Updates for international students, study abroad student repatriations and the "Do Not Travel" advisory from the State Department.
1. International Students: It is imperative that F and J students report their current location to IPO. Homeland Security issued an exception to Federal Regulations which prohibited full-time on-line learning by F-1 and J-1 students. However, the institutional reporting requirement (physical location/address of each student) stands. Please respond to IPO requests for information promptly.
2. Study Abroad: Student repatriations continued over the weekend, as planned. The last students will return with the assistance of their program staff from: Malaysia, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Denmark, Colombia, New Zealand, etc.
Occidental issued the following statement in accordance with the US Department of State Level 4 advisory “DO NOT TRAVEL” for the entire world and Occidental's Statement of Location Safety and Student Travel Policy.
Urgent Official Occidental College Notification (3/19/20)
Wendy Sternberg, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College
Robin Craggs, Executive Director, International Programs
This notice replaces any and all prior communications students had with the staff of the International Programs office at Occidental College and any and all prior arrangements students made with their host program.
Occidental College instructs students to return home immediately due to the US Department of State Level 4 advisory “DO NOT TRAVEL” for the entire world which says:
U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.
Students must work with program staff to depart immediately while they can assist.
If students choose to stay abroad against this instruction, students are hereby notified that they do so in violation of the Agreement to Participate and that they and their families assume direct, personal responsibility for any and all consequences resulting from this decision. Should students remain abroad, neither Occidental nor your host are responsible for their continued health and safety, their academic completion remotely or otherwise, financial support, or their inability to return to the United States at any time.
This notification is issued in accordance with Occidental's Statement of Location Safety and Student Travel Policy and the Agreement to Participate which students signed in the IPO portal.
Robin Craggs | Executive Director
International Program