Policy Guidelines for Managing Emergencies Abroad
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Introduction
The Office of Academic Student Affairs (ASA) in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the management of emergencies affecting students, faculty and staff participating in CALS's study abroad programs1. Assuring the safety and well being of students, faculty and staff who are participating in CALS's programs abroad is of the highest importance, and all reasonable actions will be taken to accomplish this.
The UW System has established Policy Guidelines (ACIS 7.1-2) for the development and operation of educational programs abroad. The plan for managing emergencies outlined in this document follows the ACIS Policy guidelines. While acknowledging that no single plan can address all contingencies, CALS recognizes the importance of establishing, in advance, policies that are designed to safeguard the safety and well being of study abroad participants and to limit the University's legal liability. The policies described here will direct CALS' response to crises affecting its participants studying abroad.
Definitions
It is important to draw a distinction between real and perceived emergencies. Key steps in responding to study abroad crises is the need to decide the type of emergency facing the participant. It will be the CALS staff person responsibility to make this decision, and to consult with others if the distinction is not clear.
Real emergencies are those that pose a genuine and sometimes immediate risk to, or that have already disturbed, the safety and well being of participants. These include such occurrences as coups and other civil disturbances; natural and human-made disasters; incarcerations; serious physical or emotional illness; accidents; physical assaults; disappearances or kidnapping; and terrorist threats and attacks.
Perceived emergencies are those which pose no significant risk to the safety and well being of participants, but which are seen as threatening by family members in the U.S. or by others, including, at times, students and colleagues at the home university. Perceptions of threat can arise out of a number of things such as sensationalized reporting of an event abroad; the distortion of information provided by another student in a telephone call, e-mail message, fax or letter home; or simply out of the nervousness of a family member or student with little or no international experience. Such perceptions will sometimes affect family members and others in the U.S. more strongly than will real emergencies, and need to be treated seriously.
Reporting an Emergency
Participants and their families are directed to call the main telephone number of International Programs (IP) at 608-262-1271 to report an emergency or crisis situation. During regular office hours, one of the IP staff responsible for the study abroad programs will receive the call. After working hours or on weekends and holidays, participants and their families will be directed to call the IP cell phone (608-513-9421) which will be with the IP staff member on-call.
Operating Principles
In managing emergencies, CALS staff will be guided in their decision-making before, during and after a crisis, by the following principles:
- All responses to a crisis will be governed by the highest concern for the safety and well being of the participant(s).
- All reasonable and prudent measures will be taken to limit the University's legal liabilities.
- ASA and IP will exercise caution and restraint in deciding when
and with whom information about the emergency should be shared.
- The guidelines in the Appendix (not included here) are intended as a checklist to assist in decision making. In every case, staff must exercise judgement in choosing appropriate guidelines to follow.
Responding to an Emergency Call
When an emergency is reported, CALS staff will respond by following the procedures listed below, as appropriate.
- Information Gathering
In a potential emergency situation, IP staff should use the Emergency Contact Form to gather pertinent information about the situation from the person calling. See Appendix A for information gathering guidelines.
- Determine if the emergency is perceived or real
a) Gather as much information as necessary to determine what risks the study abroad participants are facing.
b) In assessing the risks, determine the appropriate people and organizations to be contacted (by telephone if at all possible) for detailed and accurate information.
c) Consult other staff if it is not clear whether the situation is real or perceived.
- Take appropriate action.