Student and Volunteer Use of State-Owned Vehicles

Student and Volunteer use of state-owned vehicles may be approved only for official University business (including activities necessary to sustain a traveler away from home) and as part of a student’s work responsibility as a student employee. 

Some examples of approved usage are: 

• Class related field trips that are for educational purposes and have on-site supervision by a UWM employee or agent. 
• Educational programs which require training to be taken off campus and are course-required. This does not include students who are required to train off campus on a regular basis as part of a practicum or internship. 
• Business errands for a department. 
• University-related conferences, meetings, and events; provided that a designated instructor/faculty advisor approves of the trip. 
• Research under the direct supervision of a principal investigator or instructor. 
• Volunteer programs that are under the direct supervision and control of the University, that provide benefit to the University and that involve an agent agreement approved by Risk Management. 

The use of vehicles by student employees, students and volunteers is governed by the policies and procedures that apply to University employees. Specifically, vehicle usage is for the conduct of official university business. In order to drive a state owned vehicle a Driver Authorization Form must be filed with the Risk Management Office at least 2 weeks in advance of the trip. This form authorizes Risk Management to do a “drivers check” and it serves as the official “Agent Agreement” when the Supervisor has signed the form. Liability protection is provided only when an individual is operating within “scope of employment or agency.” 

October 18, 1976

Original

February 16, 1984

Revised

March 27, 1997

Revised

December 4, 2014

Reviewed