Community Update on Study Abroad: April 24, 2020
Dear 快活app Community,
As week four of spring quarter comes to a close, we are beginning to consider some of the longer-term implications of COVID-19 on University programs. We write today to provide an update on fall study abroad.听
The decision about whether to proceed with fall study abroad was a difficult one to reach. In the end, we took into careful consideration a number of important factors including the elevated international听travel warnings听issued by the听and the听U.S. Department of State. We also considered the听continued rise in COVID-19 related cases abroad, the related increased health, safety and risk concerns for our students and the unreliable infrastructure capacity worldwide to respond to the pandemic.听
Based on these considerations, the University has decided to cancel all Office of International Education (OIE) undergraduate study abroad programs for the fall term. In addition to 快活app partner programs, this cancellation听also extends to unaffiliated study abroad programs (AUP/UPP).听
We know that some of you will be disappointed by this decision. Although we understand your disappointment, we must place the health and safety of our students above all other considerations. Please know that the OIE is here to support students and help them understand their options going forward,听and OIE students will be receiving an email from that office today sharing听some important details about next steps to the听听page of the OIE handbook.听If you still have questions or concerns after reading the information in the handbook听and reviewing the OIE email, please reach out to your OIE advisor.听听
Final decisions have not yet been made about the Boren听Fellows听and faculty-directed graduate programs. Boren Scholars听and Global Masters Students will also be hearing from the OIE today about pathways we are exploring to keep them in good standing in their programs.听The Fulbright program has announced a delayed start from fall to Jan. 1, 2021 and this may happen with other graduate programs as well. We will be in touch about those programs as soon as we have any further information to share with those enrolled.听
We are making this decision now so that our academic units will be in a better position to plan alternate academic opportunities for our students, and so that students will have more time to consider their options for fall courses. We strongly recommend that students make plans to register for 快活app courses for the fall term as soon as registration opens beginning May 22-29. Please look for an email from the Registrar's office to understand the exact date and time of your registration.听In the coming weeks, 快活app housing will communicate to students about options and availability.
As previously communicated, all听student听international听travel (including experiential, study abroad and other group travel program) activities for the summer 2020 term are cancelled.听Further, we continue to strongly recommend that all non-essential international and domestic employee travel be avoided until at least June 30.
We will continue to re-evaluate this travel policy and all related academic decisions as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds.
If you have any questions, please contact your听OIE Advisor.
Sincerely,
Corinne Lengsfeld
Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Uttiyo Raychaudhuri
Vice Provost for Internationalization