EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL

OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

January 29 10:30am

  • 10:30-Noon  EC Executive committee will meet in PSC 238
  • Noon-1:00pm Lunch and Learn session about Clery PSC 212
  • 1:00-2:00  EC committee meeting with reps PSC 238
  • Should the executive need to meet again after the 2pm session we can remain in room 238

AGENDA

Attendees: Craig Callender, Ron Fietkau, Sarah Egerer, Luc Guglielmi, Dustin Anderson, Robert Costomiris, Irina McClellan, Danielle Smith, Herb Mattord, Teddi Cunningham, Dave Nelson, Jeff Brown, Margee Bright-Ragland, Beverly Vantine

  1. Minutes
  2. Approved
  1. Old Business
  2. Program Updates for 2016 (Program Directors)

Berlin:

  • 13 students currently signed up and are hopeful for more applications. Program has been in this position before and numbers doubled by the application deadline; hopeful for the same outcome.
  • Ken McGill may drop and apply next year if enrollment doesn’t increase
  • Ron can teach the science class if it’s needed

Paris:

  • VP at KSU and President of UNG will visit the Paris program for about 4 days each.
  • Paris program will pay for lodging, field trips, metro pass, and a few meals while institutions are paying per diems and flights
  • Administration will visit the classes and field trips to showcase EC strengths. Administration will also meet with students from their institutions.
  • Hopefully other programs and institutions will do this if this is successful

Madrid:

  • Numbers are ahead of where they were this time last year
  • VSU religion professor dropped and was replaced by WGA history professor

Ireland:

  • Numbers are lower than usual but budget can support current numbers. Hopes for a few more students
  • Program this year has an overnight in Dublin instead of two day trips to Dublin

Scotland:

  • Program is full with a waitlist.
  • Pound is down so will try to make a few payments while we can

Russia:

  • Numbers are down but hard to recruit because don’t have an Georgia faculty teaching on program.
  • In 3-4 weeks will make the final decision to either keep the program or cancel; depends on enrollment
  • Need about 7-10 students to make the trip happen
  • The exchange rate this summer is the best it’s been in years so student dollars will go much further

London:

  • Program really needs 70 students or will have to cut a faculty
  1. Final Budget Calculations
  2. Faculty changes for 2016
  3. Application Deadline Extensions?

(1)Program deadline extended one week; from March 2 to March 9

(2)March 9 is the first payment deadline, but this isn’t going to be pushed back because of constraints with contracts. Bev will work with students if payment arrangements need to be made.

  1. New Business
  2. EC Student Enrollment Update
  3. Bev emailed enrollment numbers to everyone yesterday. We’re behind from Summer 2015 but on par with Summer 2012. Numbers are cyclical and won’t always increase.
  4. Minimal number of students needed for program to run (Jeff)
  5. Programs look at cap, but need to determine the minimum number of students as well to make the program go.
  6. First drop a few amenities before dropping faculty
  7. What do you do when a faculty has no one from their school in the program but their classes are full versus a faculty member that has several students from their school but none in their class. Herb suggested analyzing the economic impact of the program when making decisions on which faculty to take.
  8. Marketing Videos/Report/Brochures/Trade Show stands for reps (Jeff)
  9. Dustin: Biggest recruitment tool is the video and want to make another one.
  10. Jeff: Need guidelines for videos so they’re all uniform but with latitude to express individuality.
  11. Suggested to use Russia video as a guide. Videos should touch on academics, field trips, culture…
  12. London and Ireland may share the cost to have a videographer come this summer to film.
  13. Need multiple videos for each program: quick two minute teaser for classrooms, longer videos for parents, one video for all seven programs.
  14. EC needs to be able to retain all the raw footage to compile on EC all-program video
  15. Reimbursement policy for faculty for information sessions (Jeff)
  16. When programs are doing 2017 budget, add a line for recruitment
  17. Everyone approved policy Bev put together, however directors should set the amount for each program.
  18. Madrid Program Director (Jeff)
  19. EC searching for new director for three-year term.
  20. Anisofrom GCSU was recommended since he’s been the site director for several years
  21. GCSU also supports Anisio
  22. Dustin mentioned that unless the salary issue is resolved for next summer, then he’ll no longer be able to direct the program either.
  23. Bev will put a call out for Madrid and Ireland directors when minutes are sent out.
  24. New member at large (Jeff)
  25. Laura Thomason was nominated to be member-at-large
  26. Bev should first put a call out to see if others are interested. Once all names are collected a poll will be created so everyone can vote
  27. Alternative methods of orientation (Jeff)
  28. Currently, some programs skype or will talk with students on the phone
  29. There’s software available to create these. Can be set up so students answer questions before they’re allowed to continue.
  30. Number of courses students are required to enroll in per program (Jeff)
  31. We need students so we need to accommodate
  32. Can’t push students into something they don’t need or won’t count for them. Students are spending money on these programs and should be forced to spend more money on tuition or waste HOPE hours for something that won’t count
  33. Putting these barriers for students not only affect participation but also affects teacher salaries
  34. Other topics
  35. EC needs to push for salary pay. Southern still has a big problem with fairly paying faculty and directors for the work they do.
  36. What are the liability issues of having an unpaid staff working for USG abroad?
  37. Dustin and Robert were charged by Jeff to come up with a model of paying directors and faculty.
  38. When someone is hired at the board the EC hopes this person can put pressure on institutions and set up a best practices model
  39. BOR needs to create a policy and hold institutions accountable
  40. GCSU’s policy: EC student tuition pooled together and pay EC faculty and directors with this money. Everyone paid percentage of salary
  41. KSU’s policy: Similar to GCSU’s, except all EC faculty and directors get paid the same amount
  1. Other Business or Announcements
  2. Feb 2: Application Deadline for 2015 Scotland
  3. Feb 8: First payment due for Scotland
  4. Mar 2: Application Deadline for non-Maymester programs
  5. March 9: Final Payment for Scotland
  6. March 9: First Payment for Non-Maymester Programs
  7. March 13: PDs and chair determine final course and faculty for Summer 2015 programs
  8. Mar 15: Final count on summer programs and institutional enrollments
  9. Mar 24: Deadline for Faculty Applications for Summer 2016
  10. Apr 7: Final program payments due for non Maymester programs
  11. Apr 15: European Council committee selects 2016 study abroad faculty at MGA
  12. Apr 16: Required faculty workshop and planning meetingat MGA
  13. Apr 16: Student Orientation for ScotlandMGA
  14. May 13: Executive Committee meeting at MGA
  15. May 13: Preliminary budgets for Summer 2017 presented at meeting and emailed to Coordinator
  16. May 14: Student Orientation for non-Maymester programs at MGA