Dear Students:

Given events around the world in the last year, Middlebury has reevaluated what students do and the ways in which the College supports them while they are abroad.  We want our students to engage the world in a wide variety of ways, but we need to manage the risks that students take when going abroad as best we can.  To this end, we are introducing some new protocols for students going abroad, if what they are doing is sponsored or supported by the College in any way.

Beginning in the Fall 2011 semester, we will implement a new system of registration for all students going abroad on any College-sponsored activity.  All students who are studying abroad will automatically be registered in this system. So you do not need to worry about doing anything beyond what you are required to do to study abroad.

If, however, you are planning to go abroad on any other College-sponsored program (internship, volunteer activity, service project, research project, etc.), you are now required to register with the College’s risk management system. You will also be required to obtain appropriate insurance to engage in this activity.  Any College office that sponsors such activities will provide you with the information you need to obtain the appropriate insurance coverage.

All students going abroad on programs outside normal study abroad programs should register their plans at:  http://www.middlebury.edu/international/travel.  We hope that this registration will be as simple as possible.

Please let us know if you have any questions about this new policy, and we hope that you had a restful Fall break.

Best,

Shirley M. Collado, Dean of the College
Jeffrey Cason, Dean of International Programs