FIU suspends study abroad programs through Summer 2020, imposes restrictions on international travel
On March 10, Kenneth G. Furton, provost and executive vice president, shared the following message with the university community.
Our Emergency Operations Center University Policy Group has been actively monitoring the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and is taking into consideration information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of State, World Health Organization (WHO) as well as our own experts.
Given the rapidly changing situation and the associated health and safety concerns, the following travel restrictions for students, faculty, staff and visitors to FIU will go into effect immediately:
Restriction I
All upcoming international university travel by FIU students for Spring and Summer 2020, including but not limited to faculty-led and third-party study abroad programs, exchange programs, conferences, and field work, is suspended. This restriction is out of an abundance of caution and to give students the ability to plan and complete their academic requirements towards a timely graduation through alternate means.
Restriction II
All upcoming international university travel by FIU faculty and staff is suspended for the next 30 days (until April 9). Should a trip abroad during this period be considered essential (needed for job completion or is essential to the mission and priorities of the university), faculty and staff may submit a petition for exception explaining the critical importance of the trip (such as timely-sensitive research) and send it via email to intltravel@fiu.edu for evaluation by the International Travel Committee. The ITC will evaluate the risks associated with the particular trip and make a recommendation for my consideration.
Restriction III
All FIU students, faculty and staff currently abroad on university travel in countries with 100 or more confirmed cases as reported by the WHO are required to return immediately to the U.S. and recommended to self-quarantine for 14 days. This recommendation for self-quarantine also extends to anyone returning from personal trips. Further, students, faculty and staff who self-quarantine are expected to continue doing their work from home. Faculty who are now teaching remotely should send an email with the course number/section to acadcont@fiu.edu as we have resources available to you to meet our expectations of mitigating any potential impacts to the academic enterprise.
As a reminder, any members of the university community including visitors to FIU coming from countries with CDC Level 2 and 3 rating (at present these include China, Italy, Iran, Japan and South Korea) at the time of arrival in the U.S., regardless if the trip was related to university business or personal, are required to observe the 14-day self-quarantine period and must produce a medical clearance prior to returning to FIU.
Details on proper self-quarantine, how to obtain medical clearance, and other guidance for students, faculty and staff can be found on FIU’s coronavirus web page and under the Frequently Asked Questions section.
Domestic travel
For the next 30 days (until April 9), any member of the university community with domestic travel plans should consider postponing or cancelling any trip that is non-essential (not needed for job completion or not essential to the mission and priorities of the university). Since here in the U.S. the spread of the coronavirus is increasingly affecting more states, we ask that members of the university community be proactive in avoiding the risk of exposure and closely follow CDC recommendations and health advisories concerning cases within the U.S.
As this situation develops, many countries are still catching up with testing and reporting cases. This uncertainty leads us to recommend that our faculty, staff and students do not travel at this time as described above. Members of the university community may face unpredictable circumstances while abroad, including insufficient health care provisions, disruption to local services, and the potential for mobility restrictions.
We must take seriously the university’s global public health responsibility and our leadership role in our community in supporting officials’ efforts in containing the spread and mitigating the impact of this virus in the United States and abroad. To the extent possible, please find alternate means of conducting business.
We are asking all travelers to be mindful, to act responsibly, and follow CDC recommendations to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus or spread. Please remember that you can find more detailed information, tips on staying healthy and frequent updates at http://www.fiu.edu/coronavirus.
Thank you for your cooperation and attention.