Students abroad unaffected by European travel alert

Unlike most State Department alerts, which are specific to a country and often to specific places within that country, the recent alert broadly warns of “the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe,” noting that “current information suggests that Al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks.” The alert also cautioned that public transportation hubs and tourist attractions are potential targets.

Administrators said they have taken measures to ensure the safety of students abroad, and the University has e-mailed a copy of the warning to affected students.

“It’s rare to have such a big blanket alert for such a large number of countries for such a long period of time,” said Diana Davies, associate provost for international initiatives. The State Department advisories the University has dealt with in the past often involve natural disasters, not terrorism, she added.

Davies noted a distinction between travel alerts and travel warnings, which are more severe and longer term. Students can travel with University funding and support in countries under travel alerts, but they must obtain a waiver from the University to do so in countries under travel warnings.

“At one point, we did have some students in Palestine who had to come home,” Davies said, referring to a previous travel warning issued by the State Department.

Amy Campbell, director of campus life initiatives, said that the University provides safety advice to students traveling abroad. “We want to provide students with good information consistent with the State Department, information that can help them make decisions,” she explained.

Students studying abroad in Europe, however, said they have not adhered to some precautions like avoiding public transportation because such measures are impractical.

“How else are you supposed to get around Europe?” asked Lenka Ilcisin ’12, who is in Sweden studying biomedicine. Ilcisin said that she and her classmates “kind of joked” about the advisory.

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Ilcisin and Allie Shea ’12, who is studying at University College London, both said that they still use the subway and bus systems.

Pierre Gendronneau, a French exchange student who studied at Princeton last year, noted in an e-mail that the French government has instituted tighter security precautions since the warning went into effect. The French army patrols many airports and train stations, which have been evacuated “many times” in the last month, he said.

“Indeed, the way people behave in transport has a little bit changed — everyone cares about who is next to him,” he explained. “As an example of this renewed vigilance by regular people, there are more and more ‘suspicious packs’ reported by people.”

According to Senior Associate Dean of the College Nancy Kanach, who serves as director of the Office of International Programs, no students have asked to return home from study programs.

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“I think it would actually be worse if I tried to fly [home],” Tucker said.

The travel alert also recommended that citizens register their trips with the U.S. Embassy in their host country. While neither Ilcisin nor Shea have done so, Cara Tucker ’12, who is in Shea’s program in London, said she had.

For those planning to travel, Campbell said it was important that students research their intended destination on the State Department website in order to become “culturally competent.”

The alert is “vague and we have to respond to the vagueness,” Campbell said. “For students, it’s about being aware of where they’re traveling, being alert.”

Sofia Orlando ’14, who lives in Italy, said the alert has not altered her plans to return home for winter break. “I’m really looking forward to going home,” she said. Orlando noted that she did not believe Italy would be as dangerous as France or Britain, though she added that she was a bit nervous because she lives near the Colosseum in the center of Rome.

Shea said she has no intention of letting the advisory interfere with her experience. “There’s always a chance something bad will happen, but that’s true no matter where you are or how high the ‘threat level’ is,” she said.