It Takes a Campus:
Involving faculty &
administration in
education abroad
Candace
Chenoweth
Director, Education Abroad
& International Credentials
Washington State University
The WSU Education Abroad Mission:
…to assist all WSU
undergraduate students
with integrating a
successful education
abroad experience into
their four year degree
program.
Current Staffing at WSU
Education Abroad Office
Salaried Staff:
-Director
-EA Advisor & Outreach Coordinator
-EA Advisor & Exchange Coordinator
-EA Faculty-Led Program Specialist
-International Credentials Specialist
-Program Support Supervisor
-Two half-time Senior Secretaries
Current Staffing at WSU
Education Abroad Office
Student Staff:
- 1 Marketing Intern
- 1 Outreach & Promotions Intern
- 16 EA Peer Advisors
- 2 Office Staff (work study)
- 40 EA Ambassadors
WSU Education Abroad Growth
Doubles in Four Years
600
520
500
400
300
223
263
200
100
0
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06
Education Abroad Growth Across
Various Program Types
600
500
62
400
142
300
56
200
260
100
0
AY
9900
AY
0001
AY
0102
AY
0203
AY
0304
AY
0405
AY
0506
Internship
Faculty-Led
Exchange
Study Abroad
WSU Education Abroad
Numbers by Colleges 2005-2006
College of Liberal Arts
College of Business
152
29%
74
14%
37
7%
33
6%
168
33%
21
4%
6
6
1%
1%
25
5%
College of Engineering &
Architecture
College of Sciences
College of Nursing
College of Education
College of Ag, Human, &
NR Sciences
College of Pharmacy
College of Veterinary
Science
State of the Education Abroad
Office in AY 2001-2002
Low Participation Rates:
– 263 students studied
abroad
– 2 Faculty-Led Programs
– 28 Exchanges – most
out of balance
State of the Education Abroad
Office in AY 2001-2002
Contributing Factors:
– Limited communication with
academic units &
administration
– EA credit issue creating
dissatisfaction across campus
– Ownership for education
abroad solely with International
Programs
Catalyst for Education Abroad
AY 2001-2002
– Provost expressed desire to send 1,000
students abroad each year
– President established education abroad as
a university benchmark:
•
•
•
•
•
Michigan State University
Texas A&M
UC Davis
Virginia Tech
Colorado State University
Benchmark #1:
Number of education abroad participants
2500
2000
1500
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
1000
500
0
W
n
hi
s
a
o
gt
n
e
at
t
S
o
ad
r
lo
Co
e
at
t
S
V
a
ni
i
irg
ch
e
T
&
A
s
xa
e
T
M
UC
s
vi
a
D
M
n
ga
i
ich
e
at
t
S
Benchmark #2:
% of graduating class studying abroad
Percentage Participation
Participant/Class Size
30.0%
25.0%
1999-2000
20.0%
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
15.0%
10.0%
2003-2004
5.0%
0.0%
Washington State
University
Colorado State
University
Texas A&M
University
Institution
Virginia Tech
Michigan State
University
Necessary Changes
• Campus-wide ownership of education
abroad
• Consistent, streamlined processes
• Double participation numbers within 5
years
• Realize staff positions to match growth
Developing Influence
“As advisors in international education,
your positions probably will never wield power.
Therefore, you must become influential!”
Developing Influence
Overarching Goal:
To Manage Relationships
Toward Desired Outcomes
But how?
Developing Influence
To Develop Influence with Three Main
Constituencies:
– Administration
– Faculty
– Advisors
Developing Influence with Administration
Starting Point:
The Education Abroad Credit Issue
Committee with broad presentation across campus:
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
•
Registrar, Assistant Registrar, Support Staff
Assistant to the Provost/Acting Director Admissions
Dean, Honors College
Director, General Education Program
Academic Governess
Catalog Committee
Committee learned about education abroad
while EA developed important allies
Created buy-in with key offices
Starting Point:
The Education Abroad Credit Issue
EAC Committee’s Goals:
– Review best practices surrounding education
abroad credit transfer
– Think outside the box
– Create system best for WSU
Starting Point:
The Education Abroad Credit Issue
Once EAC System was
created, EA “Sold” it:
– Presented at dean’s and
chair’s meetings
– Presented to academic units
– Distributed EA Faculty
Cheatsheets to departments
Linking with the Administration
– Began to include Financial Aid
Representatives in presentations
– Developed Emergency Preparedness Plan in
cooperation with:
• Risk Management Team
• Health & Wellness
• Attorney General Office
– Presented to various constituencies: Dean’s
Council, Chair’s meetings
Beginning to Create a Campus Buzz…
600
520
452
500
395
400
300
223
232
263
319
200
100
0
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06
15%
17%
14%
20%
Growth
Growth
Growth
Growth
2005
2004
2003
2002
Beginning to Create a Campus Buzz…
Interest grows across campus:
– Provost: notices numbers & increases
‘behind the scenes’ support
– Faculty: interest in faculty-led programming
begins to develop
– Students: contracted with marketing
research class to survey student opinions
– Associate Provost: Forms Education Abroad
Task Force to examine barriers and solutions
to education abroad
The Education Abroad Task Force
EA Task Force forms in 2004
– Broad Campus representation
• Libraries, ROTC, Registrar’s Office
• College of Science, Foreign Language, Honors
– Committee studies student survey data
– EA has an opportunity to provide in-depth
orientation to EA best practices &
curricular integration
– Board of Regents views Committee Report
at summer retreat
As Word Got Out…
…interest spreads
– Allies voiced support
– New allies sought EA out
– EA incorporated into Freshman orientation
sessions
– Recruiters ask EA to make presentations
– WSU press team writes about EA
Developing Relationships with
Faculty
Starting Point:
Faculty-Led Program Growth
Faculty Led Program Growth
30
30
?
25
23
20
15
10
5
0
9
1
10
3
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
AY
02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08
2004:
2005:
2007:
Full
Time
½ time
Requestin
FacultyFLP
g
Led
Clerical
Additional
Program
Position
Full-Time
specialist
Created
FLP
position
Specialist
created
Starting Point:
Faculty-Led Program Growth
• Growing Faculty-Led Programs = Growing
Pains
– No systems or processes in place for
managing Faculty-Led programs
– Standards and systems inconsistent across
campus
– Faculty used to doing it “their” way – who
needs Education Abroad?
– No training assistance for faculty
Developing FLP Guidelines:
Collaboration with Other Campus Offices
Solicit expertise from across campus to create
streamlined procedures:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Department Finance Offices
Financial Aid
Student Health & Wellness
Student Conduct
Student Accounts
Risk Management Team
Business Affairs
AGs Office
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Recognized the need for faculty:
– Education
– Training
– Support
– Buy-in
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Faculty Education Opportunities:
– Site Visits - Secured opportunities for faculty
members to participate in site visit with EA staff
• Architecture, Engineering, Nursing, Spanish Language,
• Early Childhood Development
– Meetings - Facilitated meetings with study abroad
representatives as well as campus contacts (contracts
officer, travel clinic, risk management team, AG)
– Workshops - Brown Bag Lunch Workshops
– Written Materials – Brochures, “cheat sheets,” etc.
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Faculty Training:
– Workshops: Brown Bag lunches
– Co-presented during pre-departure
orientations
– Produced manual: How to Design a FacultyLed Program
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Manual – How to Design a
Faculty Led Program
– Spotlighted Provost’s interest
in Education Abroad
– Upscale design created
sense of credibility
– Comprehensive nature
created expectation of buyin
– Excellent training tool
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Faculty Support:
– Mini-Grant Program for faculty-led programming
initiated by Associated Vice Provost for International
Programs
– Small awards of $500-$2000 for new programs
– Few strings attached
– Facilitated implementation of 12-18 month timeline
– Created expectation of cooperation!
– Will offer again in 2007
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Faculty Buy-In:
– Small grant through Office of Assessment to
develop assessment tools for faculty-led
programs
– Funded part-time position
– Literature review, faculty survey
– CTLT helped create outcomes, rubrics, &
suggested prompts
– Refining administrative and evaluation
processes
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Faculty Buy-in:
– Include faculty-led program directors in
Education Abroad Fairs
– Include interested departments in fairs
– Host events for faculty
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
“The Year of Study Abroad Reception”
– Invited Key Faculty and Administrators to meet
EA Program Representatives
• Time: Evening before large fall study abroad fair,
immediately after work
• Place: Central, on-campus location with visitor
access
• Served Wine, beer, & h’orderves
• Recognized Faculty for their contributions while
promoting networking with providers
• Wildly Successful!
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad
Bending over backwards…
It’s a balancing act!
Faculty Interests &
Needs
VS.
EA Staffing & Time
Constraints
Maintaining Established Relationships
Organized Courtship Rituals
– Education Abroad Fair Breakfast in Spring
– Faculty-Led Program Showcase in Fall
– Mom’s Weekend Open House
– Faculty invited on site visits
– Schedule opportunities for outside
Program Representatives to meet with key
faculty
Shifting the Focus to Advisors
Starting Point: Increasing
Advisor Awareness of EA
Options
• The Education Abroad Office’s Goals:
– Advisors will have a basic understanding of
education abroad processes and opportunities
– Advisors will raise the topic of Education
Abroad with their students
– Advisors will help students incorporate
Education Abroad into the student’s four year
plan
Starting Point: Increasing
Advisor Awareness of EA
Options
Advisors’ Workshop in Late September:
– Invited 300 staff and faculty members who
provide advising
– 40 participants attended
– Repeated workshop in a.m & p.m
– Nice setting, high quality refreshments
– Introduced goals of EA, basic information
about studying abroad, benchmarking data
Advisors Workshop
Outcomes
Participants response to post-workshop survey:
–
–
–
–
–
100% reported the workshop was helpful!
EA Mission/Curricular Integration - 100% found useful
Mock First Timers Session - 91% found useful
Faculty-led Program Information - 71% found useful
Financial Aid and Scholarships - 71% wanted to know
more
– Providers that offer programs in their academic area 71% wanted to know more
Making Ties with Advisors
Future projects targeted toward advisors:
– “You look like someone who’d
like to study abroad!” buttons
– Curricular Integration Worksheets
Making Ties with Advisors
Future Events Targeting Advisors:
– Invitation to Spring Fair Breakfast
– Panel presentation on EA topics (tutoring
opportunities, living with host families,
academic excursions, etc.)
– Advisors only guided tour of fair
Making Ties with Advisors
New Event Idea:
Hot Picks for High Achieving
Students: An Evening of Study
Abroad for Faculty & Advisors
Co-Sponsored by Education Abroad &
The WSU Honors College
Perils & Pitfalls
Perils & Pitfalls
Just when you think you’re safe…
– Competing Interests rear their ugly heads!
Perils & Pitfalls
At Times such as these…
– Use your network to fight back – the more the
merrier!
– Pull out the statistics – there is power in
numbers!
Summary
If we Return to the
Desired Outcomes:
• Campus-wide ownership of education
abroad
• Consistent, streamlined processes
• Double participation numbers within 5
years
• Realize staff positions to match growth
How Did We Get There?
Think Globally.
We promise our
students that taking
a brave step into a
world that is
increasingly global
and interdependent
leads to success
and satisfaction.
Think Globally.
At the university level, we must take the
same step. Will you:
– Develop an understanding of peer roles on
your campus?
– Learn new methods of accomplishing tasks
with university administrators?
– Plot a dynamic course for study abroad with
your faculty?
Think Globally.
Networking with our
colleagues has resulted
in:
– BETTER service for
MORE students!
– MORE successful
education abroad
experiences!