Syracuse University

Syracuse University will not offer its regular program in Hong Kong next fall due to continuing concerns about the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in Hong Kong, mainland China and other parts of Asia.

"Progress in bringing this disease under control in Asia, particularly China, has not occurred as rapidly as we had hoped, leading us to conclude that we should not implement the DIPA Option 1 program in Hong Kong for fall 2003," says Jim Buschman, associate director of SU's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA).

SU had previously cut short its Spring 2003 semester program in Hong Kong-in which 31 students were enrolled (15 from SU; 16 from other U.S. institutions)-and canceled two programs scheduled for this summer in mainland China due to SARS concerns. The students all returned to the United States from March 30 to April 7. None have shown signs of the SARS virus.

Twenty-four students (including eight from SU) applied to participate in the fall program in Hong Kong. Eight students had withdrawn prior to SU's decision not to offer the regular program. DIPA staff has contacted the remaining 16 students and their advisors and has presented to the students several options:

• They can receive a refund of funds already paid to DIPA for the Hong Kong program.
  
• They can be automatically accepted into a Fall 2003 semester study abroad program at one of SU's other overseas centers in Florence, Italy; London, England; Madrid, Spain; or Strasbourg, France.
  
• They can defer participation in the Hong Kong program by one semester and be automatically accepted into the Spring 2004 semester program, assuming that the suspension of the program will be lifted by then.