Northern Illinois University
International Travel Policy for Non-Credit Experiences

 Northern Illinois University cannot eliminate the risks involved with international travel to certain locales any more than it can eliminate the risks involved with everyday life in the United States.  What NIU can do to limit risk and liability is to communicate the reasonably foreseeable risks associated with international travel to employees and students who travel under the university’s auspices.  NIU requires employees to manage these activities in a way that minimizes, to a reasonable extent, the risk of accidents and other difficulties.  The NIU Division of International Programs and its Study Abroad Office will assist employees and students by providing them with basic information regarding health, safety, and liability issues involved in international travel.  

All employees undertaking international travel related in any way to their university duties must complete an NIU “Request for Authorization to Travel and/or Absence from Regular Duties” form, and route it as indicated.  If the travel will include students (from NIU or from other institutions), employees are required to contact the Study Abroad Office at least three weeks before the date of departure to secure basic travel information.  If employees are traveling without students, but within the scope of their NIU employment, they are also required to contact SAO three weeks before departure.  Employees who are traveling without students and beyond the scope of their NIU employment are strongly encouraged but not required to contact SAO before departure.  

Once the Study Abroad Office has been notified of an employee undertaking international travel within the scope of his/her University employment, the SAO will provide that employee with the appropriate information packet as soon as practicable.  SAO will also update the employee if a US Department of State Travel Warning is issued for their destination(s) before departure.  Please note that NIU strongly discourages travel by employees or students to any nation with an active State Department Travel Warning.  

Significant revision after Council of Deans discussion, 10/23/02
Revised per Faculty Advisory Committee on Study Abroad, 12/03/02
Further revised per Risk Management Committee, 12/03/02
Approved by JIL 12/6/02
Approved by KLD 2/12/03

Return to Division of International Programs

March 2005