This bi-annual program travels abroad to Italy to study Interior Design and Apparel Design. In 2020, the study abroad program as cancelled due to COVID-19. With vaccinations and boosters readily available, the study abroad program was returned and the Interior Design program was scheduled to travel abroad to Italy for the first month of Summer 2022 since it was cancelled in 2020. Students and faculty were notified that they had to be completely vaccinated in order to travel abroad. Students and majority of faculty have taken the appropriate measure to ensure all requirements were met, but unfortunately we were notified that the program will not continue due to the program directors’ refusal to be vaccinated. Although there were two other professors that are vaccinated and eligible to be the new program director for this trip, it was still cancelled due to the program director refusing to let anyone else take over. This is not only an act of selfishness on behalf of the program director but this is also hurtful for the students who were really looking forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for the many seniors that will be graduating and/or graduated by time the next trip comes around. The Interior Design students feel that one professor should not hinder education abroad for students. We would greatly appreciate it if the decision on cancelling the trip gets revoked and the eligible professors to take over.
Thank you from the students in the Interior Design program.