Travel Risk Advisory Committee
The University of St. Thomas uses U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Notices as guidelines in determining whether its students or employees may travel abroad.
To minimize health and safety risks, St. Thomas students and faculty/staff, whether as individual travelers or leaders of group travel, must request and receive permission from the university before being allowed to travel to any country for which there is a Level 3 or Level 4 Department of State Travel Advisory.
The Travel Risk Advisory Committee (TRAC) is responsible for reviewing applications to travel to these countries. TRAC will also recommend whether or not to suspend travel already underway in countries where a new Level 3 or higher CDC or Travel Advisory assigned or other safety concerns arise, such as natural disasters, pandemics, and wars or political disturbances.
Committee recommendations are sent to the President's Cabinet member for final review and decision making. Their decision is final and not subject to appeal.
Additional Information
Visit OneStThomas for more information about the Travel Risk Advisory Committee.
TRAC Approval Process
Who Must Apply
The travel policy (PDF) applies to all St. Thomas students and employees, whether travelling individually or in groups (study abroad, music ensemble, athletic team, VISION, student organization, etc.).
Individual travelers are responsible for completing and submitting their own application. For groups, the program director or group leader is responsible for completing and submitting an application on behalf of all participants.
Students with active academic and conduct holds are not allowed to participate in any overnight off-campus program—as per the Office of Student Affairs.
Changing Conditions
If an application is approved, it is done so based on conditions at the time of review.
If the country is later assigned a higher-level Travel Advisory or Health Notice, the proposal must be reconsidered.
Subsequent Trips
Approvals are granted for specific students or groups. Subsequent cases will be considered singularly.
If the program repeats in subsequent years and the country remains under a Level 3 or higher CDC or State Department Travel Advisory, the program must be re-approved.
If additional program directors or individual students in the same or other departments seek to travel to the same country for which permission has been previously granted to another group or individual, they must still submit proposals to the committee on their own.
Who Must Apply
Who Must Apply
The travel policy (PDF) applies to all St. Thomas students and employees, whether travelling individually or in groups (study abroad, music ensemble, athletic team, VISION, student organization, etc.).
Individual travelers are responsible for completing and submitting their own application. For groups, the program director or group leader is responsible for completing and submitting an application on behalf of all participants.
Students with active academic and conduct holds are not allowed to participate in any overnight off-campus program—as per the Office of Student Affairs.
Changing Conditions
Changing Conditions
If an application is approved, it is done so based on conditions at the time of review.
If the country is later assigned a higher-level Travel Advisory or Health Notice, the proposal must be reconsidered.
Subsequent Trips
Subsequent Trips
Approvals are granted for specific students or groups. Subsequent cases will be considered singularly.
If the program repeats in subsequent years and the country remains under a Level 3 or higher CDC or State Department Travel Advisory, the program must be re-approved.
If additional program directors or individual students in the same or other departments seek to travel to the same country for which permission has been previously granted to another group or individual, they must still submit proposals to the committee on their own.
Financial Responsibility
St. Thomas assumes no responsibility for financial losses that might result from University Administrative decisions to (1) deny travel to countries with Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisories / Health Notices or (2) cancel programs, already underway, in countries for which Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisories / Health Notices are issued, or (3) as a result of students voluntarily withdrawing from approved programs in countries with active Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisories / Health Notices.