Subject:AcademicAffairs Student Affairs Personnel
Policy:InternationalTravel
EffectiveDate:TBD
ReviewDate:TBD
ResponsibleParty:Officeof InternationalPrograms
100.00Introductionand Purpose
MontanaStateUniversityrecognizesandsupportstheinternational expertise ofitsfacultyandseeks to provideitsgraduateswithglobal andmulticultural understandingas partof itsStrategicPlan.The Universitymustbalancetheeducationalvalueof participationin international activities with the potentialrisksofthoseactivities toitsstudents,facultyandstaff.This policyisintended toaddress the risksof internationaltravelinacomprehensiveandconsistentmanner.Itseeks toprovideresources to assist students,facultyandstaff inpreparingfor safeandsuccessful international travelandisintended topromotethehealth,safety,andsecurityof allmembersofthe Universitycommunitywhiletraveling abroad. TheUniversityrespects theacademicfreedomof facultytopursuetheirscholarly endeavors throughinternational travel.As such, this policyisdesigned to supportthe internationalengagementof its students, faculty, andstaff inaresponsiblemanner.
200.00 Definitions
Facultyand Staff: meansall full andpart-timemembers ofthe faculty,contractprofessional and classified staff employed by the University.
InternationalTravelers: means all students,facultyandstaff orotherparticipants(e.g.,chaperone,high school studentorstudentsfrom other universities)undertaking internationaltravel underthe auspices of theUniversity.
Student: means anyundergraduate orgraduatestudentwhoisenrolled inthe University.
TravelWarning Country:meansa countrysubject toacurrentTravelWarningissuedbythe U.S. Department ofState(StateDept.)ortheU.S. CentersforDiseaseControland Prevention(CDC).
University-approvedGroupLeader:means amemberofthe faculty,stafforotherpersonwhohas been approvedbytheOfficeof InternationalProgramstolead astudentgrouptravellingabroad.Eachgroup musthaveaPrimaryGroupLeader.Inaddition, eachgroupmusthaveanAlternateGroup Leader,who willactasGroup Leader if the PrimaryGroupLeaderisunable toleadthe groupfor anyreason.
UniversityContactPerson: A Universityemployeedesignatedbythe sponsoringunitof agroup programabroadwhoremains oncampus butactsas apointof contactfor thegroupleader,facultyor studentswhoaretravelling.
University InternationalTravel:meanstraveloutsidetheUnited Statesorganized, sponsoredor supported bytheUniversity,or a unitthereof, includingtravelbyundergraduateandgraduatestudents, facultyor staff for research, teaching,conferences, internationalstudy, internships,communityservice, or studentgrouptravel,whetheroffered for creditornot.Travel supported,atleastin part,by sponsored research grants,contracts, F&A fundsorotheruniversityadministeredfunds will be consideredtravel supportedbythe University.
UniversityUnit:meansa department,office,school, collegeofthe University,includingregistered studentorganizations.
300.00University ApprovalandNotification
Internationaltravelersmustcomply withall Universityrequirementsfor informationandapproval as specified herein andin theInternationalTravelPolicyChecklistslocatedat[insertlink].Notethat requirementsvarybasedonwhoistravelling,what thenatureofthe programis,andwherethetravel takesplace.
310.00 CountriesSubjecttoTravelWarningsorAlerts
TheUniversitydoesnotencouragetravel thatcontravenesU.S. StateDepartment or U.S. Centersfor DiseaseControltravelwarnings or alerts. TheState Department regularlyupdatesthelistofTravel WarningCountriesonitswebsite.Current informationaboutStateDepartmentor CDCwarnings and alerts canbeobtained at[insertStateDept.andCDCweblinks].
AnyUniversityInternational Travel byastudent,facultyor staff personor grouptoor throughany countryforwhichaU.S.StateDepartmentor a Center forDiseaseControlLevel3TravelWarning is in effectmustbereviewed andapprovedinadvanceof travelby theMSUInternational Travel Safety ReviewCommittee.TheCommitteeiscomprisedof theExecutiveDirectorof InternationalPrograms, the UniversityLegal Counsel, theMSURiskManager,a representativeoftheMSUStudent Health Service, andafaculty memberappointedbytheProvost.
InevaluatingrequestsrelatingtoTravel WarningCountries,the Universitywillconsidera number of factors, including, butnotlimitedto, theacademicneedandappropriatenessof theproposed travel, the individual’s or group’spersonal preparedness, andtheadequacyof planstoavoidthethreatstohealth andsafety identifiedin thewarning. TheUniversitywill notauthorizeinternational travel toanycountry for whichtheStateDepartmenthas issuedamandatoryevacuationorder.
TheUniversity, in its sole discretion,maydenyorwithdraw approval forUniversityInternationalTravel atanytime. If theStateDepartmentissuesaTravel Warningfor a given country,the Universitymay require students, faculty,or stafftodepartthatcountry. TheUniversityisnotableto ensurefull cost andacademiccreditrecoverytostudentswhocomply with a government-or University-mandated withdrawalorevacuation.
320.00 GroupProgramsDeemedtoPose Risks
Even inthe absenceof aformal Travel Warning,theExecutiveDirectoroftheOfficeof International programs mayrequire anyfaculty, student,staff,or grouptoseekapprovalfromtheMSUInternational
TravelSafetyReviewCommitteeifthereappearstobesubstantialpotentialrisk(e.g. programsinvolving potentiallydangerous physical activitiesorprogramswhichdonotappear tohavemadeadequate preparationstoensurethesafetyofparticipants).
400.00InternationalTravel Register
Beforedeparting,all students,facultyandstaffarerequired toregistertheirtravel plansin the University’sInternationalTravelRegister. Informationentered intotheTravel Registerwillbeavailable toUniversityofficialsin theeventof acrisisor emergency. TheTravelRegisterprovides theUniversity with theinformationitneeds tolocateandcommunicatewithtravelersintheevent ofacrisisor emergency.TheUniversitymaynotbeable toassist or arrangeevacuationfor students,facultyandstaff whodonotregistertheirtravelplanswiththe University. ToenterinformationintheTravelRegister travelersshouldfollowinstructions at[insertlinktoTravelRegister].
500.00GroupTravelInformation SubmissionRequirements
Inaddition torequirements enumeratedin300.00and 400.00above,Group Leaders mustcompletea RequesttoLeadaStudentGroupform[insertlink]nolater than90 dayspriortodepartureor before non-refundable travel arrangementsaremade,whicheverisearlier.TheGroup Leadermustsubmitthe Requestformto OIP,theappropriateDepartment HeadandDeanfor approval.
Prior todepartureGroup Leadersmust submitin theMSU InternationalTravel Register,andprovidethe designatedUniversityContactPerson,thefull and exactnamesof allgroupparticipantsas listed intheir passports,a copyofthe identification pagefromeachparticipant’spassport,a detailed itineraryof the group’s travel plans,includingall contractors, hotels, travel agencies,etc.and contactinformationas detailed in theinstructionsat[insertlink].
510.00CommunicationRequirements
TheRequesttoLeada Student Groupformmustincludea planfor communicationthatwill providethe abilitytocommunicatewiththeUniversitythroughoutthe program. Contactnumbersatall locations mustbesubmitted intheTravelRegisterandthedesignatedUniversityContactPersonatleast30days priortodeparture.
600.00HealthInsurance
TheUniversityrequires thatall internationaltravelersobtainadequatehealthinsurancetoprotect againstfinancial loss duetoan unanticipated illnessor hospitalization.
601.01StudentHealthInsuranceCoverage
Studentstravelingabroadmustdemonstrateminimumlevelsofhealth andmedical emergency insuranceestablishedby OIPandSafetyandRiskManagementasspecifiedat[insertlink].
601.02Faculty/StaffHealthandLiabilityInsurance:
Facultyandstaff covered by theMUSBenefitsPlanareprovided health insurancecoveringtheir internationaltravel.Theinternational travel health coverageandbenefits provided bytheMUS Benefits
Programcanbeaccessed throughthefollowinglink: In the eventafacultyor staffmembernotcovered byMUS Benefits istravelinginternationallyon Universitybusinesshe/shemustdemonstratethe samelevelof coverageasthatsetfor studentsin section 601.01ofthis policy. AllMSU facultyandstafftravelinginternationally onUniversitybusiness are afforded international liabilityinsurancebenefits.This informationcanbeobtained atthe following SafetyandRiskManagementweblocation:
602.00Healthand SafetyOrientations
TheOfficeof InternationalPrograms(OIP), in conjunctionwithStudent HealthService, willoffer required orientationsonhealth andsafetyissuesforfacultyandstaff leadingMSU student groups (see
200.00aboveand 720.00below). OIP, incooperationwith theStudentHealth Service willalso offer orientationsessions eachsemesteronhealth andsafetyin internationaltravel for students,facultyand staff [linktocurrent schedule].
603.00 Immunizations
TheStudent Health Servicewill identify therequirementsforimmunizationsfor UniversityInternational Travel.Travelersmusthavetheappropriateimmunizations forthe countrytowhichtheywilltravel unlesstheycanestablish areligious exemptionasspecified instatelawanduniversitypolicy. Travelers seekingreligiousexemptions fromsuchrequirementswill need tosubmita specific requestfor exemptionin writingtotheStudent Health Service.
710.00Students
Studentsmustbein goodacademicstandingandmustnotbeonconduct probation for a Student ConductCode violationtobeeligible forUniversityInternational Travel. Studentswhose internationaltravelissupported byor relatedtotheUniversitymustreceiveanorientationbefore travel.Thetypeandcontent oftheorientationrequired will dependonthe programandthe destinationandmustbeconductedorapproved byOIP.
720.00Facultyand StaffLeader RequirementsandRestrictions
All facultyandstaffwholeador travel with undergraduatestudentsmustattendan orientationsession tobetrainedonthehealth,risk,safetyandsecurityaspectsof travelingasastudent groupleader responsiblethewell-beingof thestudentparticipants.
Facultyandstaff wholeador travelwith graduatestudentsto TravelWarningCountriesmustalso attendasafetyandsecurityorientation.
Theseorientations will beorganized by OIP. OIPcanwaiveattendancebyfaculty travelingwith groups returning tothesamelocation(s) for upto threeyears.
Facultyandstaffmaynot includefamilymembers ongrouptravel programswithoutadvance permissionfromtheProvostandOIP.
800.00 State DepartmentRegistration;Other GovernmentResources
TheUniversityrecommends thatalltravelerswhoareU.S. citizens register informationabouttheir planned travelwiththeStateDepartment’s SmartTravelerEnrollmentProgram(“STEP”). STEPisafree serviceprovided by theU.S. GovernmenttoU.S.citizens whoaretravelingoutside oftheUnited States. STEPregistrationallowstheStateDepartment tobetterassistU.S.citizensin theeventofan
emergency.TheUniversityrecommendsthat non-U.S. citizens contacttheir homecountrygovernments toinquire aboutavailable registrationandsupport.
TheUniversity encouragesall International Travelerstoreviewandmonitorsafetyandsecurity informationandtravel adviceissued by thefederal government,includingtheU.S.Department ofState, the U.S.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention, theU.S. Departmentof HomelandSecurityandthe U.S. Departmentof Agriculture
900.00 OtherUniversityPoliciesRelatedtoInternational Travel
Therequirementssetforthin this policyaredistinctfrom, andin additionto,otherrequired financial andacademicapprovals relatingtodomesticandinternational travelsetforth inotherUniversity policies,includingthoselisted below.
901.00 Research,ExportControlsand Sanctions
All students,facultyandstaff must comply with applicable U.S.federallawrelatingtoexportcontrols andsanctions,includingastheyrelateto thetransferof laptops andotherequipment. Formore information,pleaserefer to the ExportControlPolicyor suchother policiesastheUniversitymayissue onthistopicfromtimetotime.
All researchconductedin foreigncountriesmustbeconductedin amannerconsistentwith local laws. Collectionof specimensmustbeconductedonlyafter appropriatepermits havebeenissued underthe applicable legal authority.
902.00 FinancialAffairsPolicies
Pleasereferto BusinessProcedures Manual-- 500.00Travel.ForotherUniversityfinancial policies,refer to the Financial AffairsPoliciesonthe University Policieswebsite.ThefundingforUniversity InternationalTravelmustbeprocessedthroughuniversityaccounts in amannerconsistentwith universitypolicies.