OSA|SA4711 Guidelines and Procedures

VUU-sponsored study away programs include faculty-led and faculty-assisted programs conducted within the Continental US(CONUS) (ex. NY), Outside the Continental US(OCONUS)(ex. Guam) and abroad and generally take place during the summer, winter, semester, or the full academic year. Such programs, which are vetted, approved, and reviewed by the OSA|SA4711, provides students with VUU credit and grades. OSA|SA4711 serves as the coordinating office for all CONUS, OCONUS and abroad faculty-led programs.

OSA|SA4711 Goals for New Study Away Programs

1. To develop international study opportunities in a broad range of disciplines and geographical areas that will appeal to a wide range of VUU students and faculty;

2. To keep program costs comparable to in-state tuition, room, and board for a semester and year-long programs, and/or relative to summer or winter break costs, to the extent possible;

3. To develop programs that complement, enhance, and integrate into students' on-campus programs/curriculum to the fullest extent possible;

4. To provide courses that are closely and inherently related to the location where they teach, and thus to provide educational opportunities that students could not obtain on campus;

5. To develop opportunities for sustained language and intercultural learning;

6. To encourage students, through international experiences and studies, to acclimate to a more extensive and global society and become a part of a global force. 

The Office of Study Away | Study Abroad 4711 oversees all curricular aspects of study away and abroad programs. OSA and OSA’s Advisory Committee(OSAAC) reviews proposals for new VUU-sponsored programs and has the authority to approve or reject those proposals. The following guidelines are in place to assist in planning and implementing new faculty-led or faculty-assisted programs.

The approval process is a tedious process that may take months to complete. The Director of OSA, powered by Study Abroad 4711, will work with you to facilitate the proposal and review process. Below is an outline to guide the faculty member with the application and approval process.

The Approval Process for New Study Away and Study Abroad Programs

1. 12-24 months in advance of the proposed program start date, meet with the Director of OSA|SA4711 to review the broad range of issues that must be addressed in the program proposal. These will generally include:

1. academic and related issues: rationale for a new program within the VUU academic context and existing study abroad programs; proposed academic focus and goals; the target audience for the program; courses to be taught; qualifications and availability of local faculty who will teach in the program; qualifications of the host institution; classroom facilities, related excursions, and extra-curricular opportunities; lodging and meal arrangements; sustainability of the program over the long term; etc.;

2. administrative and budgetary issues: administrative personnel and coverage at partner institution; costs of the program; costs of housing, meals, excursions, etc.;

3. safety, security, and liability issues.

2. Once you and the OSA Director have worked through all relevant issues, you will work together to complete the attached Study Abroad Program Proposal. The proposal must be submitted to the OSA at least 10-12 months before the anticipated start date of the program.

3. The OSA Director will review the proposal according to the criteria listed above.

1. If the program needs implementation, OSA will recommend funding for a site visit to finalize arrangements for the program. Based on funding availability, the OSA Director has the authority to disburse funds for the site visit.

2. The OSA Director will review the site visit report and may request further information or clarification before endorsing the program. In addition, the OSA Director has the authority to approve further involvement and support or to withdraw from the process at this stage.

3. Once the OSA Director has reviewed and approved the establishment of the program, the faculty member(s) who proposed the program must submit course offerings that are currently not in the catalog or need credit adjustment to the Provost Office.

4. The site visit team must include a faculty member and the OSA Director|Study Abroad 4711, and the site visit should be completed at least 12 months before the anticipated start date of the program. The site visit report should include detailed information on available courses (including course descriptions and/or syllabi), possible excursions, host institution administrative support,

course-related matters like classrooms, internet access, etc., and logistical issues like housing, transportation, meals, etc.

5. Once the site visit is complete, the faculty member will prepare a follow-up proposal detailing the new program and submit that to the OSA Director. The follow-up report must be submitted no later than ten months before the program's proposed start date.

6. If the OSA Director approves the program at this stage, they will also choose a program director (generally the faculty member submitting the proposal). The OSA Director will work with the program director (faculty member) on the actual implementation of the program. Courses will need to go to departments/schools for approval.

7. If the department/schools request further information and/or follow-up, the Director of OSA|SA4711 must approve further work on the proposal.

8. The approximate timeline for program implementation is as follows:

1. 9-10 months before the program start date: By now, the faculty member and program director | should have detailed information on all program-related aspects: courses, facilities, excursions, logistical issues, SA4711 sets program costs, creates advertising materials and application forms, signs contracts, and agreements with overseas institutions and organizations, and creates student handbooks, etc.

2. 5-7 months prior: OSA|SA4711 and the Faculty Member launch student recruitment through information sessions, workshops, mailings, advertisements, and classroom visits

3. 4-5 months prior: OSA|SA4711 processes applications, create acceptance packets, sets program payment timelines, and the faculty member builds and embeds the course with the registrar;

4. 1-2 months prior: OSA|SA4711 and the program director (faculty member) assist students with course registrations, travel and visa requirements, collection of forms, payments, scholarships, financial aid, student accounts, and pre-departure orientation.

Guidelines for VUU-Sponsored Programs

• New faculty-led programs will include one VUU faculty member, who will generally serve as program director and teach one course. All remaining courses will be taught by local faculty. Administrators at the partner institution will take care of most practical matters on site, but for programs exceeding 30 students, SA4711 will generally seek to hire a part-time local program assistant to help the VUU program director with non-academic issues. This person will be known as the On-site Manager.

• Faculty seeking to propose new programs should be familiar with the language, culture, and history of the area where the program will be situated, have contact with individuals in the area; and ideally, have research interests in the geographic region.

• Programs must be explicitly linked to the local and regional setting. They do not need to be (and generally should not be) restricted to any given discipline.

• Courses taught by VUU faculty must be specificallydesignedfor the program. They may be adaptations of courses taught on campus but must be unique to the program and include linked site-related readings and assignments. New courses must be proposed and approved following the usual procedures established in the departments/schools/programs in which they will be taught. Local (international) faculty hired to teach in the program will be considered adjunct VUU faculty. Their courses will also be vetted and approved following usual department/school/program procedures.

• All programs offered in countries where the official and/or native languages are not English must include a language course that is required of all students. Summer programs must consist of at least a one-credit course and at least three hours of classroom instruction per week. Semester-long programs must consist of at least a three-credit course and at least three hours of classroom instruction per week for the duration of the program.

• In most cases, OSA|SA4711 will seek to sponsor programs that will appeal to a broad range of students and faculty. Please note that single faculty members and single departments/programs may not have "ownership" over study abroad programs. In cases where faculty can demonstrate the advantages of a department/program-specific study abroad program, OSA|SA4711 may choose to support such a program, but with the understanding that qualified faculty from other departments/programs may apply to and maybe choose to direct the program.

• New programs must be sustainable over the long term (at least five years). New program proposals must indicate how the program director position will or could be shared over five years between at least several faculty/departments/ programs.

• OSA|SA4711 is a self-funding Office and cannot afford to run its programs at a loss. As a rule, we operate on a three-year funding cycle and are willing to suffer losses for two years if the third year will bring the program back to a break-even point. If the program does not break even in its third year, it will generally be terminated. While the Provost Office oversees curricular issues related to study abroad programs, financial decisions like these are internal to OSA|SA4711.