March 10, 2020 - 4:30pm


At SUNY Oswego, we are focused first and foremost on the health, safety and well-being of our students. In compliance with SUNY and the New York State Department of Health, we are cancelling all study abroad programs for the remainder of the semester. This is in addition to the previously cancelled international study abroad programs in CDC Level 2 and 3 countries (China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea) in response to the coronavirus outbreak.  

See SUNY Message


We are recommending:

  • All students studying abroad this spring semester return home at this time.
    • While we are asking you to return to New York immediately, if you choose to remain in your current location, you will do so at your own risk and without SUNY involvement.  Those students electing to remain abroad are required to complete, sign and send this waiver form to SUNY Oswego’s International Education and Programs office as soon as possible. Please email the form directly to your program advisor (contact information listed below).

We are taking this action in order to help you return home as early as possible and in advance of the possibility that the country you are currently studying in is elevated by the CDC to a level for which nonessential travel is discouraged (Level 2 and 3).

For those students choosing to return home, SUNY Oswego faculty and staff will work with you to assist in the following ways:

  • SUNY Oswego will work with you to minimize any financial impact of coming home early, including advice on dealing with your airlines, and looking into recovering any costs for fees already paid for your program.
  • SUNY has agreed to work with you to ensure your academic progress is not disrupted.
  • For students returning early: Your health and safety, and that of the SUNY Oswego campus community, upon your return, is paramount. You are asked to complete a SUNY Oswego Travel Declaration form – outlining where you have traveled since 2/15/20.

Please know that my office staff and I, members of the faculty, President Stanley and the campus leadership team, as well as SUNY administration are all communicating and sharing information – with your best interest in mind. Please contact your program advisor (listed below), who is ready to consult with you on the important academic, health, and financial implications of your decision.

Lizette Alvarado -  lizette.alvarado@oswego.edu
Programs in Latin America and all CAPA programs

Kelsey Gillett -  
kelsey.gillett@oswego.edu
Programs in China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, India, South Korea, and Turkey

Jessica Hernandez -  
jessica.hernandez@oswego.edu
Programs in Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain

I encourage you to share this news with your parents or family, and please have them contact me if I can be of any assistance. In the meantime, we have shared below some of the official online sources that we are referring to regarding the coronavirus and related health, safety and international travel advisories.
 
Sincerely,

Joshua S. McKeown, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for International Education and Programs
joshua.mckeown@oswego.edu
315-312-2118