Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A)
Scope
Students participating in international
activities/educational experiences sponsored/approved and/or funded by
northeast Ohio medical university (NEOMED) must comply with all obligations set
forth in this rule and its associated forms.
(B)
Purpose
This rule is implemented in order to
uphold the values of safety and education at NEOMED and in order to minimize
the liability of the university regarding student international
experiences.
(C)
Body of rule
(1)
A student's
eligibility to participate in an international experience is conditional upon
written approval of the individual international experience by the course
director in collaboration with the office of academic services, receipt by the
office of all documentation as required by the procedures outlined in this
rule, and verification by the registrar that the student is in good academic
standing as determined by their individual degree program.
(2)
International
experience approval by the university
The international experience committee
(or the committee) will include the following members:
(a)
One faculty
member with experience in international travel
(b)
One
representative from general counsel
(c)
One faculty
representative from each college (medicine, pharmacy and graduate
studies)
(d)
One representative from student affairs
(e)
One
representative from academic services
(f)
One
representative from enrollment services
(g)
One
representative from global engagement
(3)
International
travel for academic credit and/or funded by NEOMED to a country with a U.S.
department of state issued travel warning requires approval from the
international experience committee.
(4)
International
travel for academic credit and/or funded by NEOMED to all other countries
requires approval from the office of global engagement.
(5)
Approval of an
international experience for academic credit is the responsibility of the
course director.
(6)
Funding approval for extra-curricular international
experiences is the responsibility of the NEOMED student council
(NSC).
(7)
The purpose of the international experience committee
will be to judge the safety of an international experience and approve the
experience for university student participation.
(8)
The international
experience committee will meet as needed based on the travel request submitted
by students.
(9)
Procedures to student international experience
approval.
(a)
All submissions to the committee must be turned in to the
office of global engagement for distribution to the committee a minimum of two
weeks prior to the next committee meeting.
(b)
Committee meeting
dates are posted on the student activities calendar.
(10)
Faculty
responsibility.
Any university faculty who wish to
organize an international experience that will include university students (for
academic credit or extra-curricular activity funded by the university) must
submit a written application, for review by the office of global engagement,
fulfilling the requirements as outlined in the application available in the
office of global engagement. Once a faculty member has received approval for
his/her international experience, students who wish to participate in the
international experience need not submit individual applications to the
international experience committee for approval (students must still submit all
required documents to the office of global engagement as required by this
rule).
(11)
Student responsibility.
(a)
Any student
wishing to receive funding for an extra curricular international experience
(research, mission, conference) must adhere to the procedures for requesting
student funding outlined by the NEOMED student council.
(b)
If an
international experience is currently approved by the committee through
petition, the student need not submit individual applications to the committee
for approval (students must still submit all required documents as required by
this rule).
(c)
If an international experience is not currently
approved, it is the responsibility of the student wishing to participate to
submit an application fulfilling the requirements available in the office of
global engagement.
(12)
Committee
decision
(a)
If
the international experience is approved by the office of global engagement or
the committee, the submitting student or faculty will be notified of approval
status by an official letter from the office of global engagement within five
business days after the committee meeting. Students should not make any travel
arrangements prior to receiving written approval from the office of global
engagement or the committee. Please note that although the student may receive
informal communication regarding the status of the international experience
acceptance, it is not official until the formal approval letter is received.
Letters are sent to the student's NEOMED email address. It is important to
remember that a student's eligibility to participate in an international
experience is conditional upon both written approval by committee and receipt
by the office of global engagement of all documentation as required by these
rule procedures. Furthermore, a student must be in good academic standing as
determined by his/her individual degree program.
(b)
If an
international experience is denied approval by the office of global engagement
or the committee, the submitting student or faculty will be notified of
international experience denial status by an official letter from the office of
global engagement within five business days after the committee meeting. The
denial letter will include a detailed explanation listing the reasons why the
committee rejected approval of the international experience.
(13)
Application for academic credit
In addition to IEC approval, if a
student desires to be eligible to receive academic credit for his/her
international experience, the student must submit written approval from the
course director to the office of global engagement or the international
experience committee. Refer to the complete international experience
application form for additional requirements.
(14)
Tracking
students on international experiences
Responsibility for tracking students
who are on international experiences is as follows:
(a)
M4 electives -
coordinator, registration and enrollment
(b)
P4 APPES -
director, experiential education
(c)
NSC funded
experiences - NSC advisor
(d)
Graduate studies experiences - college of graduate
studies
(e)
All students' tracking will also reside under the
office of global engagement
(15)
Student
requirements needed to receive committee review
The following documents must be
submitted to the office of global engagement at least two weeks prior to the
scheduled committee meeting:
Petition for implementation of student
international experience with the following attachments:
(a)
Documentation of
approval for academic credit by course directors (if
applicable)
(b)
Methods of pre-departure and/or on-site orientation for
students
(c)
Copy of all information provided to the students/
participants, including all orientation materials
(d)
Description of
procedures for an emergency evacuation plan
(e)
Documentation of
all relevant U.S. state department information and advisories
(f)
Documentation of
participant requirements and responsibilities
(g)
Copy of letter
accepting student into the international experience (from appropriate
official)
(h)
A completed risk assessment form (see
application)
(16)
Student requirements after committee approval
(a)
The following
documents must be submitted to the office of global engagement at least four
weeks prior to their scheduled departure date:
Proof of global assistance insurance
with a minimum required coverage as follows:
(i)
Medical expense
(accident/sickness)- one hundred thousand dollars per incident
(ii)
Accidental
death/dismemberment-ten thousand dollars
(iii)
Emergency
medical evacuation-fifty thousand dollars
(iv)
Repatriation of
remains-twenty five thousand dollars
(b)
The student must
work with the office of global engagement to obtain satisfactory global
assistance insurance, which may be available through one of the following
providers:
(ii)
HTH worldwide insurance services (
www.hthstudents.com)
(c)
Proof of travel
health consult, vaccinations, and prophylaxis (each as recommended by the
center for disease control)
(d)
Photocopy of
current passport (and proof of visa if applicable)
(e)
Photocopy of
current U.S. state department travel advisories (updated from original
pre-meeting submission)
(f)
Complete travel itinerary (including all transportation
details to, from, and during the international experience)
(g)
Emergency contact
information (for both the international experience site and within the united
states)
(h)
Proof of registration with the U.S. department of state
(can be done at
https://travelregistration.state.gov-print confirmation
page)
A signed waiver and release
agreement
(17)
Required actions
for student international experience preparation
(a)
Gather
information concerning any in-country political problems, safety concerns, or
health hazards by consulting current U.S. state department announcements and
publications, centers for disease control (CDC) information, and the
international experience site.
(b)
Investigate visa
and other entrance requirements that may be enforced in the host country.
Adhere to laws of the host country, standards of professional behavior, and
standards of conduct determined by the international experience site. Stay
current on U.S. department of state country information and communicate with
local site regarding known risks.
(c)
Complete
orientation for study abroad through self-study or formal preparatory sessions.
Such orientation will emphasize knowledge of personal health and safety
precautions, universal precautions, infectious disease risks, cultural
conditions, personal and professional behavior standards, emergency contact
procedures and preparation for medical work (if applicable).
(18)
Office of global engagement responsibility
Travel warnings and
revocation
In the event of a U.S. state department
issued travel warning for the location of a student's international experience
prior to a student's departure, a student's eligibility to travel to the
location of the international experience may be revoked at the consideration of
the university. In the event a U.S. state department warning is issued while a
student is abroad, determination of the appropriate action will be made on a
case-by-case basis, with the university having the authority to require the
student to return to the United States.
(19)
Monetary/property loss
The university is not responsible for
any monetary or property loss incurred by a student at any time during the
planning, preparation or participation in an international
experience.
(20)
Student responsibility after return to the
university
After completion of the international
experience, the student must turn in a completed international experience
evaluation form to the office of global engagement. This form does not replace
the curricular feedback/evaluation form for curricular activities.
