‘Swine Flu’ Causes Colleges to Cancel Study Abroad Programs

Although the swine flu virus (H1N1) hasn’t hit most U.S. college campuses, college health officials are starting to take precautions, including cancelling study abroad programs in Mexico, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports (“Swine Flu Prompts More Colleges to Cancel Study-Abroad Programs in Mexico,” April 28, 2009).

Earlier this week, the University of Minnesota announced it was suspending “all current and planned education abroad programs in Mexico until further notice” and advised its 21 students currently studying in Mexico to return immediately. The school also canceled several other Mexico-bound programs, involving an additional 52 students that were set to depart in May.

The University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire said that it would not be proceeding with its six-week summer program in Mexico, scheduled to begin May 26. The 23 participating students will be given the option to study abroad in Costa Rica instead.

Officials at Butler University in Indianapolis have called off a three–week Spanish language immersion program for more than a dozen students, which was scheduled to begin in about two weeks.

And study abroad administrators at Pennsylvania State University at Altoona said they would be calling off a program in the Mexican cities of Guanajuato and Mexico City, which was to begin in just over a week.

Many college officials are adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude regarding the spread of the swine flu virus in the United States to see how it may affect their campuses and are closely monitoring reports from the State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for guidance.

So far, only two institutions — both in the state of Massachusetts — have reported possible cases of infection of the swine flu virus: Amherst College and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and clinic.

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