Vanderbilt global safety and security manager Andrea Bordeau has been named director of global safety and security, and the Office of Global Safety is now positioned within the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs to facilitate greater support and resources for faculty, staff and students engaged in Vanderbilt-sponsored travel.
“As the university community continues to assess its travel needs and options, the Office of Global Safety is poised to provide the support and guidance to assist in planning travel knowledgably and safely,” said Vanessa Beasley, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of residential faculty.
The Office of Global Safety oversees both the Vanderbilt Travel Risk Assessment Committee (VTRAC) as well as Vanderbilt Incident Response for Travel (VIRT), which provides 24/7 crisis support for all university travelers. Bordeau leads a team that includes Tandra Martin, global safety and security coordinator, and partners with Vanderbilt travel manager Sabrina Kronk to provide expert guidance to those planning travel under complex and highly nuanced circumstances compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. With ever-shifting entry and exit requirements worldwide, Bordeau and her team assist travelers in assessing their personal risks while providing pre-departure guidance and location-specific consultations.
VTRAC has existed for many years with the sole purpose of reviewing university-sponsored academic or service opportunities involving travel to high-risk locations. With more than 80 percent of the world currently under a Department of State Level 4 and/or CDC Level 4 advisory, the reality is that almost all travel carries a higher level of risk at this time. VTRAC is poised to assist travelers in identifying local requirements and stands ready to walk them through a highly complex travel landscape.
“Our goal is to support the mobility of our travelers, and our priority is to equip every member of the VU community with the tools and resources to plan safe, healthy and secure travel away from the university,” Bordeau said.
Bordeau serves as the president of Pulse: International Health and Safety Professionals in Higher Education and brings more than a decade of strategic global safety experience to her role.
Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to contact VTRAC prior to all international travel and submit international travel requests to vtrac@vanderbilt.edu. All students, except those participating in programming through the Global Education Office, are required to submit a request for exception to VTRAC for upcoming international travel.
Contact Bordeau for more information or globalsafety@vanderbilt.edu for general questions.