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, Global Health and Safety, in conjunction with the International Travel Policy 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.
Issues that may require changes to pending or current travel:
- Significant change to the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory or Drum Cussac risk rating that elevates the Ohio State risk designation
- Issuance of a U.S. Department of State Emergency Notification or Security Alert pertinent to the traveler’s itinerary
- A CDC Warning Level 3: Avoid Nonessential Travel notice
- An incident or threat presenting direct physical harm to an Ohio State traveler or their immediate location
The international risk manager 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 risk manager may direct 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 international risk manager, associate vice provost for global strategies and international affairs, director of education abroad and director of risk management and insurance.
- Recommendations from the emergency action committee would be communicated to vice provost for global strategies and international affairs and the International Travel Policy Committee prior to authorization by the Office of the Provost. The recommendations would be communicated to program leaders or individual student travelers at the direction of the international risk manager.
Political emergency and natural disaster evacuation coverage
All student travel entered into the Ohio State travel registration system will be enrolled in an insurance policy through GeoBlue, which includes Political Emergency and Natural Disaster Evacuation (PEND) coverage through Drum Cussac. In the event of an emergency requiring evacuation, GeoBlue in consultation with Drum Cussac will determine if an evacuation order will be issued and covered under the policy. A covered evacuation will be coordinated by Drum Cussac according to the benefits of the policy. Covered evacuations are often quick and for a very limited duration. Students who refuse to comply with an Ohio State directive to evacuate during a covered event will lose their PEND insurance coverage and not be provided further evacuation services by Drum Cussac or Ohio State.