20.090:  Management of Student Exchanges

Status:	Approved on January 6, 2004	Signatures and dates on archival copy
Effective:	when approved
Initiated by:	Connie Perdreau Director of Education Abroad
Reviewed by:	Herman ("Butch") Hill, Chair Policy and Procedure Review Committee
Endorsed by:	Leslie Flemming Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Approved by:	Stephen Kopp Provost

Purpose

To facilitate the smooth operation of reciprocal exchanges at Ohio University, the following procedures have been established governing the initiation and administration of both undergraduate and graduate student exchanges.

Policy

I.  Definitions

There are two types of exchanges:

1. An exchange may be defined as a reciprocal agreement between Ohio University and a foreign institution in which Ohio University students studying abroad pay tuition, and sometimes room and board, to Ohio University, while attending a foreign institution where these services are rendered at no charge. A student from the partner foreign institution attends Ohio University, and draws upon the fees paid by the outgoing Ohio University student to pay tuition and accompanying fees, and room and board, if applicable. Comparable numbers of students are exchanged under such agreements.

2. An exchange may also be defined as a reciprocal agreement between Ohio University and a foreign institution in which Ohio University students studying at a partner foreign institution pay resident in-country tuition and fees, and a comparable number of foreign nationals from the partner institution attending Ohio University pay in-state tuition and fees.

II.  Classifying Foreign Nationals as "In-State Students"

Legal authorization for reciprocity agreements by state-assisted institutions in Ohio is contained in H.B. 298, SEC. 3333.19, passed in 1991.

Foreign nationals attending Ohio University under such reciprocity agreements are to be classified as in-state students at the point of admission by the Office of International Admissions or Graduate Student Services.

Procedures

I.  Exchange Agreement

The Office of Education Abroad (OEA) is responsible for managing exchange agreements at Ohio University. It will adhere to the following procedures:

1. The OEA will work with the Ohio University department, school, or college initiating the exchange agreement. It will follow the "Guidelines for International Agreements" issued by the University International Council (UIC). These guidelines outline the necessary components of an international agreement between Ohio University and a foreign institution. The guidelines are available on-line at http://www.ohiou.edu/uic/guide.htm.

2. Each new exchange agreement must be submitted to the UIC for review and recommendation to the President or Provost for signature. Depending on the nature of the exchange agreement, a designated Dean's signature may also be required.

3. The OEA will ensure that each new exchange agreement will be accompanied by a contractual or consortium agreement for financial aid purposes. The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (OSFAS) will provide the text for this accompanying document, which must be signed by an authorized official of the foreign institution. A signed copy of the contractual or consortium agreement must be returned to the OSFAS, with a copy on file in the OEA.

4. A copy of the signed agreement must be kept on file in the Office of the Associate Provost for International Programs, which maintains a central depository for all international agreements at Ohio University. Additional copies will be filed with the OEA and any appropriate department, school, or college offices.

5. Each student exchange agreement will be reviewed at intervals no greater than every five years after the inception of the student exchange program. Revised agreements will require signatures as stated in item 2 of this list (immediately above).

II.  Reporting Procedures for In-Bound and Out-Bound Exchange Students

1. The OEA will report financial terms of the exchange program annually to the Bursar's Office, the Office of International Admissions (Undergraduates), the Office of Graduate Student Services (Graduates), and the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (OSFAS).

2. The OEA will provide a complete database of all incoming and outgoing exchange students to each College, the Office of International Student and Faculty Services, the Office of International Admissions, the Office of Graduate Student Services, the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, the Registrar's Office, the Office of Residence Services (Housing), the Bursar, the Provost, and the Director of Institutional Research.

III.  Admission of In-Bound Exchange Students

1. In-bound exchange students must satisfy admissions requirements for Ohio University. The OEA will collect and identify all exchange student applications for admission. The OEA will then inform the Office of International Admissions of each inbound undergraduate exchange student application at the time of its submission. The same procedure will apply to inbound graduate exchange student applications processed by Graduate Student Services. This step is essential to insuring that the inbound student is classified as an in-state student for billing purposes.

2. In-bound undergraduate students will be admitted into a special exchange program code by the Office of International Admissions. The program codes are as follows:
   ND9810 - A&S Exchange
   ND9811 - COB Exchange
   ND9812 - COM Exchange
   ND9813 - EDU Exchange
   ND9814 - ENT Exchange
   ND9815 - FAR Exchange
   ND9817 - HHS Exchange
   ND9818 - HTC Exchange
   ND9816 - UNC Exchange
   

3. In the case of in-bound graduate students on exchange, Graduate Student Services will identify their exchange category by the use of existing non-degree department codes.

4. The Offices of International Admissions and Graduate Student Services will enter the in-bound student's residency status as "E" (Exchange). This will cause the student's fees to be assessed at the in-state resident rate.

5. The OEA will provide a list of in-bound undergraduate exchange students to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office will ensure that these students will receive priority registration at the junior level. This will enable the student to register for classes which require junior standing without having to go through the permission slip process. Continuing exchange students will be automatically updated to junior level each quarter prior to pre-registration provided the student is in one of the above program codes.

IV.  Billing, Crediting, and Housing Exchange Students

1. The OEA will use individual program rotary accounts set up by the Vice President for Finance Office in which the fees of the out-bound students will be deposited and from which the funds for the incoming students will be drawn. The OEA will bill the out-bound students according to the terms of the exchange agreement. The OEA will apply a credit to each in-bound exchange student's account, according to the terms of the exchange agreement, to off-set the charges automatically incurred upon each in-bound student's registration at Ohio University. All exchange students' charges and credits, both out-bound and in-bound, are stipulated in the institutional exchange agreement. Each outgoing student must be fully informed by the OEA about the charges for the program (including special program fees, if any) to avoid surprises in the billing.

2. The OEA will contact the Registrar's Office to assure that both inbound and outbound students are assessed appropriate fees, such as tuition, and, in some cases, room, board, and orientation fees.

3. If the exchange includes housing, the OEA will collect the housing contracts from the in-bound exchange students. The contracts will be forwarded to Residence Services (previously known as the Housing Office) after appropriate review of the terms of the exchange agreement. If the student's requests on the contract are intentionally different from the terms of the exchange agreement, the student's preferences will be followed. However, any differential costs will be charged or refunded to the student as appropriate. Spaces for the exchange students will be set aside. Every attempt will be made to house exchange students with American roommates, if requested. In-bound students may sign housing and food service contracts upon their arrival, and they will not be obliged to submit a housing deposit. The contract is binding for the period of time covered by the exchange.

V.  Administrative Procedures for Out-Bound Students

A.  OBOR Reporting

The OEA will submit a list of the names, social security numbers, and number of equivalent Ohio University credit hours taken abroad of all out-bound exchange students to the Director of Institutional Research, who, in turn, must report this information to the Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR) for state subsidy purposes no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter. Confirmation of the number of credit hours taken abroad will be obtained from the following documents:

1. the student's Verification of Enrollment form while abroad, or, if available by 30 days after the end of each quarter,

2. the student's transcript showing the total number of earned transfer credit hours as validated by the Office of International Admissions or Graduate Student Services upon the student's return to campus.

B.  Registration

Out-bound exchange students must register for STDY (Foreign Study) prior to their departure. This 0-credit registration course has an unlisted call number which will be provided to out-bound students by the OEA at the time of pre-registration. This registration serves as proof of full-time registration for purposes of financial aid, provided the student has also submitted the following documents:

1. The Foreign Study Checklist (refer to sub-sub-section D, of this sub-section, immediately below), indicating important program information and appropriate approvals for the academic program abroad, and

2. Submission of the Verification of Enrollment form to the OEA after the student has formally enrolled in the institution abroad. Registration for STDY also keeps the student in the SIS system and prevents their having to re-enroll upon return to campus. If the student studies abroad for more than one quarter, the OEA will register the student for STDY in subsequent quarters and, upon request, pre-register the student for the quarter of return to campus.

C.  Program Codes

Out-bound undergraduate students will be admitted into a special exchange program code by the Office of International Admissions. (Refer to program codes in item 2 of sub-section II, above.)

D.  Foreign Study Checklist

Out-bound students must submit a Foreign Study Checklist with details about their program, finances, credit approval, and emergency contact information, to the OEA prior to departure.

E.  Administrative Fee

Out-bound students will be assessed an administrative fee for the services administered by the OEA. These services include selection, counseling, billing, registration, pre-departure orientation, mailings, materials, communication, and other administrative costs connected with management of the exchange program. In addition, the fee covers the cost for the Ohio University application of admission of the incoming exchange student.

F.  Financial Aid

Out-bound students on financial aid or scholarships who wish to carry their financial aid must visit their financial aid counselor at least two full months prior to their departure. Certain procedures must be followed in order for a student to receive a disbursement of funds while abroad. These cannot be done at the last minute, and failure to attend to these matters puts the students in jeopardy of losing their financial aid.

G.  Residence Hall Check-out

Out-bound students living on campus who will be abroad winter or spring quarters should arrange for proper check-out of their residence hall with Residence Life staff in their building. Specific room assignments cannot be held for students, nor can personal items be left in the room. Upon their return from abroad, these students will receive a residence hall assignment and meal plan (if appropriate). Residence Services will make every effort, based on available space, to assign these students to the residence hall in which they lived before their study abroad, although no guarantees can be made in this regard. Students who study abroad fall quarter should contact Residence Services about their green, capacity, and living environment preferences before their return to campus. Out-bound students who will be abroad spring quarter and who will be living on campus upon their return from study abroad should sign a Housing and Food Service Contract before they leave for their exchange program. A proxy or residence life staff member can select their room.

H.  Residence Services

The OEA will submit a list of out-bound participants with on-campus housing contracts to Residence Services prior to the beginning of the quarter.

I.  International Student Identity Card

All out-bound students are required to purchase the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). The Office of Education Abroad is an ISIC-issuing agency for STA Travel. The International Student Identity Card Application is available through the Office of Education Abroad or on-line. The low-cost ISIC Card provides students with minimal international coverage for basic accident, sickness, and other travel-related expenses, including insurance coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation.

J.  Student Code of Conduct

All out-bound students are responsible for meeting the standards set in the Ohio University Student Code of Conduct while abroad. Students in violation of the code may be verbally reprimanded on-site by the exchange program coordinator at the host institution. If violations continue, students may receive sanctions, including a judiciary hearing upon return to the home campus and, in serious cases, the offending student may be dismissed from the program before completion of the exchange term of study. The Director of Education Abroad will be consulted by the counterpart Exchange Program Coordinator at the host institution before implementing any of the above actions.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

2. Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

3. Associate Provost for International Programs

4. University International Council

5. Academic Deans

6. Director of International Student and Faculty Services

7. Director of Admissions

8. Director of Graduate Student Services

9. Director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

10. University Registrar

11. Director of Residence Services (Housing)

12. Director of Residence Life

13. Bursar

14. Payroll Manager

15. Provost

16. Exchange Program Coordinators

17. Director of Judiciaries

18. Director of Institutional Research

19. University Study Abroad Committee

Forms

The following forms are specific to this policy:

1. Foreign Study Checklist is available from the Office of Education Abroad, or on-line at http://www.ohiou.edu/studyabroad/forms.html.

2. Verification of Education Abroad Enrollment form is available from the Office of Education Abroad, or on-line at http://www.ohiou.edu/studyabroad/forms.html.

3. International Student Identity Card Application is available from the Office of Education Abroad, or on-line at http://www.ohiou.edu/studyabroad/forms.html.

Dick Piccard revised this file (http://www.ohiou.edu/policy/20-090.html) on January 6, 2004.

Please E-mail any comments or suggestions to "polproc@www.ohiou.edu".