Study Away Committee (StAC)
Meeting Minutes
September 25, 2007, 4:00-7:00 pm

Present: Professors Ching, Hutton, Khandke, Knight, Nelsen, Patterson, Worthen; Elizabeth Bradley

Chain of Command Issues

• Professors Khandke and Ching reported that the Vice-President for Academic Affairs preferred that study away proposals not go before the faculty
• The Committee referred to the Ad hoc Study Away Committee’s final report, noting that the report stated that the permanent Study Away Committee would have the following responsibilities:
• Review and submit to the faculty for approval all new Furman study away programs (any new courses must be approved and sent to the faculty by the Curriculum Committee).
• Review and submit to the faculty for approval all new affiliated study away programs.
• Review and submit to the faculty for approval all new student exchange programs.
• The Committee noted that a study away program may gain approval by the faculty, but that the Assistant Dean of Study Away was responsible, in consultation with StAC, to schedule the program. In other words, programs could be approved by the faculty as worthy academic experiences, but could not force the Dean (who may have financial concerns) to place the program on the academic calendar.
• The Committee agreed to allow Professor Ching to draft a Memorandum of Understanding that would clarify this issue.

Program Approval Issues

• StAC discussed the approval process for study away programs
• The Committee agreed that directors of programs scheduled for 08/09 will be asked for details regarding their programs
• The Committee agreed that programs scheduled for 08/09 will be allowed to proceed without a formal proposal process, but that programs scheduled for 09/10 will have to go through a full proposal process.
• Some disagreement exists within the committee over what constitutes a “new” program and whether “old” programs will have to apply for approval.
• Professor Khandke expressed the desire for proposals to go to both the Dean of Study Away and the chair of StAC
• Professors Ching and Nelsen agreed to draft a policy on program proposals.

Faculty Credit Issues

• StAC discussed at length the issue of course credit. The questions addressed are as follows:
• What formula should be used to determine how many course credits a faculty member on study away receives?
• Should the director of a study away program receive an extra course credit for the administrative work s/he does for the program?
• Should financial incentives rather than course credits be used to compensate directors of study away programs?
• Professor Ching agreed to draft a Memorandum of Understanding concerning course credit.