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Contents: (reviewed and updated January 2006)
13.11 PROCEDURES FOR INITIATING
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
13.20 ROLE OF CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
13.21 INITIATION, OPERATION,
AND DISBANDING OF CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
13.22 CENTER AND INSTITUTE QUALITY
ASSURANCE
13.11 PROCEDURES FOR INITIATING
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Effective: February
8, 1999
PURPOSE
To foster and
encourage the University’s international strategic theme;
to facilitate and coordinate the development and operation
of the University’s international education, programs
and activities by providing procedures by which a proponent
of an international activity or program proposes and
secures approval of such initiatives; to implement a
centralized database on international programs, and
to assist faculty, students and staff who engage in
international activities.
AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
University President
POLICY
The Office of
International Studies, which is authorized to coordinate
the University’s international enterprises, shall be
notified before any such activities are initiated, and
kept informed concerning the progress of these programs
or activities.
PROCEDURES
1.
CONSULTATION
The initiator,
of any international activity should meet with the Office
of International Studies for an exploratory consultation
about a new international activity, such as inter-institutional
agreements, collaborative research programs, faculty
exchange programs, international academic and executive
development programs delivered abroad or at the University
for foreign-sponsored groups, student exchange, study
abroad or foreign internship programs. The Office
of International Studies will supply necessary forms
and copies of standard format agreements, SUS, University
regulations, as guidance for the initiator. Every international
faculty and student exchange agreement must have an
FIU contact person or sponsor. An FIU sponsor
is an instructor or an administrator who will act as
the contact person for the agreement. This person
will be responsible for carrying out the agreement.
2. PROGRAM PROPOSAL CLEARANCE
A. Except
in the case of projects covered by policy 5.91 Outside
employment, the initiator of any international
activity submits a detailed program proposal with a
budget to his/her chair and dean for approval.
This agreement should then be approved by the Office
of International Studies and the University President.
In the case of off-campus credit programs the proposal
should also be submitted to Continuing and Professional
Studies (CAPS). In the case of contract and grants
proposals, the proposal needs to be submitted only to
the Director of the Office of Sponsored Research Administration.
In the case of Study/Travel Abroad programs, policy
12.40 “Study Travel Abroad” should be followed.
In case of international sponsored credit, policy
12.30 should be followed.
B. All
international inter-institutional agreements must have
an attachment provided by the OIS describing the purpose
of the agreement, how it advances the mission of the
department/college, and the benefit to the University.
C. All
international inter-institutional agreements shall be
approved by the academic units, the Office of
International Studies and by the University President
. The format and legal sufficiency of all international
agreements shall be reviewed by the Office of the General
Counsel, who shall maintain a repository of the
same. The Office of International Studies shall
do likewise.
D. The
President transmits all international sponsored credit
and study abroad program materials to the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Office of Planning
and Institutional Effectiveness (OPIE) serves as liaison
for the University with SACS about such programs. Program
initiators should work with Continuing and Professional
Studies (CAPS) and with OPIE on the preparation and
approval of all new program materials. All international
programs shall conform to the SACS "Criteria for
Accreditation" and "Guidelines of Good Practice
in Overseas International Education Programs for Non-US
Nationals".
3.
REPORTING
At the conclusion
of each international activity or by June 30th of each
year, in the case of activities lasting more than one
year, international program coordinators should provide
a summary report describing the international activity,
its purpose and its outcome to the Office of International
Studies. If any problems arise with any international
activity, the Office of International Studies must be
notified immediately.
4. ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS AS FOLLOWS
A. INTERNATIONAL
SPONSORED CREDIT AND NON-CREDIT PROGRAMS: In the case
of an international sponsored credit program,
where foreign students may earn an FIU degree or certificate
by enrolling in FIU credit courses offered at
an institution abroad, or on campus, this proposal will
follow the procedure established at 12.30,
which includes presentation of a draft agreement to
the Office of International Studies.
B. STUDENT
EXCHANGES: A proposal for new student exchange agreement
will specify the levels and majors of student groups
who may wish to be involved. Student exchange
agreements with universities or institutions from
countries must be reciprocal. It will also include statements
from the relevant registration and records office which
verify the mutual recognition of any credit hours to
be earned at the host university and transferred to
the home university. The Office of International
Studies shall serve as the information clearinghouse
for the exchange of visiting international students,
under the current inter-institutional agreements,
working in cooperation with all interested University
units.
C. FOREIGN
INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS: A proposal for foreign internship
programs will detail the nature and conditions of the
internships proposed, the levels and majors of student
groups who might wish to be involved, and justify the
number of credits hours projected, in each instance.
D. STUDY
ABROAD PROGRAMS: A proposal for all new
study abroad programs should first be submitted to the
Office of International Studies. This proposal
will follow the same procedure described above. This
proposal will include planned location(s), course prerequisites,
projected field trip, potential credit awarded to
the student, local accommodations, transport requirements,
and estimated costs. Students registering
for these programs may apply for financial aid and may
apply credits earned in such courses to their major
course of study. If these study abroad programs
are of short duration the procedures are detailed in
12.40. If the programs are longer, and in
order to maintain University accreditation, the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) must be notified.
The Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
(OPIE) serves as liaison for the University with SACS
about such programs. This notification applies for all
off-campus academic programs where a student receive
25% or more of the courses leading to a degree.
The notification must be sent by the President
to SACS six months prior to initiation of the first
course. SACS may select to make a site visit within
six months after initiation. The program
budget must include the SACS notification fee and site
visit costs.
13.20 ROLE OF CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
Effective: April
21, 1999
PURPOSE
To specify the
primary responsibilities of Centers and Institutes to
the academic mission of the University. These serve
as criteria for demonstrating the success of a center
or institute.
AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
POLICY
A successful
center or institute supports the mission of the University,
actively contributes to the goals of the Division of
Academic Affairs or assigned academic unit, and annually
achieves its own goals and objectives.
Considering
the center or institute's mission, indicator's of success
include:
1) Research/Scholarship/Creativity:
Publications and other media are produced, or faculty
productions give credit to the center/institute for
its support.
2) Faculty Integration/Collaboration/Support:
Academic faculty are an integral part of the unit. The
center/institutes provides forums for the presentation
of faculty research and supports faculty teaching, research
and service interests.
3) Graduate
Student Support: Provides graduate student employment
(.25 FTE or more) to enrolled University graduate students.
4) Education
and Training: Sponsorship of FTE Generating Courses,
Supporting Continuing Education Activities, Training
Contact Hours, Conferences, Certificates, etc.
5) University
and Public Service: Contributions of expertise and technical
skills to address the needs of the University, professional
organizations, community or greater society.
6) Public Recognition:
Positive public attention is drawn to the University
by the activities of the center/institute through newspapers,
television and other forms of public media.
7) Self-Sufficiency:
Generates external support from grants, contracts and
other extramural income.
8) Quality
Assurance: Employs systematic methods of continuously
improving the effective and efficient provision of program
and services especially to the achievement of constituent
satisfaction.
PROCEDURE
Each center/institute
develops or updates its annual plan according to the
"Academic Affairs Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
Annual Cycle." This plan prioritizes the goals and outcomes
relative to the mission of the center/institute. The
success of Centers and Institutes is demonstrated following
Academic Affairs Policy 13.22: Center and Institute
Quality Assurance.
13.21 INITIATION, OPERATION, AND DISBANDING
OF CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
Effective: April
21, 1999
PURPOSE
To define the
principles, procedures, and approval processes relating
to establishment, operation and dissolution of Centers
and Institutes.
AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University System, Division of Colleges and Universities,
Institutes and Centers Policy Guideline 04-07-27djm.doc
POLICY
A. Purposes:
Centers and Institutes are established for the purposes
of research, training, and/or service. There are entities
with the term "center" or "institute" in their titles
that are not included in this definition, such as the
Health and Wellness Center. Centers and Institutes must
directly support the University mission, goals and academic
themes.
B. Institutes
and Centers are classified as either (1) State of Florida
institutes or centers or (2) University institutes or
centers.
A State
of Florida institute or center:
C. Advisory
Boards: Centers and Institutes should have an advisory
board composed of representatives of the constituencies
they serve. Each Center and Institute should develop
a policy statement on its Advisory Board role, membership,
terms, and appointments. The Provost approves advisory
board membership for University Centers and Institutes.
For State of Florida Centers and Institutes the advisory
board should consist of the following individuals: the
presidents or their designees from all participating
universities; representatives of appropriate public
or private agencies appointed by the Chancellor upon
recommendation of the participating agencies; and the
Chancellor's designee. The advisory board will provide
guidance to the director, Council of Academic Vice Presidents,
Council of Presidents, and/or Chancellor, as circumstances
require. Members will be appointed for three-year staggered
terms. The advisory board will make recommendations
with respect to the distribution of funds.
D.
Approval Process: Proposals for the initiation
of new centers and institutes should follow the guidelines
provided by the State University System, Division of
Colleges and Universities, Institutes and Centers Policy
Guideline 04-07-27djm.doc. Center and Institute proposals
must be reviewed and approved by:
1. Dean(s)
of appropriate unit(s). (Multidisciplinary Centers
and Institutes require approvals of deans of directly
affected units. Such approvals shall not be unreasonably
withheld.) Centers and Institutes housed in a Department
require approval of the Chairpersons. Proposals for
Centers and Institutes that sponsor certificate programs
or coursework will be reviewed by the unit curriculum
committee in the College/School in which it is housed..
If the Center or Institute is to be located at Biscayne
Bay Campus, the proposal must be reviewed by the Vice
President of that campus.
2.
Vice President for Research
3.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic
Affairs
4.
President
5.
Board of Governors
E. Self-Support:
Since University resources are limited, all Centers
and Institutes should strive to be self-supporting within
an appropriate period of time and should expect only
minimal University support.
F.
Evaluation: All Centers and Institutes must have a written
quality assurance plan that incorporates the issues
contained in Academic Affairs policy 13.22. Center and
Institute Quality Assurance.
G.
Annual Reports: Two annual reports are required. All
Centers and Institutes will annually submit a Academic
Affairs Planning and Accountability report to the Provost,
and a report to the Board of Governors. This latter
report must be forwarded by the President to the
Chancellor no later than September 30 of each year.
When an Institute or Center involves more than one university,
the host university will submit one Board report, with
separate budget and activity information for each university
affiliated with the institute/center.
H. Disbanding:
State of Florida institutes/centers are disbanded upon
written notification to the Chancellor and approval
by the Board of Governors. To disband a University institute
or center, the University notifies the BOG Office of
Academic Affairs in writing via the submission of annual
reports. In the event that one of these disbanded institutes/centers
was established or funded by the Legislature, the university
must provide documentation to ensure that Legislative
intent has been achieved and that the institute/center
is no longer required.
I. Evaluation/Review
Requirements: State of Florida institutes and centers
shall be reviewed based on criteria and procedures established
by the Council of Academic Vice Presidents. At a minimum,
the reviews shall include an assessment of each institute
or center's progress against defined goals and objectives
within the context of the institute or center's statewide
mission and the Florida Board of Governors' Strategic
Plan. Each review shall include an evaluation of performance-based
outcomes. The review also shall include an assessment
of the return on investment of State dollars, if applicable.
Additional criteria for the review of a given institute
or center may be contained in the Memorandum of Understanding.
External consultants may be used in the review process.
Issues to be addressed during the review may include
the need for continuation of the institute or center;
possible changes in mission or organizational structure;
budget reduction or expansion; and/or a recommended
change of classification from a State of Florida institute
or center to a university institute or center. At a
minimum, the Council of Academic Vice Presidents shall
review each State of Florida institute or center every
five years.
PROCEDURES
A. After
discussion with Chair and Dean, individuals or units
submitting proposals for the establishment of institutes
or centers should first meet with the Vice President
for Research, then the Executive Vice Provost for the
purpose of reviewing the information required, the proposal
package, and the approval process.
B. The
proposal package must contain a Provost Report, and
a Board Proposal. The Provost Report follows the guidelines
of the most recent "Center and Institute Planning and
Accountability Report" issued by Academic Affairs. Here
the mission, program emphases, long range goals, measurable
outcomes, organizational structure, budget, personnel,
and quality assurance systems are detailed. In this
report the success measures for Centers and Institutes
noted in AA policy 13.20 must be addressed. The Board
Proposal is prepared in the format specified in the
State University System, Division of Colleges and Universities,
Institutes and Centers Policy Guideline 04-07-27djm.doc
C. Criteria
for Proposal Review:
- Potential
for
supporting the mission, goals and academic themes
of University.
- Uniqueness
of research capabilities and opportunities.
- Adequacy
of planned infrastructure in light of existing university
support structures including space.
- Cost
to implement and carry as well as external funding
potential.
- Feasibility
of implementation.
- Potential
of enhancing the research capability.
- Relevance
and importance of other activities.
- Relation
to academic programs and commitment to developing
a research team consisting primarily of faculty, students
and post-doctorates.
- Competitive
advantages emanating from the strengths of University
researchers and the South Florida community.
- Appropriate
leadership and associated personnel.
D. Once
the Vice President for Research assures that all of
the above items in the proposal package are complete,
the President on the recommendation of the Provost will
transmit four copies of the Board proposal to the Chancellor.
E. Establishment of a State of Florida Institute or
Center: For a new State of Florida institute or center,
university personnel shall prepare and submit a proposal
(per guidelines approved by the Council of Academic
Vice Presidents) to the Office of Academic and Student
Affairs in the Division of Colleges and Universities.
The proposal shall include a draft of the proposed Memorandum
of Understanding, which has been approved by the board
of trustees at the host university. The proposal shall
be considered by the Council of Academic Vice Presidents
for recommendation to the State University Presidents
Association. The Chancellor shall consider the recommendation
of the State University Presidents Association in requesting
approval from the Board of Governors and in requesting
Legislative funding. Any State of Florida institute
or center must receive full approval from the Florida
Board of Governors prior to implementation.
F. Establishment
and Operation of a University Institute or Center: Each
institution shall develop and publish clearly defined
guidelines consistent with System policies for establishing,
operating, evaluating/reviewing, and disbanding university
institutes or centers. The guidelines are found in Procedures,
B. Each university president or provost, if so designated
by the trustees, may grant authorization for the development
and implementation of university institutes and centers.
13.22 CENTER AND INSTITUTE QUALITY ASSURANCE
Effective:
April 21, 1999
PURPOSE
To specify the
system to assure the quality of Centers and Institutes.
AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University System, Division of Colleges and Universities,
Institutes and Centers Policy Guideline 04-07-27djm.doc
POLICY
A successful
center or institute supports the mission of the University,
actively contributes to the goals of the Division of
Academic Affairs, the assigned academic unit, and annually
achieves its own goals and objectives. As appropriate,
it fulfills the eight measures of success for Center
and Institute as defined in Academic Affairs Policy
13.20.
All Centers
and Institutes must have a written quality assurance
plan. This quality assurance plan should specify
an ongoing planning and evaluation system with measurable
outcomes. The quality assurance plan documents
the methods to demonstrate the success of the center
or institute, who is responsible for implementation,
and it specifies how the results of evaluations are
regularly used to make improvements.
PROCEDURE
The quality
assurance plan is developed by the Center and Institute
Director in consultation with staff and constituencies.
It must include systematic feedback from the people,
units, or agencies that it serves.
Each center/institute
develops or updates its annual planning and accountability
report according to the "Academic Affairs Planning,
Implementation and Evaluation Annual Cycle." This
plan prioritizes the goals and outcomes relative to
the mission of the center/institute.
Centers or Institutes
that report to Deans are evaluated by the responsible
Dean. This evaluation is based on the goals, measurable
objectives, and success indicators specified in the
Center/Institute Planning and Accountability Report
from the prior year, and other indicators as formulated
by the Dean and Director. The center's annual
Planning and Accountability report accompanies the College
and School plan to the Provost Office. The Vice
President for Research evaluates the Centers or Institutes
that report to the Office of the Provost based on the
their Annual Planning and Accountability Report and
other indicators.
A University
institute or center shall be reviewed periodically.
At a minimum, each review should include an assessment
of the institute or center's progress against defined
goals and objectives within the context of the institute
or center's mission, the university's mission, and the
Florida Board of Governors' Strategic Plan. The review
also should include an assessment of the return on investment
of State dollars, if applicable. A formal review shall
be conducted at least every seven years to determine
if a university institute or center should be continued,
should be classified as inactive, should be discontinued,
or should apply for classification as a State of Florida
institute or center.
Annual
Reports: Each year the Office of Planning and Institutional
Effectiveness (OPIE) must provide a yearly update for
each State of Florida center and institute and for each
University center and institute approved for the University.
Each center and institute director must submit updated
information for inclusion in the annual report to OPIE
by August 1 of each year.
Last
update
January 19, 2006 1:46 PM
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