Muskingum University
October 2011
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Developing Faculty-Led Off-Campus Study Programs
The Coordinator of Study Abroad will serve as the primary information source regarding the administration of faculty-led off-campus study opportunities for students, program leaders, and staff. Individuals interested in leading a short-term off-campus study program should submit both an off-campus study proposal and a program budget to the
Coordinator of Study Abroad, who will review the documents and forward them to the
Special Assistant to the VPAA for Finance, Admin and Sponsored Programs. Faculty-led off-campus study programs are generally led by two faculty members during Spring
Break, May Term or summers. Each program leader generally teaches one three or four-credit course and is paid according to the May Term salary scale.
Before developing your off-campus study program proposal and budget, the program leader should develop as detailed an itinerary as possible. By developing a day-by-day schedule of your proposed off-campus study program, you will begin to identify the necessary components of your program like on-site classrooms, transportation, housing, meals and field trips, guest lecturers, necessary lecture of lab facilities, as well as access to computers and other resources required for your classes. Once you have developed a detailed itinerary, you can then work on your program proposal and budget.
Both the proposal and budget will be developed with the program leader(s) and the
Coordinator of Study Abroad, and then submitted to the Assistant to the VPAA for
Finance, Admin and Sponsored Programs. Upon review of program proposal and budget, program leaders will be issued notification of program approval or recommended changes for approval. Your program budget must cover all program costs, including program leader salaries, student and leader housing and meals, program leader roundtrip airfare, all on-site travel, admissions/activities fees, international student identity cards, guest lecture fees and the program leader administrative fee. Any costs not covered (like optional excursions or student meals on their own) need to be identified and listed in all promotional materials.
In order to make faculty-led short-term off-campus study programs affordable to as many students as possible, Muskingum University allocates tuition revenue from these programs to offset program costs. Students will register for six to eight hours of course credit and all tuition charges will be placed in that specific off-campus study program account held in the Business Office. Tuition revenues, then, will be used to cover most costs of each short-term off-campus study program, which significantly reduces program costs and allows students to study overseas for little more than the cost of studying and living on campus during May Term (plus airfare).
Please read this handbook as an evolving process as procedures continue to be evaluated and adjusted where appropriate. The Program Proposal Form was adapted, with permission, from materials developed by International Programs at West Virginia
University.
We hope that you enjoy your off-campus study experience and feel free to contact the
Coordinator of Study Abroad for assistance as needed.
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Guidelines for Approving Faculty/Staff-Led Study Abroad Courses
In order to be approved, proposed study abroad courses should:
1.
Have a clear relation to the on-campus curriculum
2.
Be both academic and experiential in nature
3.
Have learning objectives consistent with relevant or related on-campus course
4.
Be taught by faculty or staff who have credentials in the discipline of the course and as determined by the chair of the appropriate department
5.
Involve an orientation experience prior to date of travel
6.
Include a written cancellation and refund policy
7.
It is recommended that at least one of the faculty speaks the native language of the area visited or there is a tour director involved who is proficient in the language
8.
Involve exposure to native-language contexts in the case of courses based in countries where English is not the dominant language
9.
Include written assignments which require students to reflect on their encounters with a culture or language different from their own
10.
Submit a final report describing how these guidelines for study abroad courses were met.
Course Syllabus and Learning Objectives
Each program proposal form must be accompanied by a course syllabus and learning objectives for each of the courses being offered. In each syllabus, you are required to indicate measurable learning objectives and the method by which you plan to assess the effectiveness of the course and learning experiences. In addition, your course syllabus must be approved by the chair of the department responsible for offering the course prior to submitting your proposal.
Off-Campus Study Program Budget Preparation Guide and Worksheet
Program leaders must prepare a comprehensive budget for each proposed study abroad program. Remember to account for all on-site lodging, transportation, meals, and admissions/activities fees for participants and accompanying faculty members. It is recommended that off-campus study budgets be estimated to twelve to fifteen student participants.
Program leader salaries: Both the program leader and accompanying co-leaders teach one three of four-credit class while overseas. Compensation is determined by the salary scale for May Term.
Roundtrip airfare for leaders: Determine roundtrip airfare costs for both program leaders. Faculty will not be able to use their national conference travel allotment for summer off-campus study trips. Remember to purchase trip insurance for all program airfare.
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Transportation to overseas site: This includes all expenses from home to foreign destination including airport shuttles, mileage, parking, tolls, port “tourist” taxes, etc.
Housing/Lodging: Please specify the type of accommodation – hotel, host family, dorms, hostel, etc. Determine total lodging costs for all participants based on confirmed daily rates. Since most trips involve room sharing by participants, lodging costs may vary substantially depending on gender balance of participants, so single room accommodations are recommended if possible.
Personal Medical Insurance: All faculty-led off-campus study programs must ensure that all participants provide proof of medical insurance that covers them while overseas.
Faculty members are covered by our University insurance policy while overseas.
Program budgets must include the costs of an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) for each student and ITC (International Teacher Cards) for each faculty member in the
Program Fees (see below).
**I am in the process of looking at obtaining study abroad insurance that will be built into program costs for all students participating in international travel. This insurance will be supplemental to whatever insurance the students already hold, and will replace the need for the ISIC card. Information will be explained here once I decide on an insurance company, and upon approval from the VPAA.
International Student Identity Card: Each student will be required to purchase the
ISIC card, which includes additional coverage that is not typically covered by medical insurance, including evacuation and repatriation of remains. Cards should be purchased from the Muskingum Study Abroad office (Meri Linn McCollum) for $22 per participant for one year of coverage. The ISIC cards cover such travel contingencies as passport theft or luggage delay as well as discounts on many admissions fees.
On-site transportation: Remember to account for all modes of transportation while overseas, including trains, buses, vans, boats, subways and taxis. Purchase insurance for all rail passes and internal airfare.
Meals: Calculate costs for all faculty and student meals. Meals are often included in overseas housing packages, but if not, creating a detailed itinerary will help in determining total costs. Cafeteria or restaurant meal costs can be determined by your on-site contact. Include crew service fees and gratuities when applicable.
Admissions/activities fees: Determine fees for all overseas activities, including tour guides or guest lecturers. Information is often available on the Web. Determine if group and/or student discounts apply (ISIC cards often provide student discounts).
Program leader administrative fee: Setting up an overseas study program is a difficult, time-consuming task requiring long hours and a lot of patience. Compensation for this service is generally between $1500 and $2000. In some cases, the relatively large number of students and/or the program leader and accompanying leader sharing responsibilities for the program development and administration might call for increased and/or shared compensation. In these cases, administrative fee compensation should
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be negotiated between the program leader and accompanying leader(s). Total program administrative fees should not exceed $3000.
Roundtrip airfare for students: Once the minimum number of student deposits has been made, determine the best price for faculty and student airfare. Please contact the
Coordinator of Study Abroad for assistance in locating a travel agent. Once the best price has been negotiated and seats have been blocked or held, set a deadline for student payment and then contact all students with specific payment guidelines.
Students and program leaders should travel together on domestic connecting flight(s) as well as on overseas flight(s) to the off-campus study destination. However, if a student lives outside the Columbus area, s/he can choose his/her own connecting flight(s), making sure that these connecting flights leave at least two hours before the group international flight.
**Program leaders are required to accompany students at all times on
domestic and overseas flights. This means that leaders must fly with the group, both to the destination country and back to the United States. Any exceptions to this policy must be reviewed and approved by the Study Abroad Coordinator and the VPAA.
Remember that trip insurance must be purchased for all participants. Airline refund policies need to be clearly communicated to all program participants.
Pricing the program: Once you have calculated all of these costs and expenses, you will need to add a 10% contingency to your program cost. For instance, let’s say that the total cost of your proposed off-campus study program comes to $24,000. At this point, a 10% cushion should be added in order to absorb unexpected program costs, thus raising this hypothetical program cost to $26,400. If your budget were best on a projected total of 12 student participants, then the advertised cost to students should be
$2200 per student plus airfare ($26400/12 = $2200).
Contingencies: All budgets are required to build in a 10% contingency fund. 8% will act as a contingency for unexpected costs that arise during the program, and 2% will be retained by the VPAA.
The program leader should then determine a deposit amount (generally one-third of the total cost) and deposit deadline, generally five months before departure. The program leader also should set a firm deadline for receipt of all remaining fees.
Cancellation Policies: Each program must have a clearly outlined refund policy, stated in several intervals. For instance, students who cancel up to 3 months before the start of the program will receive a 100% refund of program costs (including airfare); students who cancel two weeks before the start of the program will receive a 25% refund of program costs. If airfare has already been purchased, the refund will not include a refund of airfare. Students who cancel less than two weeks before the start of the program will receive no refund. When determining your cancellation policy, keep in mind any payment schedules that have been established.
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Institutional Cancellation: The University reserves the right to cancel participation in any Muskingum University program due to Department of State travel alerts, travel warnings, suspicion of terrorist activity, or general safety concerns. In the event that an institutional decision is made to cancel the program, every effort will be made to recover all expenses. Make sure to communicate to students that there may be expenses that may not be recovered, including, but not limited to, housing deposits, fees for airline ticket cancellations, and certain prepaid costs.
Discounts: Deduct discounts based on group size, collegiate discounts, etc.
Independent Tour Companies: If you are using an independent tour company (such as EF Tours), please attach a copy of the itinerary and note what costs are not included in the program fee.
Student Leader Selection: For reasons of safety, program leaders should designate two responsible students to serve as student program leaders in the absence of a faculty program leader. For example, if part of a group is quarantined and both program leaders are included in the quarantined group, the two student leaders will be oriented on how to handle the situation. Faculty leaders must report the names of the selected students to the Study Abroad Coordinator in advance of the scheduled program departure. These students will receive orientation from the Study Abroad Coordinator about their duties.
Steps Following Program Approval
1.
Following final approval of off-campus study program proposal and budget by the VPAA, the Assistant to the VPAA for Finance, Admin and Sponsored Programs will contact the Business Office to set up an off-campus study program account.
Prospective students will then be able to make their deposits directly into this program account.
2.
Program leaders should create promotional materials like an information sheet and a brochure or poster, summarizing the main points of the trip, listing total program costs and identifying what costs are not covered. The Coordinator of
Study Abroad will provide assistance as well as examples from other programs.
Accurate contact information should be provided on all promotional materials, including deposit amount, deadlines, and refund information.
3.
Once the deposit deadline has passed, the program leader should notify the
VPAA’s Office regarding the current number of deposits received. If the minimum number of deposits has been collected, then the program leader should confirm flight arrangements for all participants, made independently or through a travel agent. However, if the deposit deadline has passed and the minimum number of deposits had been received, the program leader should schedule a meeting with the VPAA’s Office to discuss whether or not the deposit deadline should be extended, the program budget should be reduced or the trip should be cancelled.
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Prototype schedule for off-campus program (summer program)
Immediately: Notify the Coordinator of Study Abroad about the trip you wish to take.
March 15 (1 year prior to the program): Attend information session with
Coordinator of Study Abroad for more detailed guidance on completing your program proposal and comprehensive budget.
April 1: Deadline for submitting itinerary, program proposal and comprehensive budget to VPAA.
April 15: Notification of program and budget approval.
December 1: Deadline for all promotional materials to be given to prospective students.
February 1: Deadline for receipt of minimum deposits for trip.
March 1: Deadline for receipt of all program fees and airfare for May Term off-campus study programs.
April 1 (or 60 days before departure): Deadline for receipt of all program fees for
June-August off-campus study programs.
** Timeline for Spring Break programs will vary. Please contact Meri Linn McCollum
(ext. 8127) for more information.
Promotion of off-campus summer programs
Promotion of non-approved programs can cause conflicts with other proposed facultyled programs. We do understand that it is important to gauge student interest. General meetings with students or surveys to gauge interest are perfectly acceptable; however, no program should be advertised prior to written notification of approval by either the
VPAA or the Coordinator of Study Abroad.
Preparation for Faculty-Led Off-Campus Study Programs
Orientations: The Coordinator of Study Abroad will provide an off-campus study orientation for each approved off-campus study program. The orientation session will be mandatory and much more program-specific, addressing such topics as: passports/visas, health matters, scholarships, payment information, academic and nonacademic misconduct, program accommodations, University policies and procedures relating to discipline, packing, dealing with emergencies, along with region-specific issues like safety concerns, health matters, insurance, staying in touch while overseas, cross-cultural communication and adaptation, weather, money issues, etc.
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Passports and visas: Make sure that all program participants have valid passports.
US passport applications are available online and at the Zanesville and Cambridge US
Post Offices. All passports must be valid for at least six months after trip departure date or must be renewed before applying for visas. If there are any non-US citizens participating, please contact the International Programs Office for specific guidance on visa issues.
Students must provide proof of a valid passport or in-process application of a passport when they sign up for their program. Students who do not have a valid passport must apply for expedited processing. Participation for any student who does not hold a passport within 12 weeks of the start of their program will be cancelled, and refunds will be issued according to documented cancellation policy.
Safety issues: Provide all participants with the US State Department website at http://travel.state.gov
for the most up-to-date information.
Health Issues: Visit the Center for Disease Control website at http://cdc.gov
and provide participants with information on any health and vaccination recommendations.
Emergency Contact Card: Each student will receive an emergency contact card. This card includes the telephone number of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Vice
President of Student Affairs, Coordinator of Study Abroad, and Campus Police Office.
Detailed trip itinerary: Before departure, submit a final itinerary to the VPAA’s Office with all in-country lodging phone and fax numbers.
Students with special needs: If any of your participants are PLUS students, please contact Dr. Eileen Henry at the Center for Advancement of Learning to discuss possible special accommodations. If any of your students list health concerns of conditions, please contact the Wellness Center to discuss special accommodations. Please keep in mind your students with special needs, in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities
Act.
Deposits, deadlines, and refunds: Establish clear policies for all deposits, deadlines, and refunds. Make sure that these deadlines and refund policies are clearly
stated in writing to all student participants.
Behavioral contract: All students are required to sign the Muskingum University
Behavioral Contract which clearly states our expectations for behavior by participants on
Muskingum University programs. All students must sign this contract in order to participate.
ATM cards and traveler’s checks: Make sure that each participant has an ATM card, or a credit card with ATM capabilities. American Express Traveler’s Checks are also accepted at most off-campus study locales.
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Keep receipts for ALL transactions: Remember the all expenses must be documented with receipts. It is not enough to show overseas ATM receipts for cash withdrawals.
Credit card and bank phone numbers: All participants should keep a list of credit card and bank phone numbers in a separate place from their ATM or credit cards.
These cards can then be protected immediately should they be lost or stolen.
Exchange rate: Provide accurate exchange rates and include the date that rate was determined. Current exchange rates can be found at websites like http://www.xe.com
.
Remember to remind participants that exchange rates fluctuate and that the final costs for the trip could vary depending on the exchange rate during the trip. It is very difficult to try to predict fluctuations in exchange rates and any currency fluctuation should not be absorbed by your contingency fund.
ID card in native language: Provide all participants with a card with the address of where they will be staying in the native language of the country in cases where language could be a potential barrier for understanding.
Guidelines for independent travel to site: If any participants travel independently to the program site, provide clear step-by-step, detailed instructions on reaching the desired location. This may include researching train and bus schedules, with estimates of cost and length of time it takes to reach their destination.
Upon returning to the US: Submit grades, reconcile program budget and receipts and participate in a de-briefing with the Coordinator of Study Abroad to discuss future program improvements.
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