Domestic travel can be a core component of a Bass Connections team’s research experience. Team leaders who plan to bring students on an overnight trip or field experience based in the United States should consider the academic and research rationale for this trip, as well as the associated risks. 

Depending on the travel destination and activities, students traveling domestically with teams may be required to sign a participation agreement to be eligible to travel. 

Participation agreements are generally appropriate when domestic travel involves elements such as:

  • Travel to remote locations
  • Higher-risk research activities (e.g., hiking, camping, anything in/around a body of water) 
  • Travel by rental car

Participation agreements are generally not necessary for:

  • Domestic conference travel (unless participants will be traveling by rental car, the conference is in a remote location, or the conference is part of a longer trip involving higher-risk activities) 

To ensure that Bass Connections projects with embedded travel run smoothly, safely and in accordance with Duke University policies, we ask that team leaders review the requirements below and consult the following guidance. Please contact your Bass Connections theme administrator with questions at any time.  

Pre-Departure Requirements

At least three months prior to your trip, please review and submit this travel form to let us know about your travel plans. This form is designed to collect important details about your team’s travel itinerary, including:

  • Primary contact for travel
  • Full list of travelers
  • Travel dates and locations
  • Key research goals
  • Specific activities to be undertaken on the trip
  • Lodging and transportation
  • Access to funds
  • External partners/site-based contacts
  • Potential risks and risk mitigation plans, if necessary

The information you share in the form will help us support you and your students as you prepare for travel. If you are not yet sure about the answers to all of these questions, please provide as much information as you can so that we can work with you as your team refines its plan. Once we receive your form, your theme administrator will reach out to help determine whether a participation agreement will be required for your trip and to gather final travel details. 

Travel Preparation and Planning

1. Create a detailed itinerary for your trip. 

Your itinerary, which should be shared with all faculty, students and staff going on the trip, should include details such as:

  • When and where you are traveling
  • Who will be traveling with the group and when (including when faculty/staff/graduate student leaders will/will not be with the group)
  • Research goals and key activities the group will be undertaking
  • Information about accommodations, transportation, and meals (including how students will get to/from the location(s) and how they will travel on-site)
  • A list of external partners/collaborators the team will work with on the trip
  • Guidelines for student activity during “free time” for longer trips
  • Risks associated with travel and team activities, as well as a list of risk mitigation strategies (e.g., buddy system, curfew)

2. Review and submit your travel form to Bass Connections.

All teams planning domestic travel must submit this travel form at least three months prior to their trip. This form is designed to collect important details about your team’s travel itinerary. The information you share will help us support you and your students as you prepare for your travel.

It is okay if you're not sure about the answers to all the questions to the form at the date of submission, but please provide as much information as you can so that we can work with you as your team refines its plan. Once we receive your form, your theme administrator will reach out to help determine whether a participation agreement will be required for your trip and to gather final travel details. . 

3. Consider how you will manage your team’s finances on your trip.

Please work with your theme and financial managers, well in advance, to determine the best way to cover student travel expenses and other trip expenses. Teams taking students into the field should be prepared to cover the costs for travel, on-site transportation, accommodations, meals, and activities related to the team’s research. Students should not be asked to incur up-front or out-of-pocket costs for travel expenses that will be covered by your team.

For travel to remote locations, consider how you will access cash on your trip and ensure that students understand how and when they will be able to access banking resources, as well as what expenses are covered by the program. 

4. Create a pre-departure plan and a plan for emergencies

Create a plan for orienting students prior to departure and, if needed, while you’re on your trip. Students should understand and be able to articulate your team’s research goals and procedures, the trip itinerary, behavioral expectations, guidelines for collaborating with research partners, safety measures, and health precautions.

Be sure to set up a communication plan that can be initiated in case of a crisis.

  • Gather and share cell phone numbers and emergency contact information for all traveling faculty, staff and students, as well as key contacts back at Duke.
  • Identify and distribute phone numbers for local emergency services.
  • Designate primary and secondary meeting places in case of an emergency.
  • Always carry ID cards and a means of communication.

5. Consider internet connectivity and data management in the field.

Especially if you’re traveling to a remote location, consider technical and logistical details such as internet connectivity and data management and security. For information on connectivity or protecting/transporting research materials, consult the Global IT Checklist from OIT.

6. If necessary, ensure that students sign their Bass Connections participation agreement.

For teams requiring participation agreements, all traveling students will be required to sign the agreement to be eligible to travel. The format, content and process of issuing participation agreements will vary based on the details of your team’s travel. For brief domestic field trips, team leaders will receive a paper form that they must issue directly to their students to sign. Your theme administrator will be in touch to help you with this process. 

6. Make time for post-trip reflection.

Travel can be an enriching experience for all team members. After you return from your trip, encourage students to reflect on their experiences, both academically and personally, and consider providing opportunities for group discussions or written reflections to deepen students’ learning.