Week of December 13, 2021
December 13, 2021
Email sent to Spring 2022 and Academic-Year 2021-2022 study abroad students
Greetings from the Center for Global Study and Engagement,
We are writing with some important information as you are about to embark on a study abroad program for the Spring 2022 semester. The Center for Global Study and Engagement (CGSE) staff and faculty have been working closely with our in-country teams and partners to prepare for this exciting and immersive experience. At this time, Dickinson does not plan to cancel any Spring 2022 programs that were previously approved.
Please read this email in its entirety, as there are several important ACTION ITEMS which are required for you to remain eligible for study abroad during the spring 2022 semester. If you do not comply by the dates below, we will withdraw you from study abroad so that you can make plans to return to campus for the spring.
BOOSTERS REQUIRED FOR SPRING 2022 STUDY ABROAD
Following the announcement by the CDC that all adults over age 18 are eligible for a COVID-19 booster six months from their second dose (see: CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots to All Adults), Dickinson has made the decision to require all participants going abroad for Spring 22 to receive a COVID-19 booster if they are eligible to receive one. This move has been made to address rapidly changing guidelines in countries around the world, and to ensure that our students studying abroad will be able to participate freely and fully in daily life in the countries in which they are studying. In some countries, students may be considered ‘unvaccinated’ 6 or 9 months after their last vaccine shot. It is highly likely that boosters will be required to gain access to museums, bars, restaurants, and public places in many countries in 2022, particularly in Europe. Not having this booster for some countries would adversely impact a student’s ability to participate in academic excursions and therefore make it nearly impossible to participate in the program. Please note that students must travel with the original proof of all vaccinations and boosters.
ACTION ITEMS FOR SPRING 2022 STUDY ABROAD
We recognize students and their families are following the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic closely. The new COVID ‘Variant of Concern’, Omicron, has been receiving a lot of global attention. Here is the WHO brief about the Omicron Variant. We are continuing to monitor the latest information, as we did when the Delta variant first emerged in the weeks before the Fall 2021 semester. The Omicron variant is being studied and analyzed now, and more will be known about how this variant differs from Delta, and other variants, in the coming weeks.
ACTION ITEM 1: If you have concerns about your continued participation in your study abroad program for the spring, please email CGSE global@dickinson.edu as soon as possible, and no later than December 17th.
ACTION ITEM 2: Read, sign, and return the waiver and community compact (attached) by December 17th at 3pm. All students going abroad must sign this waiver and compact, which has been sent out several times since October. If you have not yet turned this in, please review again the stipulations in the compact that have been put in place to assist in keeping our Dickinson community and host communities healthy. As a reminder, as part of this compact, all program participants agree to restrict any personal travel to their host country for the duration of the semester. Students who do not send in their signed waiver by December 17th will not be permitted to go abroad in the spring. Students currently studying abroad for the academic year must also sign this waiver, as it is specific to the spring 2022 semester.
ACTION ITEM 3: Obtain and submit proof of having received a COVID-19 vaccine and booster by January 3. We encourage students to begin to seek out a locally available booster as soon as possible. If you are not yet eligible for the booster or are an academic year student not planning to return to the US between semesters, please contact the CGSE immediately.
Both the Wellness Center and CGSE will need a copy of your vaccine record with your booster. To upload your vaccine record please complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Information Questionnaire in your CGSE application portal as soon as you receive your booster. Information about how to submit your booster to Wellness will be shared at a later date.
Looking ahead to spring 2022
As we plan for the spring, we must all mitigate risk together and understand our shared responsibility to our Dickinson and host communities. To that end, our Dickinson global team is committed to providing a meaningful study abroad experience to all students. In order to do so, we may need to adapt programming, COVID screening, and risk strategies as needed to ensure academic continuity as well as to protect students, staff, and the host community. We thank you in advance for recognizing our interdependence through your understanding, cooperation, and commitment to being responsible global citizens.
If you have any questions about the spring 2022 study abroad semester or any of the information in this email, please reach out to us by email at global@dickinson.edu and we will be happy to answer your questions.
You are truly part of a new generation of study abroad students, and we applaud your resilience, your flexibility, and your willingness to responsibly participate in study abroad!
Best regards,
The Center for Global Study and Engagement