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International Policies and Procedures
POLICY
In preparing
students for entering an increasingly international
workplace environment, The University is committed to
comprehensive internationalization through the pursuit of
activities and experiences which fulfill the needs of this
international mission and responsibility. Such activities
include collaborative research, training and development,
providing study abroad courses and programs, international
consulting by faculty and professional staff, and the
issuance of degrees and certificates of international
exchange for students, faculty and staff.
International activities all have basic structures or
attributes that guide their success. These structures
include Memoranda of Understanding, formal International
Agreements, and Study Abroad protocols. These policies and
procedures are intended to assure the best possible outcome
and experience for each participant, while protecting the
students, faculty, staff and the University engaged in such
activities.
The Office of International Programs (OIP) is responsible
for administration and operation of all study abroad
programs whether initiated through UHV or in partnership
with a consortia. OIP shall maintain a website (link this)
with access to this policy, all active programs, operational
procedures, forms, manuals and/or guides associated with
international programs. All procedures on the International
Programs website shall be considered a part of this policy.
(OIP) shall be responsible for all study abroad agreements
and contracts and shall maintain all records necessary for
reporting or auditing purposes in accordance with the UH
records retention schedule.
All study abroad programs and agreements shall comply with
policies and regulations of the University of Houston System
(SAM 06.A.11), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board, and appropriate accrediting agencies as applicable.
This policy and all non-standardized written agreements
require review by the UHS Office of General Counsel.
Schools and
departments with study abroad programs shall work closely
with OIP. Although any faculty
member or administrator may be an initiator of a study
abroad program, the program proposal must meet the
requirements set forth by this policy.
DEFINITIONS (for
purposes of this policy)
Memorandum of
Understanding -
A non-binding
agreement between two or more entities or institutions that
opens communication aimed at developing a formal
relationship or agreement in the future. A faculty member,
professional staff member, or administrator may initiate.
Formal review and approval is required prior to execution.
International Agreement
- A
formal document that commits resources and/or official
activities and relationships between individuals or
institutions.
A faculty member,
professional staff member, or administrator may initiate.
Formal review and approval is required prior to execution.
Study Abroad - An activity where students/faculty or
staff engage in a formal university authorized program that
requires international travel to fulfill requirements of a
course, to engage in research or study, for personal
enrichment, or for fulfilling terms of an International
Agreement.
PROCEDURES
1.
International
Agreements
a.
Any full time faculty member or administrator may
initiate an international agreement.
b.
The initiator will work with the Director of
International programs in drafting the agreement.
c.
Agreements must be in compliance with UHS policy,
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (when applicable)
and appropriate accreditation agencies (when applicable).
The agreement must be approved in writing by the dean/s,
director/s, vice president of administration and finance
(when involving contracted fees), director of international
programs, provost, the
president, university legal counsel, and the system senior
vice chancellor for administration before formal signing.
d.
A program director will be assigned to each agreement
and may be a faculty member, administrator, and or the
director for international programs.
e.
Agreements may involve multiple institutions.
f.
The agreement will be administered by the program
director in consultation with the Director of International
Programs.
g.
Compliance and assessment
reviews will be conducted by the program director and or the
Director of International Programs a minimum of once each
year. A compliance and assessment report will be
submitted to each institution involved with copies being
sent to the president and director of international programs
and provost of UHV.
h.
The international agreement must identify detailed
expectancies, deliverables of all institutions involved, a
mechanism for program compliance review, a budget (when
applicable), terms of dissolving the agreement, and the
person or persons responsible for oversight.
i.
All agreements involving contracted fees will have
appropriate cost centers established through the UHV Office
of Administration and Finance. The Office of Administration
and Finance will receive an amount equal to eight percent of
the gross contract fees for account administration.
j.
Six months prior to the closure date of the
agreement, the program director in consultation with
the Director of International Programs and dean/s or
director/s of the areas involved
will review the agreement outcome and recommend closure or
extension of the agreement to the president. The president
will notify the chief executive officer of the collaborating
institution, or institutions, of the recommendation.
k.
The agreement shall contain a termination clause and
may be terminated for reasons of war, natural disaster,
financial exigency, failure to perform by any of the
parties, State/Federal Law, or by mutual written consent of
the chief executive officers of the institutions involved.
Termination must be in writing a minimum of ninety days in
advance of the final termination date.
l.
The Director for
International Programs will be responsible for forwarding a
list of active international agreements to campus
administration (President, Provost, Vice President,
Administration and Finance, and UHS administration
annually.
m.
The programs evaluations shall be based upon the
direct impact of study abroad on its participants to include
wherever appropriate 1) language learning, 2) intercultural
competence, 3) cognitive/knowledge, 4)
affective/attitudes, 5) behavior/skills, 6) disciplinary
knowledge, and 7) social and emotional growth.
2. Memoranda of Understanding
(MOU)
a.
Any full time faculty or administrator may be
the initiator of an MOU;
b.
The initiator working with the director for
international programs and the designee of the collaborating
institution will draft the initial MOU document;
c.
The draft document will be forwarded to the
appropriate dean/s and/or director/s of identified areas for
written approval;
d.
The document will be forwarded to university legal
counsel and appropriate UHS officials to review and approve
as to form;
e.
Upon approval, the document will be forwarded to the
appropriate designate at the cooperating institution for
approval.
f.
No state appropriated funds may be used in any
activity associated with the MOU;
g.
The president, chief executive officer, or other
individual having appropriate signatory authority from
each institution shall each execute the agreement. Other
signatures may be obtained in keeping with international
protocol or institutional policy;
h.
Original signed copies will be retained in
the Office of Business Services, which serves as the
repository for all original campus contracts. Copies will
be retained in the Office of International Programs,
President, Deans and/or Directors office and the UHS Office
of General Counsel, Office of Contract Administration;
i.
The MOU should be in effect for a minimum of
three years and maximum of five years;
j.
Termination of the
MOU may be made in writing by either institution. The
termination must site the reasons for termination and must
provide 30 days notice of termination;
k.
All travel under the MOU will comply with all
governing regulations and State appropriated funds may not
be used
The Faculty Program
Director
a.
Must be approved by his/her dean or director;
b.
Must be an employee
of UHV;
c.
Has overall responsibility for planning, developing,
and implementing a specific study abroad program;
d.
Is responsible for the completion of all university
required student forms and for submitting them to OIP on any
faculty lead trips.
e.
Shall avoid all conflicts of interest and/or the
appearance of any conflict of interest;
f.
Shall not act as an independent agent while
representing UHV in any respect of the
study program;
g.
Must complete a post program evaluation in writing to
the dean/director and OIP;
h.
Must have had previous international travel abroad
experience with students, and/or special training for
leading study abroad program for students;
i.
Must provide protocol and cultural orientation to
students before departure;
j.
Is responsible for the overall behavior and
discipline of persons while abroad;
k.
Must complete on line or other appropriate
orientation to foreign law and culture differences as well
as with safety issues at least three weeks prior to
departure
l.
Must file the required UHV Travel Request form in
order to maintain university insurance
The Student Participant
a.
Must be a matriculated student at UHV;
b.
Must complete all required forms and submit them to
the faculty program director;
c.
Is subject to all UHV "Student Rights and
Responsibilities" while traveling on a study abroad program;
http://www.uhv.edu/HandBook/2007-08/student_rights.asp
d.
Is subject to all academic rights and privileges,
rules, regulations and disciplinary procedures of the host
institution;
e.
Is subject to all laws of the country or countries
being visited;
f.
In the case of independent or consortia study abroad,
must complete all appropriate UHV Study Abroad forms and
file them with the OIP office.
The Non-Student Participant
Participants in faculty led
programs who are not UHV students
shall complete the same Study Abroad forms required
for any UHV students.
Participating students, faculty and staff may not extend
study abroad stays more than one year without prior approval
of OIP
List of Forms Used for
International Travel found at :
http://www.uhv.edu/studyabroad/Forms.asp
Non UHV Equivalency
A-I: Health
Disclosure and Medical History
A-2: Consent to
Release Information about Foreign Traveler
A-3: Proof of
Vaccination (if required for country)
S-1: Student Conduct Agreement
S-2: Study Abroad Student
Evaluation Form
S-3: Waiver and Release for Participant Traveling
Independently of Group (if applicable)
S-4: Assumption of Risk and Release
I-I: Incident
Report
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