Checklist for Trip Leaders: Health, Safety and Planning
This checklist is intended for faculty, staff and graduate assistants who are leading a Cornell-sponsored trip.
Health and Safety Considerations during Program Development
Plan your trip well in advance to prepare for health, safety and security matters. You may need to propose your plans to the administrative unit supporting your trip 6-18 months in advance.
Become knowledgeable about risks in country. Visit these sites for researching your destination:
- The U.S. State Department
- The Centers for Disease Control
- The CIA World Factbook Country Profiles
Develop an emergency plan and be available 24/7 to travelers in case of an emergency during the trip.
- Do you have a back-up leader who can stay with a sick student or provide instruction in the event you are incapacitated?
- Do you know the emergency number (911 equivalent) in the locations where you will be traveling?
- Where would you go in the event of a crisis? Where is your backup location to gather the group together? How would you exit the country?
Determine recommended or required immunizations and medications by contacting the Travel Nurse at Cornell Health.
Work with the Manager of International Travel Health and Safety and/or your administering unit to develop an itinerary that is mindful of safety concerns. Cornell has access to country-based safety and security assessments through UHC Global and road safety throughthe Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) that you can explore directly or in consultation with the Manager of International Travel Health and Safety.
Consider purchasingtravel insurance.
Consider purchasing insurance for property protection if homeowner’s policy does not provide coverage while abroad. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (1-888-411-4911) is one option.
Know what Cornell will cover and how the administering unit will pre-pay or reimburse for expenses in advance of the trip and while on-site.
Preparing to Handle Emergencies: What you need to know before you go
Know whom to contact at Cornell in the event of a health, safety or security-related emergency, including cases of sexual harassment or assault.
- Cornell Policecan be reached 24/7at 607-255-1111.
- Cornell resourcesincludes the contact information for relevant offices such as judicial affairs, academic advising, mental health, and for reporting sexual misconduct.
- Bias incident reporting.
Understand how to use UHC Global Emergency Assistance to identify appropriate nearby health care and/or initiate emergency evacuation for health or security reasons.
Verify your health insurance covers you while abroad, or you must purchase additional coverage.
- Faculty/Staff: Endowed or Contract
- Students: student health insurance
Make sure that you have a phone that will work where you will be traveling and test it once on site.
Pre-Departure Planning
Complete Cornell’s Travel Registry. All travelers, including graduate and undergraduate students as well as faculty and staff leading trips, must register. Note: students using the Cornell online application system may already be registered. Check with the data steward of the online application if you have questions.
Have students complete the online training in CU Learn, Student Travel Health & Safety.
If you plan to travel to an elevated-risk country, you must apply for International Travel Advisory and Response Team (ITART) approval well in advance of travel. Allow at least 6-8 weeks for requests to be processed if this was not already completed during the program development process.
Enroll your tripwith the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Provide program and location-specific information to students to help prepare them for the international experience. Cover academic, cross-cultural, and behavioral expectations. Address what students are expected to know, bring or do to participate fully and appropriately.
Spend time engaged in team-building and pre-departure preparation. Building a culture of responsibility, respect and accountability goes a long way in mitigating challenges in-country.