The following policy applies to all non-program staff who are accompanying staff of global education programs sponsored by Drexel University. The purpose of global education programming is to provide an impactful academic experience for degree-seeking, enrolled Drexel University students. Program staff are expected to focus on students’ learning and welfare. Drexel acknowledges that spending time away from home for extended periods of time could cause hardship for the program leader’s family. Therefore, ICA and NCEA leaders/directors may submit a request to bring a spouse and/or legal minor dependent for an extended period of time on any global education program of One or more week in duration. Program leaders should give thoughtful consideration as to how they will carry out their duties and how students will perceive this arrangement.

1. Definition: An eligible accompanying individual is the spouse or minor legal dependent minor of program staff. Grandchildren, nieces, nephews or other relatives and family friends who are not minor legal dependents are not allowed to accompany a program unless they are enrolled as Drexel students participating in the program.
2. Supervision of Minor Children: Dependents under the age of 18 must be accompanied by another supervising adult while the program staff member is participating in program activities. Hiring or relying on program participants or fellow program leaders for childcare during the program is not acceptable. An additional relative or nonrelated adult is permissible so long as their role is to serve as a primary childcare provider while the program leader(s) are performing program duties. Such persons must follow the conditions and requirements of the policy on spouses and minor legal dependents. Any additional costs incurred because of alternate arrangements made for spouses, minor legal dependents or childcare providers are the responsibility of the program director.
3. Deadline: Requests must be made during the initial program planning meeting between the program director/chaperone and Education Abroad. The Travel Risk Review Committee will review requests on a case-­by-­case basis.
4. Program Staff Responsibility: Program staff assume far greater responsibility than overseeing the academic content of the program. Program staff have a duty of care to all student participants and must be available on a 24/7 basis to participants while the program is in Programs administered by Drexel are designed by academic units as complete programs focusing on both the curricular and student development needs of participants. Drexel expects program staff to serve as the program participants’ primary contact and to be the first responder to a participant emergency. Additionally, in the event the program needs to depart the country for political upheaval, natural disaster, or any other reason, the program staff’s primary responsibility is to the student participants. If an incident occurs that involves a program staff member’s family member, attention may be diverted from enrolled students which could impact program responsibilities. This is unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs.
5. Expectations of Spouses and Legal Minor Dependents: Spouses and dependents are not considered in any way to be program directors, program staff or official representatives of Drexel. Therefore, they should take no role in leading the group or making decisions regarding the program or program participants. Spouses and legal minor dependents are not protected by the university liability insurance policy.
6. Program Participation: Just as family members are not permitted to participate in students’ Drexel classes, family members are not permitted to participate in any aspect of the program, including meals, excursions, tours, or lecture. Nor are they permitted to utilize group private transportation, such as private coaches. Family members may be housed in the same lodging as the group.
7. Expenses:

• Lodging: If the accompanying individual(s) have their own room, they will pay the full room rate. If they share a room with program staff, they may share the room at no additional cost.
• Airfare: All accompanying individuals will personally purchase their own airfare.
• Transportation: All accompanying individuals will personally purchase their own in-country transportation. They may not utilize Drexel-provided private transportation.

 8. Payment: If applicable, lodging expenses for spouses, minor legal dependents and their caregivers must be paid within two weeks prior to travel. If the spouse and/or minor legal dependent decide not to travel prior to the program start date, the program staff may only receive a partial refund if “non-­recoverable costs” cannot be avoided.

9. Liability, Preparation and Insurance for Spouses and Legal Minor Dependents: It is the responsibility of program staff, spouses, and dependents to ensure they have arranged for proper documentation, medical coverage, and any other insurance consideration for travel overseas. In preparation for travel, spouses and dependents are encouraged to read all pre-­departure materials. Drexel is not responsible for injury, illness, loss or death of spouses or minor legal dependents. Once Global Safety and Operations enroll the program staff in the Drexel On-Call plan, approved spouses and legal minor dependents must also enroll via the Drexel travel registration portal and agree to pay the global safety, security and insurance fee at the non-Drexel traveler rate. The spouse and dependents must have the same start or the same end date as the resident director.

• All insurance premiums, additional medical costs and costs incurred in the event of an evacuation that are not covered by On-Call, are the responsibility of program staff or spouse. Non-spouse caregivers must enroll in an insurance plan with comparable coverage.

10. Required Paperwork: Program staff and accompanying individuals who understand and are willing to meet these conditions must:

• Register their travel by contacting global@drexel.edu. They will submit a Spouse/Legal Minor Dependent Information Form and sign an Acknowledgement of Risk and Release document within 60 days of the departure date of the relevant program.