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Learn how Washington State University doubled its Education Abroad growth in four years by involving faculty and administration. Explore the strategies, challenges, and successful outcomes of fostering campus-wide ownership and increasing student participation. This comprehensive guide offers insights on developing influential relationships and implementing necessary changes to enhance the education abroad experience.
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It Takes a Campus:Involving faculty & administration in education abroad Candace Chenoweth Director, Education Abroad & International Credentials Washington State University
The WSU Education Abroad Mission: …to assist all WSU undergraduate students with integrating a successful education abroad experience into their four year degree program.
Salaried Staff: -Director -EA Advisor & Outreach Coordinator -EA Advisor & Exchange Coordinator -EA Faculty-Led Program Specialist -International Credentials Specialist -Program Support Supervisor -Two half-time Senior Secretaries Current Staffing at WSU Education Abroad Office
Current Staffing at WSU Education Abroad Office Student Staff: - 1 Marketing Intern - 1 Outreach & Promotions Intern - 16 EA Peer Advisors - 2 Office Staff (work study) - 40 EA Ambassadors
State of the Education Abroad Office in AY 2001-2002 Low Participation Rates: • 263 students studied abroad • 2 Faculty-Led Programs • 28 Exchanges – most out of balance
State of the Education Abroad Office in AY 2001-2002 Contributing Factors: • Limited communication with academic units & administration • EA credit issue creating dissatisfaction across campus • Ownership for education abroad solely with International Programs
Catalyst for Education Abroad AY 2001-2002 • Provost expressed desire to send 1,000 students abroad each year • President established education abroad as a university benchmark: • Michigan State University • Texas A&M • UC Davis • Virginia Tech • Colorado State University
Necessary Changes • Campus-wide ownership of education abroad • Consistent, streamlined processes • Double participation numbers within 5 years • Realize staff positions to match growth
Developing Influence “As advisors in international education, your positions probably will never wield power. Therefore, you must become influential!”
Developing Influence Overarching Goal: To Manage Relationships Toward Desired Outcomes But how?
Developing Influence To Develop Influence with Three Main Constituencies: • Administration • Faculty • Advisors
Starting Point: The Education Abroad Credit Issue Committee with broad presentation across campus: • Registrar, Assistant Registrar, Support Staff • Assistant to the Provost/Acting Director Admissions • Dean, Honors College • Director, General Education Program • Academic Governess • Catalog Committee • Committee learned about education abroad while EA developed important allies • Created buy-in with key offices
Starting Point: The Education Abroad Credit Issue EAC Committee’s Goals: • Review best practices surrounding education abroad credit transfer • Think outside the box • Create system best for WSU
Starting Point: The Education Abroad Credit Issue Once EAC System was created, EA “Sold” it: • Presented at dean’s and chair’s meetings • Presented to academic units • Distributed EA Faculty Cheatsheets to departments
Linking with the Administration • Began to include Financial Aid Representatives in presentations • Developed Emergency Preparedness Plan in cooperation with: • Risk Management Team • Health & Wellness • Attorney General Office • Presented to various constituencies: Dean’s Council, Chair’s meetings
Beginning to Create a Campus Buzz… 17% Growth 2002 15% Growth 2005 14% Growth 2004 20% Growth 2003 520 452 395 319
Beginning to Create a Campus Buzz… Interest grows across campus: • Provost: notices numbers & increases ‘behind the scenes’ support • Faculty: interest in faculty-led programming begins to develop • Students: contracted with marketing research class to survey student opinions • Associate Provost: Forms Education Abroad Task Force to examine barriers and solutions to education abroad
The Education Abroad Task Force EA Task Force forms in 2004 • Broad Campus representation • Libraries, ROTC, Registrar’s Office • College of Science, Foreign Language, Honors • Committee studies student survey data • EA has an opportunity to provide in-depth orientation to EA best practices & curricular integration • Board of Regents views Committee Report at summer retreat
As Word Got Out… …interest spreads • Allies voiced support • New allies sought EA out • EA incorporated into Freshman orientation sessions • Recruiters ask EA to make presentations • WSU press team writes about EA
Starting Point: Faculty-Led Program Growth 2004: Full Time Faculty-Led Program specialist position created 2005: ½ time FLP Clerical Position Created 2007: Requesting Additional Full-Time FLP Specialist 30? 23 10 9 1 3
Starting Point: Faculty-Led Program Growth • Growing Faculty-Led Programs = Growing Pains • No systems or processes in place for managing Faculty-Led programs • Standards and systems inconsistent across campus • Faculty used to doing it “their” way – who needs Education Abroad? • No training assistance for faculty
Developing FLP Guidelines: Collaboration with Other Campus Offices Solicit expertise from across campus to create streamlined procedures: • Department Finance Offices • Financial Aid • Student Health & Wellness • Student Conduct • Student Accounts • Risk Management Team • Business Affairs • AGs Office
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Recognized the need for faculty: • Education • Training • Support • Buy-in
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Faculty Education Opportunities: • Site Visits- Secured opportunities for faculty members to participate in site visit with EA staff • Architecture, Engineering, Nursing, Spanish Language, • Early Childhood Development • Meetings -Facilitated meetings with study abroad representatives as well as campus contacts (contracts officer, travel clinic, risk management team, AG) • Workshops -Brown Bag Lunch Workshops • Written Materials – Brochures, “cheat sheets,” etc.
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Faculty Training: • Workshops: Brown Bag lunches • Co-presented during pre-departure orientations • Produced manual: How to Design a Faculty-Led Program
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Manual – How to Design a Faculty Led Program • Spotlighted Provost’s interest in Education Abroad • Upscale design created sense of credibility • Comprehensive nature created expectation of buy-in • Excellent training tool
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Faculty Support: • Mini-Grant Program for faculty-led programming initiated by Associated Vice Provost for International Programs • Small awards of $500-$2000 for new programs • Few strings attached • Facilitated implementation of 12-18 month timeline • Created expectation of cooperation! • Will offer again in 2007
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Faculty Buy-In: • Small grant through Office of Assessment to develop assessment tools for faculty-led programs • Funded part-time position • Literature review, faculty survey • CTLT helped create outcomes, rubrics, & suggested prompts • Refining administrative and evaluation processes
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Faculty Buy-in: • Include faculty-led program directors in Education Abroad Fairs • Include interested departments in fairs • Host events for faculty
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad “The Year of Study Abroad Reception” • Invited Key Faculty and Administrators to meet EA Program Representatives • Time: Evening before large fall study abroad fair, immediately after work • Place: Central, on-campus location with visitor access • Served Wine, beer, & h’orderves • Recognized Faculty for their contributions while promoting networking with providers • Wildly Successful!
Involving Faculty in Education Abroad Bending over backwards… It’s a balancing act! Faculty Interests & Needs EA Staffing & Time Constraints VS.
Maintaining Established Relationships Organized Courtship Rituals • Education Abroad Fair Breakfast in Spring • Faculty-Led Program Showcase in Fall • Mom’s Weekend Open House • Faculty invited on site visits • Schedule opportunities for outside Program Representatives to meet with key faculty
Starting Point: Increasing Advisor Awareness of EA Options • The Education Abroad Office’s Goals: • Advisors will have a basic understanding of education abroad processes and opportunities • Advisors will raise the topic of Education Abroad with their students • Advisors will help students incorporate Education Abroad into the student’s four year plan
Starting Point: Increasing Advisor Awareness of EA Options Advisors’ Workshop in Late September: • Invited 300 staff and faculty members who provide advising • 40 participants attended • Repeated workshop in a.m & p.m • Nice setting, high quality refreshments • Introduced goals of EA, basic information about studying abroad, benchmarking data
Advisors Workshop Outcomes Participants response to post-workshop survey: • 100% reported the workshop was helpful! • EA Mission/Curricular Integration - 100% found useful • Mock First Timers Session - 91% found useful • Faculty-led Program Information - 71% found useful • Financial Aid and Scholarships - 71%wanted to know more • Providers that offer programs in their academic area - 71%wanted to know more
Making Ties with Advisors Future projects targeted toward advisors: • “You look like someone who’d like to study abroad!” buttons • Curricular Integration Worksheets
Making Ties with Advisors Future Events Targeting Advisors: • Invitation to Spring Fair Breakfast • Panel presentation on EA topics (tutoring opportunities, living with host families, academic excursions, etc.) • Advisors only guided tour of fair
Making Ties with Advisors New Event Idea: Hot Picks for High Achieving Students: An Evening of Study Abroad for Faculty & Advisors Co-Sponsored by Education Abroad & The WSU Honors College
Perils & Pitfalls Just when you think you’re safe… • Competing Interests rear their ugly heads!
87% Perils & Pitfalls At Times such as these… • Use your network to fight back – the more the merrier! • Pull out the statistics – there is power in numbers!