International Safety and Security



A Few Thoughts About UW-Madison’s “Travel Resources, Guidelines and Policies”UW-Madison’s “Travel Resources, Guidelines and Policies” is the result of a collaborative effort that spanned over two years in its making and reached out to faculty, administrative and student committees and organizations for input, suggestions and approval prior to finalizationThe policy underwent significant revision based on campus discussion and input – it was reviewed by the University Committee twice, the Deans’ Council, the Dean of Students’ Advisory Committee, and the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee The Policy is consistent with best practices found across higher education today and reflects similar documents that are helping colleges and universities better inform students, faculty and staff as they prepare for international opportunities – it is not intended as a constraint, but instead as a resource to help frame the university’s international travel in the most safe and secure manner possibleThe University International Travel Committee (UITC), a body that administers the policy, is a representative committee that includes faculty and staff members from a wide cross-section of campus divisions, schools and directoratesIn addition to U.S. Department of State (DoS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel warning processes as a knowledgeable framework, the UITC considers many other resources, including faculty and staff experiences and expertise to inform the university’s standards of international safety and securityThe policy is not a barrier to travel … faculty and staff are not restricted from travel even to a location under a travel warning, though the guidelines strongly discourage them from going to such destinations and recommend they coordinate with their supervisor or chairThe UITC and International Safety and Security Director (ISSD) can serve as a great resource for faculty and staff traveling to destinations under a travel warning, offering an objective perspective on the trip’s potential risk to participants’ safety and securityStudents are prohibited from undertaking university-affiliated travel to a location under a travel warning—either individually or in groups, including those led by faculty or staff.? For the purposes of the policy, under the new DoS travel advisory system (implemented 10 Jan 2018), a “travel warning” is defined as follows:“Travel Warning locations” are identified as locations that are under a U.S. Department of State Level 3 or Level 4 advisory and/or a CDC Notice Warning Level 3; or those locations additionally identified by the Provost, upon recommendation by the UITC, as representing significant health or safety risks for the university’s travelers. Locations within countries may be characterized with different State Department travel advisories than the country itself. Travel to locations that are characterized by a Level 3 or Level 4 within a country that is characterized as a Level 1 or Level 2 are also considered under a “Travel Warning” for the purposes of this document.”See the DoS Travel Advisory page here: is a reasonable process by which students or student-groups can seek exemption to the policy based on the strength of their efforts to plan a safe and secure trip to the destination country while mitigating risk ?Requests for waiver to the policy are considered very carefully by the UITC as the committee seeks to ensure a reasonable balance between educational and scholarly opportunities and the risks that may be present in a specific destination during the intended period of travelRisks undertaken by students, faculty and staff are indirectly incurred by the university and so it is only reasonable that UW-Madison is interested in and helps frame international travel under the university’s auspicesIn addition to the UITC’s active role in international education, UW-Madison established the office of International Safety and Security Director (ISSD), a position focused on helping students, faculty and staff plan and execute safe and secure travel abroad.? The UITC and ISSD are working with the university’s study abroad programs to build and present strong resources to aid UW-Madison travelers in their planning effortsAn international travel website has been created and offers not only a complete text of the UW-Madison International Travel Resources, Guidelines and Policies, but also the waiver request template (to request waiver to the policy ref. locations under a travel warning) and links to many other resources and information for planning international travel and education experiences:? questions can be directed to Ron Machoian, ISSD, at rmachoian@bussvc.wisc.eduThe UW-Madison International Travel Policy has been in effect in a de facto sense for years and has already played a productive and positive role in helping campus groups plan and prepare for their international experiences in a manner that deliberately considers and manages undue risk to those involved. ................
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