Coronavirus Update 6.12.20: Revised Travel Policy for Faculty and Staff

Dear Faculty and Staff:

As part of our early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Syracuse University took swift action to limit and prohibit travel as part of our robust strategy to safeguard the health and well-being of our campus community. We recognize and appreciate that the current travel limitations and prohibitions have created challenges for some members of our community, particularly for research-active faculty and graduate students whose research programs require field work and data collection during the summer months.

As such, as Central New York and other regions across the United States and around the world begin to ease COVID-19-related restrictions, effective immediately, Syracuse University will revise existing limitations and prohibitions on University-sponsored faculty and staff travel as follows:

Specific Country Prohibitions: No change. The University’s existing prohibition on University-sponsored travel to any CDC Level-3 international destination remains in place. We recognize that in some extraordinary circumstances, it may be highly problematic for some faculty to cancel or postpone travel to an otherwise prohibited international destination. For that reason, faculty may submit an appeal, in coordination with their dean, directly to the interim vice president for research. The VPR will make a recommendation to the provost, who is responsible for making the final determination and notifying both the traveler and the relevant dean. Any individual whose travel is approved under this policy is required to register that travel on the University travel registry system.

Questions regarding the risks associated with a particular destination or requests for assistance with registering travel should be directed to Seth Tucker, director of global safety and support, at satucker@syr.edu or 315.443.1968.

Non-Essential Travel: No change. The University’s existing prohibition on non-essential, University-sponsored travel remains in place. We continue to encourage faculty and staff to cancel or postpone any planned or proposed non-essential travel. Until further notice, travel to attend professional or educational conferences is defined as non-essential.

Travel Deemed Essential for an Academic or Business Purpose: Change. Effective immediately, we will ease existing restrictions on travel deemed essential to an academic or business purpose of the University.

For faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students: Essential travel is defined as travel require to:

• preserve the safety of a research subject and cannot be postponed; or
• preserve the continuity and results of a research activity and cannot be postponed.

For faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students, travel to attend professional or educational conferences is defined as non-essential. Faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students with questions about whether specific proposed travel is essential, or those seeking approval to engage in essential travel, should confer first with their department chairs. Deans (or department chairs, if designated by the dean) will make a recommendation as to the essential nature of the travel request and forward that recommendation to the interim vice president for research. The VPR will make the final determination and notify both the traveler and the dean or department chair making the request. Any faculty member, researcher, postdoctoral scholar or graduate student whose essential travel is approved is required to register that travel on the University travel registry system.

For staff: Essential travel is defined as travel that, if not accomplished, will cause significant harm to the academic or business operations of the University.

Staff travel to attend professional or educational conferences is defined as non-essential. Staff with questions about whether specific proposed travel is essential, or those seeking approval to engage in essential travel, should confer with their supervisors. Deans or unit leaders will make a recommendation as to the essential nature of the travel request and forward that recommendation to the relevant division head or vice president, who will make the final determination and notify the notify both the traveler and the unit leader making the request. Any staff member whose essential travel is approved is required to register that travel on the University travel registry system.

Anyone who travels should review current CDC guidance for additional information, particularly as it relates to travel considerations, return policies and preventive measures you should take to protect yourself and those around you. Our revised policies will remain in effect until further notice, and the University will reconsider and adjust current travel limitations and prohibitions as appropriate, given new information and COVID-19-related guidance and directives from public-sector health authorities.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation