Ohio State consistently monitors and assesses safety or security information that may impact university travelers. In the event of a significant health, safety or security concern abroad, the Office of International Affairs Global Health and Safety team, in conjunction with the International Travel Review Committee, is responsible for considering suspension, modifications, relocations or evacuations of current travel and postponement or suspension of planned university supported international programs and individual student travel.
Concerns that may require changes to pending or current travel:
- Significant change to the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory or Crisis24 risk ratings
- Issuance of a U.S. Department of State Emergency Notification or Security Alert pertinent to the traveler’s itinerary
- A CDC Travel Health Notice of Level 3 or 4
- An incident or threat presenting direct physical harm to an Ohio State traveler or their immediate location
The International Affairs Global Health and Safety team is the first point of review for any significant health, safety or security concern that may impact travelers.
- If immediate changes to travel need to be made, the International Affairs Global Health and Safety team may initiate immediate contact with program leaders or individual student travelers concerning adjustments, which could include directives to shelter-in-place or modifications to itineraries.
- Consideration of longer term concerns including suspension of pending travel or relocations (movement to another site) and evacuation (temporary or full return to the United States) of current travel is referred to an emergency action committee consisting of the Global Health and Safety manager, director of Global Education and associate director of Enterprise Risk Management.
- Recommendations from the emergency action committee are communicated to the vice provost for global strategies and international affairs, the associate vice president and chief risk officer and the International Travel Review Committee prior to authorization by the Office of the Provost. The recommendations will be communicated to program leaders or individual student travelers at the direction of the global health and safety manager.