Duty of Care

At VCU, Duty of Care is the university's fundamental obligation to protect the health, safety, and well-being of its faculty, staff, and students while traveling for work or study. It requires actively anticipating risks, providing emergency support, and ensuring safe travel management throughout the entire journey.

Duty of Care

The legal and ethical responsibility to protect travelers — anticipating risks and ensuring safe, supported journeys.

Travel Risk Management (TRM)

The execution framework VCU uses to fulfill that responsibility. A mature TRM strategy ensures VCU can:

Locate Identify where travelers are in real-time.
Assess Evaluate destination-specific risks using reliable intelligence.
Contact Reach travelers instantly through effective two-way communication channels.

Key risks managed by VCU

⚐ Geopolitical & crime

Monitoring civil unrest, political instability, and local crime — with destination-specific safety guidance for every traveler.

⛈ Weather & natural disasters

Assessing seasonal patterns, issuing real-time alerts, and providing support for rebooking or emergency evacuations.

⎘ Cybersecurity

Protecting mobile devices on public networks with pre-trip training and rapid incident response.

How VCU protects travelers

Meeting duty of care requires seamless, integrated systems rather than manual check-ins. VCU utilizes modern monitoring platforms that:

▶Track travel itineraries, flight data, and mobile signals — while fully respecting employee privacy and consent.

▶Enable two-way emergency communication so VCU can send alerts and immediately receive updates or requests for assistance from the field.

Employee & traveler obligations

Duty of care is a shared responsibility. VCU employees, students, and contractors are expected to actively participate in the university's safety protocols. Travelers must:

▶ Review risk intelligence before and during travel.

▶ Carry emergency communication tools at all times.

▶ Follow VCU guidelines before and during their trips.

Travel risk framework & action plan

To manage hazards effectively, VCU employs a phased approach to risk mitigation:

Risk category	Early warning signs	Pre-trip actions	In-transit actions	Post-trip actions
⚐ Geopolitical	Civil unrest, localized protests, or sudden policy changes.	Complete destination risk assessment; enroll in VCU Global Education or emergency registries.	Monitor local news; stay near secure accommodations; carry embassy details.	Debrief regarding any safety incidents; report issues.
⚕ Medical/Health	Disease outbreaks or lack of local medical infrastructure.	Check vaccination requirements; obtain necessary medical insurance.	Carry necessary medication in the original pharmacy bottles with labels or with a copy of the prescription.	Monitor for post-travel symptoms; seek medical attention if needed.
⛈ Weather	Seasonal storm warnings or emerging natural disasters.	Review seasonal climate patterns; adjust itineraries if needed.	Heed local warnings; adjust or delay transit; contact CTP for rebooking.	Assess property damage; file insurance claims if applicable.