What Happens When Things Go Wrong?

Developing Response Protocols for Emergencies Abroad Arlene Snyder, Director of Health, Safety and Security, The College of Global Studies, Arcadia University Lisa Donatelli, Deputy Director, Georgetown University

Introductory Brainstorming  Has this happened to you?  Let’s have a show of hands for a few quick questions:  Been asked credit questions/decisions?  Been confronted with dilemmas related to students who had to come back to the US early?  Anyone want to share?

Crisis Management  What are the standards in the field?  Responsible Study Abroad (on NAFSA website from Interorganizational Task Force) at www.nafsa.org  Forum Standards at www.forumea.org  Neither gives us the complete road map we might need or want

Questions and Considerations  Type of institution  Type of program  Who is running the program?  Length of program and time of event/disaster  Others?

Expectations about Response  What alternate arrangements can be made?  What alternate arrangements are available to home country students?  What are the complicating factors (host institution, home institution policies)?  How do you make an informed decision?

How do you prepare?  International planning or oversight group  With representation from across the college or university  Emergency response planning group  Crisis management plans for various scenarios  Who do you invite from your campus?

How do you communicate about your preparation?  Who are your constituencies?  Students, faculty, staff, parents, trustees …. And more  Honesty and transparency in disclosure  For example, if you allow study in a travel warning country …. What do you say about what might happen in the event of political instability?  Ability to have conversation and questions before the crisis occurs

What is realistic to expect?  Case study: New Zealand earthquake in Canterbury  What happened  What were the reactions – students, staff, parents,

partners  What did we consider  What did we do

Lessons and Successes  ERT/EST vs campus culture – What protocols?  Consider inefficiencies  Do you know who is abroad?  Define Terms: Crisis versus aftermath 

Simultaneous management preferred (degree audit + crisis mgmt)

 Communication  Leverage technology – internal parent website  Keep in mind documentation requirements  Don’t forget legal counsel guidelines for communication

 What if your students will not come home? Credit/no

credit?

Policy Questions  When a crisis happens is just as important as where it is,

and what it is.

 Middle East crisis and beginning of semester  Japan 2/3 of the way through a full year

 Continue the semester at all costs?  As Arlene mentioned, relocation not always easy  Visas, travel, course approvals on the fly  What is your commitment to “continuing the program”?  Relocate  Determining partial credit, especially for full year students  Add sections of courses at home to complete semester

Policy continued  Policy decisions raised by this issue  Full course load  P/F requirement for graduation/ major vs. minor 

By when did students have to choose which courses to take pass/fail?

 Language requirement/ 6 credit course pass/fail?  Summer school accommodations?

Could any of these things be considered before the crisis?

Financial considerations  What is your refund policy?  Relocating to a new program means new bills  Can you front students that money until refunds are issued  Cost of attendance abroad is now different and needs to be recalculated  Covering other costs – do you have policies for    

Deposits Sending belongings back to US Summer school Additional visa fees