OF RECORD
The Provost's Task Force on Study
Abroad, which I chair, was asked this fall to establish a policy
on study abroad in sites under a travel warning issued by the
U.S. Department of State or the Centers for Disease Control. After
much deliberation, including consultation with faculty, the Task
Force has recommended the attached policy, which has been approved
by President Rodin and Provost Barchi.
--Peter Conn, Deputy
Provost
Policy on Study Abroad in Sites under
a Travel Warning
December
11, 2003
The University of Pennsylvania aspires to provide
our undergraduate students with the tools that will help them
to become leaders of their chosen professions in the global
society of the 21st century. To this end, Penn vigorously supports
a program of study abroad opportunities around the world.
The University sets guidelines about how, when,
and where undergraduate students may study abroad and considers
issues of terrorism, war, disease and other risks to travelers.
Accordingly, the University observes the following policy:
if either the U.S. Department of State or the Centers for Disease
Control issues a travel warning for a particular country or
region within a country, normally Penn will suspend approval
of study abroad by Penn undergraduate students of any nationality
in that site while the warning is in effect. At the present
time, Penn does not operate any programs or employ staff in
sites under a travel warning.
On rare occasions,
an individual student may wish to seek exemption from the
policy on study abroad in a
site under a travel warning on academic grounds. Effective
for the fall 2004 semester, an undergraduate student may file
a petition for individual exemption in the Office of International
Programs (OIP) for consideration by the Study Abroad Faculty
Advisory Committee that has regional jurisdiction over the
site of the student's intended program. The petition must be
based solely on academic grounds, and must include a signed
statement of support from the student's major advisor using
a designated form provided by OIP. The petition must
also include waiver forms signed by the student and the student's
parents or guardians acknowledging that they have read the
travel warning. The waiver forms will ask students and their
families to verify that they understand that Penn is neither
sponsoring the study abroad program nor advising students to
participate in a program where travel warnings exist, and that
students are solely responsible for their safety. The Provost
will make the final ruling on the petition based upon the committee's
recommendation and assessment of risk to the student.
If the petition is approved, the Penn
Abroad staff will administer the study abroad program in the same
way as all other study abroad programs for which Penn students
may receive credit. Students will continue to pay Penn tuition
and the Penn study abroad fee. The petitions deadline for fall
2004 is February 15.