Policies and Procedures
Virginia Tech is committed to fostering a community that values all cultures, languages, lands, and people. We seek to enrich our global competence and to enhance the quality of life throughout the world with scholarly engagement in education, research, and outreach. Our faculty, students, staff, and alumni have a responsibility for engagement with the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world. That engagement is reflected in who we are, who we aspire to be, and our impact on the global community.
The university’s commitment to responsible global engagement informs Virginia Tech Policy 1070: Global Travel Policy, which is designed to promote the health, safety and security of members of the university community (employees and students) when receiving visitors from abroad and when traveling outside of the United States of America for university-supported purposes, including but not limited to: study, research, internships, service, conferences, presentations, teaching, performances, competitions, field work, recruiting, etc. This policy applies to any university-supported travel (see Section 4. Definitions) and to students, employees, and other approved participants (hereafter referred to as “group members”). In addition, a portion of Section 3.3 applies to non-degree students, visiting scholars, and visitors from abroad to Virginia Tech facilities within the U.S.
The Global Education Office maintains the following procedures to support effective implementation of Policy 1070.
Travel and meal reimbursement documents flow from the university departments to this section of the Controller's Office. This section is responsible for researching and interpreting complex travel policies pertaining to university travel expenditures and then training university personnel so the university travelers can use them while on business travel or in business meal environments.
About the Clery Act
- The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 USC § 1092(f)) requires U.S. colleges and universities who participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses, or in non-campus facilities (e.g. hotel, rented spaces) as described by the Act
- The “Clery Act” is named in memory of Jeanne Ann Clery, a university freshman who was raped and murdered in her campus residence hall in 1986
- A major intention of the Clery Act is to provide accurate and timely safety information to the public, parents, and students about the level of crimes, and student alcohol and drug violations that occur on a campus. This means making all incident data readily available in a complete and accurate manner for all parties who inquire at your institution, thus enabling them to make an informed decision about their safety.
- Failure to comply with the policy requirements can result in substantial fines for an institution (in the tens of thousands of dollars) or in an extreme case, in the loss of all participation in Title IV federal financial aid programs
Your responsibilities as an official of the institution (study abroad program leaders classify as campus security authorities)
- Before Departure
- You are required to report to GEO the full address(es) of all of the lodging locations students will occupy while abroad as well as all classroom spaces rented or occupied by students, and a verified local police address at least 30 days prior to your program’s departure
- Virginia Tech’s Clery Compliance Coordinator, Gail Moles, will use the information to follow-up with local authorities regarding crime reporting statistics on your behalf
- While Abroad
- Report to the VTPD crimes that are directly reported to you in your capacity as a CSA as soon as possible
- Provide as much detail as possible to assist law enforcement in addressing and categorizing the crime including the exact physical address of the offense (e.g. inside hotel, outside hotel, 3rd floor hallway, etc.). Your report should include personal identifying information if available to avoid double counting crimes. If the victim does not want the report to go any further than the CSA, the CSA should explain that he or she is required to submit the report but it can be submitted without identifying the victim.
- Let the victim know about resources available to them regardless of whether they want the incident investigated or not. However, in an emergency situation the CSA should contact the VTPD or 911 as appropriate.
- CSA’s are not responsible for investigating or reporting incidents that they overhear or learn about in an indirect manner.
Submit the Clery Report
- Submit the Clery Act Reporting Spreadsheet via Google Drive at least 30 days in advance of program departure
- Program leaders should have a designated folder in Global Education’s Google Drive
- To login to your Google Drive visit the VT Google Apps Portal (start.google.vt.edu). Click Drive and login using your @vt.edu email address. Your folder is labeled "Global Education - your last name, first name" and has two subfolders -one for CISI Enrollments and one for Clery. Upload the designated spreadsheet under the Clery subfolder.
- For access requests or if you have questions, please email vtabroad@vt.edu.
Resources
OFFICE OF EXPORT AND SECURE RESEARCH COMPLIANCE (OESRC)
- All VT employees and students are subject to U.S. export and sanctions regulations. The physical export outside of the United States of university commodities, software or technology is subject to control under U.S. export control laws and regulations. In most cases, university employees may take common items, software and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) outside of the United States under a “No License Required (NLR)” declaration, so long as this property is not exported to the five comprehensively sanctioned countries (Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Sudan, and North Korea).
- OESRC DOES NOT require notification for the temporary export to a non-sanctioned country of commercially available laptops, tablets and/or cell phones with standard commercially available software because no license is required.
- For export of ANY OTHER types of university commodities, software or technology, please contact oesrc@vt.edu prior to your travel to ensure no export license is required.
- Published information, fundamental research, open source software, and other information in the public domain is not subject to these regulations and may be discussed and shared freely. We recommend that you do not export confidential/proprietary technical data as it may be subject to export control and may require an export license or other government approval.
- OESRC offers services such as loaner laptops and restricted party screening, as well as travel tips/best practices available on OESRC’s international travel page
- Please be aware that a number of universities have reported installation of malicious software in employee computers when left unattended in foreign countries. If you have reason to believe the computer you take with you (whether your workstation or the OESRC-loaner) has been compromised, please contact OESRC immediately upon your return and prior to connecting the computer to any university networks.
- Contact: oesrc@vt.edu or 231-6642 for any questions or concerns
