Introduction

In support of the University of Michigan’s mission, the U-M (1) recognizes that international endeavors are critical; (2) respects the academic freedom of all students, faculty, and staff to pursue international research, educational activities and service where appropriate; and (3) understands that important work may sometimes take place in international locations that pose health, safety, and security risks. The University recognizes that travelers have significant responsibility for their own health, safety, and security. The University also has an institutional interest in supporting the health, safety, and security of travelers while they are undertaking the University’s mission. This policy defines basic institutional requirements that will promote these joint interests.

Individual travelers are responsible for compliance with this international travel policy when undertaking University of Michigan Related Travel (as defined below). Units sponsoring University of Michigan Related Travel are responsible for informing travelers of this international travel policy and for facilitating compliance for individuals where appropriate. U-M units should not fund students who do not meet the requirements of this policy.

Definitions

International Travel Dean’s Designee: Within the Ann Arbor campus, an International Travel Dean’s Designee is appointed for each school and college by the respective dean or, for non-academic units, such as Athletics and Student Life, by the respective executive officer. Within the Dearborn and Flint campuses, one International Travel Dean’s Designee for the campus is appointed by the respective campus’ Provost. The International Travel Dean’s Designee serves as the U-M Ann Arbor Provost Office’s primary point of contact for verifying unit-level financial and academic approval for U-M related group travel abroad and determining “essential travel” if necessary. The Provost Office will verify an International Travel Dean’s Designee’s approval for group travel during the Safety Plan review process and will contact the International Travel Dean’s Designee when questions related to the essential nature of travel arise.

Travel Abroad: Travel Abroad refers to U-M Related Travel (UMRT) to destinations outside the Fifty States of the United States of America and the District of Columbia, including the high seas.

For the purposes of this policy, the definition of Travel Abroad has been expanded to include UMRT to U.S. territories (including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United States Minor Outlying Islands). U.S. territories are included in the Travel Abroad definition because travelers on UMRT in U.S. Territories are covered by the U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance and its associated political and natural evacuation insurance.

U-M Travel Abroad can only occur when a traveler crosses an international border, or a U.S. Territory, for the primary purposes of conducting UMRT (see below).

U-M Managed Program: A U-M Managed Program refers to a program with a travel abroad component and participants who have applied to it through the U-M application management system that also serves as the U-M Travel Registry.

U-M Organized: An international experience is considered U-M Organized when a U-M unit, faculty, or staff member is involved in creating, funding, or approving the experience, or coordinating the application and selection of participants.

University of Michigan Related Travel (UMRT) is defined in terms of two traveler roles:

1. U-M Faculty/Staff UMRT:

   Faculty or Staff members who travel abroad within the context of their job responsibilities are considered to be on UMRT. If faculty or staff members receive U-M funds or U-M managed funds for travel, then they are on UMRT, but such funding is not necessary to identify a trip as UMRT (for example, a faculty member traveling to deliver an invited presentation in their field, supported by the international host, is considered to be on UMRT). While a trip might include personal activities outside of the traveler’s job responsibilities, if the primary purpose is work-related, the trip is UMRT.

   Non-UM faculty and non-U-M staff collaborating with U-M Faculty and Staff abroad, who are working in the context of their non-UM responsibilities, are not considered U-M Faculty or Staff unless they have an appointment through U-M.

2. Student UMRT:

   A person who travels abroad in a Student participant role who meets one or more of the following criteria is on UMRT:

   1. Receives U-M in-residence credit for the experience.
   2. Travels on a program or trip that is U-M Organized or is a U-M Managed Program.
   3. Participates in a travel abroad experience that is necessary to achieve a degree requirement. This could include experiences such as degree milestones, dissertation field research, presenting research at a conference or meeting, practica, internships, etc.
   4. Travels on a program or trip organized by a Sponsored Student Organization or a program or trip that is formally sanctioned by a U-M unit as a Sponsored Event.
   5. Receives funding from a U-M unit or receives funds managed by the U-M for their travel, which includes research and grant funds.

   Note 1: Student UMRT can include individuals enrolled as students at the U-M and also individuals not enrolled as U-M students but who participate in a U-M Managed Program or an experience that is U-M Organized; such persons are designated Students within this policy.

   Note 2: The signing of study abroad participation forms by a U-M academic advisor or other U-M staff alone (i.e., without more) does not make the travel UMRT.

   Note 3: Receiving transfer credit for the experience does not make the travel UMRT.

   Group Travel Abroad: Group Travel Abroad refers to U-M Related Travel that meets all of the following criteria:

   1. The travel is UMRT.
   2. The group consists of a cohort of Student participants with similar program experience dates, itinerary, and related activities at the destination.
   3. A group leader is assuming some responsibility for the group, such as supporting students and serving as the point of contact in the event of an emergency. The group leader can be a U-M student or a faculty or staff member who is leading the group within the context of their job responsibilities.
   4. A U-M program organizer or a U-M group leader exercises some element of control by making travel logistic decisions on behalf of the participants, such as choosing accommodations and/or modes of transportation.

   Group Travel Abroad may be for study, research, joint project work, fieldwork, athletic or other competitions, musical performances, Sponsored Student Organization travel that are formally sanctioned by a U-M unit as a Sponsored Event, or similar University activities.

   For Group Travel Abroad, the sponsoring Unit or the leader of the group is responsible for completing requirements described in Section E, including completing a Safety Plan for Group on behalf of group participants if necessary.

   Though faculty, staff, and students need to complete U-M requirements for conference travel that is UMRT, conference travel is not considered Group Travel Abroad since conference attendees have the ability to choose their day-to-day activities even if traveling with other U-M Students, Faculty, or Staff, and are staying at the same conference hotel.

3. Policy

   1. University Travel Registry

      All Faculty, Staff, and Students on UMRT must register their travel in the University Travel Registry before the expected departure date. Whenever possible, travelers are expected to update the registration, including travel dates, destinations, and on-site contact information, if updated information becomes available.

      The University Travel Registry is a confidential and secure database for maintaining key travel information for Faculty, Staff, and Students traveling off-campus. The contents of the registry are kept in accordance with the University of Michigan’s privacy notice. The Vice Provost designated as the Senior International Officer, on behalf of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, is responsible for the overall management of the University Travel Registry. The Registry supports domestic travel in addition to travel abroad, as well as registration for both UMRT and personal purposes.

      The University Travel Registry is the official and authoritative source of traveler information gathered for the purpose of locating and communicating with travelers, responding to emergencies, and managing media and public relations during critical incidents abroad. Anonymous, aggregated data within the Travel Registry also serves as the central source of travel abroad data for institutional reporting.

      Individual travelers are responsible for verifying their travel registration through either self-registration or coordination with their sponsoring units. Units sponsoring UMRT are responsible for informing travelers of this travel registration requirement and for facilitating compliance for individuals where appropriate.

      The travel registry can be accessed at http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/register-your-travel/.

   2. Travel Abroad Health Insurance

      Faculty and Staff traveling abroad on UMRT are covered under the University’s blanket travel abroad health insurance policy. See the University Health Service Travel Abroad Health Insurance page for details.

      All Students on UMRT are required to have travel abroad health insurance coverage from the University’s authorized vendor, regardless of whether the Student traveler has other health care coverage. Student travelers are responsible for verifying travel abroad health insurance coverage either through self-enrollment or coordination with their sponsoring units. Units sponsoring UMRT are responsible for informing travelers of this travel abroad health insurance requirement and for facilitating compliance for individuals where appropriate.

      Find full information about the University’s authorized vendor and coverage at: https://www.uhs.umich.edu/tai/.

   3. Emergency Evacuation Insurance and Support

      All Students, Faculty, and Staff traveling abroad for UMRT are covered under a blanket policy for emergency evacuation due to political unrest or natural disaster. The decision to activate this evacuation support is made by the evacuation insurance provider in coordination with the designated administrator/s within the Office of the Provost.

      Evacuation support relies on U-M Faculty, Staff, and Students registering their travel. This support is limited or not available in some locations due to restrictions imposed by the insurance provider and international assistance providers. Such locations will be designated with University Travel Restrictions (see section D below) and the lack of evacuation capabilities will be noted within that country’s page on Global Michigan. Faculty, Staff, and Students traveling to a country with limited evacuation support will be required to complete a Safety Plan to be reviewed by the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) and U-M’s international assistance provider.

      Students who remain in-country after being advised to evacuate will not be eligible for University funding or academic credit related to the travel experience and may be subject to disciplinary action.

   4. Higher Risk Travel Designations

      The University will conduct ongoing reviews and designate locations that present particular risks as U-M Travel Warning, U-M Travel Restriction, U-M Travel Health Medium Risk, or U-M Travel Health High Risk designations.

      The Vice Provost designated as the Senior International Officer, on behalf of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, is responsible for determining which destinations are under a U-M Travel Warning or U-M Travel Restriction. This decision will be informed by recommendations from the ITOC. ITOC recommendations will consider health, security, and safety factors in that destination, as well as the availability of health and evacuation support under the University’s insurance policies.

      The Chief International Safety Officer, on behalf of the Vice Provost designated as the Senior International Office, is responsible for determining which destinations are under a U-M Travel Health Medium Risk or U-M Travel Health High Risk designation. Travel health risk designations solely consider health factors in that destination.

      The University may alert travelers and impose additional requirements for Faculty, Staff, or Students seeking to travel to destinations where health, safety, or security risks are determined to be significant and require unusual caution and risk mitigation strategies. For example, travel to destinations experiencing serious outbreaks of infectious disease, war or violent civil unrest may be temporarily prohibited.

      U-M higher risk travel designations are published publicly on http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/warnings-restrictions/, along with instructions for country-specific travel requirements.

      1. University Travel Warnings

         These are destinations where there is an elevated level of health, safety, or security risk. The following guidelines apply to U-M Travel Warning locations:

         1. Students cannot be required to participate in any travel abroad experience in destinations subject to a U-M Travel Warning.
         2. All Student UMRT to these destinations must occur under an ITOC approved safety plan. Travelers will also sign a U-M Travel Warning/Restriction Destination Liability Waiver. These steps must be completed in M-Compass as described under each country’s Travel Designation page on Global Michigan: http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/warnings-restrictions/.
         3. Students, faculty, and staff may be evacuated from these destinations if deemed necessary.
         4. Faculty or staff managing or organizing Student Group Travel Abroad are responsible for developing and seeking ITOC approval of safety plans.
         5. Units funding Student travel to Travel Warning destinations are responsible for developing and seeking ITOC approval of safety plans.
         6. Units funding Student travel to Travel Warning destinations are encouraged to verify ITOC approval of plans before disbursing funds.

      2. U-M Travel Restrictions

         These are destinations where there are extreme health, safety or security risks. UMRT will generally be prohibited. The following guidelines apply to University Travel Restriction locations:

         1. Undergraduate students may not travel for UMRT to destinations that are under a University Travel Restriction.
         2. Graduate students cannot be required to participate in any travel abroad experience in destinations subject to a University Travel Restriction.
         3. All Student UMRT to these destinations must occur under an ITOC approved safety plan, either submitted individually or as a group. Travelers will also sign a University Travel Warning / Restriction Destination Liability Waiver. These steps must be completed in M-Compass as described under each country’s Warning & Restriction page on Global Michigan: http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/warnings-restrictions/
         4. Students, Faculty, and Staff may be evacuated from these destinations if deemed necessary.
         5. Faculty or staff managing or organizing graduate Student Group Travel abroad are responsible for developing and seeking ITOC approval of safety plans.
         6. Units funding Student travel to Travel Restriction destinations are responsible for verifying ITOC approval of safety plans before disbursing funds.
         7. Due to severe security concerns, the evacuation insurance provider may have limited or no capability in some regions of Travel Restriction destinations. Though faculty and staff are not required to complete a Safety Plan, they are encouraged to complete a safety plan, which ITOC may forward to the insurance provider to ensure that evacuation capabilities are available for each exact destination on the travel itinerary.

         Note: Travelers should not invest non-refundable resources in their travel until the Safety Plan is approved. For example, travelers should not purchase non-refundable flights before Safety Plan approval in the event that the Safety Plan is denied.

      3. U-M Travel Health Medium Risk designation

         1. All Student UMRT to these destinations must occur under an approved Travel Health Plan. Travelers will also sign a U-M Travel Warning/Restriction Destination Liability Waiver. These steps must be completed in M-Compass as described under each country’s Travel Designation page on Global Michigan: http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/warnings-restrictions/.
         2. Students, Faculty, and Staff may be evacuated from these destinations if deemed necessary.
         3. Faculty or Staff managing or organizing Student Group Travel Abroad are responsible for developing and seeking ITOC approval of Travel Health Plans.
         4. Units funding Student travel to U-M Travel Health Medium Risk destinations are encouraged to verify ITOC approval of Travel Health Plans before disbursing funds.

         U-M Travel Health High Risk designation

         1. Undergraduate students may not travel for UMRT to destinations that are under a U-M Travel Health High Risk.
         2. Graduate students cannot be required to participate in any travel abroad experience in destinations subject to a U-M Travel Health High Risk.
         3. All Student UMRT to these destinations must occur under an approved Travel Health Plan. Travelers will also sign a U-M Travel Warning / Restriction Destination Liability Waiver. These steps must be completed in M-Compass as described under each country’s Travel Designation page on Global Michigan: http://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/warnings-restrictions/.
         4. Students, Faculty, and Staff may be evacuated from these destinations if deemed necessary.
         5. Faculty or Staff managing or organizing graduate Student Group Travel Abroad are responsible for developing and seeking ITOC approval of Travel Health Plans.
         6. Units funding Student Travel to U-M High Risk destinations are encouraged to verify ITOC approval of Travel Health Plans before disbursing funds.

         Note:  Travelers should not invest non-refundable resources in their travel until the Safety Plan or Travel Health Plan is approved. For example, travelers should not purchase non-refundable flights before Safety Plan / Travel Health Plan approval in the event that the plan is denied.

4. Group Travel Abroad

   For Group Travel Abroad, risk is magnified by the increasing numbers of participants and the organizer or leader is assuming some responsibility for others within the cohort.

   Group Travel Abroad that is organized or managed by a U-M unit must be approved in advance by the International Travel Dean’s Designee of each academic or business unit in which the program is based. Sponsoring units or leaders are responsible for:

   1. For travel to a U-M Travel Warning or Restriction, or a U-M Travel Health Medium or High Risk destination, the sponsoring unit or the group leader must submit a Safety Plan for Group Travel and receive ITOC approval in order to travel. Individual group participants do not need to complete an individual safety plan or travel health plan for group travel.
   2. Obtaining approval from the International Travel Dean’s Designee as specified by the sponsoring School/College/Unit.
   3. Ensuring that all University guidance relative to travel abroad is followed, including meeting requirements relative to U-M Travel Warnings and U-M Travel Restrictions, U-M Travel Health Medium Risks and U-M Travel Health High Risk designations, and following the additional requirements for Group Travel Abroad as detailed on Global Michigan.
   4. Following best practices for: health, safety, and security planning; pre-departure orientation; on-site activities; crisis management, and post-trip review.
   5. Following any additional unit-level guidance or requirements for travel. Requirements may include signing and adhering to any documents detailing program leader responsibilities.
   6. Supporting students to the best of their ability in the event of a crisis situation and alerting U-M of a crisis by following the General Emergency Protocols for U-M International Travelers.
      1. Faculty and staff members leading a U-M Managed Program are required to attend a program leader workshop, organized by the sponsoring unit of the Provost Office, within three years prior to the intended travel date to stay informed of changing travel conditions, policies, and emergency response protocols.
      2. Program leaders who have contracted a third-party provider to provide 24/7 in-country emergency support and do not have any emergency support responsibilities are exempt from the program leader workshop requirement.
   7. Adhering to the sponsoring unit directions when performing duties in the official capacity as a program leader.