Three ISU engineering students knew they would be studying abroad at 41 degrees latitude this semester. They just thought they would be at 41 degrees north, not south.

Escalating action in Iraq led ISU administrators to temporarily suspend a study-abroad program at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey, after a meeting on Feb. 11.

Instead of going due east, Aaron Becker, junior in computer engineering; Eric Borchers, junior in civil engineering; and Andrew Nyvall, junior in mechanical engineering, boarded a plane together Thursday morning bound for Australia and study-abroad programs at Curtin University and the University of Newcastle.

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs and a member of the Study Abroad Risk Management Committee, said deciding to suspend the Turkey program so late in the semester was difficult but necessary.

“We felt that with the proximity of the program to Iraq, and the activity that’s going on there, that now would not be a good time to send students into that area,” he said.

Julia Apple-Smith, program coordinator for engineering undergraduate programs, said it was disappointing for students to lose the opportunity to study in Istanbul, even temporarily. “We’re very hopeful that we can offer this again next year.”

Chad White, a junior in construction engineering who studied at Bogazici last spring, said he still communicates with friends he made in Turkey.

“[American students] were instantly popular,” he said. “I had four Turkish roommates. I spent a lot of time with them. We still talk through e-mail.”

After the decision was made to suspend the program, the most pressing problem for Apple-Smith and other administrators was the group of students who now had nowhere to go and hadn’t been taking classes for the first month of the semester.

Apple-Smith said just after the meeting on Feb. 10, there was a flurry of activity around campus as various groups tried to arrange alternate activities for the students.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people,” Apple-Smith said. “[It was] an incredible team effort.”

Trevor Nelson, assistant director of international education services, said the Australia programs were good matches for Becker, Borchers and Nyvall, especially given the circumstances.

“Our partners in Australia were very supportive and helped to expedite matters,” Nelson said. “They had the academic programs the students needed, and their academic year begins at the end of February.”

Nelson said the suspension of a study-abroad program is a rare but regular occurrence.

“In the last three or four years, it’s probably happened three times or so,” he said. “And programs can be canceled for a whole variety of reasons.”

Nelson said safety issues were not usually the major factor in cancellations and suspensions.

Becker said in an e-mail message from Australia that he felt distraught after learning on Feb. 10 the program might be suspended.

“A lot of emotions flooded through me after I hung up that call,” he said.

Becker said he, Borchers and Nyvall came back to campus on Feb. 14 to discuss the Australia trip. Freezing rain and snow fell all day in Ames.

“The beaches of Australia began to look very inviting,” he said.

Becker said the work put in by staff in International Education Services, the College of Engineering, Student Affairs, the office of the provost and other campus offices was incredible.

“The Turkish visa, requiring two checks, three phone calls, several e-mails and an emergency Federal Express man, still took four weeks to arrive,” he said. “In brilliant contrast, an Australian visa was mine in three hours.”

Hill said the situation turned out well because of the hard work of all the people involved.

“They did an outstanding job in a very short period of time to get the students placed in programs that met their academic needs and would provide good experiences,” he said.