Faculty Handbook

Responding to general emergencies

1. In an emergency, your first responsibility is to safeguard the safety and well-being of program participants.  Do whatever is necessary to assure this, whether this means obtaining prompt and appropriate medical attention, Embassy intervention or police protection.  In the case of a terrorist attack, gather at the pre-arranged location (see Pre-departure and On-site Orientation) to account for all students and follow the directives of the local authorities. You will be reimbursed for all expenses relating to the management of an emergency.  
2. When you have done all that you reasonably can do to assure the students’ well-being, immediately contact the MSU Emergency Assistance line at (517) 353-3784.  The Operations Desk is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will contact the most appropriate person in our office.  We have explicit procedures in place to deal with the different emergencies previously listed. This step is critical so we can assist you in decision-making and be fully informed of the crisis.  During a crisis, OSA is the principal conduit of information for the MSU upper administration and the media, so timely and accurate information from on-site is critical.
3. Follow-up communication with program leaders on-site will occur primarily via e-mail (provided Internet access is still available on site).  Therefore, it is critical that program leaders regularly check their MSU e-mail account for updates and instructions.
4. Notify the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate about the crisis, and follow whatever procedures they may require; if there is a continuing risk to the welfare of the students (during a terrorist threat, for example), ask the appropriate Embassy or Consulate Officer to advise you on a regular basis about the evolution of the crisis, and about how the students should respond.
5. After OSA is informed about an emergency, and after we consult with you and other appropriate individuals on site, we may, depending on the acuteness of the crisis, fax or e-mail you a description of the course of action that you and the students will need to follow.  Should a student not be able to continue with your group, leave the student with an MSU-appointed liaison to assist with the situation.  Notify OSA as to who is providing assistance.  It is not appropriate to appoint another student as the liaison.
6. During a political crisis or other emergency during which foreigners in general or U.S. citizens may be at risk, tell the students to keep a low profile and not travel in large groups.  Tell them to avoid demonstrations, confrontations or situations where they could be in danger; to avoid behavior that could call attention to themselves; to avoid locales where foreigners or Americans are known to congregate; and to remove signs, luggage tags and clothing that would label them as Americans.  You may wish to have a pre-arranged plan that all students return to their residence during such a crisis.
7. Experts say that during a political emergency, it is unwise to move locations.  Therefore, it is unlikely that participants would need to be evacuated from a site abroad.  However, faculty and students would be brought home if a situation were to deteriorate to the point where the degree of risk to participants was deemed unacceptable.  If this were to happen, the OSA Director, in consultation with you, the U.S. Embassy and State Department, and appropriate MSU individuals, would develop an evacuation plan in as much detail as possible.  This plan would be transmitted to you in confidence, and we would continue to work closely with you throughout the process.
8. In the event of a significant crisis, individual students have the option of returning to the U.S.  Every reasonable effort will be made to allow them to continue their academic program on campus, and OSA will work with the student(s) regarding housing, financial issues, etc.