Syracuse Abroad:
Health, Safety, & Academics during Covid Times
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Dear partners and colleagues,
This time last year, we were repatriating over 1,000 students from 35 different program locations around the world. Our Covid-19 efforts have continued now for over a year and we are very pleased with the progress we've made.
The purpose of this update is to share our Covid-19 planning, processes, and resources as they exist today. We want partners to be confident that we will run programs effectively this summer and fall, and that we are operating with the highest standards of care during these challenging times. Rest assured we are taking an intentional, constructive approach to learning abroad amidst this pandemic. We are focusing on what we can do rather than what we cannot do. In the 2021-22 academic year, we will make it a primary goal to help students make sense of the changing world and how they can positively impact it.
Please read below for some program specific resources and high-level planning strategies. Our Syracuse Abroad team remains available if you would like to meet to discuss any of our academic, health, or safety processes in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Seth Tucker & Dr. Petra Hejnova
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Seth Tucker
Director of Global Safety &
Student Services
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Petra Hejnova, Ph.D.
Director, Curriculum &
Academic Services
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Below, we've included definitions for "isolation" and "quarantine", taken directly from the Johns Hopkins University's (JHU) contact tracing course. You can see JHU's full Covid-19 glossary here. We have found that defining Covid-19 terminology streamlines internal collaborations as well as communications with students, parents, and partner schools.
Isolation: Condition in which a [confirmed] case is separated from others. Isolation occurs under conditions (for example, having a private bedroom and bathroom) that will prevent or limit the transmission of an infectious agent to those who are susceptible. Cases should be isolated for the entirety of their infectious period.
Quarantine: Condition in which a contact’s activities are restricted. The contact is separated from others to prevent onward disease transmission to those who are susceptible. Contacts should be quarantined for the duration of their incubation period.
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Covid Webpages & OSAC Questionnaires |
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Our Covid-19 plans have been developed while keeping in mind both student safety and the quality of the student experience abroad. All programs will maintain appropriate surveillance testing schedules. All academic spaces have been arranged to respect social distancing, and masks are required. We maintain separate isolation/quarantine housing, and these accommodations will be offered to students, as needed, without additional financial charge. Our contact tracing staff will move quickly to minimize spread, and case managers will support any students needing assistance. This will allow us to fully focus on the student program and academic experience. See our program-specific Covid webpages, linked below:
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OSAC Questionnaires
You may be aware that the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) recently released a template to facilitate soliciting comprehensive Covid-19 information about study abroad programs. These questionnaires are rapidly becoming the industry standard. We have proactively completed the OSAC questionnaires for each of our locations, and are more than happy to answer questions about any issues or scenarios that are not addressed.
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Please reply to this email to request a copy of the OSAC questionnaire for any program. |
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Guaranteed Academic Continuity |
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In Spring 2020, we were able to pivot very quickly to online learning, allowing students to complete the vast majority of their courses remotely. As we expect and prepare for future Covid-related disruptions to academics abroad, we have taken necessary steps to ensure students can complete their coursework this summer and fall. We will leverage the expertise of our program faculty and academic leadership in each program location.
The following steps have been taken to prepare for summer and fall:
- All programs have implemented a hybrid learning class format, allowing students to make academic progress even if they must isolate or quarantine.
- We are adopting the use of innovative technologies only to the extent they enrich - not detract from - the student learning experience abroad.
- We continue to use Syracuse University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence for ongoing faculty trainings and pedagogical development related to online learning.
To provide students with a strong academic experience, we have:
- Made class sizes smaller (average 10) to accommodate social distancing.
- Prioritized individual contact with professors including in-person and virtual conversations.
- Established a range of student support services, covering academic mentoring support as well as mental and physical health advising.
- Outlined advice and guidance for individual students and small groups in immersing in local environments.
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Student Services: An Integrated & Holistic Approach |
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The well-being of students is our priority. While abroad, students are supported by both our domestic student services team as well as on-site staff overseas. As a reminder, each of our program locations has:
- A highly experienced residential student services team that has been integral in planning our Covid-19 response, thanks to their close relationships with local governments, health networks, and resources.
- Dedicated medical and mental health support through carefully vetted local partners.
- Trained contact tracers and caring case managers to support those that might need assistance, from the complications of quarantine and isolation to the more mundane adjustment issues.
Our local expertise and commitment to excellent care abroad, combined with guidance and support from our home campus, should provide students, parents, and partners with peace of mind. This is not just theory: We began operating several programs abroad again in spring 2021, and can say that our approach to delivering a robust study abroad experience in a Covid environment is working.
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Alert Traveler & Phone Loans |
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We utilize Alert Traveler (a Terra Dotta product add-on) to communicate with students while they are abroad. This allows us to send emails and texts directly to students, to both smart phones and non-smart phones. We can also use Alert Traveler to prompt students to complete an emergency check-in.
Phone Loan Assistance for High Need Students
Communicating with students while they are abroad is a key component to safety. An Alert-Traveler-compatible device will be loaned to any student with demonstrated financial need while they are abroad. This has been our protocol for many years, even prior to Covid-19 and the implementation of Alert Traveler.
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Imagine the World Differently
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