It has been more than five months since the adminstration banned UF-related travel to Haiti for students and faculty, but it looks like the university is starting to loosen up a bit. It’s about time.
While the revised policy continues to ban official travel to Haiti — namely anything that uses university funds or resources — for undergraduates, faculty members are now permitted to travel to the island as long as they fill out travel forms. Graduate students may travel if they meet several requirements and apply for a waiver. Good news for Gators wanting to do research in Haiti.
Since the ban went into effect on Feb. 5, UF has made more than a couple bone-headed decisions and seemed unwilling to make exceptions for anyone — the adminstration told a pair of grad students they couldn’t use footage from Haiti in their thesis before backing down after threats of legal action.
We understand traveling to the island nation after it was ravaged by an earthquake isn’t something that just anyone should do. In the aftermath of the disaster a lot of people did more harm than good in spite of their intentions, but it wasn’t UF’s place to control travel.
Despite the good news, it might still be a good idea to keep your vacation to Haiti on the back burner.
