Though a disease in China has caused the cancellation of the Chamber Choir’s intersession trip, other summer and intersession trips still plan to take place despite any concerns about the war.

On April 2, Bud Clark, director of choral activities, had to call the choir’s travel company to cancel its trip to China after consulting with Dr. Chad Stebbins, director of the Institute of International Studies.

“Missouri Southern will not send students to a country where a travel advisory is in effect,” Stebbins said.

“I think it was definitely the right decision to make,” Clark said.

The U.S. State Department and the Centers for Disease Control issued a travel advisory to Americans about visiting China because of an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. SARS is a mysterious respiratory illness that has infected many Chinese. Medical personnel have not found a cure yet.

Clark said he was disappointed about having to cancel the trip, which took two years to plan, but it was the right thing to do. Safety of the students is the most important thing, he said.

Rebecca McGowan, junior vocal performance major, was supposed to travel with the choir to China.

“I’m disappointed in the fact that I don’t get to go,” she said.

However, she said she was a little relieved because of all the commotion about the war and sickness.

“There were some very real concerns,” McGowan said.

She said many of the students who were supposed to go expressed concern about being in a foreign country during wartime. Some decided against going on the trip after war broke out, even before the trip was officially canceled, she said.

“Some of them felt that it wasn’t safe to be in China,” McGowan said.

Clark said the travel company has had to deal with several cancellations from many colleges because of the war, flight concerns and the SARS outbreak.

“We are not the only ones who have had this problem,” he said.

There are seven different groups of Missouri Southern students who are planning to go abroad after the spring semester. Also, several students are planning on a trip to England through the Oxford/Cambridge program.

Stebbins said none of the trips will be canceled because of the war. If any of the countries that are still on the list to be visited have a travel advisory arise, then the trip to that country will be in jeopardy, but so far he doesn’t see any problems with the trips that are scheduled.

Dr. Tatiana Karmanova, associate professor of communications, will be the faculty sponsor for the Russian Culture and Civilization trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg. She said “nobody has expressed any concerns” about going to Russia during wartime.

There’s not really any strong anti-American sentiment in Russia, so there’s not a real worry about attacks on American tourists, Karmanova said.

The only extra precaution Karmanova is taking for this trip is a letter she sent out to all the students who are going.

She wanted to advise them to talk to their families so she could answer any questions about the trip. The parents are usually the ones with concerns, she said.

“I understand parents’ concerns,” Karmanova said. “I also believe students are adults.”

Stebbins said some of the faculty sponsors are considering having an informational seminar for the parents before the students leave the country.

“Parents may be less concerned if they get to meet the faculty leader,” he said.