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Loyola Policies for Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs

I. General Responsibilities 

1.    Academic departments and colleges have the primary responsibility for not only the academic content and instructional delivery methods of study abroad, but also all pre-departure and onsite arrangements for the program as well as the implementation.  
2.    The Center for International Education will work with academic departments and colleges (except Law):

  • To assist in the development of programs and ensure compliance with university policies, best practices in study abroad, and health and safety requirements; 
  • To create the online brochure and assist with marketing;
  • To coordinate the online application process;
  • To train study abroad faculty on health and safety issues and best practices;
  • To ensure compliance with all reporting and disclosure requirements.  (See list)

II. Procedures for approval

NEW PROGRAMS

1. Approval Process

Any new study abroad program must be reviewed and approved by the following departments and committees:

  • Sponsoring department
  • College with letter of approval from the Dean
  • The Internationalization Review and Advisory Committee reviews the program's adherence to study abroad guidelines and risk management issues.  Proposals must be submitted to the Internationalization Review and Advisory Committee by September 1 for summer programs to be run in the following summer. Other proposals should be submitted a minimum of 10 months in advance.  The Internationalization Review and Advisory Committee will take one of the following actions on any new program:
    • Approve unconditionally or with minor changes not affecting the finances, curriculum or strategic planning of the college.  Refer to UC&CC for review.
    • Approve with recommendations or conditions with financial, curriculum or strategic planning implications.  Proposal would go back to the College for changes.
    • Not approve with specific recommendations.  Proposal would go back to the College for changes.
  • University Courses and Curriculum Committee: Once the program is approved by the EAC the application will be sent to the UC&CC.   Upon approval by the UC&CC, the proposal will be sent to the Provost for final approval (Please note, that this timeline may not allow adequate time to advertise and recruit sufficient numbers of students.) The program will be evaluated annually before approved for further operation. If it is determined that a program is no longer complying with the risk management/accreditation criteria, the program approval is immediately suspended pending resolution of risk management/accreditation criteria.  

2. Program application (must be completed online)

  • Online application
  • Syllabi of courses to be offered
  • Letters of support from the appropriate chairperson and dean(s), indicating department and college commitment to the program
  • A detailed budget for the program 
  • Itinerary
  • Optional supporting documentation including contracts and/or publications on physical facilities including housing, institutional affiliation, classroom space, study space, travel agency, CVs of non-Loyola on-site staff, etc.

3. Review and approval of continuing program

  • Annual monitoring of programs will be accomplished by
    • Completion of administrative questionnaires/check lists (checking for risk management and accreditation requirements), and 
    • On-line report
    • Budget
    • Student evaluations
  • Failure to complete the required reports will result in suspension of the program.
  • Continuing programs will have a site evaluation completed every five years.

III. Program 

All faculty led study abroad programs are subject to the same standards, university policies and procedures as any other academic program except where otherwise stipulated by this document.  

PROGRAM CONTENT

1. Learning Content - All new undergraduate study abroad programs should address one or more of the learning outcomes articulated in the vision statement of the Strategic Plan for Internationalizing Loyola in addition to the specific discipline-related learning outcomes of the program.  

  • Knowledge: Loyola graduates will  know and understand
    • their culture in a global and comparative context; 
    • that their culture is one of many diverse cultures and that alternate perceptions and behavior may be based in cultural differences;
    • how historical and current forces shape world systems;
    • other languages and cultures (beliefs, values, perspectives, practices, and products).
  • Skills: Loyola graduates will
    • interpret issues and situations from more than one cultural perspective;
    • use knowledge, diverse cultural frames of reference, and alternate perspectives to think critically and to work toward more just relationships within and between societies;
    • speak, listen, read, and/or write in a language other than their first language.
  • Attitudes: Loyola graduates will
    • be willing to learn from others who are culturally different from themselves;
    • accept cultural differences and tolerate cultural ambiguity;
    • appreciate the language, art, religion, philosophy, and material culture of different  peoples.
  • A substantial portion of the academic program must be related to the socio-cultural environment of the host country.  
  • Class-hour credit may be awarded for extra-curricular lectures and field trips when the content is academic in nature and integrated into the class for which the credit is awarded.
  • Where possible opportunities for cultural immersion should be incorporated into the program, e.g. service learning, internships, host families, interaction with students from the host country, etc.
  • Loyola University New Orleans strongly urges programs in non-English speaking countries to incorporate a language development component.  It is understood that this may not be possible in short-term programs.  
  • The program should include opportunities for reflection on the experience abroad during and after the experience.

2. Pre-departure orientation should include, at a minimum, information on:

  • The academic program, 
  • Health and safety issues, 
  • Adjustment to the host culture
  • Information about the host location and society 
  • As part of the materials for the program, the director shall supply:
    • the U. S. State Department Consular Information Sheet for the country(ies) in which the program will be conducted.
    • the CDC Health Information for the country.

3. The program must also provide students with a continuous on-site "orientation" to the host culture by providing them with information about the host location and culture in order to maximize their experience and learning. 
4. The students learning outcomes and overall student experience must be assessed at the program's conclusion so that subsequent programs are improved based on this assessment.
5. The number of students enrolled in the program shall not exceed the number appropriate to the academic content of the program, available facilities, the number and availability of faculty members, the administrative support structure, and any special educational program goals.

IV. Emergency Guidelines

All education abroad programs must abide by the Emergency Guidelines. 

V.  Faculty and On-site Staff

  1. The faculty director should hold an academic appointment from the sponsoring college at Loyola University New Orleans.
  2. Either the faculty director or on-site coordinator will be present on site for the duration of the program.
  3. The on-site coordinator or other responsible member of the program faculty or staff shall have had some experience with the same or a similar program or possess a background that is an adequate substitute for such experience.
  4. The faculty director should make an exploratory site visit to the host country prior to the development of a formal proposal. Faculty travel funds are available. Exceptions may be made in certain circumstances by the Internationalization Review and Advisory Committee.
  5. At least one member of the full-time faculty or on-site staff must:
    1. Be fluent in both English and the language of the host country, and
    2. Be familiar with the country in which the program is offered
  6. All Loyola faculty on study abroad programs must go through annual training with CIE on health and safety and best practices for study abroad.
  7. The faculty director must have a working cell phone during the program for emergencies and this number must be shared with students, parents and CIE.
  8. Risk Management requires that two faculty or staff must accompany all programs unless other arrangements are approved prior to approval of the program or annual registration.

VI. Students

  1. Admission requirements are based on university general admission standards and policies.  Programs are allowed to establish more stringent admission requirements.
  2. Program Pre-requisites will be determined by the college.
  3. Procedures must be established for students to discuss any issues or concerns during the program.   

VII. Physical Facilities

  1. Classroom, offices, library and study space must be adequate for the goals of the program.  
  2. Accommodation: The program seeks to accommodate students with physical or learning disabilities.  
  3. Housing:
  • Students must be housed in safe, clean and culturally appropriate lodgings, and are provided with appropriate orientation to their housing situation.
  • If housing made available by the program is significantly lower in quality, soundproofing, sanitation, or safety than housing normally used by students in the U. S., the housing must be described to students in detail.
  • If the program does not provide housing, information on the availability, approximate cost, and location of housing must be provided.

VIII. Cancellation or Termination of Programs

  1. Cancellation policy must be specified in the published and online brochure.
  2. See the Emergency Guidelines for information on cancellation due to Travel Alerts or Travel Warning.

Approved by University Courses & Curriculum Committee and Provost on 4/23/2009.