Coronavirus causes CDC to urge colleges to cancel exchange programs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked colleges to “consider” canceling upcoming student foreign exchange programs and asked current program participants to return to their home countries as a precaution for the coronavirus outbreak.

The CDC issued the warning Sunday all the while colleges have already begun to cancel many overseas programs in countries with high rates of local transmission of the virus-- most notably China and Italy. The warning issued by the CDC has been broad in asking all students to refrain from foreign travel.

At the beginning of the CDC's statement, it highlights that institutions of higher education, “should consider postponing or canceling upcoming student foreign exchange programs” and “consider asking current program participants to return to their home country.” It notes: "Those overseeing student foreign exchange programs should be aware that students may face unpredictable circumstances, travel restrictions, challenges in returning home or accessing health care while abroad."

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The CDC did not respond to Foxbusiness.com request for comment about the guidance.

David DiMaria, the associate vice provost for international education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, told, Inside Higher Education the CDC warning came by surprise to the international education world.

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"I’ve gotten text messages and emails from colleagues across the nation trying to make sense of this," DiMaria said. "While it’s certainly helpful to have guidance, there are a lot of questions that remain pertaining to the guidance. For instance, when it says postponing or canceling upcoming foreign student exchange programs, 'upcoming' -- is that spring break, is that summer, is it fall?" DiMaria also noted a lack of clarity around some of the terminology -- for example, what the CDC means by "exchange program."

DiMaria added, “Certainly any time the CDC issues guidance, I think all of higher education is going to look to that as an official source, but if we had, I think, a little more specificity, it would certainly help international educators as they make some of these major decisions that have broad implications," DiMaria said.

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Colleges have adjusted their international programs country by country in response to the spread of the virus, but the CDC advisory continues to stress the nuances in the global nature of the situation.

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“Given the speed of spread and the number of countries experiencing human-to-human transmission, IHEs should evaluate the risks associated with choosing to maintain programs abroad and take the appropriate proactive measures,” the guidance states.