China Travel through Summer 2020
| by Jeff Cason
Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
I am writing to let you know that the College has decided it will not support any faculty, staff, or student travel to China through the end of summer 2020. This includes any travel supported through institutional funding (e.g., research, internships). The School of the Environment, which was to operate in China from early June to mid-July 2020, was suspended two weeks ago.
The U.S. Department of State continues to have a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory. Similarly, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a Warning Level 3: Avoid Nonessential Travel. These are the highest level warnings for these organizations. For this reason, we also strongly encourage you to postpone any personal or leisure travel to China over the summer months, until these levels improve. If you do choose to travel to China for personal reasons, please be prepared for delays and challenges returning to the U.S., as well as the strong possibility of a two-week self-quarantine requirement. With the situation in such flux, we are not in a position to advise you exactly what the consequences of travel to China will be.
Please understand that these types of warnings are not a regular occurrence, and it is with this in mind that we are prohibiting any Middlebury-sponsored or supported activity in China this summer.
Sincerely,
Jeff Cason Executive Vice President and Provost