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Syracuse University will immediately ease restrictions on faculty and staff travel deemed essential for academic and business purposes, a university official said Friday.

SU will consider travel that preserves the safety, continuity or results of a research activity as essential, said Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, in an SU News release. The university will also allow travel for tasks that are integral to SU’s academic or business operations, he said.

The updated policies come as central New York and other regions across the United States begin to ease coronavirus-related restrictions. The coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected 381,714 people in New York state and killed 24,495.

Faculty and staff will need to request permission to travel and register their trip if approved, Haynie said. The university will consider travel to attend professional or educational conferences as non-essential, he said.

SU’s existing ban on university-sponsored travel to any country classified as a Level 3 international destination by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remains in place, Haynie said. SU will accept appeals for extraordinary circumstances, he said. 

The revised travel policies will remain in effect until further notice, Haynie said. SU will re-evaluate travel restriction as new information from health authorities becomes available.

Published on June 12, 2020 at 8:25 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3