Student Issues

Insurance Information  
All program participants must have insurance to cover health care expenses while abroad. There is a special international policy available to participants on Indiana University study abroad programs. If you wish to arrange for this special insurance ($32.00 a month), contact Education Abroad at least two months prior to the program’s departure date. The coverage allows for accident or urgent illness incurred outside the U.S., as well as emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains. (Note, however, that evacuation does not necessarily mean transfer to the U.S. but rather to the nearest comprehensive medical facility.) For routine issues, students should deal with the insurance company directly for all claims and questions. The students will receive an insurance card verifying coverage.  

Details outlining the summary of benefits are included in Getting Started in Appendix B.  

Prevention  
Prevention is the key concept to address when discussing health and safety issues with students. No one has control over all elements in the environment, but students can control how they respond to the general situation and to unusual events. 

Health  
Prevention of illness should start before students leave home by obtaining immunizations and all prescription medications needed for the duration of the program.  For information on necessary or suggested vaccinations for travel abroad, have the students consult a family physician or visit the link here. Links to an external site. The IU-Bloomington Health Center receives up-to-date communiques from the Center for Disease Control Links to an external site. and the World Health Organization Links to an external site.. Students should be advised in pre-departure materials to bring all prescription medications in their original containers with them to the program site, insurance rules permitting. 

You are strongly encouraged to require that students submit a health history form as part of the post-acceptance process to disclose any medical conditions that the program administrators should know about. Copies of these forms should be kept by the director and must be kept in a secure place, separate from general student files and they remain confidential. This is required by U.S. law. Upon arrival, you may wish to ask students if they have any changes to the information previously provided. Remind them that the information will be used only to assist them in case of accident or illness. Language barriers and incomplete medical records can delay treatment.   

Upon arrival, it is recommended that you ascertain the whereabouts of a local hospital and learn how to summon emergency services such as an ambulance. If a student is in need of medical attention, you should provide pertinent information to the local medical provider. 

Emotional, Mental and Eating Disorders  
There are increasingly more students at universities today with diagnosed emotional, mental and eating disorders. Consequently, there is a higher percentage of these students studying abroad. In the best of circumstances their conditions have been stabilized with medication and treatment (e.g. counseling). In the worst of circumstances their conditions do not surface until they are abroad or they cease continuing their medications or other treatment while overseas. Students in any of these categories need immediate attention. We recommend consulting local specialists and/or consulting the student’s home health care provider, depending on the situation. Consulting the home campus administrators will often provide useful support as you work through a problem with a student having an emotional crisis. In the most extreme circumstances the student may have to leave the program, for their welfare and that of the rest of the group. Included in a back section of this manual are pages from IU’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center that outline some approaches to students dealing with a range of stressful challenges. [See Appendices J, K, L and M.] Also, see the document put together by the IUPUI Study Abroad Office after consultation from legal and counselling professionals, that provides a structured approach to managing mental health and behavioral issues on study abroad programs. [See Appendix M.] 

Alcohol Usage  
College campuses deal with extreme alcohol abuse at an alarming rate these days. Since students may legally drink overseas at a younger age than in the U.S., many of the program participants may take advantage of their newfound freedom by drinking too much, particularly upon arrival. Unfortunately, alcohol abuse correlates heavily with high risk behavior and its consequences.  

Past participants have found that their lack of sobriety resulted in accidents, sexual improprieties, robbery, etc. Part of what they should be learning during their time abroad is how to use alcohol moderately, despite its constant presence around them. Should you become aware that students are abusing alcohol, you may wish to bring to their attention the ‘Self Assessment’ exercise included as Appendix H in this manual.  

Please be aware that university policy prohibits reimbursement for alcoholic beverages. Should you make arrangements to have alcohol accompany any program-sponsored event, it should be served in moderation, with careful oversight from the director. 

Crime  
Students on short-term programs are victims of crimes more often than one would anticipate, probably because they are not abroad long enough to become skilled at recognizing dangerous situations. You should cover safety issues during orientation and immediately upon arrival abroad. Petty theft is a problem that students often encounter. Prevention can go a long way towards avoiding being the victim of a crime: students should be advised to store valuables in a locked cabinet, not wear jewelry when traveling, carry wallets where they are not visible or easily reached in a crowded bus or subway. These are all easy measures to help ensure the security of one’s belongings. Personal crimes are no more, and often less common, than in U.S. cities but since our students may stick out as foreigners, particularly soon after arrival, they may be especially vulnerable at that time. Traveling in pairs, learning about the city and identifying areas of the city to avoid are good preventative measures. 

Sexual Harassment  
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct or behavior of a sexual nature including: sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can include dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. These are all acts of violence and power that use sex as a weapon. See IU’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy.  

Per federal regulations, the university must, when it knows (or reasonably should know) of sexual harassment: investigate, take prompt and effective steps to end the harassment, prevent recurrence, address the effects, and provide a grievance procedure.  

Additionally, all incidents of sexual violence and harassment must be reported. It does not matter if:
• the person has complained or not;
• the complaint is verbal or written, formal or informal;
• information comes to you secondhand;
• the person asks you not to take action;
• the person does not identify the conduct as harassment;
• where the incident occurred; or  
• when the incident occurred.   
U.S. campuses have specially trained staff and volunteers, crisis help lines and Web sites to assist students who have been victims of sexual harassment. Many of these resources are still available to you and your participants, via Internet, phone and Skype connections. You, as the institutional representative, have an obligation to respond and offer assistance and to report all incidents. 

Sexual Harassment Response and Action  
Should a student report an incident of sexual harassment, suggested procedures appear below. Note that such incidents often go unreported; victims often initially are conflicted over whether or not to report incidents, the majority of incidents go unreported  
Suggested Procedures upon receiving a report of sexual harassment of any kind: 
1. Offer assistance to assure the safety of the student. Ask student to share as many of the details as is comfortable for them. (Students should not be pressured to provide details.)  
2. If the person reporting the incident is willing to speak to law enforcement, you can and should help them to make contact. However, if the person does not want to speak to law enforcement, they do not have to.  
3. Offer to facilitate access to local medical assistance, including emergency contraception and STD testing, and to counseling, as well as to IU campus resources via distance connections.  
4. Remember that every student has the right to confidentiality within official IU reporting lines.  
5. Regardless of whether or not the student wishes to report the incident, you must report it to IU.  
You are encouraged to consult Education Abroad at any point during this process. 

Diversity Issues  
Students of different backgrounds may have a challenging transition to life abroad. They may find that attitudes about race, religion, and sexual orientation that are taken for granted in the U.S. are viewed differently abroad. Race, gender, and sexual identity issues in the host country may be approached and viewed differently. They may find that physical features that distinguish them may result in stares, comments, or sometimes overt prejudice. GLBT students may find that cultures approach the question of sexual orientation differently. Some resource information on the topics of Accessibility, Gender, LGBTQ+, Diversity, Religion and Sustainability can be found here. Links to an external site.

Financial Crises  
Students may experience financial shortfalls, either due to poor planning or as the result of a theft. It is the responsibility of the student to solve their own financial problem, but resident directors should have advice on the best means to wire funds (American Express or Western Union). Personal loans to students should be avoided. 

Disciplinary Problems  
Under Indiana University policy, students who are currently on academic probation or who have been given a sanction of disciplinary probation or stronger (i.e., deferred suspension, suspension, separation, or expulsion) are not permitted to study abroad. This should be stated in promotional materials. Acceptees with previous disciplinary infractions, including probation that has been completed, might receive a letter alerting them to the fact that they will be representing IU abroad so they must behave themselves in such a way that the host country be left with a favorable impression of IU students. We believe that study abroad is a special privilege and so it is important that students accepted to IU programs uphold a high standard of behavior. 

In the event of an incident abroad that involves academic or behavioral misconduct of a student or a student’s difficulty with local authorities, inform your designated campus contact immediately. In the most severe cases where dismissal is a consideration, consultation with Indiana University officials should take place prior to taking action.   

 The Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct describes detailed rights and responsibilities of students, defines student misconduct, and stipulates complaint procedures. A copy of the code is available on-line here. Links to an external site.