Dear Prospective RUO:

Community engagement is a longstanding tradition here at UT Dallas. For over 25 years, students and staff have had the opportunity to “go alternative” over the course of spring break, and engage in an immersive week of hands-on action, leadership-building and relationship-building supplemented with education and reflection.

The success of each Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip depends upon the commitment and preparation of Responsible University Officials (RUOs) and student Site Leaders who help to manage logistics and facilitate a high-quality service-learning experience for their team. ASB trips are safer and more rewarding because of the support and contributions of Comets like you who have stepped up to lead!

For 2024, we have a great array of trips both new and returning community partners spanning various issue areas. To review the trip lineup, click here. You will see that some already have RUOs determined because a department is co-sponsoring the trip and required to provide their own RUO.

Before you get started, please review the RUO responsibilities outlined on the next page and set aside some time to discuss this opportunity with your supervisor. When you are ready to move forward, please acknowledge each of the RUO responsibilities, request a letter of approval from your direct supervisor, and submit your completed application via email to volunteer@utdallas.edu by the deadline of 4:00 p.m. of Monday, December 11th.

The following should be included in the letter from your supervisor:

1) Permission for you to participate as an RUO for the ASB program
2) Acknowledgement that you will be unable to work in your routine position March 10-16, 2024
3) Approval for you to attend all of the required training sessions which take place during work hours
4) Indication of understanding of your use or exemption of earned vacation time for this purpose*

We truly appreciate your interest in serving as an RUO for one of this year’s ASB trips!

Thank you,

Mark Este
Director, Office of Student Volunteerism

*NOTE: Staff members from the UTD Division of Student Affairs are NOT required to use vacation, sick, and/or leave time to serve as an RUO for Alternative Spring Break, but still require supervisor approval to attend.
Faculty and staff from departments outside of Student Affairs will need to consult their supervisor and/or review their division's policies to determine how their time as an RUO will be recorded.