Three Sacramento State students studying abroad in Japan have returned home safely after being recalled under orders from California State University Chancellor Charles Reed.

On March 15, Reed called attention to the presidents of each of the CSU’s 23 campuses to bring their students back to California, citing his concerns about the potential for shortages and increased danger from damaged nuclear facilities and other means of transportation and communication.

“Sacramento State did indeed work with its students studying in Japan to bring them back to the states. All 23 campuses in the CSU were instructed by the chancellor’s office to work in this regard and we were quick to do so,” said Lori Varlotta, vice president of Student Affairs. “The three students we had in programs over there have safely returned.”

Although students studying in Japan were not in areas directly affected by the earthquake or tsunami, Reed said leaving students in such an uncertain situation is not a risk he is willing to take, according to his statement.

In Reed’s statement, his first concern was for the students’ health and safety, since there is not only possible dangers due to the current damage, but also future effects of unnoticed radiation.

Janis Silvers, acting coordinator of Study Abroad, said the students studying in Japan during the 2010-11 academic school year were not in class when the earthquake and tsunami took place, but rather were between semesters.

Silvers said one student was studying at Waseda University through the CSU International Programs and two others were studying at Yokohama National University through the Sac State Study Abroad program. She said a fourth student was planning to study in Japan at Yokohama National University for this semester but now cannot do so. 

Due to a U.S. State Department travel warning for Japan, none of the students will be able to study in Japan during spring 2011 as they had planned, Silvers said.

The university declined to release the names of the students.