UC IRVINE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Section 1
Academic Affairs
Sec. 420-10: Policy for Student International Activities
**** THE UCI TRAVEL EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVE TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER SOME PORTIONS OF THIS POLICY DURING UCI'S RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. ****
Responsible Office: Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Issued: January 2020 (Travel Executive Directive issued August 2020)
References / Resources
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
- UC Policies
- UC Resources
- UCI Policies
- UCI Resources
Contact: Office of Global Engagement at (949) 824-9705 or global@uci.edu
Contents
A. Purpose
- The purpose of this Policy is to address risk management for International Activities involving UCI Students by providing appropriate oversight depending on the type of student and the type of international activity.
- UCI has an obligation to mitigate risk to ensure the health and safety of its Students when traveling in international locations in support of UCI's mission of teaching, research and public service.
- While UCI bears responsibility for the administration of international risk management and for actively promoting the conditions that will protect the health and safety of Participants, Participants are also responsible for their own behaviors and conduct as those behaviors and conduct affect Participants' own health and safety and the wellbeing of other Participants and Hosts.
B. Definitions
Guidelines | UCI requirements for conducting Student International Activities to reasonably ensure comprehensive health and safety appropriate to the Student and the Student International Activity. For example: the Guidelines will be different for an undergraduate student group than for a graduate student conducting independent research. |
Host | Entity on-site that provides support for a Student International Activity. |
Independent Program Provider | An entity responsible for a Student International Activity operating independently with no UCI affiliation, including UCEAP. |
Leader | UCI faculty member, staff member, or Student authorized by UCI, or UCI Affiliate with responsibility, to oversee risk management of a Student International Activity. All leaders are equally responsible for overseeing risk management should there be more than one leader for a single Student International Activity. |
Offered by UCI | Programs directly under the control of UCI or of UCI employees acting within the scope of their professional duties for UCI. |
Participant | Faculty member, staff member, Student, Leader, or other person participating in a Student International Activity. |
Registered Campus Organization | An officially recognized campus entity primarily comprising Students, faculty, and/or staff, which is granted limited access to University services, resources, and facilities for a current registration period. |
Student | Any individual enrolled in a degree-granting program (undergraduate or graduate) at UCI or participating in other academic programs offered by UCI, a Registered Campus Organization, or a UCI Affiliate. |
Student International Activity | Any activity offered by UCI or a UCI Affiliate for UCI Students that takes place outside of the geographic borders of the United States of America. |
UCI Affiliate | An entity that is legally and/or contractually authorized to conduct Student International Activities on behalf of or under the authority of UCI and that has been vetted for compliance with the Procedures (Sec. 420-11) and Guidelines. |
C. Policy
- All Student International Activities must be reviewed and approved in compliance with the process detailed in Sec. 420-11: Procedures for Student International Activities.
- UCI's review and approval procedure for risk management is transparent, efficient and prioritizes Student health and safety while supporting the UCI mission of teaching, research and public service.
- This Policy covers:
- Student International Activities that take place anywhere outside of the geographic borders of the United States.
- Risk management of all categories of risk, including health and safety, contractual, reputational, and others.
- The UCI Participants in all types of Student International Activities including Participants in Student International Activities:
- Offered by UCI, including those conducted for a group and those available to individual Students. All UCI courses, including independent study, are included in this category;
- Formally recognized by UCI, including independent research and volunteer activities that may be used to satisfy degree requirements or included in scholarly works such as theses and dissertations;
- Offered by UCI Affiliates. For example, UCI Students are eligible to participate because of a contractual relationship between UCI and an affiliated entity, including those activities conducted as a group and those available to individual Students; and
- Offered by entities not affiliated with UCI. For example, Students participating directly with an Independent Program Provider;
- Administration of Student International Activities offered by UCI, including those conducted for a group and those available to individual Students. All UCI courses, including independent study, are included in this category.
- Excluded from this Policy are:
- Academic, social, developmental, financial and other considerations related to Student International Activities. These considerations may be covered in other policies applicable to the same activities and may be reviewed by separate UCI entities under separate authorities.
- Administration of activities conducted by Independent Program Providers who are not UCI Affiliates.
- Administration of UCEAP programs. These operate under the policies and procedures of UCEAP.
- International Activities that do not involve Students conducted by UCI sponsoring units or individual faculty and staff.
D. Responsibilities and Authorities
- Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (or designee) has authority to:
- Oversee Student International Activities; and
- Consider and rule on appeals when there is a disagreement with a decision of the International Risk Review Team.
- Chief Global Affairs Officer (or designee) has authority to:
- Review and approve Student International Activities;
- Establish Guidelines for Student International Activities;
- Establish Emergency Response Protocols for Student International Activities;
- Convene and chair the Student International Activities Committee and appoint its members; and
- Convene and chair the International Risk Review Team and appoint its members.
- Study Abroad Center Director (or designee):
- Reviews and approves Student International Activities that comply with the Guidelines; and
- Provides guidance to those who wish to develop or undertake Student International Activities.
- Student International Activities Committee:
- Includes representatives from a broad range of campus units with expertise related to Student International Activities;
- Meets regularly to review the Guidelines to ensure that they follow established good practices in international higher education while supporting the UCI mission of teaching, research and public service; and
- Recommends new or updated Guidelines appropriate to the Student and to the Student International Activity to the Chief Global Affairs Officer.
- International Risk Review Team:
- Includes representatives of risk services, student affairs, emergency management and global engagement;
- Meets as needed to review requests for exceptions to the Guidelines;
- Has authority to review and approve requests for exceptions to the Guidelines;
- Recommends new and updated Emergency Response Protocols to the Chief Global Affairs Officer; and
- Implements Emergency Response Protocols and coordinates emergency response in emergencies involving Students and other Participants in Student International Activities.