OFF-CAMPUS STUDIES PANEL
Minutes
Thursday, January 20, 2011
11 AM – 1 PM
MHP 102
I.
II.
Approval of minutes of December 9, 2010, meeting. Approved.
Review of courses with “short” overseas trips (two weeks or less)
A. Short student evaluation form for short courses: report of subcommittee (Bucher
and Robison, with input from Geck).
Discussion (December): Robison provided a draft of the evaluation form; the
committee made suggestions . Robison will produce a revised draft to be sent out
before the next meeting. It was suggested that this survey be made part of
Blackboard for the class. We would like to make this as low-tech as possible for
the faculty. Faculty could populate the survey into Blackboard and require
students to fill it out before getting a grade. There could be a link into Qualtrics
to allow it to be anonymous. Blackboard would know if the student had clicked
on the link.
Discussion (January): OSP approved Robison’s questionnaire, to be required for
use when reviewing short-trip programs. The longer questionnaire, available on
Qualtrics, will continue to be used for longer trips.
III.
Website with USC-wide information about overseas programs: Discussion with Prof.
Prof. McGillivray.
Discussion (December) deferred till January meeting, hoping for larger attendance. Prof.
McGillivray is interested in coordinating but would like OSP to set priorities, as he has
limited resources.
Discussion (January):
Prof. McGillivray has started learning about what is happening with USC students
studying abroad, and recognizes that there are great disparities across the university in
how we prepare students, ensure safety, and collect data about who is where. For
example, Keck has a protocol regarding health, safety and shots that is not replicated
elsewhere. He has started talking with the deans about the purposes of overseas studies,
but has not yet talked with administrators of programs. He has started to centralize the
MOU activity, and feels that it is important to centralize data collection, resources, and
risk management, while not interfering with the faculty’s entrepreneurship in developing
new programs. It was suggested that instead of using the term “centralization,” it might
be better to talk about providing, centrally, resources which would provide support to all.
In some institutions, the office that might do that would be an office like McGillivray’s,
but his currently does not have sufficient staff. Other institutions do this in Student
Affairs.
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January 20, 2011
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At USC, it is Student Affairs (Andrea Torres’ office) that collects the lists of students
going abroad on programs, both credit bearing and non-credit bearing. Student Affairs
also has on its website a great many resources, such insurance information and helpful
information for students and directors about health and safety and overseas travel. It
coordinates with Cathy DeFrancesco about health issues, and has information about
countries where there may be problems. However, it does not have the parent contact
information for students abroad—the programs are supposed to retain that. And it does
not act as an approval body, although Michael Jackson has on occasion canceled a
proposed program to a country that is deemed unsafe. (OSP was not aware of this, and
has not told departments planning programs to possibly unsafe countries to check with
Michael Jackson beforehand.) In addition, many faculty do not know about the Student
Affairs database, and Student Affairs does not know about all overseas trips. Student
Affairs offers workshops for faculty planning trips with students, but only is able to
contact faculty directors it knows about, and program directors often change without
notice. Consequently, at any time it is not possible to determine what students may be
abroad in any location at any time.
USC does not have a consistent policy about mobility of students doing research on
their own (eg, graduate students, postdocs), and neither these students nor students on
clerkships are under OSP purview. USC lacks the usual institutional research or risk
management offices that might handle such issues.
Another inconsistency around USC is in the staffing available to help plan and oversee
overseas courses. Marshall and Annenberg have well staffed offices, and the Office of
Overseas Studies runs a large number of semester programs, but other schools, and
faculty in The College running summer trips, may have few or no staff to coordinate the
trips. These faculty are in special need of a centralized list of resources. OSP has
become more aware of these short trips in the last year, since they decided that they
should review trips shorter than two weeks.
Student safety is the key issue. USC’s Legal Office would probably be appalled at the
possibility that exists for problems. OSP itself does not necessarily know how to
determine if a location is safe. Not being on the State Department list of dangerous
countries is not a very high bar. We also don’t have a list of approved third party
providers (but we have to beware of seeming to promote certain providers).
An additional issue is what USC sees as the purpose of overseas studies. Steve
Bucher is on the subcommittee of the Strategic Planning committee dealing with issues of
globalization. Perhaps OSP can discuss this issue of purpose in the context of
discussions of the strategic planning group. There is undoubtedly inconsistency around
the university concerning the goals of international trips. We don’t currently measure
learning outcomes for overseas studies.
OSP feels that Prof. McGillivray and the Provost should take the leadership in
determining what resources are needed for overseas studies and where they should be
located. Steve Bucher will draft a statement regarding what resources USC should have
for overseas studies, what data is needed regarding who is doing what around the
university, and milestones for gathering that data and resources. He will send the draft to
OSP for comment and then send it to McGillivray. Some members of OSP might assist
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January 20, 2011
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in data gathering. Andrea Torres will provide Steve with the information Student Affairs
has regarding resources. McGillivray may also ask Steve to attend a session with a group
of Associate Deans he meets with to discuss issues of internationalization.
IV.
General discussion:
--Goals of overseas studies
--How to determine if a situation is “safe.”
December: Deferred till next meeting.
Discussion (January): some included under III, some deferred till later meetings.
Attachments:
Minutes from OSP meeting December 6, 2010, and report of other items approved for January
UCOC meeting
Mark Robison’s questionnaire was sent out before the meeting
Present:
Steve Bucher, chair
Stacy Geck
Ted Lee
Dan Lynch
Kenneth McGillivray (ex-officio)
Patricia Riley
Mark Robison
Gordon Stables
Andrea Torres (ex-officio)
Edwenna Werner (support staff)
Absent:
Gene Bickers (ex-officio)
David Glasgow (ex-officio)
Norman Hollyn
John Murray
Sally Pratt (ex-officio)
Michael Quick (ex-officio)
James Steele
Erin Quinn
Kenneth L. Servis (ex-officio)
Carol Wise
(Continued on next page)
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PROPOSALS APPROVED BY CHAIR OR CHAIR-PLUS-ONE:
I. MARSHALL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
A. Four New Semester Programs: Undergraduate International Exchange Programs (IEPs)
Marshall proposes to add four new undergraduate International Exchange Program locations to the 22 already in
existence. All are effective Fall 2011.
Three of these programs are in Europe, where there is great demand by students, and one is a
second program in South Korea. In all programs, students enroll in an international university and take
business courses in English that fulfill their senior concentration. They take courses with native and other
exchange students. The program is only open to business majors and selected minors. As this is an
exchange program, students from these institutions attend USC. All programs are available fall or spring. No
excursions are offered as part of the programs. (A fifth new location in Lisbon is still under review by OSP.)
1. Paris, ESCP-EAP (15 units)
> Approved for 3 years
Students attend Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris-Ecole Europeenne des Affaires (ESCP-EAP) in Paris.
(Marshall also has a program in Paris with HEC School of Management.) There are 14 weeks of classes followed
by exams. Students live in a student residence about 35 minutes by metro from the campus. There is access to
computers, student clubs, and sports activities. There is an international Programs Office to assist exchange
students, an orientation, and a buddy system.
Chair comment: A good program description and the learning outcomes for each class (in the sample syllabi which
were provided) are well articulated.
2. Poitiers, France, ESCEM (16 units)
>
Approved for 3 years
Students attend the Ecole Superieure de Commerce et Management (ESCEM) in Poitiers, France. There are 14
weeks of classes followed by exams. There is some on-campus housing, and the university helps students find
apartments. The International Programs office provides support and there is an orientation, as well as computer
access and activities for exchange students.
Chair comments: The program description and syllabi are adequate.
3. Madrid, Spain, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (15 units)
>
Approved for 3 years
Students take five business courses in English at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), for 3 units apiece. The
semester is 14 weeks of classes plus an exam period. Students find their own housing with the help of a webpage
provided by the university. The campus (in the Getafe suburb) has sports and computer facilities. The International
Office assists the large number of exchange students. There is an Orientation and a buddy system.
Chair comments: The program description is comprehensive and the syllabi, while minimally so, provide enough
information.
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4. Seoul, South Korea, Seoul National University (15 units)
> Approved for 3 years
Students take business courses at Seoul National University for 14 weeks, with one week of exams. There is
campus housing available. The International Office assists students. There are sports facilities and student
activities, an orientation, and extensive computer access.
Chair comments: The program description is good. A few of the syllabi are less than informative, but others are
very detailed.
B. New Short Program
1. MOR 542, Strategic Issues for Global Business (3 units), in Mexico
>
Eff. Term: Spring 2011
Approved for 3 years
As part of MOR 542, Strategic Issues for Global Business, students travel to Tijuana and Ensenada with a faculty
member from Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. They visit maquiladoras and Mexican companies that
do business globally, and stay in a hotel in Ensenada.
Chair comments: The information given to students is very helpful. The hope of the reviewer and the chair is that
students are told before enrolling that the weekend trip is mandatory.
II. COLLEGE OF LETTERS ARTS & SCIENCES
A.
New International Summer Program
BISC 499, “Global Health,” in Oxford, England (4 units)
>
Biological Sciences
Eff. Term: Summer 2011
Approved for 2 years
Problems without Passports course: BISC 499, "Global Health" (4 units). Pre-health students will spend 3 weeks at
Kellogg College, Oxford University, living in dorms where two meals a day will be provided. Faculty at the
Nuffield research group in Oxford, a tropical medicine group, will lecture in 15 sessions, and students will do group
projects related to global medicine and write a paper. USC faculty will choose a USC director, who will accompany
students and work with the Oxford team to provide students' grades.
Chair comments: A USC director has yet to be appointed, but the program's quality gives us confidence that the
right person will be found. Approved for 2 years because it is a 499.
B. New short program
History
Eff. Term: Summer 2011
HIST 499, “The Silk Road Today: Focus on Kazakhstan,” in Almaty, Kazakhstan (3 units)
>
Approved for 2 years.
HIST 499, The Silk Road Today: Focus on Kazakhstan, is a 3-unit course. Students have 4 days of seminar at USC
followed by 9 days in Kazakhstan, accompanied by the instructor. They stay at KIMEP, a university in Almaty, the
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January 20, 2011
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"cultural center" of Kazakhstan, which also provides visits to local cultural sites and some interaction with KIMEP
students. Upon their return, students have additional time to complete their paper or project. Problems without
Passports course.
Chair comments: There was no mention of a pre-trip orientation, which might be helpful. Approved for 2 years
because it is a 499.
C.
New ISP (International “Spring” Program)
English
Eff. Term: Spring 2011
ENGL 406, Poetry Writing (“The Poet in Paris”) in Paris (4 units)
> Approved for 3 years
Maymester course. Students spend four weeks in Paris taking ENGL 406 Poetry Writing, subtitled The Poet
in Paris. Instructor accompanies students. She will rent an apartment for classroom space and provide
information for students to find hostels or short-term apartments to share.
(This program is neither strictly an “International Summer Program” since it takes place May 16-June 10 and
students register for a spring course, nor is it a “short program” because students are overseas for more than two
weeks.)
Course was reviewed by OSP at the December 9, 2010, meeting and returned to the department for further action
(see December minutes). A revised syllabus was provided which indicated that ISA in Paris will provide needed
logistical and safety backup for the program. This satisfied OSP's concerns.
III. ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION
A. Review and renewal of International Summer Program
1. USC Annenberg New York City Internship (2 units)
>
Communication
Eff. Term: Summer 2011
Approved
Students take COMM 205 online and do an internship in NYC. Internships are arranged by EUSA. Class is
taught for 12 weeks by the Annenberg Office of Career Development, internship is for 7 weeks full-time,
preceded by a week-long orientation. Students live in NYU student housing arranged on behalf of USC by
EUSA.
Chair comments: Approved. No further reviews needed. OSP will no longer review programs in the USA shorter
than a semester.
B. New Short Program
1.
JOUR 585, Specialized Reporting: Religion (“Religion, Ethnicity and
Coexistence?”) in Israel (3 units)
>
Approved for 3 years
Journalism
Eff. Term: Spring 2011
During spring break, instructor Diane Winston takes Journalism students to Israel for 10 days as part of JOUR 585:
Specialized Reporting: Religion. This course focuses on religion, ethnicity, and coexistence. Students stay in
hotels and meet with media and groups of citizens, accompanied by a local guide. Michael Jackson has approved
the trip (from a safety point of view), which also occurred in 2010.
Chair comments: Safety issues seem to have been considered and addressed.