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K-State Today

February 24, 2016

New policies and procedures for K-State's short-term programs abroad

Submitted by Matthew Yates

The 2015-2016 academic year is shaping up to be the most successful for Kansas State University's short-term faculty-led programs abroad, better even than last year's record participation. This robust growth resulted in part from new policies that were implemented over the last year and are continuing this year.

First, we have revised our accounting system to allow students to pay for their faculty-led program fees directly from their KSIS accounts at the start of the program's academic term. No longer do students face a burdensome time lag between when fees are due and when they receive financial aid or scholarships.

Second, we have instituted a new Program Reserve Policy for all programs with courses in fall 2016 or later. Under the old policy, departments and colleges were responsible for any deficits their programs may have accrued as a result of overspending or emergencies. Under the new policy, recurring programs may develop a program reserve from surplus program fees to insure against emergencies or other possible liabilities. Faculty may use these funds for any unplanned, additional student expenses or, if they project a surplus prior to billing students, may even choose to reduce the cost and help increase participation.

Third, as a result of the new Program Reserve Policy, we have eliminated the Emergency Fee entirely. No longer will program budgets require a five percent fee on top of a student program fee to generate an emergency fund. This improvement, along with the Program Reserve Policy, further decreases the final cost of program fees and increases student accessibility to short-term programs abroad.

Finally, we have streamlined several of our faculty-led program proposal processes to ensure timely review and activation. The initial proposal and budget forms are now one page each. To encourage repeat programs, we no longer require the proposal form at all, simply the revised course syllabus, study tour itinerary, program budget and documentation, and signed compensation contract. Moreover, we have three standardized deadlines for proposal submissions, based on the term of a program's course:

• For summer term courses, proposals are due Aug. 1 of the year prior.
• For fall term courses, proposals are due Dec. 1 of the year prior.
• For spring term courses, proposals are due May 1 of the year prior.

All forms, along with a new FAQ page, are available on the redesigned faculty-led programs website, and policies and procedures are online.

In light of these improvements and the internationalization elements in the 2025 Strategic Plan, now is the best time to propose and lead a short-term program abroad. For faculty members, these programs are among the best ways to internationalize your discipline and teaching portfolio, as they pair courses with short-term study tours abroad that range in length from one week to six weeks. For students, they offer affordable programs during academic breaks, maximizing the accessibility of international education. Tuition for faculty-led programs is always at in-state rates, even for non-Kansas residents and international students.

Help your students discover the world — and themselves. If you have any questions or would like to submit a proposal, contact Matthew Yates, faculty-led programs coordinator, at mkyates@k-state.edu or 785-532-5990.

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