Faculty Handbook

As someone who will be responsible for leading an MSU study abroad program, you may find yourself facing an emergency involving one or more of the students who are in your care.  Students can and do become ill, suffer accidents, are the victims of muggings and assaults, find themselves caught up in potentially violent political situations, and fail to return on time to programs at the end of long weekends. 

In the case of an emergency, you should be prepared to be on-call 24 hours a day until the emergency is resolved.

While it is, of course, impossible to plan for all contingencies involving our students abroad, we do need to follow procedures that will allow us to react in a responsible and level-headed way when emergencies do arise. We need to be able to provide, in a consistent and predictable way, for the safety and well-being of our students. We also need to take reasonable and prudent measures to limit the University’s legal liabilities.

MSU has, therefore, developed a series of specific procedures designed to safeguard the well-being of program participants, and to protect the University’s interests. OSA is responsible for coordinating the University’s management of emergencies affecting participants in MSU study abroad programs.  As a leader of an MSU Study Abroad program, you are expected to follow the procedures outlined below and to be sure to inform the students in your group about these procedures during their on-site orientations.

Please be advised that during an on-going crisis, it is important to keep OSA informed on a regular basis, through telephone (517) 353-8920, fax (517) 432-2082, or e-mail.  You may reach us after hours through the MSU Emergency Assistance line at (517) 353-8784. Your program-provided cell phone will hopefully ensure quick and reliable communication.  Phone expenses will be included as part of the program budget.