Summary of Global Seminar Director Responsibilities
In addition to the responsibilities below, you are responsible for knowing all the information and abiding by all the rules and guidelines covered in all Global Seminar Faculty Director workshops, all information listed in your Global Seminar Director Checklist in TDS (including your Director Handbook materials).Coordinate with Education Abroad (EA)
- Determine the eligibility requirements and program dates
- Work with EA to develop a program budget and fee
- If you need a program assistant, go through the hiring process with EA
- Attend Faculty Director Workshops (on topics such as recruitment, health & safety, and accounting)
- Review applications, interview and select students
- Prepare and hold pre-departure orientation (and class(es) if applicable) on campus
Academics
- Make sure the needed course approvals have been obtained (or are up-to-date)
- Oversee course activation with the EA registrar
- Update/finalize course syllabus
- Plan for the FCQ process with your department’s FCQ coordinator
- Start thinking about alternative academic arrangements in the event that you’re unable to teach the course for a short period of time (due to illness, etc.)
Outreach
- Publicize the program to students – this is your primary responsibility!
- Do class visits, departmental presentations, hold info sessions, send emails, post online, etc. to recruit students for the program
Materials
- Create/edit the program brochure, webpage, and info session presentation
- Create/edit the student handbook materials in conjunction with the program manager CU Policy Requirements
- Complete pre-departure items online in your online Global Seminar Director Checklist (including any required trainings, such as the CU Boulder Discrimination & Sexual Misconduct training and Clery Act Campus Security Authority training)
- Review health and safety resources in the Director Handbook to inform yourself of important issues (related to health insurance, mental health issues and alcohol misuse)
Logistics
- Plan ahead to ensure that your program is inclusive for all student needs
- Finalize and submit daily schedule and list of logistical needs in coordination with on-site provider
- Work with your cell phone provider to ensure you will have international calling capabilities while abroad
- Consult with the EA finance team before booking your flights with Christopherson, and remember that you must arrive on-site two days before the student arrival date
Coordinate with Education Abroad (EA)
- Communicate regularly with EA (including confirmation of the group’s safe arrival on the first day, and alerting EA to any on-site incidents)
- Send any missing student cell phone numbers to EA within the first 48 hours of the program Academics
- Teach the course!
Student Support
- Meet briefly (i.e. for coffee) with each student early in the program to check on how they’re adjusting
- Provide academic and personal counseling/assistance to students as needed
- Help students engage with the host culture by providing intercultural learning opportunities/suggestions
- Manage behavior problems by following the Progressive Disciplinary Process for Faculty-Led Programs
Logistics
- Maintain the planned program itinerary and avoid making changes on-site; if a change must be made (due to a transportation strike, for example), alert EA as soon as possible, before the change occurs
- Coordinate with on-site provider(s) on a daily basis
- Attend all program activities, field trips, visits, etc.
- Hold group, individual, or class meetings in the reserved program classroom or meeting space, or in public spaces (i.e. during excursions, etc.); you should not hold meetings of any kind (formal or informal; group or individual) with participants in your program accommodations (i.e. your own hotel room, apartment, etc.)
Health & Safety
- Provide on-site orientation with the on-site provider within 24 hours of students’ arrival
- Discuss medical emergency plan with provider
- Be available for emergencies 24/7 by staying in the program city for the duration of the program
- Follow best practices in safety planning
- Manage health and safety emergencies, in accordance with all CU policies, including the Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures
- Stay informed of the safety concerns and follow the recommended risk mitigation measures for all program locations
- Adhere to any guidelines, travel restrictions, and/or itinerary changes that may be implemented by Education Abroad and/or on-site contacts as a result of safety or security concerns
- In the rare event that the health, safety, or security situation in the program location(s) deteriorates to the point that the program must be canceled, help support the immediate return of all participants to the U.S.
- Be the representative of the university
Financial
- Manage program funds and keep receipts/logs in compliance with state & institutional financial guidelines
Coordinate with Education Abroad (EA)
- Meet with the EA finance team to submit receipts and reconcile expenses
- Complete post-program items online in your Global Seminar Director Checklist in TDS (including any Incident Reports, if applicable, and your Director Report, which is very important to submit in a timely fashion as it assists in ensuring program quality and planning for future years)
- Review your Director’s Report with your Program Manager and the Director of Global Seminars; discuss problem areas and possible solutions; make suggestions for improvements to the program
- Review student evaluations (and remind students to submit evaluations if needed)
Academics
- Submit student grades
Student Support
- Keep in touch with students: provide support for their readjustment back home, encourage them to use the interests and skills they gained abroad, hold a program reunion a few months after return
Logistics
- Start recruiting and planning for the following year
For Summer programs
Throughout The Year
Throughout The Year
- Stay informed on current events in the host country to anticipate any potential concerns for the following summer (upcoming elections, financial crisis, civil unrest)
Summer
- Run program, acting as point-person for any health & safety emergencies
- Reserve housing and other on-site reservations for the following summer, if applicable
- Complete end-of-program Director Report
- The finance team will be in touch with you soon upon your return to set up a meeting for submitting your accounting records and receipts, which must be done within two weeks of your return
- Turn in grades when complete
August/September
- Grade final assignments and turn in grades if still outstanding (before the start of fall semester)
- Let the EA Registrar know the person in your department who sets up courses in CU-SIS
- Finalize Director Report and submit to EA by August 20
- Meet with EA to review Director Report and plan for next year
- Update marketing materials (info session presentation, photos, website, and brochure)
- Schedule fall info session
- Conduct class visits, send emails to students and colleagues
- Finalize budget information (including dates, detailed list of visits and services) by September 1 so EA can contact on-site provider for next year’s budget
- Update your syllabus and submit to your program manager
- Complete items online in your Global Seminar Director Checklist in TDS
- New directors: attend director workshop on recruiting and admissions
October
- Make all housing and other reservations for next year (if you handle this task for your program)
- Work on budget with EA (if possible, set program fee before your info session)
- Hold info session
- Continue class visits throughout the month; send emails to students and colleagues
- If applicable, select program assistant for your program--update job description, do a job search, forward name of recommended candidate to EA for the interview, job offer and contract
- Start reviewing student applications online and interviewing applicants
November/December
- Set program fee and budget by November 15 at the latest
- Continue recruiting students through class visits, and emails to students and colleagues
- Continue reviewing applications online, interviewing applicants, and accepting students January
- Continue recruitment efforts if necessary
- Continue reviewing applications, interviewing applicants, and accepting students if necessary
- Set orientation date(s) with your program manager
- Create/update student handbook materials with your program manager
- Meet with program assistant to go over duties if applicable
- When program is confirmed:
- Complete a Travel Authorization form and buy plane ticket once given the OK from the EA finance team within 2 weeks of program confirmation
- Prepare for orientation
- Start working on the daily schedule and logistics with the on-site provider
February/March
- Follow up on reservations as necessary
- Prepare for and run pre-departure orientation with your program manager
- Finalize logistical arrangements with on-site provider (including daily schedule)
- New directors: attend director workshop on health and safety
- New directors: attend director workshop on accounting and pre-departure processes
April/Early May
- Attend annual All-Director Workshop
- Sign your offer letter and return it to the finance team
- Request your cash advance
- Submit a final updated daily schedule to your program manager
- Review important pre-departure materials supplied by EA
- Follow up on/finalize reservations as necessary
- Complete all pre-departure items online in your Global Seminar Director Checklist in TDS (including a final review of the all handbook materials and relevant CU policies)
Last Updated January 2024