University Updates Interim Travel Policy

Saint Louis University has approved an update to an interim travel policy adopted last fall in response to COVID-19, which suspended all non-essential University-sponsored travel, including educational and professional conferences.

Under the update — effective July 1 and intended to align with current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. State Department — the only remaining prohibition is University-sponsored travel to locations that fall under the State Department’s Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory.

View the State Department’s current travel advisories

To protect the health of the SLU community, faculty, staff and students who are seeking to engage in University-sponsored travel must attest that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or will quarantine upon their return. 

The attestation process has been built into Workday and Concur and must be submitted by the individual traveling or an authorized delegate prior to creating or requesting a Workday Trip ID and/or reservation for transportation or lodging in Concur. 

In addition to lifting some restrictions and outlining the attestation process, the updated policy also seeks to provide additional clarity about what is considered University-sponsored travel. A trip is considered sponsored by the University if: 

• The individual traveling will be representing the University.
• The trip is organized by a University faculty or staff member.
• The trip is organized on behalf of a registered University organization, including, but not limited to:
  
  
  • Academic and administrative departments
  • Student organizations
  • Religious groups
  • Civic engagement organizations
  • Sport clubs
• A University account contributes funds, or money is held and disbursed through a University account.
• Work related to the travel will be considered for academic credit. 

Review the updated policy in PolicyStat

As in the past, the updated policy applies to all SLU faculty, staff and students. The only exceptions are NCAA athletics programs that travel for practice or competition because the Department of Athletics has robust travel and COVID-19-testing protocols in place.

Additional guidance to supplement the updated policy has been developed for students engaged in University-sponsored travel for extracurricular activities, including mission and service trips, club and intramural sports, and Greek life.