Professor teaching students outside

Any trip sponsored by Whitman that involves students travelling outside the United States or Canada* must be approved by the College.  Depending on which department is sponsoring the trip, the approval will come from the Provost (Academic) or the Dean of Students (Student Affairs) through a the application process.

* For Canada trips faculty/staff leaders are expected to follow the requirements of their department/program for US domestic trips, such as providing a Trip Roster.  Students traveling to Canada on a Whitman trip are encouraged to purchase iNext international medical insurance (details below). Trip leaders should register all Canada trip participants with the US Department of State STEP program (details below).

Trips are considered Whitman Sponsored if any of the following is true:

  • Whitman faculty or staff are leading the trip with Whitman students
  • Whitman department, office, or student group is organizing the trip
  • Funding from Whitman College is received for the trip, including Perry research trips and academic conferences
  • Whitman credit is earned for the trip

Travel Warnings and Health Risks

  • The health and safety of students, faculty, and staff is a top priority at Whitman. When assessing international trips for approval, the College will therefore take into consideration information about the destination from the US Department of State, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), AlertTraveler (our health and security intelligence service), and other relevant sources. We reserve the right to deny approval for a trip or withdraw approval based on health, safety, or security concerns.

College Funds

  • College funds will not be released until the trip has received final approval by the appropriate Budget Officer under this process. For that reason, we highly recommend that you do not make financial commitments (i.e. purchase airline tickets) until you have received your notification of approval.

Trip Approval Process

  • Complete the online International Trip Approval Form.  Submit the online form at least 3 months prior to departure.  Notification about trip approval will be issued by the Provost's Office.  Approval for such trips may be withdrawn if conditions in the destination countries deteriorate prior to departure.

To help the students have realistic expectations for their foreign experience, Whitman faculty/staff taking students abroad should provide students with appropriate pre-departure information. Guidelines for pre-departure information are described below. While it is the faculty/staff leader's responsibility to organize the pre-departure information, the Off-Campus Studies Office can provide suggestions for sources of information.

In addition, the faculty trip leader should encourage participants to notify their parents of participation in the trip and share the pre-departure information with them.

  • Information on how to obtain a passport, and an entry visa (if needed).
  • Description of course/activity including details about credit, prerequisites, and academic expectations
  • Description of physical abilities necessary for the activity (e.g. strenuous hiking)
  • Calendar and itinerary
  • Program cost, availability of financial aid, and billing procedures
  • Description of housing and living conditions
  • Banking and money matters (ATM, Travelers Checks, etc.)
  • Cultural norms and taboos
  • Appropriate clothing, luggage, and other items to bring
  • Emergency contact information for the student group while abroad such as e-mail address, fax, and telephone numbers for participants to give to their parents