Minutes of the StAC Meeting - Amended
March 25, 2008
W. Worthen, Recorder

Present:  Elizabeth Bradley (student), John Beckford (Academic Dean), Christopher Hutton, Tom Kazee (Provost), Kailash Khandke (Assistant Academic Dean for International Programs), Lisa Knight, Brent Nelsen (Acting Chair), Cheryl Patterson, David Solomon (student) and Wade Worthen. Absent: Erik Ching (Chair)

Recorders for the spring meetings volunteered as follows: March 25 (Wade), April 8 (Lisa), April 22 (David), May 6 (Cheryl), and May 20 (Chris).

Kailash reviewed the "Study Away Program Proposal Guidelines".  Lisa suggested that approval of the program by the Provost needed to be inserted before a program could begin advertising and marketing to students.  John suggested a list would be good.  The list might look like this:

1) Meet with the Assistant Dean to discuss the program.
2) Submit a proposal to the Assistant Dean, for consideration by the Study Away Committee
3) Submit new courses to the Curriculum Committee and other relevant faculty committees.
4) Programs approved by StAC will be presented to the faculty for approval.  New courses included in approved programs will be voted on at that time, in the context of the vote on the program.
5) The Provost and Assistant Dean for International Programs will determine which approved programs will be offered in a given year.  The approval of the Provost is required because the palette of programs offered in a given year will be influenced by budgetary considerations, anticipated enrollments, and topical balance.  So, approval of the academic integrity of a program does not guarantee that it will be offered immediately.
6) Advertising and marketing for the program may only begin after this entire approval process is complete.

Next the committee discussed when proposals should be submitted.  The relative costs and benefits of a long lead time were discussed.   A long lead time benefits the program directors who often need approval a year in advance to begin recruiting for the trip and to place reservations and deposits.  We decided on the following deadlines:
Travel Programs in '08-'09 academic year: They should have their proposals in already.
Travel Programs for May-X '09: Deadline will be May 1, 2008.
Travel Programs for '09-'10 academic year: Deadline will be October 1, 2008
Travel Programs for May-X '10: October 1, 2008.
Travel Programs for '10-'11 academic year: March 1, 2009.
These last two dates will establish the standard submission deadlines for subsequent years.  John voiced some concern that this much lead time for a May-X might stifle the spontaneity that we will need for the May-X.  Christopher suggested that domestic May-X programs would not need this much lead time.  Also, the budgetary concerns are not as stringent for the May-X programs.  So, this much lead time will not be required on all May-X programs.  Kailash will rework the guidelines and distribute them to us for final comment before they are posted in advance of the April 3rd faculty meeting next week.