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Operating Policy and Procedure

HSC OP: 10.29, International Programs for Students

PURPOSE: The purpose of this HSC Operating Policy (HSC OP) is to provide guidelines for TTUHSC student participation in courses and programs abroad.

REVIEW: This HSC OP will be reviewed in June of every odd-numbered year (ONY) by the Senior Director of the Office of Global Health and the International Affairs Advisory Board, with recommendations for revisions forwarded to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Integrated Learning.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

General Consideration
In full consideration of the added complexity associated with conducting academic courses or programs in an international setting, TTUHSC is committed to ensuring that those courses and programs are:

• Student-centered;

• Part of a degree program;

• In conformity with standards of safety and responsibility as established by recognized academic consortia (e.g., NAFSA: Association for International Educators, Consortium of Universities for Global Health), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Administrative Code, and TTUHSC operating policies and procedures;

• Operated by all TTUHSC academic units in a manner that meets approved operation and program standards;

• In conformity with the laws, rules, and regulations of the host country, the host institution, and TTUHSC; and

• Of benefit to the host institution, host community, and TTUHSC faculty and students.

1. Definitions

a. Abroad

Travel to any country(ies) outside the United States

b. Approved Sites

(1) Universities or institutions of higher education with which TTUHSC has a formal agreement; or

(2) Universities, teaching hospitals, clinics, or health care organizations approved by the dean of the school and the Senior Director of the Office of Global Health.

c. Exit Survey
Surveying students who have completed their international program to obtain their evaluation of the program and their experience

d. Program Administrator
The contact person at the host institution/organization or faculty member leading the program abroad

e. Acronyms

ERT—Emergency Response Team
OGH—Office of Global Health
SDOGH—Senior Director of Office of Global Health
VPAAIL—Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Integrated Learning

2. Types of Programs

a. Institutional Programs
Institutional programs are those courses and/or electives that are part of a school’s curriculum, and that are offered at an Approved Site.

b. Faculty-led Programs
Faculty-led programs are those programs established by faculty in their area(s) of expertise to teach TTUHSC students in an environment outside the United States. Faculty design the program in consultation with their school, recruit and select students for the program, accompany the students abroad, administer the program abroad, and are responsible for the educational content of the program.

c. Self-identified Sites
Self-identified sites are those programs that are not an Approved Site but that are offered at a university, teaching hospital, or clinic abroad, which a student has identified as meeting a professional or educational goal and for which one-time approval has been received by the dean of the school and the SDOGH for completion of an international program.

3. Unofficial Travel Activities Involving TTUHSC Faculty and Students

TTUHSC faculty who travel abroad with students or arrange for students to travel abroad for personal activities including, but not limited to, conferences, study, enrichment, service, or any other non-institutional purpose, shall contact OGH to obtain a “disclaimer and release” form to be signed by the faculty and students. Other than this Section 3, this OP is not applicable to unofficial travel activities and specifically excludes use of TTUHSC personnel, facilities, and resources in support of such activities.

4. Establishment of International Programs for Students

a. Agreements with International Entities

(1) To promote institution-wide standardization, OGH is available to offer guidance for the establishment of any new degree program, school-specific, or institution-wide agreements between TTUHSC and international institutions or organizations.

(2) Prior to initiating an agreement with an international entity for an international program for students, schools or faculty must complete an International Program Worksheet, which will be provided by OGH, and obtain required approvals as outlined on the International Program Worksheet.

(3) All agreements between degree programs or schools having to do with international courses
and exchanges in those degree programs and schools will be forwarded to OGH for routing through the TTUHSC contracting system.

(4) All institution-wide agreements developed under this policy will be forwarded to the president or designee for signature following review by OGH to confirm that the agreement incorporates required standard provisions.

(5) A copy of all fully executed agreements will be provided to OGH, which serves as the institution’s central repository for international programs for students.

b. Proposal for a Faculty-led International Program at a New Site

Faculty members interested in establishing a new faculty-led international program site must:

(1) Meet with OGH to discuss the procedures and guidelines for establishing such programs. This may include review of the following:

(a) Location of the international program with reference to:

• Previously established Approved Sites in the region; and

• Sustainability of international programs at the proposed location with respect to existing programs;

(b) Safety/security issues;

(c) Justification and uniqueness of the proposed program;

(d) Confirmation that courses to be taught have been approved by the appropriate school.

(2) Complete an International Program Worksheet, which will be provided by OGH, and obtain required approvals as outlined on the International Program Worksheet.

(3) If the International Program Worksheet is approved, complete a faculty-led program proposal provided by OGH and route for approval.

c. Proposal for Faculty-led International Program at Existing Approved Site

Faculty members interested in leading a faculty-led international program at an existing Approved Site must:

(1) Meet with OGH to discuss the procedures and guidelines for leading a program abroad. This may include discussion of the following:

(a) Site-specific safety/security issues;

(b) Team meetings;

(c) Funding.

(2) Complete a Faculty-led program proposal, which will be provided by OGH, and obtain required approvals.

5. Prior to Departure

a. Student Responsibilities

(1) All students traveling abroad must abide by the guidelines set forth in HSC OP 77.08, Student Travel Policy.

(2) It is the responsibility of students to meet with their school’s designated program coordinator or advisor before the start of the international program to gain approval for participation in the program abroad and to verify eligibility. Please refer to the OGH website at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/global-health/eligibility-policy.aspx for minimum eligibility requirements. Additional requirements may be necessary as determined by a student’s school.

(3) Students participating in an international program are required to complete an application, meet eligibility requirements, and complete pre-departure requirements, including a pre-departure orientation through OGH. Students are solely responsible for making arrangements with OGH for the pre-departure orientation.

(4) A pre-departure orientation will include the following:

(a) Completion of required emergency and liability forms;

(b) Standardized information regarding international health / MEDEVAC insurance, personal safety, security awareness, emergency preparedness, and practical issues related to travel, packing, and obtaining currency;

(c) Site specific information concerning required and recommended immunizations, suggested modes of in-country transportation, and cultural acclimation; and

(d) Information regarding where students can obtain the most up-to-date information for a country-specific visa.

b. Faculty-led Program Administrator Responsibilities

(1) Faculty-led Program Administrators will collaborate with the Office of Global Health to publicize the program and recruit and select participants.

(2) Faculty-led Program Administrators will screen applicants to ensure they meet all requirements and pre-requisites. OGH will assist in verifying eligibility of all student participants.

(3) Faculty-led Program Administrators will provide students with site-specific information, including visa information, at program meetings before departure. Faculty are encouraged to conduct trip-specific orientations beyond what OGH provides. This should include the following:

(a) Safety and security orientations dealing with both routine and emergency procedures for students abroad;

(b) Program-specific orientations dealing with site-specific information including, but not limited to, information on expectations of faculty; organization of classes, programs, and course work; cultural adjustment; practical information on day-to-day living (e.g., how to obtain currency, call home, and health and safety issues that are site-specific); and

(c) General information on travel abroad, health issues abroad, and general cultural adjustment strategies.

(4) Faculty-led Program Administrators will direct students to OGH to complete an application, pre-departure requirements, and a pre-departure orientation.

6. Travel Approval

a. All international travel requests must be submitted to OGH for review and approval with additional oversight from resources such as On Call International. Submitting the required documentation for review does not guarantee travel approval.

b. Criteria evaluated when processing travel requests may include but is not limited to risks associated with the destination such as crime; health, safety, & security; civil unrest; and environmental concerns such as natural disasters or severe weather.

c. Without documented approval from OGH travel is not considered university-related.

d. TTUHSC retains the right to withdraw travel approval and/or require return to the U.S. due to changes in conditions or circumstances.

7. Higher-Risk Destinations

Travel to destinations that have been determined to be Higher-Risk Destinations, as provided below, will require the completion of additional steps prior to approval to demonstrate special efforts to mitigate risk, including health, safety, and security. Travelers must coordinate such requests through the TTUHSC Office of Global Health.

Destinations considered Higher-Risk Destinations include, but are not limited to:

• U.S. Department of State travel advisory level 3 (Reconsider Travel) and 4 (Do Not Travel), and
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notice Warning Level 3 (Avoid Nonessential Travel).

To determine the travel advisory level assigned by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the following website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/.

To determine the travel health notice warning level assigned by the CDC, please visit the following website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices.

It is the responsibility of the traveler to continually monitor the health, safety, & security status of their destination prior to and during travel and immediately notify the Office of Global Health should the status change to meet the Higher-Risk Destination criteria.

8. Funding

Information about available funding to assist in covering some or all of the expenses associated with an international program, including guidelines for International Education Fee disbursement, is available through the Office of Global Health.

Funding for students participating in TTUHSC international programs will not be released until students have:

a. Met program-specific qualifications;

b. Met with a program coordinator or advisor in their degree program to receive approval of courses to be taken in the international program; and

c. Met with the Office of Global Health to discuss pre-departure requirements.

Any student who has been awarded funding but is unable to participate in the international program must return all funding to the Office of Global Health.

9. Exit Survey

Upon return from participation in an international program, students must complete an Exit Survey administered by OGH.

10. Emergency Procedures

a. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Planned Response to Emergencies Abroad (Attachment A) will be used to guide response by the home institution to emergencies facing international programs.
When students are abroad, the Office of Global Health can be contacted for urgent matters at (806) 743-2901.

b. Members of ERT are:

• Senior Director of the Office of Global Health
• Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Integrated Learning
• Dean(s) of the School(s)
• International Affairs Advisory Board Members
• Faculty member(s) onsite or Program Administrator, when possible

11. Suspending International Programs

a. Suspension of an International Program in Progress

(1) OGH receives information provided by the U.S. Department of State and other resources regarding international travel safety. When OGH receives notification that a U. S. Department of State’s advisory level or CDC Travel Health Notice is upgraded resulting in the location becoming a Higher-Risk Destination, the SDOGH and VPAAIL will convene a meeting of the TTUHSC Emergency Response Team (ERT) to determine and implement an appropriate response.

(2) If OGH receives information from a contact or Program Administrator at the site reporting that there is an imminent threat of safety or harm at the international program site, the SDOGH and VPAAIL will convene a meeting of the members of the ERT to consider moving the program to an alternate site within the country or bringing the students home.

(3) If parents or other outside interested parties contact OGH and express concern regarding the international program, the SDOGH will contact the Program Administrator to ascertain the facts and determine whether or not the SDOGH and VPAAIL will convene a meeting of the ERT to determine and implement any appropriate response.

b. Suspension of an International Program Prior to the Program Start Date

(1) The decision to suspend a TTUHSC international program can have serious consequences, and it should be considered carefully in view of how the cancellation will affect participants and other TTUHSC international programs.

(2) If a program does not have a sufficient number of participants to meet the goals of the program, the decision of whether or not to suspend the program should be made by the Program Administrator in consultation with the SDOGH.

(3) If a question regarding whether or not to suspend a TTUHSC international program concerns issues of safety or security of TTUHSC students, the SDOGH must be consulted. OGH receives information provided by the U.S. Department of State and other resources regarding international travel safety, and will be able to provide timely information if concerns arise. In the event the U.S. Department of State’s advisory level or CDC Travel Health Notice is upgraded, resulting in the location becoming a Higher-Risk Destination, it may be considered a valid reason to suspend a program.

If no such advisory exists, counterparts at the site should be contacted to determine if there is a compelling reason to suspend the program, and such information may form the basis for a decision.

(4) If parents or other outside interested parties contact OGH and express concern regarding the international program, the SDOGH will contact counterparts at the site to ascertain the facts and determine whether or not the SDOGH and VPAAIL will convene a meeting of the ERT to determine and implement any appropriate response.

(5) If a faculty leader is unable or otherwise determines to not take students abroad, the school has an obligation to the participants of the program to find an alternate leader or to make every effort to accommodate the students in a comparable program. In the event it is not feasible to make such arrangements or accommodations, the international program may be suspended. The decision of whether or not to suspend the program should be made by the Program Administrator in consultation with the SDOGH.

Attachment A - TTUHSC Planned Response to Emergencies Abroad