SUNY Cortland suspends study abroad in high-threat countries

The following message was sent to SUNY Cortland students studying abroad in Italy and Japan by Mary Schlarb, director of international programs:

Dear Students,

We would like to follow up on the message you received on Wednesday from SUNY Cortland President Bitterbaum regarding the Coronavirus COVID-19. As was stated:

“All SUNY Cortland students studying abroad in countries posing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) level 3 or level 2 risk for COVID-19 will be brought back to the U.S. as soon as possible… the decision will impact students currently in Italy and Japan… Students in countries currently rated a level 1 risk – the same as the U.S. – can remain abroad for now, although they will be offered options to leave and should understand that their situation may change in the future.”  

As you are currently studying in a country with the lowest CDC Level 1 risk, we want to outline your current options:

1)     Remain on your program and continue your course work as planned.  The New York State Department of Health is not currently advising students in Level 1 countries to return home.  Please understand, however, that the situation could change, and you could be asked to return to the US at a later date if the country in which you are studying is upgraded to a Level 2 or Level 3 risk. Use this link to stay up to date on your country’s current risk level: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.  If the situation changed, we would assist you in making a new academic plan and prepare for your transition home.

2)     Elect to return home early – meaning now, or in the coming days or weeks, should you or your families feel concerned for your health and safety in light of COVID-19. If you would like to discuss options for your return, and any financial and academic implications, please email your program advisor, Julie Ficarra (julie.ficarra@cortland.edu), Hugh Anderson (hugh.anderson@cortland.edu), or Kayla DeCoste (kayla.decoste@cortland.edu), and we will work with you to develop a plan.  If you choose this option, it is important that you understand the following:

·       Students electing to come home from countries designated at the lowest level of risk, CDC Level 1, should not expect a refund of tuition or fees, or reimbursement for flight changes.

·       Any academic decision you make outside of continuing in your study abroad program might carry financial aid implications. These implications will vary by individual situation, and we would refer students to their financial aid advisor to discuss any amended academic plan that we help you develop.  We cannot guarantee that all financial aid implications can be mitigated, but we will try to address any concerns.

·       The International Programs Office will work to determine what academic options are available that will allow students to complete their credits.  If a country has a low risk, then we cannot expect our partner universities to offer to convert their courses to online teaching, but we will work to identify if there are any other available options through SUNY Cortland or transfer credit.  We cannot guarantee that we can find options that will meet all of a student’s academic needs, but we will seek creative solutions, working with our campus academic advisors and associate deans.

·       Because each student’s academic program and situation is different, we ask that if you are considering coming home before completing your program, please contact your SUNY Cortland International Programs advisor.

In the event that you decide or are asked to return home, while SUNY Cortland cannot guarantee your ability to complete all coursework, we would actively assist you in identifying your options. 

This is a quickly evolving, global, public health issue and we are working closely with SUNY System and the Department of Health to provide guidance and options that prioritize your well-being. We understand how difficult it can be to be abroad during these types of events and the International Programs Office is here to support you as you weigh your options.
Sincerely,

Mary Schlarb

Director, International Programs

SUNY Cortland International Programs Office