May Travel
Intensive Learning
Course
Faculty Handbook
August 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to May Travel/Intensive Learning 3
RC May Travel/Intensive Learning Course Itinerary/Budget 6
May Travel/Intensive Learning Calendar/Timeline 9
Student Application Packet
Application 10
Travel Agreement Contract 11
Authorization & Waiver 12
Consent for Release of Medical Information 13
Study Abroad Medical Information Form 14
May Travel/Intensive Learning Course Enrollment 17
May Travel/Intensive Learning Course Withdrawal 18
May Travel/Intensive Learning Accounting Procedures 19
Roanoke College Check Request Form 20
Business Office Guidelines for May Term Travel Funds 21
Roanoke College Wire Transfer Request Form 23
Sample Mailings
Letter from Health Services 24
Letter to Parents 26
Letter to Students 27
Enclosures for Students and Parents 28
May Travel/Intensive Learning Balance Statement 29
RC Statement on Study Abroad: Risks in Global Education 30
Information Provided for Faculty Leaders
Guidelines for Responding to Emergencies While Abroad 31
Recommendations for Canceling May Travel/Intensive Learning 33
Information Provided for Students
Safety Guidelines for May Travel/Intensive Learning 34
Limitations of Responsibilities 35
May Travel/Intensive Learning Student Evaluation 37
May Travel/Intensive Learning Faculty Evaluation 39
May Travel/Intensive Learning Handbook
This Handbook is designed to offer support and coherence to faculty-led international travel programs during the May Intensive Learning term. The Intensive Learning Program commenced in May 1999 with four courses located outside the U.S. For the next several years, the Intensive Learning Program will need to provide eight to ten courses overseas in May. The administrative requirements of this program demand improved coordination between various campus offices and instructors. To that end, common forms generated by the Office of International Education, and guidelines for their use, will be issued to each course instructor so that the core operation runs smoothly. In addition, the new security environment after September 11, 2001 requires the College to operate all off-campus programs with exceptional attention to safety and liability.
The calendar suggested below is designed to show a new instructor how the system operates, from initial approval of the course to its final evaluation. Please adhere to these dates, as they are designed to provide reasonable intervals (or pacing) for administrative offices to do the relevant work in plenty of time. Regular contact with the registrar, health services, business office, and other offices is essential to assist students with meeting the demands of this program.
Once courses are approved by the Curriculum Committee in spring term, instructors are urged to obtain at least two quotes from travel industry sources for all the relevant lodging, meals, travel, field trips, etc. The Itinerary/Budget forms should be completed and turned in to the Office of International Education by August 1. An archive of all IL courses will be maintained to help new instructors review successful programs completed in the past. Budget details should cover all aspects of the trip (administrative costs, instructors’ expenses, publicity and promotion, emergency fund, etc).
The initial deposit for all trips is $300 (including a $50 administrative fee) and may be paid beginning October 1 with a deadline of December 3. The administrative fee is designed to provide support for under-enrolled programs in a separate account, so the money available for each trip is $250. This deposit is non-refundable. Any subsequent withdrawal by the student, after payment of the $300, will result in the forfeiture of the entire amount. Health emergencies and other extraordinary circumstances will be considered by the Vice President for Business Affairs when determining if any portion of the deposit may be reimbursed. Once final payment is made for all programs about February 1, no refunds will be made if a student subsequently withdraws from the course. Each course enrolls the optimum number of students to operate the program and any reduction of funds jeopardizes the entire class. In unusual circumstances, the Vice President for Business Affairs may determine that a portion of the trip costs may be returned if the funds have not been disbursed to agents, airlines and other trip vendors.
Instructors should budget for an emergency fund (about $500) derived from student receipts; account with the Business Office for all funds disbursed prior to leaving for the trip, and return with receipts to account for expenses met during the trip (prior to June 20th). Remaining funds may not be carried forward nor used in the next fiscal year. Faculty must agree to be responsible stewards of institutional funds entrusted to them for administration of the course; purchases made exclusively for personal use will be denied by the Business Office when the accounts are reconciled upon return from the May Travel program.
Instructional credit for the teaching faculty member is a departmental matter, but the lead instructor may take an additional person who might be another RC faculty or staff member, or a spouse. In exceptional circumstances, based on the legitimate requirements of the program, a person outside the RC community may be enlisted to provide essential support to the lead instructor. The program cannot be burdened by travel expenses for other family members, unless the spouse provides direct program support. Since May/Intensive Learning Programs outside the U.S. often require the valued assistance of a second leader and/or instructor, when another person is added to the cost of the trip, the duties and responsibilities of that person should be clearly described in writing to the Office of International Education for approval. If other family members accompany the instructor(s) on the trip, it is essential to honor the principle that the primary responsibility of that instructor is to the integrity of the travel program. Friends of the family cannot normally be included as this is strictly a Roanoke College student experience.
Responsibility for the students on the trip rests primarily with the instructor, and the College maintains an umbrella insurance policy that covers anyone on an officially sanctioned RC trip off campus, including overseas travel. A list of all participating individuals (including instructors and others) must be provided to the Office of International Education and the Business Office prior to final payment for insurance purposes. Reasonable and prudent precautions are expected of all students and instructors according to the terms of this policy. In addition, a waiver of liability contract is issued and must be signed by all students prior to the study abroad experience. The forms enclosed with this Handbook include information on health and safety, risk assessment, and US Embassy contacts. Any disciplinary problems that may occur during the trip are to be resolved by the instructor, with the understanding that students may be sent home for violations of RC policy and they will forfeit the remaining funds and suffer a failing grade in the course. Instructors are expected to be diligent in the supervision of students, particularly when traveling between destinations.
Enrollment in the course is anticipated by early sign-up with the instructor. A form for this purpose is provided as a part of the packet to instructors in early September each Fall term. This packet contains the Application for May/Intensive Learning Course, travel contract, waiver of liability, and release of medical information. Faculty are encouraged to keep track of student applications and to prioritize them in any way they wish. However, this application does not constitute formal registration for the class.
Registration for the course may be done prior to pre-registration for Spring term (from October 1; no later than December 3) by signing a form (available from instructors and the Office of International Education) for course approval. This enrollment form must be signed, in order, by the student, course instructor, the student’s faculty advisor, a Business Office representative and a Registrar’s Office representative. The Business Office will accept the deposit of the student, generate a receipt, and forward a copy of the receipt to the instructor. All deposits are non-refundable (see above). The deadline for all deposits is December 3, 2007. Note: A student cannot be registered for the course without first paying a deposit in the Business Office.
Once registration is completed, a copy of the form will be given to the student, the instructor and the advisor.
Rosters of officially enrolled students will be made available to instructors of each May Intensive Learning course on or about December 10, 2007 after deposits have been paid and pre-registration is completed. An up-to-date roster will be available through WebAdvisor at all times. You should check the WebAdvisor roster against the listing of deposited students to make sure all students have turned in the enrollment form. A final roster will be available on or about April l to the professor. Late registration may be used after December 3, 3007 to enroll additional students ONLY if an enrolled student has withdrawn, or if the course enrollment has not met its minimum enrollment. Courses which have not attracted sufficient students to operate within the designed budget by December 3 will normally be dropped from the courses offered list.
Promotion and marketing of the course will be shared by the International Education Office, the Intensive Learning Office and the instructor. Attendance at the Family Weekend and the Study Abroad Fair is strongly recommended. Individual brochures must be produced by the instructor and factored into the administrative cost of the program; they should be available to students by the commencement of Fall term (usually 25 August or after). The general program brochure for May Travel/Intensive Learning and other programs is provided by the International Education Office. As withdrawals frequently occur in all these programs, it may be wise to "overbook" for student enrollment, i.e., planning for 15 students and accepting 17 into the program, with perhaps 3 waitlisted. Note that a withdrawal form must be completed in order for a student to withdraw from the course.
Instructors will govern the academic portion of the course entirely. It is expected that they will meet regularly with students during the Spring term, that they will conduct country specific orientation, and that one of the orientation meetings will include the Director of International Education for RC policy issues. Assignments may be made during the Spring term, or entirely during the May term, at the instructor's option. Evaluations must be distributed during the last week of May term and they should be sent back directly to the Office of Institutional Research. Grades are due in the Registrar's Office immediately upon return to the U.S. Students who want to take the course on a pass/fail or audit basis must submit the proper form to the Registrar’s Office on or before May l.
ROANOKE COLLEGE
MAY TRAVEL/INTENSIVE LEARNING COURSE ITINERARY/BUDGET
Notes:
In preparing the budget, please remember that the expected minimum enrollment for IL Travel courses is 10 students per instructor.Faculty leaders may wish to add a cushion due to low enrollment or sudden unexpected late withdrawals, which may justify an enrollment of 9 students per instructor. But the ideal is to enroll up to 15 students in the course, to allow for any cost increases, currency fluctuations, withdrawals or other contingencies. The expenses of the instructor(s) and/or one adult companion must be covered in these costs as well. A per diem rate for meals of $60.00 per person is suggested. The normal operating guideline is to hold the line at under $3,000 per student if possible, adjusting the itinerary as necessary to conform to that benchmark.
When using an external program provider, please be sure the company is well recommended, bonded, and has a good track record. AIFS, Intrax, and other organizations will bid for the business. See the Director of International Education for information on these and other agents. Request a breakdown of costs in order to fill out the budget form; if this is not provided, be sure they will guarantee all the items in contract. Take care to identify the locations of your accommodations, to avoid being placed in distant banlieue, for example. Be sure the ground transportation is suitable for your group size. Let them know you want certain individuals, if known, as guides, guest lecturers and suggest an honorarium.
I. PROFILE
Name of Instructor(s) Phone (campus) (home)
Campus Address Fax
Email Expected Enrollment
Name of Program Assistant Phone
Address Email
II. PROGRAM OUTLINE
Destinations
Course Title
Course Number(s)
III. TRANSPORTATION *Please indicate how the group will form, if they do not leave from Roanoke airport. Extra cost involved?
Flights
Departure Date Cost
Return Date
Mid-program flights (if any) Cost
Land Transportation *Examples: metro, coach, taxis, train, etc.
Date Destination Conveyance & Cost
Date Destination Conveyance & Cost
------
Departure/Arrival Cities
Outbound: From , USA Flight # To Flight #
Return: From Flight #
To Flight #
Round Trip Cost
IV. ITINERARY – * Note: Please fill out completely, identifying excursions, tours, guides, guestlectures, entrance fees, classroom rental, etc.
Date / Destinations/Activities / Cost
V. ITINERARY - GROUP MEALS
(Usually, a welcome and/or farewell dinner. Indicate if breakfast or other meal included in program
cost and number of meals not covered by program price.
Date / Location / Cost
VI. INSTRUCTOR'S EXPENSES
Date / Type of Expense
(i.e., meals, taxi, metro, tips) / Cost
VII. EMERGENCY FUND (Recommend $1,000)
.
40
MAY TRAVEL/INTENSIVE LEARNING COURSE SUGGESTED TIMELINEFebruary 1, 2007
► Course proposal due to Intensive Learning Director / November, 2007
►November 6: RC pre-registration for Spring 2008 classes
March 15, 2007
► Course proposal due to Curriculum Committee; courses must be
approved no later than the April faculty meeting / December, 2007
►December 1: LAST DAY for student initial deposit ($300) to RC Business
Office, followed by signed enrollment form to Registrar’s Office. (Students
may register late on a space available basis until January 15.)
►December 14: Letters advising students and parents of the amount of final
payment and the deadline
►December 14: Final decision on enrollment issues by December 15, 2007.
April 1, 2007
► Contact and arrangements begins with travel agencies / January, 2008
►Leaders set meeting times for enrolled students; coursepacks, etc.
►Meet with Director of International Education for logistical/safety/security
review
►Contact students regarding passport #, visa as needed, medical insurance
May 31, 2007
► Program budget due to Director of International Education
(see form to be used; initial budget may be provisional) / February 1, 2008
►Final deposit payments are due for all trips.
June – July 2007
► Finalize arrangements for travel agent, itinerary, budget
► Arrange for trip companion/second adult
► Preparation of your program’s May Travel/Intensive
Learning Trip Brochure and create trip description for the
general May Intensive Learning Brochure / March 7, 2008
►I. E. Office sends student approval forms to campus offices
August 1, 2007
► Trip brochures finalized, printed and ready for distribution at
Opening School Orientation and for placement on RC website
► Final budget ready for publication; finalize itinerary
► Trip companion identified and approved (see related issues of
stipend/TCU) / April, 2008
►Final approval due to I. E. Office from campus offices; faculty to review
►Meet with the Business Office to review trip expenses, disbursements,
balances, receipts
September 3, 2007
►Application packet ready for distribution to faculty
►Parents’ Weekend, Study Abroad Fairs, Freshmen
Orientation, etc. / May, 2008
►Pick up all emergency information and forms from I.E. prior to departure
►Collect funds for emergency ($500+) from the Business Office
October 1, 2007
►IL Registration begins for travel courses only. Payment to
Business Office of $300 application fee and signed enrollment form
to Registrar’s Office begins October 1. / June, 2008
►Meet with the Senior and/or Junior Accountant to turn in all expense
documentation and to reconcile trip
►May Travel/Intensive Learning Student and Faculty Evaluations due to
I.E. Office
40