[log in to unmask]" alt="" class="" width="289" height="76">

To:           UVM Faculty, Staff and Students

From:      Gary Derr, Vice President for Operations and Public Safety

Date:       March 13, 2020

RE:         Travel Restrictions

The United States Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a global health advisory to help slow the spread of COVID-19.  Effective immediately, all university travel—international and domestic—is suspended until further notice for all faculty, staff, and students. This action will apply regardless of the funding source/sponsor for the travel.

Exceptions to this ban will be made only in extreme circumstances. To request an exemption, a detailed rationale must be emailed to [log in to unmask]

Employees can still submit routine travel authorizations requests in anticipation that UVM travel restrictions are relaxed or cancelled. Any approval will occur at a later date.

All university-related travel reservations need to be cancelled immediately – whether charged on a personal credit card or a UVM purchasing card. 
  • Hotels will generally cancel a reservation with no fee if received 24 to 48 hours in advance of arrival.
  • Conference registrations are generally refunded if the conference holders are cancelling the event.Several conference are moving to an online format.
  • Unless the individual purchased a full-priced ticket, an airline will not provide a refund. They may, however, issue travel credit. The individual should confirm with the airline that they will not be flying, and that the travel credit amount is available for use for the next 12 months. 
  • This credit will be in the name of the traveler and would be available for personal use. When documentation is provided that the travel credit was used for UVM business the traveler will be reimbursed if they purchased airfare with a personal credit card.
  • If purchased with a UVM PurCard the credit must be used for UVM business.
As of March 12, 2020, travelers returning from most of Europe, China, Iran and South Korea should stay home and monitor their health for 14 days according to the Vermont Department of Health. You should call the Vermont Department of Health epidemiology and infectious disease staff at 802-863-7240 for monitoring information. If you have symptoms of fever, cough or difficulty breathing call your health care provider.

In addition, the university strongly encourages you to apply the same abundance of caution to personal travel. You should keep in mind the possibility of quarantine measures being introduced while you are traveling. These measures could affect both outbound and return travel.

Given the current situation, we have been in contact with students who are currently abroad, urging them to return to the United States as soon as possible.

As always, the health and safety of our community is of paramount importance. We will continue to provide regular updates and information, and the COVID-19 website (go.uvm.edu/covid19) is a resource for latest policy decisions and information.

Thank you for your support and partnership in these efforts.