIP.

Definition of a Volunteer – A volunteer is someone who:

• Is performing a service and the sole function of which is to benefit the university
• Is not receiving compensation for that service
• Is NOT a student receiving course credit

GENERAL NOTES ABOUT FIELD TRIPS

1. Minors should not be taken on Field Trips that exceed one day. It is the law that adults in the custody of minors who are not their children be fingerprinted and have background checks. If there is some compelling reason that a minor should participate in a research field trip, consult with Human Resources for information about fingerprinting and background check requirements. Consult with Risk Management as to the appropriate use of the UC Waiver.
2. Transporting people creates risks. Since the principal goal of a research field trip is the work or instruction that occurs at the field trip destination, it is highly recommended that, whenever possible, University employees minimize their involvement in transportation arrangements. If it creates no hardship or inconvenience there are fewer complications, and risks, if the role of the University begins and ends at the field trip destination. It is therefore preferable that field trip participants make their own transportation arrangements to get to the field trip location.

Additional information on field trips is available http://www.busserv.ucsb.edu/riskmanagement/rmi.htm