Travel Advisory Policy

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS TRAVEL POLICY

Nov 14, 2024

I. Introduction

Union College makes available to qualified students the opportunity to participate in the wide variety of programs offered by the International Programs Office provided, to the fullest extent possible, the programs can be conducted in a manner that addresses health, safety, and security concerns. 

This policy specifies the conditions under which Union College permits undergraduates to receive college funding and/or degree credit for study abroad programs offered by the International Programs Office.

II. General Approach to Risk Mitigation 

To minimize health, safety, and security risks, the Union College International Programs Office’s policy on international travel involving students gives primary consideration to the Department of State’s Travel Advisory system (DOS). The DOS provides guidance to those traveling abroad by assigning countries to “risk levels” based on an assessment of a variety of risk indicators. Destinations are assigned higher risk due to factors such as civil unrest, crime, terrorism, etc. The US Department of State Travel Warning Advisories are:

• Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
• Level 2: Exercise increased caution
• Level 3: Reconsider travel
• Level 4: Do not travel

The International Programs Office does not sponsor student travel of any kind to countries that are assigned Level 3 or 4 travel advisories and/or that are under current Department of Treasury-Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions. In addition, travel to areas within Level 1 or 2 countries that are identified as high risk (often labeled as areas with Level 4 “Do Not Travel To” or Level 3 “Reconsider Travel To” in the Department of State Travel Advisory) is typically prohibited.

Students participating in Union’s International Programs may not travel independently at any time during a program to a location that is assigned a Level 3 or 4 DOS Travel Advisory.

III.  Risk assessment protocol 

If there are significant changes to risk factors on-site, regardless of the travel advisory level in a particular country, Union may discontinue programs already in progress abroad, make changes to the itinerary of a program already in progress abroad, or take the decision not to send students on planned programs at any point in the stateside onboarding process. In these instances, the assessment of risk will be carried out by an ad hoc committee on travel risk with the following membership:

1. Director of International Programs
2. Dean of Studies
3. Liaison Committee on Study Abroad (LCOSA) faculty member who has taken terms abroad 
4. LCOSA Student Affairs Division Representative
5. Vice President for Administration and Finance Legal Counsel

The ad hoc committee will make recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President of Academic Affairs’ decision is final.

To assess risk, the ad hoc committee will use an analytical framework that includes but is not limited to the following core elements: 

1. Health and safety of student participants and faculty leaders
2. Quality of the student academic, cultural, and social experience that can be provided
3. Viability of the program’s financial model 
4. Other risk management concerns, including institutional liability

In its deliberations, the ad hoc committee will consult a variety of resources including but not limited to those listed below.

1. DOS Travel Advisories (including specific concerns such as terrorism, crime, health, natural disaster, etc.)
2. Center for Disease Control (CDC) Travel Warnings (including specific health risk and mitigation factors in-country)
3. World Health Organization (WHO) assessments
4. Union’s insurance carrier assessment
5. DOS Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) assessments
6. International partner and host governmental assessments
7. Expertise of faculty and staff

IV. Union College Faculty-Led Programs

Faculty Leaders, with assistance from the Director of International Programs, are charged with the duty to regularly and responsibly monitor safety issues relevant to the Union College Study Abroad Program that the Faculty Leader is facilitating and, as part of this process, the Faculty Leaders are encouraged to follow the steps in the document entitled “International Travel Risk Assessment Guidelines” including the completion of an International Travel Questionnaire. The information provided by the Faculty Leader will be delivered to the Director of International Programs to help inform program approval/continuation determinations. If there are significant changes to risk factors on-site, the Ad Hoc Risk Committee may perform one or more of the risk assessment steps as set forth in Section III in an effort to gather information, assess the situation and make recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President of Academic Affairs’ decision is final.

 
V.  Programs Conducted by Sponsoring Organizations, Host Institutions, or Third Party Program Providers

Sponsoring Organizations, Host Institutions, and Third-Party Program Providers are charged with the duty to regularly and responsibly monitor safety issues in each of Union College’s study abroad program locations and are required to complete a risk assessment. The Director of International Programs, with input from the Ad Hoc Risk Committee, is charged with evaluating the safety of programs and sites in areas of potential heightened risk. If there are significant changes to risk factors on-site, the Ad Hoc Risk Committee may perform one or more of the risk assessment steps as set forth in Section III in an effort to gather information, assess the situation and make recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President of Academic Affairs’ decision is final.

VI. Students