Policy Manual

STUDENT CHAPTER SUPPORT

12-1: References for Organizing and Establishing Student Chapters

ITE offers the following documents on-line to assists students with the organization and leadership development for Student Chapters:
Student Chapter Manual
Establishing a Student Chapter

12-2: Student Chapter Liaison

The District Board shall appoint a Student Chapter Liaison to coordinate all ITE student activities with the District.  This includes:

  1. Cash contributions to the Chapter
  2. Outstanding Chapter awards
  3. Outstanding student awards
  4. Collecting student chapter rosters
  5. Collecting student chapter reports for District meetings
  6. Coordinating student presentations at District meetings

12-3: Member Liaison to Chapters

The Student Chapter Liaison may appoint District members working near the University to assist with the coordination of student chapter activities and requirements.

12-4: District Contributions to Student Chapters

Each fall, the District makes a cash contribution to each ITE Student Chapter located in the District.  Each year the District Board establishes a fixed based amount to be given to each Student Chapter.  The District Board also contributes a district-wide amount of that is divided proportionally by membership size using the following equation:

Ci = $150 + ((ni/N) x $750)
Where:

Ci

= contribution to each Student Chapter

$150 

= the base contribution established in the current budget

ni 

= number of students in the Student Chapter (as determined by roster)

N 

= total number of students in all Chapters submitting a roster

$750 

= district-wide contribution established in the current budget

The contribution amounts are established each year in the Annual Budget.  To qualify for the district-wide contribution, a student roster must be submitted.  The Student Chapter Liaison requests rosters in September.  After a roster has been received, the base contribution will be issued.  After all Chapters have submitted rosters, district-wide contributions are issued by the District Administrator.   If rosters are not received by the end of the summer District business meeting, the Student Chapter will forfeit their district-wide contribution and consequently increase the calculated amount distributed to qualifying Chapters.

12-5: Travel Reimbursements to District Meetings (amended December 15, 2011)

For all Chapters, the District Board will authorize up to $900 per Chapter for travel funds to the District meeting site. If the Chapter is located more than 1000 miles round trip from the District meeting site, the District Board will authorize up to $1500 per Chapter for travel funds. An individual student member within a chapter will not be reimbursed more $450. The intent of these funds is to allow both the student paper presenter and a student chapter officer to attend. At the Chapter’s option, the maximum limit on funding can be applied to the travel costs of more than two students as long as the student paper presenter and a student chapter officer are included and the University Student Faculty Advisor approves.

It is the responsibility of the University Student Faculty Advisor to approve travel reimbursement requests prior to the meeting to ensure that all students planning to attend the meeting are aware of the overall Student Chapter budget limitations. A travel reimbursement form is shown in Appendix L. Documentation of expenses is required. Both the form and documentation should be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer. The following expenses are allowable for student travel costs:

  1. Round trip coach airfare from the city in which the university is located (unless otherwise approved in advance by the District Board).  If the member chooses, primarily for their own benefit, to drive to the meeting, travel will be reimbursed at the mileage rate allowed by the IRS, with the reimbursement not to exceed the cost of the equivalent round trip coach airfare.
  2. Rental car expenses will be reimbursed where the cost of car rental is equal to or less than other ground transportation options available between the airport and the hotel, or where such rental reduces the overall cost of ground transportation and airfare travel.
  3. In all cases, the member is encouraged to minimize expenses as reasonable to maximize the travel budget of the District.  Advance purchase is recommended to reduce airfare costs.

The District will not reimburse students for hotel or meal expenses.

12-6: Jim Carvell Travel Fellowship (amended February 1, 2007)

  1. Management The District Board will oversee the disbursement of travel funds managed by International Headquarters for the Jim Carvell Travel Fellowship to attend an ITE Annual Meeting.  The District Board shall establish and periodically review selection criteria, allowable reimbursements, and disbursements.
  2. Selection Criteria  A Student Member may petition the District Board to receive this travel fellowship.  The Board may request a review and recommendation from the Awards Committee.  Selection criteria will be made on:

    1. demonstrated financial need,
    2. student participation in the technical program or a technical committee, and
    3. exhibited leadership and active participation within the student chapter.
  3. Allowable Costs  For an ITE Annual Meeting, allowable reimbursements include meeting registration, coach class airfare purchase not less than two weeks in advance, base hotel rate and applicable taxes, surface transportation costs including rental car, taxi, shuttle, public transportation, gasoline, or IRS mileage reimbursement if personal vehicle is used.

12-7: Reduced Meeting Registration Fees

All District meetings shall make a reduced student registration fee available for ITE student members.  This fee shall be no more than $20.00 for full registration (includes Friday lunch, Friday night dinner/social and Saturday business lunch).  The Highway Products Group on Thursday evening and Friday morning provide a complimentary buffet.

12-8: Student Awards

The District annually awards students and chapters for outstanding activities.  These awards are listed in Section 10. 

12-9: Student Paper Presentations

The technical program for the District meetings shall reserve a Saturday morning session for student paper presentations.  The Student Chapter Liaison will coordinate the presentations and moderate the session.  The Student Chapter Liaison should encourage students to forward their papers to ITE for international competition.

12-10: District 9 Fellowships

The Student Liaison should work with the student advisors and chapter presidents to notify all students pursuing a graduate degree aware of the District 9 fellowships. 

At the International level, up to two fellowships of $1,000 each may be awarded annually to the two highest-ranking candidates from Texas.  Candidates must be planning to pursue a master's degree in traffic engineering, geometric design, and/or transportation planning.   Details on eligibility, selection criteria and applications for these fellowships are published on the ITE Web site.

If a student located in a Student Chapter in District 9 submits an application to ITE and does not qualify for the Burton Marsh Award, ITE has been instructed to forward the application to District 9 for District Fellowships.