How TBR Schools Afford Study Abroad

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How TBR Schools Afford Study Abroad?
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Consortiums! Consortiums! Consortiums!
Consortiums!

• MTSU as an example
• Number of Programs
• 254 Programs
• Over 40 countries

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MTSUHome Grown vs. Consortium
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MTSUConsortiums
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MTSU Home Grown
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What are the pros and cons of the consortium?
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1st the Cons

• Shared Governance
• Limits on Creativity
• Legal Connection to outside entity
• Limits on approved student and faculty
  applications
• Slow to Change

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Pros

• Shared Governance
• Shared Costs
• Slow to Change
• Collaboration within the Consortium members
• Shared Resources
• Increased and Diverse Opportunities for students
  and faculty

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The 1 reason we JOIN SHARED COSTS!
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For MTSU to duplicate all consortium programs we
would need 41 staff members!
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Now how do we administer the consortium on our
campus???

• Student Level
• Faculty/Departmental Level
• Administrative Level

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Step I Identify a single office or person for
study abroad
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Benefits

• Central location provides one-stop shop for
  students, faculty and administrative offices.
• Administrative responsibility located in one
  office/person
• Utilizes committees, faculty advisors and student
  representatives for shared governance

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Roadblocks

• Previous programming on ad hoc basis by various
  departments with historical ownership
• Funding for release time or full-time staff
  member
• Higher Administrative Decision Making to include
  this office and/or personnel

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Step II Administrative Level Develop
Infrastructure
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Identify one point person in each major
administrative office

• The study abroad office will have to work with
  all the major administrative offices on campus.
  So, instead of having students, faculty and other
  administrators talk to anyone in this office it
  is important to identify one person in each
  office to work with study abroad.

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Remember as you identify staff in KEY
administrative Offices

• Identify mid-level administrators
• great at assisting as the process develops
• Directors are usually too busy
• Assistant Directors are usually the best, due to
  close relationship with Directors and access to
  other personnel to complete cumbersome tasks in a
  timely manner.

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• International Experience is a plus
• Assists with buy-in from the person. If they
  believe in study abroad or international
  experience then they become apart of the solution
  as roadblocks appear. AND THEY WILL APPEAR!
• Several years experience in the department
• They probably have experience developing new
  forms and procedures for other programs already
  on campus. (i.e. internships)
• This may be difficult because they might already
  have a expertise with a different program.

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Offices you will need to identify Study Abroad
Staff

• Financial Aid
• This is a KEY person and really needs to have
  this in their job description. If possible, try
  to choose someone who has traveled overseas and
  will see the benefit for the students. As the
  program grows, study abroad can become a time
  consuming process for Banner. So, the more
  students the greater the workload to this office
  especially.

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• Records Office
• To handle study abroad enrollment and course
  substitutions for graduation
• Scheduling Office
• This person will become an expert on setting up
  the study abroad courses
• It is important that this person be clearly
  identified by the academic department point
  person for setting up courses.

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• Academic Advisor
• Depending on how your campus is set up, you will
  need one advisor identified for each academic
  department on campus.
• At MTSU, we began with the Chair to get buy-in
  from the department. Over the years, it has
  moved onto an individual faculty member.This is
  helpful with course substitution forms and course
  set up.
• College advisors are also a great resource.
  These will be your contact people as you send
  students for academic advising for the study
  abroad programming.

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Key Staff Cont.

• Business/Bursars Office
• Study Abroad Billing for Consortiums
• Admissions
• International transcripts and transfer credit
• Information Technology Office
• To assist with problems on email, registration
  and laptop use overseas

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• Judicial Affairs
• Maintains international procedures for behavior
  on study abroad programs
• Housing
• Housing contracts may be voided for students to
  study abroad with identified staff in this
  department
• Student Life
• Assists with promotion and programming for study
  abroad

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And LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!

• President/Provost Office
• This can be a delicate request if not already
  established.
• Can be developed overtime as visibility grows
• Should be someone that the study abroad
  office/person reports to directly
• Attends all major Dean/Director meetings and
  reports International Developments

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Step III Streamline the Process
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• Ask each individual department what information
  they will need from your office to complete the
  tasks for their department.
• Create forms and develop procedures with buy-in
  from each department.
• Important Note The more your department can
  become apart of BANNER the Better!
• This streamlines and sometimes automates the work
  for the assisting department.

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How MTSU Streamlined at the student level?

• Pathway Packet
• Includes information on
• Consortium/Program
• MTSU Department Information
• Step-by-step process on how to study abroad
• Forms all turned into the person/office and
  distributed to various departments

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STEP ONE ADVISING

• Before applying to a program, come visit us in
  the MT Abroad Office and sit down to talk. After
  filling out the Preliminary Information form, we
  will discuss your options in light of your ideas,
  financial situation, interests, major(s), future
  plans and dreams. With over 250 different
  programs to over 30 unique countries in the
  world, we can find a program that best suits you
  whether it is for a two week or two semester
  period, or anything in between. However, if you
  have this disc, you probably have already come
  into the office for advising. This is the point
  where we matched you with a program (or two) to
  which you are planning to apply. If you have not
  yet spoken with one of the advisors in the
  office, it is critical that you come as soon as
  you can so that you can move into the next step
  as deadlines usually come quite early in the
  semester.

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STEP TWO APPLYING

• To apply to KIIS, fill out the online application
  available at www.kiis.org. In the left center of
  the homepage, click on Apply Online Now! and
  create a MyKIIS account
• ___ Fill out online application with vital
  information
• ___ Attach a 300 word essay that explains why you
  want to study abroad
• ___ Choose Option 1 or Option 2 (more information
  following this checklist)
• ___ One (1) faculty recommendation form, found at
  the website
• ___ Mail directly to KIIS three (3) passport
  photos
• ___ Mail directly to KIIS a copy of your passport
  (photo and signature pages) OR a copy of your
  passport application
• ___ Mail directly to KIIS your official
  university transcript, from the records office in
  the Cope Administration Building (KIIS will not
  accept student-issued transcripts)
• ___ Deposit of 150 (pay with credit card online
  or via cashiers check/money order) 
• Deadlines for summer applications are February
  15 and for fall applications, March 15.

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STEP THREE SECURE FINANCES

• Paying for a summer, semester or even year to
  study abroad is not as difficult as you might
  first think. Through a diversity and plethora of
  options, one can finance most or all of a trip
  without using any money out-of-pocket! This
  list, although never complete, will both give you
  information on existing aid and assist you in
  finding other sources that you may not be aware
  of. However, be sure to apply early and have a
  backup plan in case you find yourself in an
  emergency situation.
•  
• 1. MTSUs Study Abroad Scholarship The MT Abroad
  Office is currently offering a unique scholarship
  for students who are applying to study abroad.
  In lieu of receiving a preset amount of aid, this
  scholarship will award a percentage of the total
  costs of a program, up to 50 in cases of
  students who are most competitive. The only
  requirements for this scholarship (aside from
  being an applicant) are a completed application
  and a 2.75 GPA. Be sure to apply early as the
  deadlines are in February for summer and fall
  applications. (The application and its
  instructions are included on this disc.)
•  
• 2. Program-specific scholarships There are many
  types of programs offered through the MT Abroad
  Office, many of which have their own unique
  scholarships to help students with expenses
  abroad. KIIS applicants may apply for the KIIS
  scholarship, a 500, 750 or 1000 supplemental
  award granted to competitive students accepted
  into KIIS programs. (The application and its
  instructions are located on the KIIS website at
  http//kiis.org/portal/index.php?optioncom_conten
  ttaskcategorysectionid3id72Itemid25.)
•  

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STEP THREE SECURE FINANCES CONT.

• 3. Other MTSU financial aid There are various
  other sources of financial aid that MTSU can
  offer directly, in the form of scholarships and
  loans. It is advisable to search out all
  scholarship opportunities before using federal
  loans, however many students take out loans as a
  safety net in case problems arise abroad. Go to
  the financial aid website for more information at
  http//financialaid.web.mtsu.edu/studyabroad/ or
  contact Judith Fogus in the Business Office at
  [phone].
•  
• 4. Phi Kappa Phi scholarship This scholarship is
  given to dozens of students (membership in Phi
  Kappa Phi unnecessary) annually who are studying
  abroad with at least a 3.5 GPA and between 56 and
  90 credit hours at the date of application. In
  addition, you must already be accepted into your
  program of choice and leave between May 1st and
  June 30th. For the application form and current
  deadlines, check out the website at
  www.phikappaphi.org and be sure to apply early.
•  
• 5. Gilman scholarship This scholarship is
  awarded to US citizens that are recipients of
  Pell Grants. The length of study has a minimum
  of four weeks normally these are given to
  students who have never been abroad before and
  are traveling to non-Western European nations.
  For the application form and current deadlines,
  check out the website at www.iie.org/gilman and
  be sure to apply early.
• 6. Out of pocket After scholarships and loans,
  any additional needed monies will be made up for
  out of pocket. For many students, this is an
  available resource as this includes parents,
  grandparents and other relatives or friends who
  wish to contribute to your study abroad
  experience. Often, students are able to afford
  the costs of the program with scholarships and
  loans but use out of pocket resources for
  spending money and independent travel. Ask the
  advisors in the MT Abroad Office how to pay for
  your program out of pocket.

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STEP FOUR ACQUIRE A PASSPORT

• Also critical is that you obtain a passport if
  you do not already have one, or renew yours if it
  has expired or will expire before the end of your
  term abroad. For this step, refer to the
  document on the CD labeled Obtain a US
  Passport. Contact the MT Abroad Office if you
  have further questions or concerns.
• ON THE CD THE STUDENT WILL HAVE
• Updated passport application
• How to Obtain Passport Sheet

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STEP FIVE ACCEPTANCE

• If your application was received by February 15,
  2008 then the acceptance/declined notice is
  usually first week of March. You will be
  notified via email or through youre MY KIIS
  account. Once you have been notified that you
  have been accepted into a study abroad program,
  make sure you have completed the steps above,
  ensure that you do so in a timely manner as lack
  of funding or a passport can bring an incredible
  experience to a screeching halt. If you are not
  accepted, please stop by the Study Abroad office
  to see what other options you may have and what
  forms need to be completed.

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STEP SIX FORMS TO BE COMPLETED FOR KIIS AND MTSU

• Forms to turn into KIIS (forms found on MyKIIS) 
• ___ Medical information form
• ___ Visa application (KIIS will process visa
  applications for China students must get their
  own visas for Cameroon and Brazil)
• ___ Murray State University registration form
  (sign and mail)
• ___ Designation of medical surrogacy (sign and
  mail)
• ___ Program contract
• ___ Agreement and release form
• ___ Credit transfer form
• ___ News release
• ___ Proof of insurance
• ___ Application for ISIC card

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Step Six Cont.

• b. Forms to turn into the MT Abroad Office (all
  forms are located on the CD)
• ___ Student Registration Form
• ___ Student Conduct Contract
• ___ Liability Release Form
• ___ Flight itinerary (ONLY if you are traveling
  independent of the group)
• ___ Copy of passport (photo and signature pages)
• ___ Study Abroad Fee Payment
• ___ (Optional) MTSU Study Abroad Scholarship
  application
• ___ (Optional) Course substitution form (to be
  completed with advisor)
• ___ (Optional) KIIS Scholarship application

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Step Seven Orientation

• In lieu of attending a Pre-Departure Orientation
  here at MTSU, KIIS students shall travel to
  Lexington, Kentucky to attend the mandatory KIIS
  Pre-Departure Orientation. MTSU provides a bus
  on the day of the orientation for students and
  faculty. MT Abroad office will send the bus
  schedule to all accepted student applicants.
  For those students unable to attend the
  orientation, an additional 100 fee will be added
  to their account as the program director will
  have to do a one-on-one orientation with you
  prior to departure. At the KIIS Orientation, you
  will learn about your country, what to expect
  when you arrive, culture shock, as well as meet
  your professors and fellow comrades. Orientation
  Date April 5th 1-4 University of Kentucky.

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Step Eight Bon Voyage!

• Once your forms have been completed, your
  questions answered, and all eight steps are
  completed, you are ready to go abroad!! Have a
  great time, but remember that you are a
  representative of MTSU and the United States of
  America dont let us down! Remember, we are just
  a phone call and email away!

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Step III ContinuedStreamlining for Faculty and
Staff
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Procedures and Manual for Faculty

• Keep it simple, remember you want to attract
  faculty not create more forms
• Manual Online
• New MTSU website will have instructions for all
  consortium programming online.
• How to develop a study abroad course?
• How to apply to teach overseas?
• Faculty Exchange Information
• Student Information Porthole to insure faculty
  understands what is being asked of the student

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Other Benefits and Info.

• Takes all program and MTSU information and puts
  it in a step-by-step process.
• Make sure all forms and the PPs are clearly
  identified on the website too.
• We are currently updating our website to include
  the Pathway Packets.

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Step IV Promote, Promote!
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• Create listserv of all promotional contacts
• Campus Newspaper
• Campus Website
• Campus Email to Students
• Campus Email to Faculty
• If possible, ask for promotional budget
• Visit Student Organizational meetings
• Find allies in academic departments and get
  yourself invited to meetings
• Find allies in the faculty and create Study
  Abroad Faculty Listserv

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• Literature Displays in every college
• -I warn you this may take the level of a coup
  d'état to get wall space!!
• Create a calendar of events that repeats annually
• -This creates campus culture of when things will
  occur like Study abroad fairs, Orientations,
  Call for proposalsetc.

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• Departmental Website
• Try to create links to other websites on campus
• Links to and from Academic Departments
• Links to and from Administrative Departments
• Offer to provide an article once a month to the
  local newspaper, campus newspaper and other
  related newsletters alumni notices, student
  organizational newsletters and the all important
  FLYERS!!

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How TBR Schools Afford Study Abroad!

• Consortiums!
• How to set up a cheap way to work with
  Consortiums
• 1. Identify a Central Office or Person for Study
  Abroad
• 2. Set up key personnel in Administrative and
  Academic Offices on Campus. The entire campus
  needs to have buy in on the program.
• 3. Streamline the process for all involved
• 4. PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!