BHSU Guide to Faculty Led Programs

BHSU Guide to Faculty Led Programs

International Relations and Global Engagement Office
Black Hills State University

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in leading a study abroad program. Study abroad is a truly enriching experience that allows our students to grow and develop knowledge in ways that cannot be done in the classroom. Leading a program like this can be a very rewarding experience for both faculty and students. For many this may be their only opportunity to see another part of the world. By making this kind of program available to them, you have opened the door to new possibilities. The International Relations and Global Engagment office and staff commends you on your international endeavors. We would like to provide you with the tools to succeed as you embark on this new and wonderful adventure.

This manual is meant to be a guide for you to use during any stage of your program. For many the idea of taking a group of students overseas can be overwhelming, but this manual is meant to put your mind at ease by clearly explaining each step of the process. It will provide you with helpful information on how to get started, how to market your program, how to run your program efficiently, who you should contact, and what the important issues are when taking students abroad. Use this manual to guide you as you work on developing your course. Our office is also happy to offer support in a variety of ways, from helping promote your program to meeting with you one on one to keep you on track as you create your program. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 605.642.6942 or . We wish you happy and safe travels!

Sincerely,
International Relations and Global Engagement Office

Introduction

The “Guide for Faculty Led Group Programs” is intended to assist Program Directors who take students abroad on a BHSU study abroad program. It will be helpful in planning and leading your program and is organized by topic to address those issues that impact the success of a program, including preparing a program proposal; recruitment; academic and logistical planning; finances; preparation; pre-departure orientation; and advanced planning for health, safety and security.

Thank you for choosing to commit your time and energy to providing a high quality study abroad experience. Your leadership and preparation for the program abroad can result in a study abroad experience that is one of the most enriching and inspiring experiences of a student’s life. Your efforts, commitment, and dedication make these experiences possible.

Faculty Led Programs Abroad

The Black Hills State University strategic plan includes an emphasis on expanding the University’s global and cultural studies. In support of that goal, we are continually seeking faculty involvement in international programs as we strive to make global studies a hallmark of at Black Hills State University.

A faculty led group program is a program in which the academic instruction on site is provided by BHSU faculty or specially contracted host institution faculty teaching BHSU courses. These programs are typically offered during the interim and summer sessions. A group program is typically short-term and can last from 1 to 8 weeks (2 summer sessions). If possible, in order to increase recruitment by minimizing scheduling conflicts, it is wise to closely follow the BHSU academic calendar when determining dates for a program, so that students have the option of taking summer courses at BHSU in alternation with a study abroad program or to eliminate the days students miss of other courses during the year.

The International Relations and Global Engagement Office (IRGE) will assist you in developing a study abroad program and implementing a marketing strategy. If you have taken over responsibility for an existing program, it is critical that you discuss the program with previous leaders. If you are new to leading a program, IRGE will be an important resource for you and will assist in all elements of program planning and marketing. Faculty leaders should discuss program ideas and considerations with IRGE prior to submitting a formal proposal for the program.

IRGE and faculty work together from the very beginning of the proposal process. The IRGE Director will meet with faculty to discuss program ideas and to review essential elements in planning for and proposing a new summer program. This discussion can include:

• IRGE proposal documents, requirements and deadlines
• Using third-party providers to make logistical arrangements
• Policy regarding salary, family members, graduate assistants
• IRGE responsibilities
• Faculty director’s responsibilities on campus and abroad
• Creating a program budget, faculty expenses, enrollment minimum and maximum
• Student recruitment, marketing strategy and materials
• Student applications, registration and insurance
• Emergency planning and preparedness, risk management, and safety abroad
• Student Pre-departure sessions (mandatory)
• Faculty preparation sessions prior to departure (mandatory)
• Evaluation and assessment of courses and programs

Leading or teaching on a faculty led study abroad program is significantly different than being on the home campus. When accompanying students overseas, the responsibilities of the faculty member extend far beyond the classroom. It is important that study abroad program faculty directors and teachers understand these responsibilities prior to submitting a program proposal.

Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Arranging all program logistics, on their own or through a third-party provider (ask IRGE for a list of approved providers)
• Attending all required faculty-pre-departure sessions
• Reviewing and accepting student applications in the online application system
• Communicating with students prior to program departure
• Providing and shaping course content
• Delivering course content (if applicable)
• Grading (if applicable; if teaching services are being contracted from a host institution on-site, the conversion and submission of final grades is always the responsibility of the Program Director)
• Entering grades
• Conducting on-site orientation
• Enforcing attendance policy
• Documenting and reporting all incidents regarding student behavior, health, safety, and security. This includes failure to attend scheduled events, trips or classes
• Being available to students via emergency contact number/ cell phone at all times
• Working with students and host institution to resolve any housing issues, whether host family or group housing/residence hall or hotel, etc.
• Monitoring class participation and participation on excursions and student behavior
• Assisting, to the extent necessary, with the health and safety (hospital/doctor visits) of students during the program
• Assisting students with cross-cultural adjustment
• Keeping up with receipts and expenses associated with advance funds, adhering to the program budget, and following UA financial policies
• Communicating closely with IRGE and BHSU Campus Safety concerning any matters related to student safety and well being, behavior, or other issues that arise involving students
• Administering program evaluations and assessments
• Providing IRGE with a director’s report at the end of the program

Considerations/Policies/Guidelines for Establishing a Group Program

When beginning to develop this kind of program you should take into account the following questions:

Where do you want to go?
What do you hope the students will learn?
How do you anticipate the students will benefit from this experience? How do you plan to teach the students by taking them abroad?

When exploring the option of developing a program, faculty leaders are encouraged to meet IRGE Director to discuss the concept of the program, especially those who have not led a study abroad course in the past. Faculty leaders should also discuss plans with the Department Chair and Dean early on in the developing stages of the program.

Crucial steps to follow within the course proposal process involve logistics, travel planning, and an academic overview. Keep in mind while developing your course that the University’s academic policies and procedures for courses apply to all study abroad courses as well. The essential part to consider is the course objective and the program overview. These include academic expectations, pre-departure requirements, methods of instruction, housing and meals, transportation, tentative itinerary, and how everything fits together as a whole. The key is to have a proposal with an equal balance of academic value and affordability.

The following are some topics for faculty leaders to consider when forming a course proposal in more detail.

1. Location

Many faculty members choose a location in which they are familiar. It is helpful if faculty leaders already have contacts within the country or perhaps it is a country where leaders have done a lot of research on in the past. The location should directly relate to the course being offered. It should also be an appealing destination to generate student interest.

2. Academics

It is important to think about what kind of academic experience you want to provide to students. The participants should be able to encounter a variety of things that will enhance the academic validity of the course. Excursions should be offered to places that will enhance and compliment the focus of the course. Faculty leaders should emphasize the value of having the students travel to this international location to further their learning experience. In other words, explain why this is a course that needs to be taught abroad and not on the Marshall campus.

3. Assessment of Interest and Need

It is helpful for faculty leaders to assess the student interest level for the program by asking a select group of students if they would be interested in taking a course such as the one being proposed. Leaders do not want to offer a course in a place that would not be of interest to students. Faculty leaders will need to decide if the course should be offered to a specific discipline or the entire campus. This will determine the level of interest in a variety of ways and will provide more direction to the faculty leader.

4. Length of the Program

The length of the program will determine a variety of things including cost, time, and level of interest. Most short term programs are offered anywhere from one to five weeks. It is important to pick a time frame that will allow students to gain a worthwhile academic experience for the most affordable price.

5. Safety

Safety is a very important issue when traveling with students. Faculty leaders may want to ask if the area is safe for travel. More information on the country and the safety of Americans traveling within that country can be found by checking with the U.S. Department of State and the Center for Disease Control.

6. Country Entry Requirements

Students will all need passports for their course abroad. They may be required to have other things, such as certain immunizations, entry visas, copies of birth certificates, or other forms of ID. Be certain that you know what will be expected and if they are attainable in a short amount of time.

7. Meals and Housing

Where will the class be staying abroad? Where will the group be eating while away? There are a variety of ways to plan this, including program providers or working with a travel agency. Most travel groups do breakfast, and nearly all dinners, together with lunch done individually in order to maximize time. IRGE has a list of approved agencies and partners.

8. Transportation

Once the class arrives at the destination, faculty leaders need to have a plan for transporting a fairly large group around to all excursions. This needs to be planned in advanced and be the most efficient way possible to get the group around—on foot, by bus, or by car. Whatever mode of transportation is chosen, safety should be most important.

9. Advertisement

Once faculty leaders have created this course, a marketing strategy is necessary. How are leaders going to get the word out to students about this trip (often times a very brief amount of time)? There are a variety of options: flyers, brochures, holding informational meetings, or doing classroom presentations. Faculty leaders should have a strategic plan in place. Promotion is one of the biggest issues you will face in creating the program.

Program Director Requirements

Program Directorships and faculty participation in overseas programs are open to all tenured and tenure-track faculty, as well as instructors, as determined by departments, and contingent upon approval from the Program Chair and Dean of the appropriate division. If the program is to offer courses in more than one department, approval must be obtained from each. Signatures from all departments involved must be procured by the faculty member preparing the proposal. Proposals are considered incomplete without appropriate departmental and college or divisional signatures. Proposals include an academic and budget section and both must be reviewed and signed. Any program involving travel that requires spending time in a country for which the U.S. State Department has issued a Travel Warning should include relevant information on the location of travel in relation to the travel warning. Final approvals are given by the Provost.

Please note IRGE policy mandates that all program directors and faculty teaching on programs must attend preparation sessions on student health and safety, budget reconciliation, and risk management. This policy is endorsed by Academic Affairs.

Courses

Courses must meet the rigorous academic standards of any other course taught at BHSU. Each 3-hour course must demonstrate a minimum of 37.5 contact hours in order to equal the contact hours associated with a 3-hour course offered on campus (50 minutes X 45 class meetings = 37.5 contact hours). Excursions and site visits directly related to the curriculum upon which a course is based can be included in the 37.5 contact hours. Courses that have been offered in prior years typically have well established course numbers. New Program Directors must consult with their department concerning the appropriate course numbers that should be used for the program. Faculty often use course numbers assigned to International Study/Special Topics (491/492), Capstone, Honors Designations and/or other similar courses or seminars set up to accommodate variable titles and content descriptions. Courses are assigned certain section numbers, and the program fee (the total cost of your program) is tied to courses/section numbers and credit hours. IRGE will work with the home department to set up the appropriate course. Courses with these sections can only be used with IRGE approval.

Faculty can use already existing courses (special topics, capstones, independent studies) to teach international courses. New courses must have departmental approval and must go through the Course Inventory/New Course approval process as established by each College or Division. Refer to your College or Division for procedures and instructions for creating a new course. Pre-requisites must be considered when creating courses for study abroad. All pre-reqs should be clearly stated on the program proposal and in ALL marketing and recruitment information.

Program and/or Graduate Assistant

A program must have at least 15 students enrolled in order to qualify for an assistant. If 15 or more students are anticipated in the program, plan for assistant costs as part of the program proposal. If you plan your program budget with a minimum of ten students, then have a higher enrollment (15 or more), there may be enough funds in the program to support an assistant. If you reach an enrollment higher than anticipated, please discuss the need for an assistant with the IRGE Director for approval to determine if the budget will support a program assistant or second instructor.

An assistant position should be advertised in the appropriate departments. Contact IRGE for an example of prior advertisements. Compensation for assistants normally consists of airfare, housing, entrance fees, and food. Assistants do not normally receive salary. There are exceptions to the salary policy if a faculty or staff member serves as an assistant, or co-teaches. In some cases, neither the faculty or assistant will receive salary for this experience.

Duration of Program

Keep in mind that program dates are critical for student recruitment, flight arrangements, and logistical reservations. Program dates should not overlap significantly with classes and finals where possible. The majority of BHSU faculty led programs are abroad for ten days and operate during the the Interim term, summer courses are also an option. The Interim term normally runs during larger break periods like Spring Break, Winter Break, Thanksgiving Break, etc. Consult the BHSU academic calendar for exact dates outlining Interim and Summer terms.

A tentative itinerary must be included in your proposal that includes the departure date, return date, first and last day of class, travel days, excursions and site visits.