[KS] Study abroad cancellations

[Frank Joseph Shulman]

The following is the current policy of the University of Maryland,
College Park, as announced by the Senior Vice President and Provost
earlier this week.

Frank


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

February 26, 2020

----------

Dear Campus Community,

The University continues to actively monitor the novel Coronavirus
("COVID-19") outbreak. We are staying up to date on the latest
guidance [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html] from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and being
proactive in implementing measures to keep our community safe. The
University's Incident Response Team, International Risk Management
Committee, Campus Infectious Disease Management Committee, Student
Affairs leadership and Council of Deans are meeting regularly to
evaluate the current situation and make decisions to safeguard the
health of our community. At this time, there are still no confirmed
cases of coronavirus at the University of Maryland or in the State of
Maryland.

Since our last communication, the CDC has issued new travel guidance
[https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html]. The
CDC identifies three levels of travel advisories: Warning Level 3
(avoid nonessential travel); Alert Level 2 (practice enhanced
precautions---those with chronic medical conditions and older adults
should consider postponing travel); and Watch Level 1 (practice usual
precautions).

There are currently two countries with Warning Level 3 advisories for
COVID-19: China and South Korea. The university previously announced
that it is not authorizing travel to China, and has suspended
Education Abroad programming in China for spring 2020. In light of the
CDC's change to Level 3 for South Korea, the University has suspended
Education Abroad programs in South Korea for spring 2020. Students in
these programs have received direct communication and additional
guidance from the UMD Education Abroad office. We are closely
monitoring the situation in Italy and Japan (both Level 2), and other
parts of the globe affected by COVID-19. The University is also
notifying individuals of cancellations of some spring break and summer
programs.

The University will immediately suspend Education Abroad programming
for any country that is upgraded to a Warning Level 3 advisory by the
CDC. Students studying abroad in countries with an Alert Level 2,
currently UMD programs in Italy and Japan, should be prepared to
return to the U.S. should a CDC designation change occur or other
circumstances change. Decisions to suspend a program and instructions
on next steps will be communicated directly to students and their
parents in the affected program.

We rely on information provided by the CDC, the World Health
Organization (WHO), the U.S. State Department, state and local health
departments, and on-campus public health experts to guide decisions
concerning where we operate study abroad programs in the world.

We encourage students abroad to follow the precautions issued by the
CDC [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html]
and the advice of their program providers regarding health and safety
measures. We also urge students studying abroad to limit additional
travel as much as possible.

The university is ready and willing to work individually with any
student abroad with a chronic health condition, who is
immunocompromised, or who is otherwise concerned about continuing
their studies abroad. We are working with our education partners to
evaluate online learning solutions should students have to depart a
program early.

Lastly, we continue to urge all members of our community at home and
abroad to practice preventive actions to help stop the spread of
germs. For the latest information and updates from the university,
visit umd.edu/virusinfo. If you have questions specific to
coronavirus, please contact healthconcerns at umd.edu.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Rankin
Senior Vice President and Provost

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Frank Joseph Shulman
Bibliographer, Editor and Consultant for Reference Publications in Asian Studies
9225 Limestone Place
College Park, Maryland 20740-3943 (U.S.A.)
E-mail: fshulman at umd.edu


>
> On Feb 28, 2020, at 1:10 PM, Robert M Oppenheim
> <rmo at austin.utexas.edu<mailto:rmo at austin.utexas.edu>> wrote:
>
> Dear Korean studies list members,
>
> The University of Texas at Austin is one of the North American universities
> that cancelled Spring 2020 undergraduate study abroad in S. Korea a few days
> ago, and recalled all undergraduate students already there.  Because of
> where we already are almost halfway through the Spring 2020 semester here in
> Austin, the affected students are not being allowed to register for
> replacement UT courses.  They are, instead, being required to withdraw for
> the semester, and actually must apply for readmission to the university in
> Fall 2020, although they have been assured that this is pro forma.
>
> While I suspect that the situation is roughly the same at other
> semester-system universities that have recalled their Korean study abroad
> students, I am curious if there are exceptions or better alternatives in the
> works elsewhere.
>
> Best,
>
> Rob
>
> Robert Oppenheim
> Professor
> Department of Asian Studies
> University of Texas at Austin
>
>


-- 
Frank Joseph Shulman
Bibliographer, Editor and Consultant for Reference Publications in Asian Studies
9225 Limestone Place
College Park, Maryland 20740-3943 (U.S.A.)
E-mail: fshulman at umd.edu