Tufts students planning to study abroad in countries that may be unsafe will most likely find no opposition from the Office of Programs Abroad.
"If a student is interested in traveling to a country with a travel warning from the State Department on it we tell them about it and tell them to be as informed as possible," said Janna Behrens, program and orientation coordinator for the Office of Programs Abroad. "We leave it up to the student and tell them to discuss it with their parents."
Tufts retains a relatively liberal policy at a time when many schools are increasing restrictions on study abroad options. Harvard, for instance, announced a policy in the fall whereby they will not grant credit or funding for study abroad in the 26 countries under travel warnings from the U.S. State Department.
Director of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne emphasized, however, that the procedure of going abroad differs between Tufts and Harvard.
Unlike Harvard, Tufts has its own programs that are run through the school itself. Currently, none of the countries in which these programs are held are under travel warning. If one came in effect, the program would close, Bayne said.
As for programs not sponsored by Tufts: "It is really to that program that the student should look for guidance," said Bayne. To study abroad on a non-Tufts program, the student must sign a leave of absence from the University.
While Harvard's decision to implement its policy on study abroad was mostly out of concern for liability, this is not a priority of the Programs Abroad office. "I guess anybody can sue anybody for anything," Bayne said.
For Tufts, the importance lies with the academics of the program. "We try to steer students in the direction of reputable programs and won't prevent them from going on academically viable programs," she said.
The office offers a list on its web site of programs that are academically reputable, Bayne says. This quality assures that "they too evaluate the safety [of the program]."
Furthermore, it is against the policy of the Office of Programs Abroad to forbid students from traveling where they wish. According to Bayne, approval of a petition to study abroad pertains only to transfer of credit for the classes offered at the institution in question, and nothing else.
Many students who intend to study abroad in these countries recognize the importance of educating themselves about that country. "Going abroad is a big decision, and people need to inform themselves before making it, in every sense," said sophomore Shoshana Grossman-Crist, who intends to study abroad in Kenya next year.
Moreover, it can make the key difference in the safety of a student. "You shouldn't find yourself in a situation where you don't know how to handle yourself," sophomore Sara Gale said. The alternative is to know enough about the country to know what to do, she said.
Self-education also will allow the student to get the most out of their study abroad. "The more a student knows about a culture and destination the better their experience will be," said Behrens.
According to Gale, it is not the University's role to forbid students to go somewhere because of safety issues, saying that this could put it in the role of a parent. This will hold even if the safety situation in a country seriously decreases. "The responsibility for the decision mostly lies on the student," she said.
Policies like Harvard's can be harmful to students who are interested in a specific region. "It's possible that a student can't get what they want, what really interests and drives them, because Tufts prohibits it, and that doesn't seem fair," said Grossman-Crist. "It's the student's education."
For Grossman-Crist, her choice of program is integral to her college experience. "If Tufts didn't give me credit for studying in countries with travel warnings, I would have to compromise something important," she said.
