The following material endeavors
to anticipate the questions posed by students and families involved
with off-campus study. Further questions may be sent to Associate Dean
of International and Intercultural Studies Patricia Alden or Director of Off-Campus Programs Nancy Pierce.
1. In emergency situations, how will a decision be made about
whether or not to continue a program?
For the programs managed by St. Lawrence University, President Daniel F. Sullivan
will make such a decision, if necessary, on the advice of a committee that
will meet daily to evaluate circumstances. The committee will hear the counsel
of on-site directors as well as government sources. Several of the programs
offered to St. Lawrence students are managed by other colleges, and the leadership
of those colleges will determine the status of those programs.
2. How will students be notified if a program is suspended?
They will be notified immediately by program directors. Students have been
advised to keep cell phones on at all times other than when they are in class,
to facilitate fast communication of emergency information.
3. How will parents be notified if a program is suspended?
Staff of the Center for International and Intercultural Studies (CIIS) and
program staff in host countries have contact information (e-mail rosters,
fax and telephone numbers) for parents, and students have been advised to
remain in close and frequent contact with their parents, so that they may
be reached in the event of an emergency.
4. What will the procedures be for returning students, if a
program is suspended?
The Director of the program in country, in consultation with the emergency
planning group on campus, will be responsible for evacuation planning and coordination.
St. Lawrence has taken steps to assure that all directors have sufficient funds
to evacuate students as quickly as circumstances suggest will be necessary.
5. Will tuition and fees be refunded if a program is suspended?
No refund would be necessary if the student is able to complete the semester.
If students cannot complete the semester because the program has
been suspended, they will be able to repeat the semester at a future
time paying only the difference in tuition over the time period,
subject to government regulations regarding federal financial aid.
Room and board would be prorated and they would be refunded what
wasn't used, and have to pay full room and board when they came
back. (Please note, if the semester is less than eight weeks old,
there is partial refund of tuition, calculated by the Business
Office staff, consistent with regulations related to federal financial
aid.)
6. Do you have any advice for parents who are concerned about
their son's or daughter's safety abroad?
We urge parents and students to remain in close contact with one another throughout
the semester, and to make sure each is informed of any travel plans and contact
numbers where parties may be reached.
7. Can a student withdraw from the program if s/he feels unsafe?
Can s/he return home independently, if s/he does not feel safe,
even if the program is not suspended? What are the consequences
of doing so?
If St. Lawrence University determines a program can be safely continued and
a student decides to withdraw, the student will not be able to complete the
semester, will not make normal progress toward graduation. This contingency
was addressed in orientation sessions held on campus last December. However,
the refund policies described in question 5 will apply.
8. If a program is suspended, will it ever be re-instated?
When? How is that decision made?
We would expect that our decision would be to suspend a program until we believe
circumstances allow us to reinstate the program. We'd make such a decision
after consulting with our faculty and staff on site and with the US State Department,
among others.
9. What safety and risk management plans does the University
have in place?
Providing thorough information to students prior to their enrollment in an
international program, especially during orientation during the preceding semester,
is a first step in helping students understand the risks inherent in study
abroad opportunities. We have a thorough safety and risk management plan that
applies to all programs abroad and covers details such as in-country contacts
with safety, service and financial organizations; relationships with United
States government agencies; communication and coordination with students, parents
and St. Lawrence officials and advice to students for safe behaviors during
an emergency. In-country program directors will make daily reports to the Associate
Dean for International and Intercultural Studies and an on-campus committee
that will meet as often as daily to make sure decisions are made efficiently
and carefully. We will use the St. Lawrence Web site to provide regularly updated
information.
10. What can I expect from the University in terms of communicating
emergency information?
Our CIIS office maintains addresses of students' family members in several
forms (email, fax and/or phone), and will communicate regularly and frequently
with families. We maintain a high priority in communicating directly with families
in the event of a program change or emergency. We encourage families to contact
our CIIS office to confirm that we have current contact information.
11. If a program is suspended, what effect will it have on
a student's academic record?
It depends on the timing of the suspension. If early in the semester (within
the first two weeks), it's possible that a student could make arrangements
for an alternative academic plan. If the suspension happens later in the semester
and a responsible academic plan cannot be developed, the student does lose
momentum in his or her progress to graduation. Please also refer to questions
5 and 7 for details about financial arrangements.
12. What happens if students are traveling independent (such
as during spring break) when an emergency erupts?
As always, if students chose to travel independently, they do so by making
their own decisions and their own arrangements. Directors can mandate limitation
to travel if circumstances warrant this as the most advisable decision supporting
safety. If independent travel is allowed, students are asked to keep parents
and on-site program directors informed of any arrangements, and to provide
contact information for emergencies when they travel.
13. If a program is suspended and students return to the United
States, do they go to their homes or return to campus and continue
classes there?
It depends on the time of suspension. If the program is cancelled more than
two weeks into the semester, it would be impossible to create a way for students
to return to campus for continued study in an academically sound program.
14. From where does the University receive its information
and/or advice about safety and risk management?
First, we have a comprehensive safety and risk management plan that applies
to all programs abroad and covers details such as in-country contacts with
safety, service and financial organizations; relationships with United States
government agencies; communication and coordination with students, parents
and St. Lawrence officials and advice to students for safe behaviors. In addition,
we stay in contact with other colleges that maintain programs abroad, to share
information and seek advice. All information is then shared with an on-campus
committee that will advise the President on the status of programs abroad.
Several of the programs offered to St. Lawrence students are managed by other
colleges, and the leadership of those colleges will determine the status of
those programs.
15. If a program is suspended, but a student wishes to stay
abroad, are they allowed to do that, or are all students required
to return?
It is the University's preference and counsel that in the event of a program
suspension all students return to the United States and that they do so pursuant
to the arrangements made by the University. However, we cannot compel a student
to return from an abroad program under the circumstances described. A student
who does not wish to travel home through the coordination of the director will
need to discuss other options with the appropriate parent or guardian, communicate
the alternative early, document arrangements with the director and execute
a release form so that the University no longer has responsibility for this
student.
Updated February 24, 2003
