Draft Faculty Responsibilities Handbook for Short-Term Programs

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES HANDBOOK FOR SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS

Introduction: The International Programs staff congratulates you on your selection to lead a short-term, non-credit study abroad program for Puget Sound students. We have prepared this handbook to assist you before, during and after the program and are happy to answer any questions you may have as you prepare. Please be sure to take this guide with you for future reference while you are leading the program.

General advice: As faculty director, you will be called upon to be Puget Sound’s representative, program administrator, financial manager, student adviser, and crisis manager. We recommend you contact the following offices for helpful information prior to holding the student orientation:

Registrar: for explanation of FERPA, ADA legislation and how they apply to study abroad; student code of conduct (academic), and other institutional policies (take copies with you for reference)

Dean of Students: for review of student code of conduct (nonacademic); grounds for dismissal and procedure

Counseling, Health and Wellness: how to recognize signs of serious health issues, both physical and emotional, and when and how to intervene

Student Financial Services: to review program budget details; making payments on-site; currency exchange; receipts and documentation needed for reimbursement

Puget Sound Risk Manager and International Programs Staff: review possible types of emergencies; when to notify Puget Sound (International Programs); how to document steps taken; review Emergency Management Plan, and get list of contacts, both on-site and at Puget Sound

Office of Communication: for referral information if reporters contact you.

Faculty responsibilities before the program

Publicity. Advertise the program widely. Distribute brochures and flyers to your colleagues and students. International Programs staff will assist you in preparing these.

Recruiting and selecting students. Hold at least two interest meetings. International Programs staff will provide application materials for the program and be on hand to answer procedural questions. Students will turn in completed applications to International Programs for review by you and a selection committee, as appropriate. International Programs will send out acceptance letters to the students, including the deadline for payment of the non-refundable program deposit, and other required materials, along with information about orientation.

Student orientation (mandatory). This is your opportunity to provide a detailed schedule of the program, for the students to get acquainted with each other and to turn in required forms. International Programs staff will make copies of all necessary documents for you to take with you – medical, passport, any visas, and liability releases, etc.

You should also cover the following items:

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·  Description of local living conditions, access to medical facilities, outline of potential health risks, and road safety

·  Internet access availability

·  Cultural norms, to include appropriate clothing, and taboos

·  Banking and money matters

·  Use of calling cards, cell phones, how to place international calls, and ensure that you have a cell phone which will operate internationally and a back-up communication plan when cell phone service is unavailable

·  Emergency contact information for families

·  Wallet-sized emergency contact and procedure cards for each student

This is the time to remind students that they are bound by Puget Sound’s code of conduct, including drug and alcohol policies.

Personal arrangements: You will be responsible for making your flight arrangements, obtaining any necessary visas, insurance, and purchasing the International Teacher Identity Card (available through International Programs). Puget Sound liability insurance covers faculty ‘scope of duty’ exposures; i.e. travel, work and other activities directly connected with the Puget Sound sponsored activity unless the faculty member behaves in a clearly unreasonable manner (e.g. committed a crime or was intentionally negligent). Check with Puget Sound’s risk manager for details. You would need personal insurance protection for independent travel.

Faculty responsibilities during the program

General. You represent Puget Sound abroad and are responsible for upholding the Puget Sound’s policies and standards. As faculty director, you will take on many roles: administrator, financial manager, adviser, crisis manager and travel guide.

While the group is abroad you are on call 24/7 as counselor, mediator, advisor and advocate and are required to remain with the group for the duration of the program. Given these responsibilities, it may not be feasible for family members to accompany you on the program.

You should take the following documents with you:

·  This handbook

·  Puget Sound Academic handbook (the Logger), & a copy of the Student Integrity Code

·  Final budget, indicating which items have been prepaid and which need to be paid on-site

·  Records of correspondence and contracts with on-site providers

·  Copies of important documents, to include your and the students’ passport and visa information, airline reservations and sealed medical forms (to be opened only in case of emergency). The medical forms should be returned to International Programs for shredding at the conclusion of the program.

Orientation on-site (mandatory). You should provide an on-site orientation, including information on health and safety issues, emergency response measures, drinking and drug laws, potentially unsafe areas to avoid and safeguarding money and other valuables. All students should have emergency contact numbers for you, host country staff and the US consulate.

You and the students should be registered at the nearest US consulate. In case of a natural disaster or local unrest you should be in contact with the US consulate for updated security information.

Financial management. You will be required to keep complete and accurate financial records, including receipts for all expenditures, and to prepare a final budget report for Accounting and Budget Services and International Programs upon return.

Health and safety issues. All participants are required to provide proof of comprehensive medical insurance, to include emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains coverage. International Programs staff can issue the International Student/Teacher Identity Card (ISIC/ITIC) which provides some supplemental medical insurance as well as medical evacuation and repatriation of remains coverage.

Medical and other emergencies. Please see Emergency Management Plan attached. Notify International Programs immediately about any emergencies. In the event of an emergency, use the incident report provided by International Programs. This report should include the following information:

·  A log, noting names, dates, times of those with whom you have spoken;

·  Contacts made with International Programs (or Puget Sound Security, if after-hours) and provision of regular updates;

·  Contacts made with appropriate people on site: host family, local authorities, US consulate;

·  Reports which are signed and dated by parties involved (and get photocopies);

·  Contacts made with insurance companies.

Disciplinary action. Please see Disciplinary Action Guidelines attached. Students may not leave the program for reasons other than true emergencies, such as serious illness, accident, or family emergency at home. All students are required to sign an agreement stating that failure to abide by the terms of the agreement may result in dismissal from the program, parents will be informed and disciplinary action back on campus may be initiated.

Legal difficulties. Please keep well-documented notes of any incident that could result in legal action. Contact the consulate and the appropriate authorities at the overseas location. Make sure appropriate police reports are filled out in the event of a crime. Follow the guidelines in the Emergency Management Plan.

Record keeping. Maintain copies of all documents, including receipts, reports, in a secure place. Student sealed medical forms should only be opened in case of serious injury, illness or death of the student.

Faculty responsibilities after the program

Student questionnaires. International Programs will send out questionnaires to the returning students to be completed and returned to International Programs. These questionnaires will be forwarded to the director after review by International Programs staff. You should plan a reunion of the students, welcoming them back to campus and reminding them about possible reverse culture shock and adjustment back to campus.

Final report. The director’s final report on the program is to be submitted to the director, International Programs, the Associate Academic Dean and the department Chair within one month of the end of the program. The director and International Programs staff will use the report and questionnaires to plan the next program cycle.

Planning and promotion of future programs (if applicable). Seek the students’ help in promoting the next program cycle. Some suggestions include: establishing a web site for your program; becoming ambassadors for the program; and making presentations to the campus and local communities about their experiences. If you will not be leading the next program cycle, you should actively recruit qualified colleagues to apply, working with the appropriate department chairs and the Associate Academic Dean.

Appendices:

Emergency Management Plan

Incident Report for Study Abroad Programs

Disciplinary Action Guidelines

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (IP) PUGET SOUND OF PUGET SOUND

Orientation information, both printed and oral, contains information for faculty and students about health and safety issues related to international travel. Adherence to this information, along with appropriate behavior, caution, and common sense, can prevent many crisis situations.

Decisions regarding program itineraries are made based on information from the US State Department, and on-site coordinators. IP is prepared to make changes on short notice should a situation arise in-country that causes serious concern.

IP will not allow students to begin a program at a site which is designated by the US State Department as existing under a travel warning. (See Attachment A for the complete policy statement.)

1.  CONDITIONS REQUIRING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

The staff of International Programs shall be contacted under the following circumstances:

1. Serious illness, injury or death.
2. Emotional or psychological stress that appears to require removal from the situation or professional attention.
3. Being the victim of a crime—theft, assault, rape, harassment, etc. or being accused of committing a crime.
4. A situation arising in-country which causes serious concern, i.e., a political uprising, epidemic or a natural disaster.

2.  COURSES OF ACTION

Puget Sound faculty member or on-site coordinator or student (in case of incapacity of the faculty member or on-site coordinator) contacts the appropriate local authorities (i.e., police, US Embassy, medical personnel) to begin the local action necessary to handle the situation. This individual will also complete the attached incident report, Attachment B.

Puget Sound faculty member, on-site coordinator or student (in case of incapacity of the faculty member or on-site coordinator) contacts the appropriate person from the Puget Sound Emergency Contact List. In most cases, that will be the Director of International Programs. There may be situations when it is also appropriate to contact other persons, i.e., Counseling, Health and Wellness or the Dean of Students office.

Puget Sound President or an assigned senior official of Puget Sound is the official spokesperson to parents/officials/on-site coordinators. Puget Sound Communications office will act as official spokesperson to media sources.

3.  IP ACTION

International Programs staff will initiate appropriate procedures. IP will inform the senior officers of Puget Sound about any situation which involves on-campus intervention for an international program.

A.  Ill or injured student:

1.  IP will contact the contracted insurance provider to get them involved in evaluating the situation.

2.  IP will contact parents of student to apprise them of the situation.

3.  IP will contact the Dean of Students.

4.  IP will contact the media spokesperson for Puget Sound.

5.  Necessary action will be taken—provision for necessary medical care in-country, emergency evacuation, etc.

6.  Puget Sound will, if necessary, make funds available to cover emergency costs. Such expenses are the responsibility of student/parents, but Puget Sound will advance funds as needed to assure a timely solution of the situation.

B.  Ill or injured faculty member:

1. IP will contact the contracted insurance provider to get them involved in evaluating the situation.
2. IP will contact family of faculty member to apprise them of the situation.
3. IP will contact the Academic Dean.
4. IP will contact the media spokesperson for Puget Sound.
5. Necessary action will be taken—provision for necessary medical care in-country, emergency evacuation, etc.
6. Puget Sound will, if necessary, make funds available to cover emergency costs. Such expenses are the responsibility of the faculty member, but Puget Sound will advance funds as needed to assure a timely solution of the situation.
7. If necessary, Puget Sound will make funds and staff available to insure adequate group supervision and continuation of the program.

C.  Death of student or faculty member:

1. IP will contact the contracted insurance provider to get them involved in repatriation efforts.
2. IP or designated Puget Sound official will contact parents of student or family of faculty member.
3. IP will contact Dean of Students or Academic Dean who will, in turn, contact Puget Sound legal counsel.
4. IP will contact Puget Sound chaplain.
5. IP will contact Counseling, Health and Wellness to begin appropriate counseling for other members of the group.
6. IP will contact the media spokesperson for Puget Sound.
7. In case of death of faculty member, Puget Sound will make funds and staff available to insure adequate group supervision and continuation of the program.

D.  Student or Puget Sound faculty member with emotional or psychological problems.

1. IP will contact Puget Sound counselors. Puget Sound counselors will be in touch with student, faculty or on-site coordinator to evaluate the situation and make necessary recommendations.
2. IP will contact parents of student or family of faculty member.
3. IP will contact the Dean of Students or the Academic Dean.

E.  Student or Puget Sound faculty is the victim of a crime—theft, assault, rape harassment, etc. or has been accused of committing a crime.

1.  IP will contact the Director of Human Resources & Affirmative Action Officer.

2.  IP will contact the Dean of Students and/or the Academic Dean.

3.  IP will contact the media spokesperson for Puget Sound.

4.  If the incident is between two student members of the group, the Dean of Students has primary responsibility and Puget Sound policy will apply.

5.  If the incident is between a student member of the group and a Puget Sound faculty member, the Academic Dean has primary responsibility and Puget Sound policy will apply.