At UMass Amherst, we are currently studying the impact of these changes on our travel and study abroad policies.  The DOS advisories are one of several factors we consider in evaluating the risks of any destination, albeit an important one.  Per their own admission, DOS said yesterday that these changes did not reflect a reassessment of the risks of any particular location, merely an alignment with the CDC.  To our mind, this makes the advisories less useful as they are now redundant with CDC guidance.  UMass Amherst has allowed limited study-abroad during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 per our own risk assessments and we will likely continue to follow a strictly controlled travel policy that allows for some student and faculty/staff mobility.

Kalpen Trivedi

Kalpen Trivedi, Ph.D. | Associate Provost
Director, International Programs Office
University of Massachusetts Amherst
www.umass.edu/ipo <http://www.umass.edu/ipo>

Calendar managed by Kim Stender <mailto:kstender@umass.edu>

On 4/22/21, 1:52 PM, "aieamembers@aieaworld.simplelists.com on behalf of Amber Brugnoli" <aieamembers@aieaworld.simplelists.com on behalf of Amber.Brugnoli@mail.wvu.edu> wrote:

    Hi, Dietrich -

    We do not allow students to travel to Level 4s, but the changes are not impacted us much. Most of our exchange partners had already canceled for the Fall (so we didn't have to be the bad guys). We do not limit faculty/staff travel, but due to budgetary spend reductions, most Deans were limiting international travel unless it was grant-funded. The few faculty I've talked to about travel plans for summer and Fall ended up canceling anyway because of the testing/quarantine requirements and/or restrictions/lockdowns at the destination.

    Take care!

    Sincerely,
    Amber

    L. Amber Brugnoli, J.D., Ph.D.
    Assoc Vice-President and Executive Director for Global Affairs
    West Virginia University
    304-293-9298 (phone)
    amber.brugnoli@mail.wvu.edu

    -----Original Message-----
    From: aieamembers@aieaworld.simplelists.com <aieamembers@aieaworld.simplelists.com> On Behalf Of Maune, Dietrich - maunedx
    Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 3:57 PM
    To: aieamembers@aieaworld.simplelists.com
    Subject: AIEA: State Department Travel Advisory

    Hello all,
    I am curious to hear your views about the change in the State Department Travel Advisory system to better align with CDC. Is it changing any plans for the summer? Will it impact fall programs abroad? Does a Level 4 - Do Not Travel restrict any international travel by university personnel and students?

    Thanks in advance,
    Dietrich Maune

    ---------------------------------
    Mr. Dietrich Maune
    Interim Executive Director, Center for Global Engagement Professor, School of Media Arts and Design

    MSC 5731
    James Madison University
    Harrisonburg, VA 22807
    Office: Madison Hall 2059
    Ph. 540-568-7002 Fax. 540-568-3310