Guidelines for European Council Program Directors
I. Responsibilities and Requirements of Program Directors
A. General Responsibilities
1. The program director will perform as the leader of a team that includes
faculty and site directors from the USG, the chair and executive council of
the European Council, and the leadership and contact persons at the
program site in Europe.
2. The program director will communicate regularly with the European
Council, site directors, faculty, and contact persons at the program site in
Europe regarding program academic content, excursions and field trips,
costs, obligations and benefits for students and faculty, deadlines and
program changes, and other matters related to organizing and conducting
the program.
3. The program director will work closely with site directors and European
Council campus representatives in planning and conducting recruiting and
enrollment activities at USG institutions and in assisting program faculty
in marketing and recruitment activities.
4. The program director will be thoroughly familiar with crisis management
policies and all other policies and procedures of the European Council’s
study abroad programs and will assure that these policies and procedures
are followed at the program site, including regular contact with the EC
chair and the EC coordinator in cases of serious illness or other
emergencies.
B. Specific Responsibilities
1. In cooperation with the EC Chair, the program director will develop an
overall program budget and set the package cost for the program.
2. The program director will coordinate and encourage recruitment efforts,
including the design of program literature, attendance at study abroad
fairs, and general recruitment activities.
3. The program director will negotiate airfares and book reservations in
collaboration with the EC Chair and the EC coordinator.
4. The program director will participate in selecting faculty for participation
in the program.
5. The program director will participate in fall and spring faculty orientation
sessions and lead (with site directors) site-specific sessions.
6. The program director will organize student handbook and other student
orientation materials and lead the May orientation for students and faculty.
7. The program director will travel to the program site in Europe five days to
a week in advance of the group’s arrival to assign rooms, clarify any
problems, plan the first few days of the program, and arrange the group
arrival and settling in.
8. The program director in conjunction with site directors will organize and
conduct an on-site orientation once the group arrives in Europe.
9. The program director will meet regularly on site with site directors, site
staff, and program faculty to discuss problems, resolve difficulties, and
implement a collaborative approach to program management.
10. The program director will assure communication within the group by
arranging regular dorm meetings, establishing a bulletin board for
announcements, and keeping (with the site directors) regular office hours.
11. The program director will monitor the academic program to be sure that
students are receiving instruction as negotiated, and that students are
abiding by attendance and performance requirements.
12. The program director will assure that in the last few days of the program,
program and course evaluations are completed by students and faculty,
collected, and sent to the EC office.
13. The program director will assure that students’ grades are compiled and
submitted to the EC program office by the deadline published in the EC
handbook.
14. The program director will assist in selecting and training site directors for
their roles in the program, in collaboration with the EC chair, coordinator,
and Executive Council.
15. When necessary, the program director will be available to make planning
visits to the site before the start of the program.
16. The program director will plan and advertise all optional program group
trips but funds will be collected and disbursed by the EC office.
17. The program director will arrange with the EC chair, treasurer and the
coordinator to disburse funds to pay for program costs in the U.S. and
abroad, to purchase foreign currency, and to pay for any other additional
expenses of the program. In this regard, the program director will be
accountable, through receipts and written records, for how funds have
been disbursed.
C. Requirements of Program Directors
1. The program director will hold faculty status in the University System of
Georgia. In the case of co-program directors, one director must have
faculty status and must be accountable for all academic matters.
2. The program director must have extensive firsthand experience in study
abroad programs.
3. The program director must speak the language of the country in which the
program is located well enough to conduct business and to communicate
with on-site personnel. In the case of co-program directors, one of the two
must speak the target language.
4. The program director must be willing to commit to a minimum term of
three years.
II. Appointment of Program Directors
A. The program director is appointed by the chair of the European Council in
consultation with the former program director (when applicable), the vicechair, and the two members at large of the EC executive committee.
B. The program director will send an up-to-date CV to the EC office when first
appointed and at the time of any subsequent renewals of appointment.
C. Upon approval by the EC executive committee, program directors will serve
for a period of three years.
III. Review and Renewal of Program Directors
A. Program directors will be reviewed annually by the chair of the European
Council.
B. As part of the yearly review process, program directors will ensure that the EC
chair receives the program evaluations completed by participating faculty and
students, and yearly budget reports.
C. Following the completion of the chair’s evaluation, the program director may
consult with the chair regarding his or her performance before signing the
evaluation. This process will allow the program director to provide his or her
written comments regarding the evaluation.
D. Any disagreements regarding the evaluation can be appealed to the EC
Executive Committee. However, the decision of the EC Executive Committee
is binding and it has final authority concerning the termination of a program
director.
E. If the program director’s performance is positively assessed, the program
director may continue to serve.
F. At the end of the three-year cycle of appointment, the program director and
EC chair will consult regarding the continued appointment for another threeyear term.
G. If a program director should wish to resign, when possible, he/she should give
a year’s notice in writing and work with the incoming director to ensure a
smooth transition.
H. Program directors are encouraged during their tenure to “groom” site directors
and other faculty participants in the study abroad programs for the role of a
future program director so that the program can continue beyond the tenure of
a particular individual.
IV. The Authority of Program Directors
A. Program directors may make minor on-site financial decisions, design group
activities, and make final decisions about field trips (in consultation with the
faculty) without the approval of the EC chair.
B. Program directors may not make major budget decisions, including airfare and
accommodations costs, or decisions concerning the hiring of a site director,
without the approval of the chair.