UA-organized fall trips to study abroad canceled

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has canceled all fall study abroad trips coordinated with the university.

The decision took effect on Thursday, according to UA’s website.

Some other colleges in the state, including Arkansas State University and the University of Central Arkansas, have also canceled or postponed their fall study abroad programs as the global covid-19 pandemic continues.

UA’s decision means that its Rome Center will not host students. The center is preparing to provide remote delivery of some courses and other programming for UA students, university spokeswoman Amy Unruh said.

For years, the UA Rome Center has been the university’s largest study abroad program. It also hosts students who arrive from other U.S. universities.

In late February, an outbreak of covid-19 in Italy led UA to close its Rome Center academic operations. About 40 UA students and 60 students from other universities cut short their study abroad experiences and returned home.

Unruh said in a typical fall, about 150 UA students would participate in university-coordinated study abroad programs to various locations.

In the fall semester, these programs often are managed outside of UA but are still coordinated with the university, Unruh said. Students this fall will be able to request an exemption to study abroad, Unruh said.

UA on its website states that “students are encouraged to defer to a future

term.”

Summer is when the majority of UA’s study abroad programs occur, Unruh said, including UA faculty-led trips.

Budget documents for the 2019-20 year list an annual budget of about $2.3 million for the UA Rome Center and about $3.2 million for the UA Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange.

UA’s reserve funds and savings across various departments from reduced travel have helped the university withstand the reduction in study abroad revenue, Unruh said. She said no estimate was available for revenue lost because of study abroad cancellations.

Unruh said that despite the cancellations, there are no plans to reduce study abroad staffing.

“With transitions in international travel, our staff are continuously developing programming and other opportunities for students,” Unruh said in an email.

She referred to work done with UA’s Sam M. Walton College of Business on a pilot program for “virtual international internships.”