Policies and Protocols

Because of the growing scope of responsibility of an international leader (particularly in the areas of health, safety and compliance), each approved Messiah international group experience is required to have at least two leaders – a primary leader who is a current Messiah University employee and at least one secondary leader (such as a “back-up leader” or “facilitator”) who has been fully vetted, trained and approved by the University depending on their level of involvement in planning, preparation and execution.

RATIONALE:  Rationale for this policy includes the following:

1. These are Messiah-run international experiences; therefore, Messiah’s responsibility for students is even greater when they participate in programs fully run and managed by the University.
2. As Messiah-run international experiences, it is crucial that at least one leader be a current Messiah employee to ensure they have a deep understanding of and commitment to the University's policies and protocols and be covered under the University's institutional liability insurance.
3. The ever-increasing complexities of international travel at times require groups to split up during travel (i.e., seizure of a student passport at the in-country point of entry could result in major course adjustments and additional expenses if there are not two responsible adults available to manage the situation together).
4. Injury or sickness of a primary leader may require a second person to take charge.
5. Special circumstances may require the primary leader to accompany a student, e.g., disciplinary action or illness requiring a student to be sent home.
6. The primary leader may make necessary emergency changes in itinerary without having all students accompany him/her.

There are two types of leaders who may accompany an international experience, which in addition to experience-specific expectations, are responsible for the following from a health and safety standpoint:

1. Primary leader – must be Messiah employee:
   1. Participate in the International Risk Management process, if necessary
   2. Participate in all pre-departure training regarding health, safety, Title IX, etc.
   3. Ensure the adherence to University policies and protocols, specifically related to international risk and crisis management
   4. Serve as the primary contact person for the experience
   5. Maintain a consistent means of communication available at all times, such as a mobile or satellite phone
   6. Keep updated information on all participants, reviewing their application materials, medical forms, etc.
   7. Facilitate all communications back and forth with in-country contacts and with appropriate University personnel, particularly in times of crisis
   8. Initiate and facilitate daily decision-making while in country
2. Secondary leader – must be fully vetted, trained and approved by the University, such as:
   1. Facilitator:
      1. Participate in all pre-departure training regarding health, safety, Title IX, etc.
      2. Function as an additional contact person for the experience
      3. Help maintain information on all participants, assisting with the review their application materials, medical forms, etc.
      4. Assist with all communications back and forth with in-country contacts, dealing with logistical matters (e.g., home stays, etc.)
      5. Participate in daily decision-making while in country
   2. Back-up leader:
      1. Participate in all pre-departure training regarding health, safety, Title IX, etc.
      2. Be available to take leadership of the experience in the event that the primary leader is ill, incapacitated or unavailable

Whenever possible, the secondary leader should be a person of the opposite gender to the primary leader.

Approval of Leaders

Each approved international group experience is housed within a department at Messiah with an on-campus program coordinator who works to facilitate each of the experiences.  The vetting and approval of leaders will be the responsibility of the program coordinator for that experience, as well as the department head ultimately responsible for that program area, prior to the Educator Group Request Form being submitted to the Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement by the established deadlines:

Additional expectations for each category of leader (primary or secondary leader) will be set by the department on-campus responsible for the deliver of each experience (i.e., the General Education Committee for cross-cultural courses, the Collaboratory for site teams, Athletics for AROMA teams, etc.).

Approved by the International Risk Management Committee:  May 4, 2016