Dear Tufts Programs Abroad Students in Madrid, Paris, and Tübingen,
Unfortunately, we must share disappointing news. Tonight, we need to suspend our Tufts-in-Tübingen program. This comes shortly after we were forced to suspended our Tufts-in-Paris and Tufts-in-Madrid programs earlier today. The safety and well-being of our students is our first priority and this has been a challenging decision.
Currently, this proclamation “suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. This does not apply to legal U.S. permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation”.
Given this updated guidance, we strongly urge you to make travel arrangements back to the U.S. or your home country immediately. Please ensure that you depart no later than Tuesday, March 17; we strongly encourage you to leave as soon as possible. Please make these arrangements yourself, and please save your receipts. Tufts will reimburse you up to $2,500 for your ticket back to the U.S. or home country on record. You will receive full information about a reimbursement process shortly.
If you are unable to procure your ticket for any reason, please reach out immediately to Elisabeth Keegan, Assistant Director for International Health and Safety: internationalsafety@tufts.edu.
You are required to leave your program country and return to your home country to continue with the program. If you do not depart your program country, you will not receive Tufts credit or transcript. You will also be removed from the Tufts International Travel Medical and International SOS coverage. (If your home country is France, Germany, or Spain, this does not apply.)
We understand that non-U.S. citizens may be particularly worried about making travel plans. Please feel free to reach out to Elisabeth Keegan for support: 617-627-3981 or internationalsafety@tufts.edu. We also advise that all non-U.S. citizens contact Heather Varnet at the International Center – Heather.Varnet@tufts.edu or 617-627-3458 – to discuss your visa status, as special circumstances are being provided due to this unprecedented situation. The Tufts Intenational Center can provide support regarding visa status and answer any questions you may have.
Several details regarding the announcement by President Trump are still emerging, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely. Please know that we care deeply about your safety, and that the directives above are being implemented to ensure your safe return to the U.S. or your home country. We know that this may cause students additional stress and anxiety. Please remember that you may contact International SOS for telephone counseling and mental health services.
Important Resources
Given the ongoing health crisis around the globe and your departure from an area with significant cases, you will need to self-isolate in the U.S or your home country. Until you are symptom-free for at least 14 days from the day you leave, you should not be in close contact with others. You should not return to the Medford campus as Tufts has suspended all classes and on-campus activities beginning Friday, March 13th.
The Tufts Programs Abroad Resident Directors and staff are available to assist you and answer any questions you may have as you prepare for departure. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them.
We recognize that this creates a significant disruption to your semester. We will send more details about your programs tomorrow. In the meantime, please book your flights. We know you may have many questions and we ask for your patience as we organize departures. Once all students have travel arrangements secured, we will provide you with updates on academic continuation and financial adjustments.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter, and for your patience as we navigate the increasingly complex circumstances surrounding the spread of COVID-19.
Sincerely,
James M. Glaser
Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Jiamin Qu
Dean, School of Engineering
Mala Ghosh
Senior Director, Tufts Global Education
Elisabeth Keegan
Assistant Director of Health and Safety, Tufts Global Operations
