Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I write to ask any students, faculty, or staff who may be considering travel to China to postpone doing so based upon the following information:

As has been widely reported, within the past 10 days, China has experienced an outbreak of a respiratory illness that is caused by a newly identified Coronavirus. This illness can be spread from person to person and in extreme cases can be fatal. Several major urban centers in China are under severe travel restrictions, making movement in and out of the country problematic.

In light of Clark’s deep connections to China and its people, we note these developments with great concern for the wellbeing of those affected. All students, faculty, and staff who may be planning to travel to China should take special note of the related advisories from the U.S. government, specifically,

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control formally advises against nonessential travel to China.
• The U.S. State Department advises against any travel to Hubei province. The Coronavirus was first identified in the province’s capital, Wuhan, and the Chinese government has imposed intensive travel restrictions in that province.

Until these advisories are lifted, the Clark University Travel Review and Advisory Committee and I ask that all Clark students, faculty, and staff avoid any travel to China.

We will update the community when these advisories or other related information changes.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Davis Baird
Provost