As Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, gains worldwide attention, we need to know university officials are concerned with the health of MSU students and promptly make according changes to study abroad programs.
On Thursday, university physician Beth Alexander sent a campuswide e-mail to notify students about the virus and reported cases of its effects in Michigan.
As of Sunday, the only program which has been confirmed as canceled is the summer trip to Beijing and Shanghai to study business in China, according to faculty adviser Mike Moch.
University officials are scheduled to meet today to continue discussing the SARS situation in Asia, where it first broke out, and discuss the summer study abroad plans of 41 students to the region.
Officials are monitoring information from the Center of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, as well as receiving advice from the university's medical staff.
In contrast, the University of Michigan already has canceled its summer study abroad programs in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam that were set to depart by May 15, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Since it was discovered about three weeks ago, there have been more than 2,300 SARS cases reported worldwide - and 81 deaths linked to the virus as of Friday.
In the United States, doctors have reported more than 100 suspected cases of SARS and no deaths. At least 94 of the U.S. cases involve travelers to countries where SARS reports are heavy.
In addition to the Olin Health Center Travel Clinic's updating Web site, which can be found at www.msu.edu/%7Etravel/SARS.2.pdf, we hope university officials continue to notify students about the risk of the world's newest deadly virus. MSU cannot afford to see the health and safety of its students home or abroad be compromised.
Likewise, students should be extremely tentative about making travel plans until the world's medical experts have a strong handle on the fatal virus.
Health experts say SARS is mostly spread via the coughs or sneezes of infected individuals. It also is believed the virus might be able to live as long as three hours on open-air surfaces.
We hope MSU officials will make the most responsible decisions involving the university's slated study abroad programs to highly SARS-infected countries. When it is a possible matter of life and death, education can wait.
While MSU boasts the nation's largest study abroad programs, students can be assured the university prides itself on quality as much as quantity. That is evident in the ability of its international programs to get students home at the virtual drop of a hat if the need arises.
Sometimes the events of the world force people to change their plans.
This summer might prove one of those times for Spartans planing to study in Asia.
