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France by Lander Karath

Summary of Global Intensive 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 Intensive Faculty Director workshops, and all information listed in your Global Intensive Director Checklist in TDS. You will work in conjunction with a program manager in CU Boulder Education Abroad (EA) who is available to assist with various aspects of the process. The responsibilities below are carried out by you in consultation with various EA staff and local service providers.
 

Before the Program

Coordinate with Education Abroad (EA)
  • Determine program dates & on-site itinerary
  • Work with EA to develop a program budget
  • Attend Faculty Director Workshop (on topics such as recruitment, health & safety, and accounting)
  • Collaborate with EA for in-class pre-departure orientation
Academics
  • Make sure the needed course approvals have been obtained
  • Coordinate with departmental administrative team to ensure on-campus course is active with controlled add and drop enrollment
  • Update/finalize course syllabus
  • 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
  • Collaborate with EA on program brochure & webpage
  • Complete pre-departure items online in your online Global Intensive 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 one day before the student arrival date

During the Program

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)
Academics
  • Teach the on-site component of the program
Student Support
  • 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
  • Participate in Health and Safety 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

After the Program

Coordinate with Education Abroad (EA)
  • Complete post-program items online in your Global Intensive 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 EA, discuss problem areas and possible solutions, make suggestions for improvements to the program
  • Review student evaluations
Academics
  • Submit student grades shortly after conclusion of the program (if in May/December)
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
Logistics
  • Start working with EA to plan for next year
Finances
  • Work with the EA finance team to submit receipts and reconcile expenses

Program Director Timeline

It generally takes 10 – 12 months of planning before a Global Intensive can actually run. Budgeting, logistics, risk management, academic, and administrative reviews are each time-consuming steps. Please see the timeline below for a program that would run either over Spring Break or in May.

March/April
  • Meet with Education Abroad
  • Identify the on-campus course that will include the Global Intensive component – faculty
  • Work with department/college to obtain approval – faculty
  • Meet with Education Abroad to discuss the Global Intensive  – faculty
  • Select program provider – Education Abroad and faculty
August
  • Set program fee – Education Abroad
  • Finalize online application – Education Abroad
  • Promote the Global Intensive – faculty
September
  • Promote the Global Intensive – faculty
  • Provide student documents available to students via MyCUAbroad – students and Education Abroad
October
  • Late October, spring course registration opens
November
  • Provide Education Abroad with class roster - faculty
  • Send acceptance email to students - Education Abroad
  • All contracts and post acceptance documents completed - students
  • Airline seat reservations (if applicable) – Education Abroad
  • Class rosters sent to OFA so spring award packages can be adjusted – Education Abroad
December
  • Work with program provider to create daily itinerary – faculty and Education Abroad
January
  • Spring CU Boulder on-campus component begins – faculty and students
  • Group airline flights ticketed (if applicable) – Education Abroad
February
  • Faculty and staff training/workshop – Education Abroad and faculty
  • Finalize daily itinerary with provider – faculty and Education Abroad
March
  • Pre-departure orientation for Spring Break programs – Education Abroad, faculty, and students
  • Health insurance and STEP enrollment – Education Abroad
  • Abroad experience for Spring Break programs – faculty and students
April
  • Pre-departure orientation for May programs – Education Abroad, faculty, and students
  • Program debrief for Spring Break Programs – Education Abroad and faculty
May
  • Abroad experience for May programs – faculty and students
  • Late May: Program debrief for May programs
Last Updated January 2024