A Guide to Creating Successful. Short Term, Faculty-Led. Study Abroad Programs

Transcription

1 A Guide to Creating Successful Short Term, Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs Office of International Education 350 New Campus Drive Brockport, NY (585) (800) 298-SUNY (7869) The College at Brockport 1

2 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Application Process 3 The Office of International Education 4 Outline of Responsibilities 5 General Principles for Academic Programs Abroad 6 Hallmarks of a Successful Short-Term Study Abroad Program 8 Developing a Short-Term Study Abroad Program Proposal 11 Implementing a Short-Term Study Abroad Program 14 Part 1: Recruiting and Admitting Students 14 Part 2: Final Pre-Departure Arrangements 17 Part 3: The Program Overseas 19 Part 4: Post-Program Activities 22 Part 5: Planning for the Next Cycle The College at Brockport 2

3 Introduction In the summer of 1953, Dr. Eric Steele, Professor of French and English (both disciplines were, in those days, housed in one administrative unit), instituted Brockport s first study abroad program when he departed for France, with twenty Brockport undergraduates, as their guide and faculty tour leader. From this modest beginning, the College at Brockport has become the SUNY system s leader in Study Abroad. Our Office of International Education currently administers, on behalf of the SUNY system, more than fifty overseas academic programs of all types direct enrollment programs, exchanges, international internships, language immersion programs and still, significantly, faculty-led overseas study programs. This booklet was prepared by the Office of International Education to encourage members of the faculty who might wish to carry on this tradition and lead a group of students overseas during a summer or winter or semester break session. It is our hope that you will consider doing this and investigate this possibility. It is easier than (with the help of the Office of International Education) you might think. This handbook is intended to assist and guide The College at Brockport faculty members who wish to develop and lead a short-term study abroad program. Faculty members who have already led short-term summer or winter session study abroad programs should also refer to this handbook. It contains up-to-date information about policies and procedures that may have changed in the interval between now and the last time they led a short-term study abroad program. We urge you to read the handbook thoroughly and to keep it with you when you are overseas with the group. Application Process The Office of International Education encourages faculty to develop proposals for short-term faculty led programs coordinated through the Office of International Education The College at Brockport 3

4 Planning and conducting a short-term study abroad program will require you to go beyond the usual realm of planning and to become a travel agent, bookkeeper, security guard, first aid administrator and 24-hour companion. Study abroad program planners must ensure that the program not only broadens the student s experiences and enhances their understanding of other cultures, but also furthers their academic accomplishments. We encourage you to work with your department head from the early planning phases to ensure that the program adheres to department and College expectations and procedures for academic programming. The application process will require you to complete the following documents for review by the Office of International Education: 1. Faculty Led Program Application 2. Itemized budget 3. Day to day itinerary 4. Course syllabus Application Deadlines: In order to be approved to operate an overseas program you must submit the above documents according to the deadlines below: Intersession program Deadline of February 1 For Intersession programs to begin the following winter, e.g., deadline for Intersession program to be run 12/15/13 to 1/31/14 is February 1, Summer program Deadline of July 1 For summer programs to begin the following summer, e.g., deadline for summer programs to be run 6/1/13 to 8/20/13 is July 1, The Office of International Education The Office of International Education is a unit of the Division of Academic Affairs at The College at Brockport. It is responsible for the administration of all of the college s overseas academic programs. In addition to short-term study abroad programs that are the subject of this guidebook, the Office of International Education has responsibility for the administration of: Various types of semester- and year- long overseas academic programs, International internships and International student and scholar exchanges. The Office of International Education is headed by a Director/Dean who manages a 2011 The College at Brockport 4

5 staff of professional and support personnel. These professional staff members work directly with faculty leaders in planning new programs and managing them overseas. The Director reports to the Vice President and Provost of Academic Affairs. The Office of International Education professional staff members are: Assistant Provost of International Education: Dr. Ralph Trecartin Assistant Director: Ms. Lindsay Stephany Study Abroad Advisor: Ms. Jacqueline Thomas Bell Study Abroad Advisor: Ms. Lindsay Herbert Senior Staff Associate: Mr. Terry Hooper The Office of International Education support staff consists of: Assistant to the Director for Records: Ms. Melinda Kewin Assistant to the Director for Finance: Ms. Kim Dunaway Outline of Responsibilities Responsibilities of faculty member/program leader Research and arrange the in-country itinerary; transportation, housing, tours etc. Actively recruit Brockport students (e.g. through personal contacts, networking with other faculty, on and off campus outreach, etc.) to ensure the program gains enough participants to run successfully. Provide the OIE with text and photos for the website. Create of program specific promotional materials (e.g. posters, flyers, etc.) outside of the OIE s standard print materials and website. Advise interested students. Predeparture meeting (if applicable). Work closely with the Office of International Education on billing, applicant follow-up, admissions decisions, etc. Be available to students and OIE in case of emergency. Provide grades to OIE in a timely fashion upon completion of the program Submit a Program Report upon completion of the program Responsibilities of the Office of International Education Assist in recruitment of students through standard OIE recruitment venues (e.g. inclusion in our print promotional materials, website, and promotion in classroom visits and at regional and national study abroad fairs). Advisement of interested students relative to application procedures, program 2011 The College at Brockport 5

6 details, insurance, student billing, etc. Student registration. Assist with predeparture meeting (if applicable). Work with faculty leader to arrange group flight to and from program site (if applicable). Transmit grades to registrar. General Principles for Academic Programs Abroad Brockport s Office of International Education believes that the two cornerstones of Study Abroad are: Academic Integrity. Study Abroad is a serious and meaningful academic enterprise consisting of college-level [usually upper-division, but not always] academic study either coursework or experiential learning or some combination of the two that is done at a location outside the US in a manner that enables participating students to connect with the culture and society of the nation [or region] in which the Study Abroad program takes place. Cultural Integration. The core principle of Study Abroad is that, by means of the participants integration into a foreign [i.e., non-american] culture, the students will engage that culture and society at fairly sophisticated and complex levels and, by means of this connection to the host society, arrive at a deeper understanding of its people and culture. From this integration and engagement, the participant should learn about not only the host country and region, but also about the society and the nation s/he left behind and (perhaps most importantly) the process of integration and engagement will teach the participant a great deal about her/himself, as well. Without this integration and engagement, the participant is merely a tourist. And, although tourism is sometimes educational, it is usually not creditworthy. Consequently, because it does not support either tourism for credit, or learning by osmosis (i.e., simply living overseas as a sufficient justification for awarding credit), the Office of International Education examines all proposals for new study programs (and for the continuation of existing study programs) for evidence of the presence of these two essential characteristics: The level and seriousness of the academic elements of the program and The means by which the program proposes to integrate participants into the 2011 The College at Brockport 6

7 culture of the country or region in which the program will take place. Our Other Principal Concerns: In addition to those two essential elements, the following aspects of a study abroad program should be considerations in the development of new study programs (and indeed, for the development of all overseas academic programs): The Safety and Security of Participants The safety and security of our students and faculty leaders while they are overseas is a consideration of the highest importance at every stage in the development and administration of programs overseas. For this reason, the office will not support programs in areas that the US Department of State has issued Warnings for American citizens to not travel to. Additionally, because emergencies can occur anywhere in the world, each overseas program proposal must include an Emergency Action Plan. Fiscal and Budgetary Responsibility of Programs The Office of International Education realizes students face considerable financial pressures in completing their studies at The College at Brockport and that study abroad may create additional financial burdens. The office works to control costs for all of the overseas academic programs it administers; it strives to maintain good relationships with the Office of Financial Aid and other offices on campus that assist students in meeting their study abroad goals. All proposals for new programs need to present evidence that they will provide the highest quality program in the most cost effective manner. Funds expended for programs are carefully monitored and accounted for, and each faculty leader is expected to reconcile her/his expense report upon returning to the US. The Needs of the Clientele to be Served One goal of the Office of International Education is to increase the number of The College at Brockport students studying overseas each year. To do this, the Office of International Education seeks to provide our students with programs (both semester year-long as well as short term programs) that reflect the academic strengths of this campus, and also to offer programs that appeal to students in all schools and departments. Priority in developing new programs will be given to program proposals that demonstrate explicit support of these principles. Although the principal recruitment pool for short-term study programs is the Brockport student body, students from other SUNY and non-suny institutions (both in New York and other states) are 2011 The College at Brockport 7

8 always welcome to participate in our programs when space permits. Faculty/Staff Accompanied by Spouse/Family Members: a. It is expected that any faculty/staff member participating in a Study Abroad Program is primarily and intensely engaged in the student learning process. As such, accompanying parties must not hinder this responsibility or even present the perception that this responsibility is compromised. b. Only those direct family members/partners who are officially approved by the Executive Director in advance may accompany the Faculty/Staff member during the study abroad program. All others must apply, be accepted and be registered as students. c. Faculty/staff members are responsible for all expenses incurred for spouse/partner/family who accompany him/her on a faculty-led program. It must be transparent for all those involved in the program, especially the student, that no portion of the student program fees, in any way, subsidizing non-participants d. All spouses/family accompanying faculty on a faculty-led program must be covered by College approved health/accident and emergency medical evacuation & repatriation insurance. e. Faculty/staff members accompanied by children under 18 must be accompanied by a non-program related adult who will be responsible for the children so that the faculty member can devote him/herself to the program and its student participants. Hallmarks of a Successful Short-Term Study Abroad Program The Base Line Characteristics of all The College at Brockport Study Abroad Programs Every study abroad program short-term study program, semester or year-long direct enrollment, island program, exchange or internship sponsored by The College at Brockport must exhibit the following characteristics: High Academic Quality The College at Brockport overseas study programs must adhere to the same high standards of content, delivery and assessment as courses taught on campus. An Opportunity for Significant Social Integration The program should have an explicit element that enables participants to become, at least for a while, residents of, and not merely tourists visiting the place [city, 2011 The College at Brockport 8

9 country, region] where the program is located. Study Abroad is not educational tourism; one of its goals is to avoid giving participants the feeling that they are just passing through the society in which they find themselves. All study abroad programs and especially short-term programs must find the means to enable the participant to interact and engage the culture of the society in which it is located. This is perhaps the principal challenge that short-term programs face. An Appropriate Orientation The participants should not arrive in the host country ignorant of things that they need to know in order to understand that society and its people. An orientation for a study abroad program must be seen as ongoing from a very well developed basis. Constant and Trustworthy Pastoral Care The faculty leader must be prepared to provide a high level of support significantly higher than on the campus for the participants, many of whom will be traveling outside the US for the first time and in need of a higher level of care. All of the characteristics described above must be present for the program to secure approval. Beyond those, the following additional characteristics define highquality short-term study abroad programs. The greater the number of these characteristics present in any short-term study abroad program, the greater the likelihood that it will succeed. For all programs 1. The initial proposal must provide evidence of a convergence of factors that increase the likelihood of success for the program. In that proposal the faculty leader will have identified a topic of relevance, an adequate pool of students on which to draw, and an appropriate location for the program. 2. The plan balances fiscal responsibilities, logistics, and academic content, to maximize both the opportunity for student learning and the opportunity for participation by students who rely on financial aid to fund their study. 3. The program seeks to offer a new opportunity to The College at Brockport students, rather than duplicating previously developed overseas offerings. It is geared towards a previously underserved population or academic major. 4. The proposed course syllabus explicitly incorporates academic content relating to the host country/culture/economy/history. 5. To prepare the students adequately for living and studying abroad, the 2011 The College at Brockport 9

10 proposal includes provision for a substantive orientation program that includes the preparation of an orientation handbook, pre-departure and on-site orientation components. 6. The size of the proposed group is no greater than 20 for one instructor (who may be the faculty leader); additional instructors, preferably from the host country, are hired for a larger group, as needed. 7. Local faculty or guest lecturers from the host country/host institution sponsoring the program provide a substantial portion of the instruction in the program. 8. Field trips, site visits, and other cultural activities are integrated into the course material to provide an in-depth view of the host country in order to enhance the classroom experience. 9. Students live with host families or in student housing where host country students also live i.e., they are not isolated in an American enclave. 10. Additional opportunities for students to interact with residents of the host country are organized within the framework of the program. 11. English-language programs offered in non-english speaking countries either have a language prerequisite for students, or provide an opportunity for students to study the language of the host country along with other offerings, in order to guarantee a basic communicative competency in the language. 12. Assessment of student performance is comparable with the assessment of similar courses offered on The College at Brockport campus. 13. There is substantive evaluation of the program after each offering, by both participants and the faculty leader and these evaluations are utilized in planning for the next cycle of the program. For a program designed to improve students foreign language skills, additional characteristics include: 1. The faculty in the host country who teach the language courses are native-speakers of the language they teach. 2. In addition to language study, opportunities are made available to students to study the culture, society, history, or contemporary politics of the country. 3. Program length is a minimum of 5 weeks. 4. Language classes enroll no more than 10 students per section and are offered at various skill levels. For a study program that involves multiple sites, additional characteristics should include: 1. The program balances the desire to provide an overview of several cities 2011 The College at Brockport 10

11 or countries with the need for an in-depth experience in each location and utilizes an itinerary that neither exhausts the participants or the faculty leader, nor inflates the cost of the program unnecessarily. 2. Since accommodations for study programs are generally in hotels or bed and breakfast settings, the program provides additional opportunities for contact with residents of the countries visited. Developing a Short-Term Study Abroad Program Proposal Taking an idea from Idea to Proposal to Program is a relatively simple and straightforward process, and you can expect the assistance of the Office of International Education at every stage of that process. Two Preparatory Steps: Before preparing the proposal, you should: 1. Ask yourself, Is the role of Faculty leader one I will be comfortable in? As the person who has developed an overseas study program for Brockport students, you will probably be its Faculty Leader. The role of Faculty Leader requires, in addition to a considerable amount of administrative work, a wide variety of skill sets that are probably quite different from those you must regularly demonstrate as a faculty member. Will you be comfortable in this role? You will, for example, need: First-hand, specifically relevant experience in the country/ies involved. Academic expertise in the content areas covered by courses for which credit will be awarded. Organizational and planning skills as well as the ability to keep track of a number of details simultaneously. Recruitment techniques and enthusiasm you must be willing to spend time speaking with students to promote the program. Good health, to handle the physical and emotional demands of the program overseas. While some program sites overseas present no more challenge than living in Brockport, a study program, where you and your students are frequently on the move, may be much more rigorous. Leadership qualities and willingness to take charge in any situation where students need to be directed, rather than consulted. Appreciation for the increased contact with students that is inevitable in an overseas setting. 2. Meet with the Director of International Education The College at Brockport 11

12 The next step is to make an appointment with the Director of International Education to begin actively planning the program. Please do this early in the process, so that the staff of the Office of International Education will be able to provide advice and assistance throughout the planning process. The Office of International Education staff members have many years of experience in creating and promoting overseas academic programs, and they can provide suggestions to enhance program proposals. If this is done early in the process, the staff of the Office of International Education can review the proposal in draft form and provide valuable feedback throughout. With those two preparatory measures taken, the process of preparing a proposal can begin. Preparing the proposal A faculty member with an idea for a new short-term study abroad program should begin the planning process at the worksheets attached to Appendices A and B. A. Answers to questions most frequently asked during the development of a proposal: Travel Issues Faculty leaders of short-term study abroad programs are expected to accompany the participants to the program site abroad and are required to remain with and available to the group throughout the program even if the program is hosted by an overseas educational institution and the tour leader does not have a specific teaching assignment. If the faculty leader must arrive at the program site in advance of the group for program-related reasons, (e.g., to make or confirm last-minute arrangements) this must be approved by the Office of International Education. In the event that the faculty leader arrives earlier than the students do, s/he will meet the group flight at the airport. Academic Credit Issues All proposals for new short-term study abroad programs must include a section that clearly delineates the number of credits that will be earned by the participants. SUNY policies require that no more than one credit per week may be earned in an overseas study program. However, the guidelines allow that if carefully justified, one additional credit could be offered for an intensive 4, 6 or 8-week program, [but] no additional credits beyond one per week should be proposed for any program shorter than 4 weeks The College at Brockport 12

13 In an instance when a faculty member seeks to arrange for participants to earn credit hours the above listed limit, it is sometimes possible to do so by arranging formal preand post-program work on the Brockport campus. Such a model might consist of a pre-departure week-long session of classes/seminars/workshops at Brockport, followed by 3 4 weeks overseas, and completed by a post return week of classes at Brockport. In this way a somewhat richer (and perhaps more economically viable) four or five credit program could be arranged than might be the case if those five weeks were all done at the overseas location. Publicity and Promotional Materials Issues Once the proposal has been approved, the Office of International Education will list the program on the Brockport s Study Abroad website [ for the year preceding the program offering and will appear in all study abroad publications in which short-term Brockport programs are advertised or listed. Faculty leaders should prepare their own print or electronic materials to promote the program. All publicity for study abroad programs must be carefully checked by the Office of International Education to ensure that they conform to all applicable guidelines and are strictly accurate in our OAP Policies Handbook we ask students to believe only what we tell them, in writing, about the programs we administer and consequently we need to have full control of the content of all materials written about a program in order to avoid problems. Similarly, please submit all web-related announcements to the Office of International Education in advance of posting them, or simply direct students to Brockport s Study Abroad web site. The Issue of a Minimum Enrollment The total program cost is to be divided by the number of students anticipated. For a new program, the Office of International Education typically requires a minimum of 10 students, and for these new programs, it is best to budget with the assumption that you will meet your minimum but not exceed it in the first year. Thus, if the minimum enrollment is set at ten students, each student will bear 1/10 of the total program cost and thus this amount becomes the per-student program fee. For programs that have been operating for several years with a steady enrollment, the Office of International Education uses the previous year s enrollment figures to project a conservative estimate of student enrollment for the next year. Cancellation for Insufficient Enrollment Deadline Because most of the costs connected with short-term study abroad programs must be 2011 The College at Brockport 13

14 made either at the start of that program or a few weeks/months earlier, the earliest date by which such a pre-departure payment must be made will usually determine the deadline by which the minimum enrollment 1 must be achieved to avoid cancellation. The Insufficient Enrollment Deadline must also be early enough to enable the Office of International Education to recover any refundable deposits that have been made on behalf of the program. The Office of International Education will not make deposits that are non-refundable on behalf of a short-term study abroad program. In some cases, particularly those study programs that are scheduled for the Winter session, the deadline for applying for financial aid will determine the Insufficient Enrollment Deadline. Programs that have not met the minimum enrollment requirement by that predetermined date will be cancelled. Implementing a Short-Term Study Abroad Program Part 1: Recruiting and Admitting Students Once the Office of International Education has approved a program proposal, the next step is for the faculty leader to follow the recruitment plan. Recruiting on a sustained basis is what will make the difference between a successful program and one that may not meet its minimum enrollment target. Some tips for recruitment: Announce the program in all classes that you teach in which students are eligible to participate. Discuss the program with students whom you advise if they are eligible to enroll. Describe the program to your colleagues and ask them to help you recruit. Give colleagues and students a copy of the program brochure developed and printed by the Office of International Education. Base Line Rules for Recruiting and Admitting Students a Short Term Study Abroad Program: Truth in advertising 1 Enrollment is defined as having formally in writing accepted the offer of admission to the program and having paid the non-refundable acceptance fee. Anything else is not regarded as an actual enrollment The College at Brockport 14

15 When you speak with students or colleagues about your program, remember that they may have no idea what the program site, the study facilities, the additional activities, and the living arrangements will be like. You need to describe these in positive, but accurate terms. The Office of International Education tries to be very clear in all written materials to present the program as it actually is, in order to minimize any issues later on. Create Posters If you have even very basic talents in the poster department, create a large poster and place this on your office door or on a nearby bulletin board. After the first year of a program, the best feature of such a poster is pictures of students engaged in the various activities of the program. Before the first year, if you can find photos of typical monuments and activities, with people in them, this will help give a flavor of what students can expect. If you cannot produce a poster yourself, consider asking a student to help you out in this area. You may be able to recruit that student for your program! Hold Information Sessions You should consider holding Information Sessions on the Brockport campus in each of the semesters preceding the offering of the program. You should also seek to market your program on other SUNY campuses as well. Do not forget your colleagues in other institutions, and electronic mail lists to which you may belong. Post information about the program to these colleagues and urge them to bring the information to the attention of potential participants at their campuses. If you have a personal web site here at the College, you may post the details on that web site as well or directly link to your program s page on Brockport s Study Abroad website. Track Student Interest If students contact you directly about the program, you may direct them to the online application or to the Office of International Education. You should keep a contact sheet on every student and interact with them periodically to keep their level of interest up. Accepting Students into the Program 2011 The College at Brockport 15

16 Applicants must complete and submit an application for participation to the Office of International Education on or before the appropriate deadline. The initial application is an online form. Usually, faculty-led program applications consist of that online application form, a Study Statement (a brief essay/writing sample explaining the student s interest in the program) and the student s transcript(s). When an application is complete the Office of International Education will review the application based on your admissions requirements. If your preference is to review the applications yourself, please indicate that in the proposal process. The Office of International Education will issue an offer of admission (or a rejection letter) to the student over the signature of the Director of International Education. In the offer of admission letter the applicant is given a deadline (currently 14 days) by which s/he must accept or reject that offer of admission. If the applicant chooses to accept the offer, that acceptance must be accompanied by a non refundable program acceptance fee (which is applied to the program fee). When the acceptance fee is received, the applicant becomes committed. Keep in Touch with Prospective Participants During the recruitment/acceptance process, you will want to keep in touch with your student applicants/participants via and/or phone. A group mail list is useful to establish as soon as you have your first expression of interest. It is important to encourage students throughout the application process so that ultimately they participate in the program. A group provides students with a feeling of recruitment meeting camaraderie, and the knowledge that some of their classmates and friends may be part of the same group. It may also provide the impetus that a student needs to overcome hidden fears about studying overseas. Once they have been offered admission to and accepted that offer, it will allow you to communicate important information to the students as the departure date draws near. Withdrawals If a student informs you that he or she intends to withdraw from the program, please remind the student that he/she needs to inform the Office of International Education in writing of that decision. After the non-refundable program acceptance fee is paid the student will be held liable for any amount paid or committed on their behalf. Any 2011 The College at Brockport 16

17 decisions on refunds are based on the day that written notice to withdraw is received at the Office of International Education. Part 2: Final Pre-Departure Arrangements The last few weeks before a program s departure date are the busiest time for the faculty leader and for the Office of International Education. A great number of details need to be sorted out. Finances The Faculty leader must meet with the Director of International Education to make a final count of enrollment and have a final pre-departure discussion of the anticipated expenditures. Payments must be made in a timely manner (most costs in study abroad programs are paid up-front ) in order to insure that the participants do not arrive at the program site to discover an absence of the amenities or features that were promised in the program publicity. The Director of International Education will brief the faculty leader on handling expenses overseas. Budget Each faculty is required to submit an itinerary and budget to the Office of International Education as part of the planning process for any Short-Term Faculty Led Study Abroad Program. The budget should include all expected programmatic financial expenditures including the following: Tuition or program payments to foreign parties Accommodation costs Transportation costs Excursion costs and entrance fees Air fare estimates (whether included in the program fee or not) Food estimates (whether included in the program fee or not) Other and miscellaneous costs Payment Arrangements 2011 The College at Brockport 17

18 Faculty members should work with the Office of International Education to arrange appropriate payment arrangements for the various categories of costs listed above under the budget section. Payment arrangements include credit card payments, wire transfers and incidental cash payments on site. Plans for payment arrangements need to be made several months in advance of departure if possible. Faculty/Staff Financial Support Arrangements The Office of International Education Policy is to keep costs as low as possible for students, while still providing for the needs of faculty members leading the program. All program payments to faculty are negotiated and agreed upon in advance. Costs covered on behalf of faculty through advance payment or by reimbursement include the following: Housing costs (separate room from students) Coach Air Fare Costs Excursion/entrance fee costs (same as students) Negotiated Salary Stipend and/or meals reimbursement Generally a faculty member will receive up to $1,000 per credit hour for winter and summer courses. For example a three credit course would have a maximum stipend of $3,000. Faculty members will have the choice of replacing part or all of the stipend for a per diem meal allowance. This arrangement will be approved/disapproved by the Executive Director. Orientation There must be at least one on-campus pre-departure orientation meeting that participants are required to attend. At this orientation meeting the faculty leader and a member of the staff of the Office of International Education will review the program itinerary and guidelines for the students. The faculty leader will explain the academic aspects of the program; the Office of International Education representative will review financial, travel and logistical details, including such items as health insurance and safety and security 2011 The College at Brockport 18

19 issues. Students will be informed about any required forms that have not yet been received by the Office of International Education. Registering Participants The Office of International Education handles all the details of the registration of students enrolled in programs overseas. Health Insurance The SUNY Board of Trustees requires that all students enrolled in a SUNY overseas academic program must be covered by an appropriate health and accident insurance policy that includes coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation. The Office of International Education monitors and enforces this policy. Part 3: The Program Overseas After all of the last minute pre-departure details have been dealt with and the group is ready to go, here are some issues that relate to the operation of the program while overseas. Travel to the Overseas Site If the faculty leader travels with the group on the same flight, the group will then travel together to the program site by local transportation. If the faculty leader has preceded the group, he/she will be at the airport to meet the group flight. The faculty leader must notify the Office of International Education immediately if any students scheduled to be on the group flight are not on that flight, and also if any students scheduled to travel independently have not arrived by the first day of classes for the program. Supervision of the Group Faculty leaders are required to remain with the group for the duration of the program. This does not mean that a faculty leader cannot go to dinner with local friends or colleagues, or go out for the evening alone. It does mean that the faculty leader is not free to depart for a weekend to another city without the students, unless they are all away on a program-sponsored field trip or unless another professional supervisor is in charge. If a faculty leader is also teaching in the program, then of course most of the 2011 The College at Brockport 19

20 day will be structured in class, as it would be here on campus. In this case, he/she is in constant contact with the students for the duration of the program. If the students are enrolled in classes taught by local faculty, then the faculty leader serves as a resource and manager. In these cases, the faculty leader will serve as liaison between the students and the host university, to solve problems that may arise and to interpret local regulations and customs. It is important for faculty leaders to meet regularly with their students during the program if they are not in daily contact with them through teaching (once a week is a bare minimum). Regardless of which program model, the faculty leader will be particularly busy during the first weeks of the program making sure that housing assignments are satisfactory, that students are settling into their daily routine in the new country, and that things are running smoothly. Academic Matters It is important to remember that the overseas program is an academic extension of The College at Brockport. Students are expected to attend class and to do homework. There are exams and/or final papers/projects. Grades are awarded. Most overseas programs offer one or two set courses and there is no possibility for change. However, some larger programs offer a number of courses from which students can choose. It is not unusual for students to drop/add in these programs, as they would here on the home campus. Faculty leaders need to notify the Office of International Education if students change courses or modify the total number of credits they are taking while abroad, as this change in registration needs to be reflected in their campus registration as well. Increased Responsibility Because of the nature of a study abroad program, faculty leaders find that they have far more day-to-day contact with their students while overseas than they usually do at The College at Brockport. One of the roles of a faculty leader in an overseas program is acting in loco parentis. Issues such as homesickness, disputes with roommates, lost passports, stolen money, physical sickness, and questions about coursework will all be placed at the tour leader s door The College at Brockport 20

21 In most short-term programs, of course, there will be few if any such problems to deal with. However, the in loco parentis role is one that the faculty leader needs to feel comfortable with and accept. If a student wakes up in the middle of the night with what appears to be appendicitis, it is the faculty leader who will bundle the student into a taxi and accompany him/her to the nearest emergency room. The faculty leader will need to handle problems quickly, at the time they arise, and then he/she needs to inform the Office of International Education about them as soon as possible afterwards. Faculty leaders are given a list of staff members office and home telephone numbers for this purpose. It should never be the case that the Office of International Education learns about problems, either from the college s president (who has just received a telephone call from an angry parent) or from an angry parent who has learned about this problem from her/his student. Restrictions on Participation: Only the enrolled participants may join a program overseas. Students friends may not drop by and stay with the students, and students may not audit overseas programs. Generally, students spouses [unless enrolled for credit] and children under the age of 18 are not permitted to join a program. Group Photograph Please arrange to take a group photograph during the program, preferably with a monument or other view that is clearly identifiable the Eiffel Tower, the Tower of London, the Coliseum. Copies can be made and given to the participants either while they are still abroad or after their return to the US. Students will treasure this photograph in years to come, and it will serve as a valuable recruitment and publicity tool for future versions of the program. Other candid shots of individuals or small groups make excellent promotional photos for brochures, posters, and newsletters. Keeping Financial Records for the Program You must keep complete and accurate financial records, including receipts for all expenditures you have made while overseas. You will need to prepare a final budget report on which you reconcile the program funds that were budgeted and the actual expenditures made overseas. Again, the Office of International Education cannot provide funds beyond those that were included in the budget submitted during the planning process. The final budget report and all receipts are maintained in the Office 2011 The College at Brockport 21

22 of International Education for a minimum of five years. Once the final budget report is received, the faculty leader can expect to receive a reimbursement for any monies still owed to him/her in connection with the program. What to do in the Event of an Emergency We always hope that no genuine emergencies will occur while our students are overseas, but the faculty leader must consider the remote possibility that the program could be cut short and the entire group directed to return home suddenly. Faculty leaders should familiarize themselves with emergency procedures before leaving the US. In any emergency that arises, the faculty leader is the official representative of The College at Brockport and has the dual obligations to represent The College at Brockport vis-á-vis an overseas university or the US Embassy, and to ensure the safety and well-being of the students entrusted to her/his care. Of course, the faculty leader will, if a crisis or emergency arises, be in constant contact with the Office of International Education, and will receive direction from The College at Brockport campus. We want to be prepared for all possibilities. Part 4: Post-Program Activities As faculty leader, you are not required to accompany the students on the trip back to the US, students often decide to stay on and travel independently after the end of the program, and faculty leaders often take advantage of being abroad to pursue their own research and/or travel interests after their group has departed. However, when you finally do get back to Brockport, there are a number of tasks for follow up. These include: Program Evaluations The Office of International Education sends short evaluation forms to students in each program after they have returned to the US. These evaluations are useful to gauge the students reaction to the program a few weeks after the program has ended. The faculty leader will also evaluate the program in his/her final report that is submitted to the Office of International Education. Submitting Grades 2011 The College at Brockport 22

23 A grade needs to be submitted for each student. As Instructor of Record for the program, the faculty leader will assess any work that the students turned in at the end of the program and will provide final course grades. Those grades are submitted to the Office of International Education, where they are processed and sent to the Registrar. If an instructor at an institution overseas is grading the students, the faculty leader should make every effort to obtain those grades before leaving the host site, so that they can be processed quickly. Once the group has departed, it is more difficult to keep in contact with the institution overseas that is responsible for the grades. Grades for work completed overseas must be submitted to the Office of International Education within two weeks of the end date of the program. In a case where students have additional work to complete upon their return, the Office of International Education and the Faculty leader must establish a firm date for submission of this work before the program departs the US. Any student needing an extension of the deadline will request this from the faculty leader, and a grade of I will be entered on the student s transcript until the work is returned. Report of Expenses Contact the Office of International Education within a week of your return to The College at Brockport to schedule an appointment to reconcile your accounts, finalize the program budget, and submit your final report. Submit a Final Report All faculty leaders must write a final report. The report should be submitted to the Office of International Education no later than four weeks after the end date of the program. The faculty leader may also be asked to present this report at a staff meeting for the Office of International Education Part 5: Planning for the Next Cycle Assuming that the experience was positive and that both the faculty leader and the Office of International Education wish to offer the program again, planning for the following summer (or winter) session should begin before the new academic year starts at the end of August. If the academic department that has approved the course wishes to nominate a different faculty leader for the subsequent summer or intersession, this nomination should be made to the Office of International Education The College at Brockport 23

24 The appointment of a faculty leader is made by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on the recommendation of the Director of International Education. The office is grateful for the involvement of our faculty in overseas programs. Without the contributions of faculty leaders, the number and quality of the college s short-term programs would diminish significantly. These programs enhance the lives of our students and provide them insights into the lives of other people around the world. Faculty leaders are expected to assist their successors in planning and recruiting for the program at its next offering. Students are often seeking ways to translate their experience overseas into meaningful work back on campus or to hold on to the memories they created. Here are some suggestions the faculty leader may pass along to them: Work in the Office of International Education as a STAR presenter; Working with the faculty leader, create a marketing strategy for the program, which will also assist in next year s recruitment; Set up a regular reunion of program participants to go out and relax together; Volunteer or work in the Office of International Education; Volunteer to speak at clubs and organizations on and off campus about the experience; Write up an account of the trip and submit it to the Stylus; Become involved in one of the campus organizations that focus on the area of the world where they studied; Continue-or start-coursework in the foreign language of the area where they studied; Continue taking courses in the history, politics, geology, literature, etc. of the region where they studied; Plan for another study abroad experience. Short-term programs are often an excellent springboard for semester-long programs, which are very cost-effective and where students can gain a deeper insight into a foreign culture The College at Brockport 24