Updates
Dear Brown Community Members,
Starting on July 15, Brown will lift most pandemic-related restrictions on international travel and return to its previously established policy for High-Risk and Restricted University-sponsored travel. A summary of what is required and what travel is permitted is provided below, but please refer to the International Travel Risk Management website for more information about Brown’s international travel policy:
https://www.brown.edu/global/international-travel-risk-management
University-Sponsored International Travel
For Students: All students may travel to countries rated as U.S. Department of State (DOS) Level 1 or 2, and/or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Level 1, and/or CDC COVID-19 Level 1 or Level 2 as part of University-sponsored travel. No undergraduate student, graduate student or medical student will be permitted to conduct University-sponsored travel to any country that is categorized as Restricted Travel (U.S. DOS Level 4, or CDC Level 3, or CDC COVID-19 Level 4, and/or extreme security risk). Any undergraduate student, graduate student or medical student wishing to engage in University-sponsored travel to a High-Risk Travel destination (U.S. DOS Level 3, or CDC Level 2, or CDC COVID-19 Level 3) and not traveling with a Brown-administered group program — e.g. through the Office of International Programs (OIP), Swearer Center, Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), GELT/Wintersession, etc. — must complete a Safety Plan via TravelSafe and obtain permission from the Global Travel Risk Assessment Committee (GTRAC) prior to making travel arrangements. All students are required to register their travel plans in TravelSafe (https://travelsafe.brown.edu/my-travel-plans).
For Faculty and Staff: All faculty and staff on University-sponsored travel (domestic and international) are required to register their travel plans in TravelSafe for the foreseeable future. Faculty and staff are not required to complete a Safety Plan but are strongly encouraged to do so if they are traveling to a Restricted Travel destination (U.S. DOS Level 4, or CDC Level 3, or CDC COVID-19 Level 4, and/or extreme security risk).
Study Abroad Exemption: Brown-approved study abroad programs are exempt from this international travel guidance, as they have separately gone through a site assessment and program review by the OIP and GTRAC, taking into consideration guidance from U.S. agencies, in-country health conditions and public health experts, as well as readiness plans of each program, including housing, on-site staffing and partner universities’ protocols.
Re-entry Updates: Many countries continue to impose border entry restrictions, including mandatory quarantine and testing requirements, so it is essential for all international travelers to continually review their destination travel requirements and remain apprised of U.S. re-entry guidelines. All members of the community should actively monitor the U.S. Department of State website, the CDC website, and the International SOS pandemic website for updates (via login through Brown’s membership number: 11BSGC000031), as travel and entry restrictions continue to evolve and could change with little advance warning:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html
University-Sponsored Domestic Travel
As a reminder, effective May 26, 2021, the University lifted its previous “essential travel only” mandate, easing restrictions on domestic University-sponsored travel. In addition, the University lifted undergraduate travel restrictions for individual students undertaking University-sponsored domestic travel. Students should continue to consult the Travel-related guidance for undergraduate students webpage for more information:
https://healthy.brown.edu/prevention/travel-policies/student-travel-guidance
All off-campus faculty- or staff-led, course-based, non-academic or administrative field trips involving faculty, staff and/or students are permitted as long as they are in alignment with University Campus Activity Planning Guidance and remain in accordance with local, state and/or host organization regulations.
Consistent with Brown’s extracurricular activities policy and Student Activities Office (SAO) policy, Student Organizations are permitted to travel on behalf of their student organization over the summer term between 7/15 and 8/8 prior to the start of finals. Only students approved to be on campus are eligible for travel during the summer term. Students should request permission for student organization travel through this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPzMOdqmZ2tdyAHJDNnNluNhLWOQBaivZjo9QBrVbOAGq3kg/viewform
All travel must be booked by SAO and no reimbursements will be permitted. Please email SAO@Brown.edu with any questions regarding student organization travel.
Travel for Field Research
Please note that if the purpose of travel is to carry out essential field research, the Justification and Safety Plan must first be approved by Brown’s Field Research Subcommittee. Details about field research approvals are available on the Resuming Research webpage:
https://www.brown.edu/research/conducting-research-brown/resuming-research
As Brown resumes sponsored travel opportunities in the U.S. and abroad, the University continues to encourage all travelers on domestic and international travel to exercise caution and expects faculty, staff and students to comply with national, state and local laws, as well as requirements of the community and/or organization to which they are traveling. Brown continues to update its travel policies in light of the increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in the U.S. and the growing international availability of COVID-19 vaccines. The updated guidance, outlined in detail above, relies on current public health information and may be revised if global travel advisories change and conditions evolve, prompting a shift in Brown’s operations and protocols.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Christine Sprovieri
Director, International Travel Risk Management