Easing University Business Travel Restrictions

Dear Colleagues:

Syracuse University’s Public Health Team continues to monitor pandemic conditions, as well as current and new public health guidance. As we continue to experience improvement in key public health indicators, the University is assessing the status of current restrictions and lifting or modifying them as appropriate. Consistent with the latest guidance, we have begun the process of easing business travel restrictions.

Effective immediately, Syracuse University will lessen the restrictions for faculty and staff business travel that is deemed essential, which is defined as academic or business travel that has been approved by your dean or senior vice president as essential and that satisfies desired goals that cannot otherwise be achieved without the requested travel.

Before booking business travel, we ask that you take the following three steps:

1. Obtain Approval: Please speak with your immediate supervisor or department chair to ensure the intended trip meets the definition of essential travel. The supervisor or department chair will then seek approval directly from their dean or senior vice president on behalf of the traveler.
2. Submit your University Travel Application: After completing step one, please submit your University Travel Application for faculty and staff. The applications will be periodically reported to each of the deans and senior vice presidents for their records. If you haven’t already completed the University’s vaccination requirements, please do so using the Faculty and Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation Questionnaire.
3. Complete the Travel Registry: Once you have submitted your University Travel Application, please complete the required Syracuse University Travel Registry to submit the details of your travel plans.

Please note, travel that includes a student or students may not be sought through this process. Guidance for travel that includes students should be discussed directly with Seth Tucker, director, Global Safety and Support, at satucker@syr.edu, who can provide information on the process. Approval to travel for research purposes should be sought through the Office of the Vice President for Research. Information on that process can be found on the Office of Research website.

If you have any questions about your specific circumstance, please first consult with your immediate supervisor.

Sincerely,

Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer