Faculty-led Study Abroad Programs

Kutztown University Policy ACA-039

  1. Purpose

    The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures and administrative responsibilities for faculty-led study abroad programs.  

  2. Scope

    The procedures and administrative responsibilities will apply to all aspects of the Kutztown University faculty-led study abroad programs. 

  3. Key words and phrases:

    Program coordinator – A faculty member who is responsible for managing a specific study abroad program at Kutztown University 

  4. Policy & Procedure(s)

    This policy adheres to Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Board of Governors policies and procedures and Kutztown University Council of Trustees policies and procedures. 

    Faculty-led study abroad programs initiatives comply with Kutztown University affirmative action policies. These refer to accepting students, employment, and providers of services.

    Administrative Overhead  

    Kutztown University does not require an administrative overhead for faculty-led study abroad programs.   

    Contracts  

    Written contracts shall exist between Kutztown University, the program coordinator(s) and the faculty members involved in the faculty-led study abroad program. The contracts are approved through the Office of the Provost.  

    All contracts must be signed and approved by the President of Kutztown University and APSCUF; and shall not be altered unless by mutual consent.  

    Written contracts (bids) for site, room, and board arrangements are required and shall be submitted to the Provost by the program coordinator two (2) months prior to the faculty-led study abroad program.  

    Contracts shall be kept on file at all times in the Office of the Provost, Payroll Office, and APSCUF Office.  

    Agenda (Itinerary)  

    Proposal deadlines for faculty-led summer and winter programs are issued by the Office of the Provost. The program coordinator shall develop an agenda in consultation with the department chairperson, college dean, and Office of the Provost. This agenda shall not be changed unless approved by the Office of the Provost.  

    Advertisement  

    All advertisements for faculty-led study abroad programs shall be pre-approved by the Office of the Provost. All such advertisements shall contain Kutztown University’s standard, uniform language regarding tuition, credit transfers, program costs, Kutztown University’s logo, residency, refunds, etc.   

    Budget and Financial Summaries  

    Each program coordinator shall prepare and submit a budget for the approved faculty-led study abroad program that represents the detailed projected costs.  

    The budget shall be updated as needed to accommodate changes and approved by the Office of the Provost and the Council of Trustees.  

    A summary of all the program’s expenditures which the coordinator has managed shall be submitted to the Office of the Provost upon completion of the program within thirty (30) days.  

    Budgets, time tables, and realistic deadlines shall be established for each faculty-led study abroad program site submitted per year, in order to determine revenue required for the faculty-led study abroad program.   

    Cash Advances  

    All cash advances to program coordinators for site expenses other than deposits are discouraged and shall only be approved by the Office of the Provost and the Vice President for Finance and Services. Requests for advances are handled through purchase orders (check requisition form) and the completion of an advance form submitted by the program coordinator to the Office of the Provost after the budget is approved and a sound rationale is proposed one (1) month prior to the faculty-led study abroad program.  

    Course Offering and Course Requirements  

    Only courses for credit shall be offered in the faculty-led study abroad program. Students may take such courses for credit only.  

    New, selected topic and one-time only courses shall follow the University Curriculum Routing Procedure and appropriate deadlines prior to the offering of a course.  

    Course syllabi, program content, and travel itineraries shall be submitted by the program coordinator(s) to the Office of the Provost as part of the initial proposal.  

    All contact hours (including both classroom time and supplemental activities such as field trips) shall be equivalent to the required contact hours of Kutztown University’s on-campus course.  

    Course offerings shall be determined by the number of faculty members who participate and student enrollments in the program.   

    Class Size  

    Class size shall be set equivalent to University policy regarding minimum class size established for regular class offerings.   

    Invoices, Receipts, and Logs  

    All payments above $500.00 shall be honored only upon receipt of itemized invoices submitted to the Office of the Provost and will be paid directly by the University Business Office.  

    Original itemized invoices and receipts shall be obtained for large expense items such as airline tickets, vehicle rentals, meal plans, and housing accommodations.  

    All requests for reimbursement of $15.00 or more require an original receipt and must be submitted to the Office of the Provost and then to the Business Office.  

    Daily logs of expenditures shall be required. Any individual receiving reimbursement for meals is responsible for adhering to the Kutztown University Travel Policies (include specific reference to the source of this policy). The total reimbursement for meals shall not exceed the subsistence rate specific to the location.  

    Any list of guest lecturers or speakers for the faculty-led study abroad program pre- or post-gathering shall be approved by the Office of the Provost.  

    Participants  

    The policies and procedures shall apply to all aspects of the faculty-led study abroad program now in existence or hereafter created. Only credit participants shall participate in the faculty-led study abroad program. Faculty member’s family or friends who are not enrolled in the faculty-led study abroad program will not be allowed to join the program.   

    Registration and Banking  

    Registration for faculty-led study abroad programs shall be processed by the Registrar’s Office.  

    All funds and registrations for faculty-led study abroad programs shall be collected by the Office of Student Accounts. All payments from student participants shall be processed through the Office of Student Accounts and the Business Office. Faculty shall not accept any student payments and registration but rather direct the student to the Office of Student Accounts. Only funds deposited with the Office of Student Accounts clears a student’s registration.  

    Travel Policies  

    Kutztown University will follow all present and future Board of Governors policies and procedures for Travel Expense Regulations (most recent policy) and Kutztown University Travel Policies.    

    Travel Advisor Notices  

    Program coordinators shall consult with the Office of the Provost with regard to cancellation or suspension of study abroad programs due to an emergency situation and occurrence of natural disaster in the host country(ies).  Program coordinators shall submit emergency contact information (the form is available in the International Admissions and Services Office) of all students and faculty participating in study abroad programs.  

    Tuition and Fees  

    As part of the faculty-led study abroad program’s initial advertising, all tuition, program cost, and fees shall be stipulated in writing requiring prospective students to pay either in-state, out-of-state, graduate, or undergraduate tuition.  

    Student residency shall be validated by the Registrar’s Office by having the student sign the appropriate form regarding such residency prior to the student participating in the program.  

    The approved proposal must be submitted to the Office of the Provost stipulating the tuition and all program fees.  

    All collection of tuition/registration is to be sent to the Registrar's Office and the Office of Student Accounts where official registration and tuition occurs.  

    Kutztown University adheres to Board of Governors policies and procedures for Tuition and Fees (most current policy).  

    Refund/withdrawal policies shall adhere to Board of Governor and Kutztown University Contractual Policies and Procedures (most current policy)   

    Tuition Waivers  

    Tuition cannot be waived for a spouse or dependent once they have completed their first undergraduate degree or if a dependent has reached the age of 25. All waivers must adhere to Kutztown University and Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education policies.   

    Salaries  

    Program coordinators shall receive their salary/compensation after the program has concluded, the budget information has been processed, grades have been submitted, student evaluations  have been submitted, and a summary budget report has been submitted. Participating faculty teaching in the faculty-led study abroad program shall receive their salary/compensation after the program has concluded and the grades have been submitted.  Each program coordinator shall receive a salary of $5,000; two coordinators of the same program receive $2,500 each.   

    Final Report

    A final itemized budget report (including expenses, revenues, and registrations) shall be submitted by the program coordinator within thirty (30) calendar days for the completion of the faculty-led study abroad program.   

    Checklist

    A checklist shall be provided for each program coordinator that reflects time tables for each item. These time tables will be monitored by the program coordinator in concert with the Office of the Provost.   

    Warning

    Failure to comply with University policies and procedures with regard to faculty-led study abroad programs may result in removal from the faculty-led study abroad program. 

  5. Effective Date

    August, 2009

  6. Approved By

    Office of the Provost (July 31, 2009) 

  7. Last Reviewed

    August, 2010 
    August, 2011 
    August, 2012 
    August, 2013 
    August, 2016 
    August, 2018 
    August, 2019 
    August, 2020