Faculty-Led Program Overview

Leading a group of students in this type of endeavor is rewarding; it is also a commitment of time and energy. Faculty Leaders should realize that they are involved in every aspect of the program, and are often on duty 24 hours a day while traveling. This is demanding and potentially exhausting. In order to ensure success, Faculty Leaders should be skilled not only in the academic field they wish to teach, but also in diplomacy, logistics, and group dynamics.

As you consider developing a faculty-led study abroad program, consider the following:

• Do you know the geographical region or country well enough to confidently and
  safely lead the experience? 
• Do you have contacts in the area in which you will travel? If not, are you able to develop them? 
• Do you have expertise in international travel – including the potential pitfalls, transportation within the country or region, and safety concerns? 
• Do you have academic expertise in the academic subject matter on which the course
  will focus? 
• Do you have the time, energy, and access to resources to develop this international
  program in consultation with the OIEP including academic, financial, logistical, and
  personal aspects? 
• Are you emotionally and physically prepared to deal with the 24/7 presence of
  students and their concerns and needs? 
• Recruitment techniques and enthusiasm – you must be willing to spend time
  speaking with students to promote the program. 

As you envision and develop your program, SUNY Oswego has identified three SLO for its education abroad programs. Based on national best practice, campus assessment processes, and with input from an experienced faculty committee, these three SLO, or perhaps just one or two, can be addressed in your program. You are encouraged to bring your own experience and expertise to your program, and you are always welcome to discuss these SLO and any academic matter with Dr. McKeown.

At a minimum, you should deliberately include and embed into your program at least one of the following:

1.  Global self-awareness

   • effectively address significant issues in the natural and human world based on articulating one’s identity in a global context
   • analyze ways that human actions influence natural and human world
   • evaluate global impact of one’s own and others’ specific local actions on the natural and human world

    

2. Cultural diversity

   • initiate meaningful interactions with other cultures to address global problems
   • analyze substantial connections between the worldviews, power structures, and experiences of multiple cultures’ historical and contemporary context
   • incorporate respectful interactions with other cultures
   • explain and connect cultures within a varied cultural worldview

    

3. Global systems
   • use deep knowledge of historic and contemporary roles and differential effects of human organizations and actions on global systems
   • develop and advocate for informed, appropriate actions to solve complex problems in the human and natural world
   • analyze major elements of global systems, including their historic and contemporary interconnections

Meet with Dr. McKeown early in the process so that the staff of the OIEP will be able to provide advice and assistance throughout the planning process.

Full-time faculty, part-time faculty, adjunct faculty, and emeriti faculty are eligible to lead programs abroad if they have the support of their department chair or college dean prior to proposing a program. These experiences may also be co-led within the same department or across disciplines.

The faculty-led program proposal process will ask you to complete the following documents for review by the OIEP:

1. Online Faculty Led Program Application
2. Itemized Budget
3. Daily Itinerary
4. Course Syllabus

You are encouraged to begin the process even if those items are not yet complete or known. OIEP staff are prepared to guide and assist in this process. See Appendix 2 for a step-by-step guide.

In order to be approved to lead an overseas program, you must begin to submit the above documents according to the deadlines below. Course with Travel (“CWT”) is a regularly offered semester course with optional student travel; “Q” refers to a quarter course with international travel in which all students go abroad.

Program Type Application Opens Application Deadline

CWT Fall (January travel): March 15
CWT Spring (Post semester travel): July 15
Q2 (January travel): March 15
Q3 (Spring break travel): July 15
Q4 (Post semester travel): July 15
Summer: August 15
Winter: March 15 

The sooner you complete your proposal and receive approval, the sooner the
OIEP can begin marketing for the upcoming year. 

• It is common for faculty leaders to request to travel with additional people (spouses, partners, children, others); this is both a good experience for them and a great way to ensure that these trips are part of a balanced and sustainable routine for all. OIEP does not discourage this in any way.
• If traveling with additional travelers, keep in mind that it is expected that any faculty/staff member leading a program be primarily and intensely engaged in the student learning process. Please keep this in mind and arrange for supervision and accompaniment so that your primary responsibility is, and is always perceived to be, our students and your program.
• If you are planning on additional travelers, please discuss and seek approval from OIEP in advance. Note that in addition to family members and significant others for whom you are personally responsible, OIEP regularly approves program fee-paying “adult learners” (friends, colleagues, etc.) who travel as part of the group but are not your personal responsibility.
• Faculty/staff members are responsible for all expenses incurred for additional travelers who accompany them on a faculty-led program. It must be transparent for all those involved in the program, especially the students, that their student program fees do not subsidize non-participants.
• All additional travelers accompanying faculty on a faculty-led program must be covered by approved health/accident and emergency medical evacuation & repatriation insurance. Please speak to the OIEP about these options.
• Faculty/staff members accompanied by minors should have a non-program related adult who will be responsible for the children so that the faculty member can devote him/herself to the program and its student participants. Exceptions may be possible given circumstances, please discuss with OIEP in advance.

Note that unless it is a pre-approved and culturally and/or academically important aspect of the program, alcohol consumption is not included in the program and faculty leaders personal consumption is not reimbursed.

Programs that have not met the minimum enrollment requirement by the application deadline date are subject to cancellation. Every creative and responsible effort will be made to run programs whenever possible, but regrettably some are canceled due to low enrollment. Note: if you are receiving extra service compensation and the course does not meet its minimum enrollment, it may be permitted to run at a prorated salary amount.

While quarter courses and courses with travel are open to SUNY Oswego students only, summer and winter programs are open to all students, including non-Oswego and non-SUNY students.

If a student informs you that they intend to withdraw from the program, please tell the student that they need to inform the OIEP in writing of that decision. After the non-refundable program deposit is paid, the student will be held liable for any amount paid or committed on their behalf, including, but not limited to, flights, tour bookings, hotels, etc. Any decisions on refunds are based on the day that written notice to withdraw is received at the OIEP.

Students may be eligible for financial aid to help reduce the cost of the program. We encourage students who are considering studying abroad to meet with the Financial Aid Office on campus to discuss financial aid options as soon as possible. Students can see on the OIEP web site the numerous scholarships available.

The OIEP Policy is to keep costs as low as possible for students, while still providing for the needs of faculty members leading the program. All program payments to faculty are approved and agreed upon in advance. Costs covered on behalf of the faculty through OIEP include the following:

• Housing and meal expenses
• Coach airfare costs
• Excursion/entrance fee costs (same as students)
• Extra service salary (processed through Payroll), unless course is taught as regular service

NOTE: All credit card statements and associated, itemized receipts must be reconciled through OIEP.

The OIEP handles all details of the registration of students enrolled in the program overseas. Once the student deposits, OIEP will provide permission for the student to register for the CRN, provided the course registration period is open or close to being open (within a week). Please note that students are only considered participants once they have deposited. OIEP works with the Registrar to create these sections and get students properly registered.

The SUNY Board of Trustees requires that all students enrolled in a SUNY overseas academic program must be covered by an appropriate health and accident insurance policy that includes coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation. The OIEP monitors and enforces this policy and will automatically enroll all students and faculty leaders.

• Provide a mandatory, pre-departure, country-specific orientation program for all students participating in the program, including health and safety information. For most faculty-led programs this is done during your course.
• Advise students to register with the Department of State prior to departure.
• Keep a copy of the SUNY insurance contact numbers, copies of each student’s passport data page, and the SUNY Oswego Emergency Plan with you while abroad (OIEP will provide these items to you).
• Have on hand the location and contact information of the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

• Have up-to-date information for students in the group (ex. hotel, room assignments, schedule changes, etc).
• Establish a procedure for you to contact students in the event of an emergency, and a procedure to students to contact you and/or on-site personnel.
• Maintain regular contact with students, noticing any changes in behavior or physical condition.
• Notify the OIEP immediately should an emergency occur.
• Complete an Incident Report for any emergency incident that occurs, keeping detailed records of what occurred and when, who was involved along with their contact information, and the result/consequences of the incident. The Incident Report can assist in tracking the events of an ongoing incident abroad and may be needed afterwards.
• Report any serious incidents to local authorities and on-site personnel. Obtain copies of any reports made by these individuals.