Faculty-led Trips

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 before 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  Approval for such trips may be withdrawn if conditions in the destination countries deteriorate before departure.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