Important update 5/11/26: The university has implemented an immediate suspension of all university-sponsored travel to or through several countries in and around the Middle East. This decision follows rising security risks, the potential for sudden advisory changes, and limitations reported by our foreign travel insurance carrier regarding the provision of assistance in the area. The pause affects travel for academic programs, research, conferences and any other San Francisco State University activities.
This announcement applies to all members of the campus community: faculty, staff, students and affiliated participants. Both planned departures and ongoing journeys are covered by the suspension: no new approvals will be granted while this directive is in place. The campus leadership emphasizes that travel will remain restricted until conditions improve enough to ensure traveler safety.
Scope of the suspension
The travel hold covers travel to or transiting through the following countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. This list is comprehensive for the current suspension and applies to all categories of university-related travel. Administrators should assume that requests involving these destinations will be declined until the university lifts the pause.
Who is affected and what is prohibited
All campus-affiliated travelers are subject to this restriction. The directive means: do not schedule or approve new trips to any of the listed countries; make arrangements to suspend or curtail non-essential activities; and avoid routing travel through these locations. Ongoing travel that involves these countries should be reviewed with university leadership and Risk Management to determine safe options. The goal is to prioritize safety and minimize exposure to regions where support and emergency services may be limited.
Reasons behind the decision
The suspension responds to multiple intersecting concerns. First, there are heightened and rapidly changing security threats that can affect transportation, lodging and local emergency services. Second, our foreign travel insurance provider has explicitly warned that it may not be able to guarantee the availability or quality of assistance services in the region, including potential limitations on emergency response, evacuation support, and other critical services. Together, these factors create unacceptable risk for university-sponsored travel.
Insurance and advisory frameworks
The university evaluates travel requests against the U.S. Department of State travel advisories and the California State University insurance classifications. Trips to countries with Department of State Travel Advisory Level 1, 2 and 3 require Provost approval before travel is permitted. San Francisco State University does not support travel to destinations labeled Travel Advisory Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Additionally, the CSU insurance carrier maintains lists of High-Hazard and War-Risk/No Coverage countries; if a destination appears on those lists, travelers must consult Enterprise Risk Management before requesting approval.
What units and travelers should do now
Department chairs, deans, program directors and administrative staff should circulate this information immediately across their units and halt approval workflows for travel involving the listed countries. If travel plans are already in motion, contact Risk Management to discuss mitigation or alternative arrangements. No new travel requests involving the named countries will be approved until the suspension is lifted and safety assurances are in place.
Contacts and next steps
For case-by-case questions or for assistance with specific travel situations, please reach out to Michael Beatty at [email protected] or by phone at (415) 338-1124. Units should also coordinate with Enterprise Risk Management regarding insurance-designated High-Hazard or War-Risk territories before contemplating any travel requests. The university will share further updates as conditions evolve and as official guidance allows safe resumption of travel.
