It is a goal of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) strategic plan to ensure that students will have maximum exposure to international experiences. To minimize health and safety risks, UNH policy prohibits student activities, undergraduate and graduate, in countries or areas that the U.S. Department of State rates as Level 3: Reconsider Travel or Level 4: Do Not Travel. There may be instances when an individual student or a UNH-sponsored group considers that there is a compelling educational interest to conducting an activity in a Level 3 or Level 4 country or area and that it is possible to mitigate the risks. In these cases an individual student may petition to the International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC) for prior approval.
In addition, ITRRC also may require approval for travel to locations that pose a specific health, safety, or security concern as indicated by sources other than the U.S. Department of State. Examples of such sources may include but are not limited to: Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), non-U.S. government authorities (e.g., Australian or Canadian authorities), University of New Hampshire authorities, travel assistance providers, and international education organizations.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early. The committee review process may take 6 to 8 weeks.
Who Must Apply?
In cases where a unit is organizing an activity, the unit or faculty/staff member in charge is responsible for ensuring all participants have approval. The easiest way to do this is to apply for approval for the program on behalf of all participants. If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," approval is required prior to promotion of an activity:
- Is the activity financially supported, in any way, by UNH?
- Is the activity supervised, led, arranged, OR somehow sponsored by an UNH department or faculty or staff member?
- Is the activity supervised, led, arranged, OR somehow sponsored by a University office, organization (band, athletic team, etc.) or by a UNH Recognized Student Organization?
Petition Contents
The petition must demonstrate the educational value of the program or activity and how its documented structures and health and safety procedures mitigate the concerns of the travel advisories. Requests associated with sites not affiliated with a university or established sponsoring agency and requests to countries with high-risk advisories require substantial documentation.
- Proposal
The proposal, a written rationale stating the need for the proposed program in the specific site, should be written in essay or letter form and should include the answers to the following questions:
a. How many students do you estimate will participate?
b. What are the proposed dates of the program?
c. Is this activity intended as a one-time event or a continuing program?
d. What are the compelling educational reasons for the experience in the specific location?
e. What alternative sites were considered and why do they not meet the educational needs?
f. Will the program count as credit toward the degree or toward meeting a general requirement for the degree?
g. How does the structure of the program and health and safety procedures in place mitigate the concerns of the travel advisories? - Program description and/or syllabus
- Unit Emergency Plan
Please update and submit your program crisis management plan so that it addresses how the program will mitigate the current risks and makes any necessary revisions to the emergency communication and evacuation plan. For COVID-19 related questionnaire, contact beth.kilinc@unh.edu. - Letter of endorsement from department chair
- Letter of endorsement from dean
- Copy of agreement with host institution (if applicable)
- Additional materials
This may include documentation that supports the petition and provide the ITRRC a more complete understanding of the nature of the activity and plans to mitigate the risks. - UNH ITRRC Consent and Agreement Form
Contact Beth Kilinc at beth.kilinc@unh.edu.
Petition Submissions
Complete Unit ITRRC Travel Approval petitions should be submitted electronically or in hard copy to:
The International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC)
C/O Beth Kilinc
Global Education Center
University of New Hampshire
Conant Hall 310
10 Library Way
Durham NH 03824
Tel: 603-862-0128
Fax: 603-862-0169
Email: beth.kilinc@unh.edu
Petition Checklist
_____Proposal
_____Program Description and/or syllabus
_____Unit Emergency Plan
_____Letter of endorsement from department chair
_____Letter of admission from the program
_____Letter of endorsement from dean
_____Agreement with host institution (if applicable)
_____Additional materials
_____UNH ITRRC Consent and Agreement Form
