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UD Safety Practices
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Articles on Safety
Safety and
Health Information
Safety is Paramount.
Now, perhaps more than ever, safety
issues loom large when traveling internationally - perhaps
nationally as well. Students in our program have never experienced
a serious problem while studying overseas. Part of the credit for
this outcome is due to our program orientation, rules, and
guidelines. But, a big part is also due to the maturity and common
sense regularly shown by our students. Each successive year, we
have added new program features that reinforce this good common
sense.
Parents of Study Abroad Students.
We especially want parents to feel
assured that we are doing our best to ensure the safety and health
of their sons and daughters. An accident can happen to anyone,
anywhere, anytime. But, when it happens overseas, special issues
arise. So, we are doing a number of things before we leave the
U.S. to alert our students to safety issues, and to prepare in the
unlikely event that one occurs. We also have in place a number of
safety features during our time overseas, all of which are also
reviewed with students (and shared with parents) prior to
departure.
Good Judgment is Key While Overseas.
Having said this, we do rely
significantly on the good judgment of students. This trip is not a
guided tour as one might experience at the high school level - it is
an overseas study program. This doesn't mean we don't arrange for
group transportation to venues or good accommodations and more. We
do these things - they are some of our chief program features. And,
we visit these living quarters during the Fall and early Winter
terms to assess their adequacy for our program. Instead, it means
that we expect students to explore the cities we visit; one of the
reasons to travel overseas is to immerse oneself in that culture and
learn from it. During breaks, many students travel (often in
groups of three or more) to other nearby cities (e.g., Florence when
the program is in Rome).
We will not, however, let the poor
judgment of one or a few persons affect the experience of the larger
groups. Accordingly, we thoroughly review safety and health
procedures and place extensive expectations on our student's
behavior. If those are violated, they will be documented and the
student will be forced to leave the program. A program site
coordinator (a U.D. Business faculty member) will also accompany
each group - along with other UD faculty who are teaching in that
program. These faculty can be a resource to both students overseas
and their parents at home who might need information. During the
first week, there is some "homesickness" and some adjustment
necessary, especially among those who retain the same high service
expectations we have here in the U.S. These faculty can be an
especially good resource for your son or daughter during those
times.
At the same time, we want you or your student to continue
to enjoy their study abroad experience. We do not want to alarm you
unnecessarily, and we believe you are in no danger, so long as you
follow the instructions above and use good common sense about where
to go and how to behave. We wish you all a good overseas experience
and look forward to hearing from you.
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