SARAC Operating Policies and Procedures

Effective:March 13, 2023

Name

This Committee is named Study Away Risk Assessment Committee (SARAC).

Purpose

1. The committee will review risks associated with participation in university-sponsored student travel to assess whether risks related to university student travel are acceptable to the participants and the university.
2. A program or trip will be considered university-sponsored when it meets one or more of the following criteria:
   1. Funded in whole or in part by university funds
   2. Part of credit-bearing activity (study abroad or away)
   3. Undertaken by a college or academic unit
   4. Undertaken by a recognized student organization
   5. Arranged or organized by university staff
   6. University staff travels with students in an official capacity
   7. Any group that contains an undergraduate student is immediately classified as university-sponsored student travel.

Responsibilities

1. Establish and approve criteria, policies, and procedures for international study away risk assessment.
2. Support and advise the OGO Director of Global Security, Health, and Safety and the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost on security and health concerns related to study away sites.
3. Review and assess whether risks related to proposed travel are acceptable to participants and to the institution. Recurring travel should be reviewed annually.
4. Send SARAC’s risk assessment recommendations, along with possible suggested modifications, to the designated representative of Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost for review and final decision.

Membership

1. The committee is comprised of the following entities or their representatives. All are voting members:
   1. Assistant Director of Global Security, Health, and Safety, Office of Global Opportunities
   2. Director, Global Health Programs
   3. Enterprise Risk Management & Insurance
   4. Study Away Committee
   5. Director, Center for International Business Education and Development
   6. Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office
   7. Faculty Senate
   8. Vice President of Research
   9. Legal Affairs representative (advisory)
2. Chair: Assistant Director of Global Security, Health, and Safety, Office of Global Opportunities.
3. Secretary: Administrative Services Associate, Office of Global Opportunities, or representative.
4. Term: Ongoing, with the exception of Faculty Senate representative, who is appointed for three years or until their term as faculty senator ends.

Conduct of Meetings

1. Frequency: SARAC meets monthly during the academic year. Additional meetings and meetings outside of academic terms are held at the call of the chair.  If there is no business, a meeting may be canceled in any given month.
2. Quorum: A minimum of five voting members is required for quorum. When a member is unable to attend, votes may be submitted electronically prior to the meeting. Votes submitted electronically are counted for establishing a quorum.
3. Attendance: The chair must be informed in advance of the meeting if the member will be absent.
4. Voting: SARAC votes on whether to recommend that petition to travel be:
   1. Approved without modifications
   2. Approved with added risk mitigations requirements or adjustments
   3. Rejected
5. Withdrawal from membership: If a member wishes to withdraw from the committee, they shall notify the chair in writing. Replacements shall be named by the head of the unit represented by the committee member.
6. Sub-committees and/or task forces: A sub-committee or task force, which may include individuals from outside of the committee, may be established on an as-needed basis.

Amendments

Recommendations for revision and/or amendments to this code shall be approved by a simple majority of voting members before being adopted. Recommendations for revisions are subject to review and approval by the Office of the Executive Vice President of the Provost.

Review Process

1. The Office of Global Opportunities (OGO) health and safety team is responsible for supporting university-sponsored travel as defined in section Purpose 2and works closely with SARAC to collect and prepare risk assessment reports and recommendations.
2. Recommendations are sent to the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost for review and final decision.
3. Appropriate informational resources include:
   1. International SOS (ISOS)
   2. U.S. Department of State (USDOS)
   3. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
   4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
   5. World Health Organization (WHO)
   6. Local and on-site partners and resources
4. Risk Review Thresholds:
   1. A health, safety, and security risk review is required under the following circumstances:
      1. USDOS Travel Advisory of Level 3 or 4 for country or locality
      2. ISOS travel risk rating of HIGH or EXTREME
      3. CDC Travel Health Notices Levels 3 or 4
   2. A health, safety, and security risk review of may additionally be required in case of:
      1. Adverse changes in U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories
      2. Adverse sociopolitical changes in the host country or region
      3. Adverse physical changes in the country (e.g., seismic activity, flooding, fire, infrastructure viability)
      4. Epidemic or pandemic
      5. Decisions made by other sending entities (e.g., peer institutions, study abroad providers, Peace Corps)
      6. Recommendation by the Study Away Committee (SAC) or Global Mobility Committee (GMC)
5. Risk Assessment Report Requirements:
   1. A Risk Assessment Report evaluating potential risks and benefits of travel is compiled and presented to SARAC. As appropriate, the Risk Assessment Report is comprised of input and information from:
      1. The student traveler
      2. The program director
      3. OGO’s health and safety team
   2. In addition to resources listed in Section Review Process 2, resources may include:
      1. State and local governments
      2. Physician
      3. Professional networks such as NAFSA: Association of International Educators or Pulse International
      4. Local U.S. Embassy or Consulate
      5. OHIO Faculty or staff experts and/or host-country nationals
      6. Colleagues at institutions in the region with active programs
   3. Information submitted by the program director or student traveler should include:
      1. Academic rank of travelers (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, medical)
      2. Logistical information e.g., itinerary, excursion sites, transportation, maps, housing, and emergency planning
      3. Academic purpose of travel, including whether the educational goals of travel can be achieved elsewhere
      4. Pre-departure and on-site risk mitigation plans
   4. Study away program directors may also include:
      1. Feedback from on-site contacts
      2. Program history and on-the-ground infrastructure
      3. Value to collaborative partners and communities
   5. OGO will provide background information and summary analysis:
      1. Evaluating potential risks and benefits of proposed travel
      2. Presenting data regarding current risks associated with travel to the host location
      3. Proposing potential risk mitigation alternatives and program modifications, as needed
6. Risk Review Process and Timeline:
   1. The risk review process will normally take 1-2 months from the time of submission.
      1. Urgent requests may be necessitated e.g., by change in risk ratings.
      2. If a risk rating change in a location occurs, OGO will work with SARAC to determine appropriate steps up to and including a recommendation for suspension, cancellation, or recall of student travel.