Study Abroad 101: Preparing for the Unexpected Vanessa Janovick, Heather Browning, Sylvia Pinedo, Nilda Chavez.

Study Abroad 101: Preparing for the Unexpected

Vanessa Janovick, Heather Browning, Sylvia Pinedo, Nilda Chavez

Lesson Plan

• Introduction & Overview

• PowerPoint presentation on risk management and student service issues for semester abroad programs

• Case Studies

• Questions

• Distribution of evaluation form. 

Overview

Audience • New student affairs professionals working in study abroad

offices and/or with study abroad programs.

Importance • Institutions need to know about and manage risks when students

are participating in semester study abroad programs.

Learning Outcome• Student Affairs professionals will be provided information on

the necessary steps needed for an institution to manage student risks in semester abroad programs.

University Preparation

 Documents • Passports• Student visas • Proof of insurance • Release forms, Waivers, Contracts

o The legal council should be involved in the developmento This form could provide information for students about the risks,

responsibilities, and realities of study abroad programs 

Money exchange• Value and difference of money • Keeping track of the changes

University Preparation (cont'd)

Embassies • Can help students through emergencies while overseas

o This is great for new professionals to know about in case of an emergency to be able to get into contact with a student (www.studentsabroad.state.gov)

• Locationo Helping students know where to go if they are involved in some type

of emergency abroad.  o  www.usembassy.gov

University Preparation (cont'd)

Vaccines & Immunizations•  According to the International Travel Health Guide by Rose, S.R.

"completing an immunization schedule before departure is the first and most important step you can take to prevent a travel-related disease.”

• A good resource to know which vaccinations are needed in which country: o  http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list.aspx

Prescriptions •  Students must make sure they either bring enough of their prescription

for their entire trip, or have a translated prescription, including the generic name of the drug when traveling

• The student is responsible for traveling with the prescription, and should make sure that it is packaged and stored correctly (according to the specific countries and airport regulations) when traveling.

Mental Health

• Traveling or studying overseas is not a cure for health conditions• Create a workable plan• Having a medical or psychological condition • Research the social culture of your destination • Access to mental health services • Prescriptions • Support system• Take care of yourself and prepare  

Physical Health

Medical Care• The international society of travel medicine (search clinic directory)• Visit the US Department of State list of list of doctors/hospitals abroad to

identify heal-care resources in teh country where you will be living.• Make an appointment with a Travel Medicine Specialist

Insurance (student)• Institutions should include information about the insurance coverage

available for study abroad and whether such insurance is required or recommended

• No college or education abroad program should allow a student to travel abroad without sufficient medical insurance coverage for all possible medical needs, including coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation of remains, accident and life insurance, according to NAFSA's Guide to Study Abroad for Advisers and Administrators.

Physical Health (cont'd)

Insurance (institution)• Most colleges & universities have some form of liability insurance.• Administrators should know and discuss their programs with

individuals who can advise them on ways to reduce any liability threats or risks that may exist. o http://www.globaled.us/irl/irlce4.html

Safety

• Reasons for Injury or illness• Medical emergencies• Individual medical problem

• The most common travel related illnesses are gastro-intestinal infections

• group exposure to food poisoning• group exposure to infectious disease

• Assault•  Students in study abroad programs should be made aware of issues of

assault before participating in a study abroad program.

Safety (cont’d)

Reason for injury or illness:• Traffic accidents

• At an October 2000 Congressional hearing on "Safety in Study Abroad", it was stated that the major cause of student injury or death in overseas programs is traffic accidents.

• http://www.asirt.org/StudyAbroad/tabid/58/Default.aspx  

Crisis ManagementDeath or Injury of a Student Abroad

• Death of a student abroado Bureau of Consular Affairs

Next of kin must be located Provides guidance to grieving family members  Provides information on how to make arrangements for local burial

or return of the remains to the U.So The Department of State has no funds to assist in the return of remains

or ashes of American citizens who die abroad.

• Injury of a student abroad o The Bureau of Consular Affairs o Able to assist in sending private funds to injured Americano State Department o Expense

Travel Caution

• Travel Warningso Issued when the State Department recommends Americans avoid

travel to a certain country

• Travel Alertso information about short-term conditions within a particular country

that poses imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens Natural disasters  Terrorist attacks  Coups  Election-related demonstrations or violence

• It is highly recommended for institutions to decline visit and travel by students to countries deemed foreign hot spots by the State Department.  This prevents a student’s risk to danger, as well as decreases liability to the institution.

Arrest/Detention of a Student

• All travelers are subject to the laws and regulations of the country they're traveling to may differ from the U.S.

• Students should be made familiar with the laws they're traveling to Country Specific Information

• If arrested abroad, a U.S. citizen must go through the foreign legal process for being charged or indicted, prosecuted, possibly convicted and sentenced, and for any appeals process.

• U.S. consular officers provides services to U.S. citizens arrested abroad and their families.

Victims Of Crime 

• Contact local police

• Contact the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency for assistance

• Remember to request a copy of the police report

• Consular duty personnel are available for emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at embassies, consulates, and consular agencies overseas and in Washington, D.C.

• Office of Overseas Citizens Services in the U.S. or Canada - 1-888-407-4747. From overseas call 202-501-4444 (after hours).

How the Embassy or Consulate Can Help

• Consular personnel know the local government agencies and resources in the country.

• They can help you: o Replace a stolen passporto Contact family, friends, or employerso Obtain medical careo Address emergency needs that arise as a result of a crimeo Obtain general information about the local criminal justice process

and information about your caseo Obtain information about local resources to assist victims, including

crime victim  assistance and victim compensation programso Obtain a list of local English-speaking attorneys

Victim Assistance

• If you are the victim of a crime while overseas you may benefit from specialized resources for crime victims available in the United States

•  There are many assistance programs throughout the U.S. that offer help to victims of violent crimes and most will even assist those who have been the victim of a crime while overseas

•  They offer:o rape crisis counseling programso shelter and counseling programs for battered womeno support groups and bereavement counseling for family memberso programs for child abuse victimso assistance for victims of drunk driving accidents

Victim Compensation

• All states operate crime victim compensation programs and nearly half of them offer benefits to their residents who are victims of violent crime overseas.

•  These state compensation programs provide financial assistance to eligible victims for reimbursement of expenses such as medical treatment, counseling, funeral costs, lost income or loss of support, and others. 

• Programs require the victim to report the crime to law enforcement and they usually request a copy of the police report. 

Contact Information for Victim Compensation and Assistance Programs

• Information about each state’s crime victim compensation program and how to apply: o National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards

http://www.nacvcb.org  

Bloss v. University of Minnesota, 1999

A female student participated in a Spanish cultural immersion program in Mexico.  One evening she traveled alone to meet friends.  She hailed a cab on the street.  The cabdriver told her that the back door was broken and invited her into the front seat, where he raped her.  Ms Bloss sued the university for, amont other things, failing to warn her of the risks of taking taxis.

Outcome

The court found, however, that the university provided written and verbal safety information in program materials, a release form, and a mandatory program orientation.  Travelers were specifically waned that women should not go out alone at night, that it was safer to call for taxis rather than hailing them on the street, and that women should never sit in the front seat of a taxi.

Fay v. Theil College, 2001

The plaintiff, Amy Fay, was on a college-sponsored three-week trip to Peru with other students and three faculty members whom the court regarded as "supervisors."  Ms. Fay became ill and was admitted to a local medical clinic.  All three faculty supervisors and all the other students left Peru, leaving Ms. Fay behind with only  amissionary who had no relationsho with her or the college.  Ms. Fay underwent an unnecessry appendectomy authorized by the missionary and was sexually assaulted afer the surgery by the surgeon and the anestesiologis.  She had signed a consent formgiving the faculty supervisors the authority to secure medical treatment should she become ill on the trip.

Outcome

The court ruled against the school on two counts, concluding that the waiver was not effecive because it was not fairly bargained for and that the school owed the student a special duty of care as a result of the consent form.