Dear Campus Community,

I am writing to update you on UMBC’s approach to responding to international incidents, specifically in light of any ongoing international conflicts. I understand that these events may  cause significant distress and uncertainty, particularly for members of our UMBC community with personal or academic connections to the regions impacted. 

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are our highest priorities. While incidents occur daily worldwide, we recognize some events can impact the ability of our community members more than others to travel freely, conduct research, complete their studies, or pose a direct threat to personal health, safety, and security. The following are the steps we take when such international incidents occur.

When an international incident occurs, whether that is an armed conflict, a disease outbreak, or a natural disaster, UMBC follows this protocol:

• Travelers

Per UMBC’s International Travel Policy, all university-affiliated international travel must be registered with the university. This ensures that staff in the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) receive automated notifications when UMBC travelers are impacted by incidents classified by our insurance provider, risk intelligence company, or the U.S. Department of State as high or extreme risk. Additionally, we manually consult the International Travel Registry to confirm students, faculty, and staff currently located in or scheduled to transit through the impacted region.

If UMBC has travelers in an impacted region, CGE staff will reach out to those travelers to confirm their safety, assess their immediate needs, and provide  assistance as necessitated by the circumstances. Assistance ranges from simply sharing information to working with our insurance provider to coordinate an authorized medical or security evacuation.

CGE staff message international students, faculty, and staff from impacted countries and whose immigration records are managed by UMBC. In addition to reminding individuals of available campus resources, CGE shares notices regarding any special provisions (e.g., Special Student Relief and Temporary Protected Status) made available to impacted individuals by the U.S. government.

CGE coordinates with campus partners to support UMBC community members impacted by international incidents. A small and agile International Rapid Response Team is available to assess immediate and long-term impacts and identify campus resources available to those impacted.

Regardless of whether or not UMBC has travelers in an impacted region on university-affiliated travel, we continue to monitor significant international incidents to look for potential escalations or expansion to other areas where university travelers are present. If warranted, we will require requests for university-affiliated travel to impacted regions to be reviewed and approved by UMBC’s International Travel Review Committee, which includes faculty and staff representatives. If it seems evident that risks will spread to neighboring regions, university travelers in those areas may be proactively advised to depart their location. Please note that we do not monitor personal travel.

To ensure our decisions are based on the most accurate and current information, UMBC uses several resources that are not available to the general public:

If you are planning international travel, please ensure you utilize the following resources:

Like the state of Maryland, UMBC is a diverse and globally-engaged community. Our faculty, staff, and students have family, friends, and academic collaborators worldwide. For many, the concept of home stretches across borders, cultures, and timezones. We recognize that national and world events beyond our campus can have a significant impact on the overall well-being of our community members. 

As a community of inquiring minds, it is important that we all remain committed to maintaining a global perspective. Staying informed of world events, seeking to understand viewpoints different from our own, and offering support to classmates and colleagues impacted by incidents that may seem to be a world away are three key ways to assist our global community at UMBC.

Finally, you are encouraged to review the resources mentioned below and utilize these resources if you need assistance or support.

Sincerely,