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Institute Travel Guidelines

October 12, 2020

To: The Campus Community
From: Kevin M. Gilmartin, Vice President for Student Affairs and Margo Steurbaut, Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer
Date: October 12, 2020
Re: Institute Travel Guidelines

Given the current state of the pandemic and the Institute's commitment to mitigating the spread of infection among campus community members, and in recognition that individuals have or will begin to consider their holiday travel plans, we wanted to provide guidance on the Institute's policies for Caltech-sponsored and personal travel. 

While these guidelines do not reflect changes to the Institute's existing practices, the updated guidelines do clarify the Institute's expectations around travel and reinforce a strong commitment to minimizing commercial travel in all instances where it is nonessential. CDC guidance indicates that travel increases an individual's chance for contracting or spreading COVID-19. 

The guidelines, which are available in full on the Caltech Together: Coronavirus Information site, state that:

  • All Institute-sponsored travel must be pre-approved by an individual's respective division or administrative unit lead (division chairs, administrative vice president, provost, or president).  
  • Personal travel is strongly discouraged in all instances where it is not deemed necessary.
  • Anyone participating in Institute-sponsored or personal travel is expected to self-monitor for symptoms for 14-days after travel, to limit access to campus during that self-monitoring period, and to potentially undergo SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Members of the community who have been approved for Institute-sponsored travel or who will be engaging in personal travel are encouraged to consult with Student Wellness Services by email at covid19@caltech.edu regarding circumstances and arrangements for their trip. We also encourage all Caltech travelers to consult with the CDC for guidance on their travel destination and other health and safety precautions while traveling.