Study Travel and Research in Countries Under State Department Warnings

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST

Policy Concerning Study, Travel, and Research in Countries

Under U.S. State Department Travel Warnings

As the daily lives of North Carolinians are affected more and more by events around the world, in order to better serve the State and its citizens, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has developed a global focus. Its students take advantage of opportunities for international education and research through organized study-abroad programs, more informal educational trips, and independent study and research funded in whole or in part by the University. Its faculty and staff participate in international educational and research opportunities, both to attain additional knowledge themselves and to share their expertise with other countries. The University is committed to becoming a premiere international institution.

When the University’s contacts with the rest of the world expand, additional risk is inevitable as its activities are affected by war, terrorism, political unrest, disease, and natural catastrophes in other countries. The University endeavors to balance the value of participation in international educational activities against the potential risk to its students and employees of such participation. In balancing these factors, the University relies on information from the U.S. Department of State, most particularly the Travel Warnings issued periodically by that agency. Consequently, the University has developed this policy governing its educational and other activities in countries for which the Department of State has issued a Travel Warning.

Department of State Travel Warnings fall into two basic categories: (1) warnings of conditions that heighten the ordinary risk of travel to a particular country and (2) more urgent warnings that forbid, restrict or otherwise urge U.S. citizens to defer travel to a country.

I. “HEIGHTENED RISK” TRAVEL WARNINGS: STUDENTS

No student shall be required to participate in an educational activity under University auspices in a country for which the Department of State has issued a Travel Warning. A student who wishes to travel, under University auspices, to a country for which the State Department has issued a “heightened risk” travel warning may do so, under the following conditions:

1. The student must review the Travel Warning and the U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheet for the country in question. Both documents may be accessed on the web at http://www.state.gov .

2. The student must consider carefully the risks described in the Travel Warning and, weighing those risks against the value of the educational opportunity to the student, make his or her own determination about whether to continue with the planned research or study activity. In balancing these factors, the student should take into consideration the possibility that the existing Travel Warning may be changed to a more urgent type of warning, triggering section II of this policy and possibly affecting the student’s ability to receive a refund of monies already expended for the research or study activity. The student should also take into consideration the possibility that, if he or she encounters difficulties abroad, the University and even the U.S. Department of State may be unable to assist.

3. The student must sign a release, acknowledging the existence of the travel warning and his/her decision to continue with the planned activity despite that warning, and releasing the University from liability for injuries suffered by the student while participating in the activity. If a student is under age 18, his/her parent or guardian must also sign this release. If a student is age 18 or older, his/her parent or guardian must sign the document merely to indicate that the parent or guardian is aware of the situation and has read the release. For older students, this requirement may be modified in the discretion of the Associate Provost for International Affairs.

II. TRAVEL WARNINGS FORBIDDING, RESTRICTING OR URGING DEFERRAL OF TRAVEL: STUDENTS

When the U.S. Department of State issues a travel warning that forbids, restricts, or otherwise urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to a certain country, the following rules apply:

1. University study abroad programs in that country shall be suspended.

2. No student shall be allowed to travel to that country under University auspices.

3. No student shall be given University funding for any activity in that country. If the student has already received such funding prior to the imposition of the travel warning, the funding shall be returned to the University. Where a portion of the funds have already been expended in furtherance of the activity before the travel warning was imposed, the Associate Provost for International Affairs, after consultation with the relevant department, shall decide the amount to be returned to the University.

4. If the student is already in the country for which the travel warning has been issued, the Associate Provost for International Affairs shall decide, in consultation with others having knowledge of the situation, whether the student shall be required to return to the U.S. Where the student is required to return to the U.S. or where the student desires to return to the U.S. under these circumstances, the University will, at the student’s request, endeavor to help the student make arrangements for his/her return.

5. Where the student has pre-paid the costs of a University-sponsored study abroad program the student may be eligible for a refund of all or a portion of the payment, but the availability of a refund is not guaranteed and will depend on the circumstances of each case.

6. If a student elects to travel and participate in the activity despite the Travel Warning and the University rules set out above, section 3 above pertaining to use of University funds applies. In addition, if the student participates in research or other educational activity in a country while that country is under the Travel Warning, the student will never receive any academic credit from the University for that research or educational activity.

III. EMPLOYEE TRAVEL TO COUNTRIES UNDER TRAVEL WARNING

The University recognizes that, in times of international crisis, its employees may possess valuable expertise that is needed to assist with the resolution of the crisis. Consequently the University does not prevent its employees from traveling to countries for which the State Department has issued a Travel Warning described in sections I and II above. However, the following rules and conditions apply to such travel:

1. No employee shall be required to travel to a country for which a Travel Warning has been issued.

2. Employees who wish to travel to such a country are urged to review the Consular Information Sheet and Travel Warning at http://www.state.gov and other available material about the conditions in the country in question and to consider carefully whether the value of the travel to them outweighs the risks they will face if they choose to travel.

3. The Employee shall take precautions with respect to his or her personal safety. He or she must recognize that the University, and even the U.S. Department of State may be unable to help in the event he or she encounters difficulties abroad.

IV. AUTHORITY OF THE ASSOCIATE PROVOST FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Where it is not clear from its wording whether a Travel Warning falls into category (1) or (2) as set out above, the Associate Provost for International Affairs shall have the discretion to decide the issue, after appropriate consultation.

In any situation involving a Travel Warning, the special conditions that caused the warning to be issued ^* may warrant additional or different University rules and responses. In such a case, the Associate Provost for International Affairs shall have the authority to establish such rules and responses in consultation with such other people as the Associate Provost deems appropriate under the circumstances.

* As an example but not as a limitation, such a situation could include travel to an area that is suffering a disease outbreak where there is a risk that the employee may spread the disease to the University community upon return.

10/12/05