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International Travel Policy


Hobart and William Smith Colleges
International Travel Policy Involving Students
 

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Hobart and William Smith Colleges offer a broad menu of off-campus study options around the world and the safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff participating in these programs is of the utmost importance. In response to the new Travel Advisory system announced by the Department of State in January 2018 (https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/01/276945.htm), The Colleges have established new policy guidelines regarding international travel involving students. These guidelines relate to the new system in which countries are assigned to a “risk level” (see below) based on an assessment of a variety of risk indicators and apply to any HWS faculty or staff member taking students abroad. The purpose of such travel might include, but is not limited to:

 

  •      Participation in an off-campus study program or other educational experience
  •      Participation in a conference, meeting, presentation, or research
  •      Participation in an athletic or cultural event 


These guidelines also apply to students pursuing any independent international activity funded, credited, or otherwise supported by HWS, and affiliated partner institutions abroad which host HWS students.

 

Proposals from students involving international travel, as well as proposals from faculty and staff involving international travel with students, must be submitted on the appropriate form and are subject to review by the International Risk Management Assessment Committee (IRMAC) as outlined below.

 

LINK for STUDENT International Activity Proposal Form

 

LINK for form for STAFF international travel with students

 

LINK for form for FACULTY international travel with students (conferences, research etc – NOT programs through Center for Global Education

 

LINK for form for Faculty-led SHORT TERM programs

 

LINK for form for Faculty-led SEMESTER programs

 

  •         Level 1 – Travel is permitted. However, travel to specific areas within Level 1 countries that are identified as high risk (labeled as “Do Not Travel To” in the Department of State Travel Advisory) is typically prohibited. Proposals that include travel to such high risk areas must be submitted to the International Risk Management Assessment Committee (IRMAC – see below) and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions will be granted only in extraordinary cases. 

 

  •        Level 2 – All off-campus programs and proposals involving student travel to Level 2 countries will be reviewed by the International Risk Management Assessment Committee. The IRMAC will annually evaluate all programs based at affiliated partner institutions and all semester-long faculty-led programs based in Level 2 countries that are part of the Center for Global Education regular program menu (the current list of faculty-led programs may be found at https://global.hws.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ListAll& ). All faculty proposals for short-term programs involving travel to Level 2 countries must be reviewed by the IRMAC before they can be reviewed by the Committee on Global Education and considered for approval by the Committee on Academic Affairs and Provost. All student proposals including travel to Level 2 countries must be reviewed by the IRMAC before final approval can be granted. Note that travel to areas within Level 2 countries that are identified as high risk (labeled as “Do Not Travel To” in the Department of State Travel Advisory) is typically prohibited. Proposals that include travel to such high risk areas will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions will be granted only in extraordinary cases.

 

  •         Level 3 – All off-campus programs based at affiliated partner institutions and all semester-long faculty-led programs based in Level 3 countries will be evaluated annually by the International Risk Management Assessment Committee. All faculty proposals for short-term programs involving travel to Level 3 countries must be reviewed by the IRMAC before they can be reviewed by the Committee on Global Education and considered for approval by the Committee on Academic Affairs and Provost. Student proposals including travel to Level 3 countries are typically prohibited. Such proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis and exceptions will be granted only in extraordinary cases.

 

  •        Level 4 – Proposals of any kind involving student travel to Level 4 countries are typically prohibited. Such proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis and exceptions will be granted only in extraordinary cases.

 

Proposals involving student travel to locations where the Colleges’ insurance carrier denies coverage cannot be approved.

Students participating in any off-campus program offered by Hobart and William Smith Colleges may not travel independently at any time during a program to a location that is identified as Level 3 or 4 or as a high risk (“Do Not Travel To”) area in any country. Exceptions may be granted in extraordinary cases with the prior approval of the Center for Global Education.

 

Students traveling abroad as part of group sponsored by the Colleges or participating in an internship or other activity using funding provided by the Colleges or receiving credit from the Colleges may not travel to a location that is identified as Level 3 or 4 or as a high risk (“Do Not Travel To”) area in any country. Exceptions may be granted in extraordinary cases with the prior approval of the Center for Global Education.

 

Updated travel advisory information for all countries is available at the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html

Proposals reviewed by the IRMAC may be approved, provisionally approved pending modification, returned for revision, or denied. Anyone wishing to appeal a decision by the IRMAC may do so by submitting a written letter within one week of notification. The letter must be submitted to the Provost and Dean of Faculty whose decision will be final.

Those faculty, staff, and students whose proposals are approved by the IRMAC will be required to submit a list of those traveling on an approved program/activity along with a travel itinerary and contact information.

HWS staff will continue to monitor safety and security conditions in locations where individuals/groups may be traveling on approved programs/activities. HWS reserves the right to reconsider proposals and/or require modification of program itineraries should safety and security conditions change prior to departure or during the course of an international activity/program.

 International Risk Management Assessment Committee (IRMAC)

Committee Membership

  •      Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs designee
  •      Vice President for Campus Life
  •      Dean of Global Education
  •      CGE Program Operations Manager
  •      Vice President for Human Resources
  •      General Counsel

Additionally, the IRMAC will seek to consult with recent faculty directors in assessing proposals for locations where HWS offers off-campus programs.

The IRMAC will meet on a monthly basis throughout the academic year to review proposals and will be chaired by the Dean of Global Education and the General Counsel. The Dean of Global Education will report back to the Committee on Global Education on the work of the IRMAC.