Procedure No.:   20.090

Page No.:        1,2 and 3 of 3

Date Issued:     06/07/95

Issued By:       M. Flournoy

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. There are two types of exchanges:

1. An exchange is 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 at Ohio University and attend a foreign institution where they receive these services 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 room and board, if applicable. Comparable numbers of students are exchanged under such agreements.

2. An exchange can 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 tuition and fees and a comparable number of foreign nationals from the partner institution attending Ohio University pay in-state tuition and fees.

   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.

ADMINISTRATION OF EXCHANGES

Each unit negotiating and managing exchange agreements must adhere to the following procedures:

1. The department/school/college negotiating the exchange agreement must follow the "Guidelines for International Agreements" issued by the Office of the Vice Provost for International Programs, the coordinating unit for international activities at Ohio University. These guidelines outline the necessary components of an international agreement between Ohio University and a foreign institution.

2. Each new exchange agreement must be submitted to the Vice Provost for International Programs for review and recommendation to the President for signature.
   

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3. A copy of the signed agreement must be kept on file in the Office of the Vice Provost, which maintains a central depository for all international agreements at Ohio University.

4. Departments, schools or colleges managing exchange agreements must inform the Office of International Admissions (for undergraduates) or the Office of Graduate Students Services (for graduates) at the time of submission of the inbound exchange student's application that this student is participating in Exchange. This is essential to insuring that the inbound student is classified as an in-state student for billing purposes.

5. For year-long exchanges or for exchanges which include the fall quarter, the responsible unit must submit a list of the names and student i.d. numbers of all the outbound and inbound students to the Vice Provost for International Programs, who must report this information to the State of Ohio in October of each year. This list should be forwarded as soon as the students have been identified in the preceding spring or summer.

Persons administering exchanges involving the payment of tuition, fees and sometimes housing to Ohio University by the outgoing Ohio University student must take the following steps:

1. Contact the Office of the Bursar to set up a rotary account in which the fees of the outbound student will be deposited and from which the funds for the incoming student will be drawn.

2. Submit instructions to the Accounting Supervisor in Accounts Receivable about how and for what the outbound student is to be billed. Be sure that the outgoing student has been fully informed about the charges for the program (including program fee, if any) so there will be no surprises in the billing. Outbound students will not be billed unless the Accounting Supervisor receives instructions from the responsible unit.

3. If the exchange includes housing, submit a list of inbound students and their student i.d. numbers to the Office of the Vice Provost, which includes kind of room (double, triple, etc.), smoking option and meal plan. This list will be forwarded to the Housing Office. Spaces for the exchange students will be set aside based on this list. Every attempt will be made to house exchange students with American roommates. Inbound students will sign housing and food service contracts upon their arrival; the contract is binding for the academic year.

OUTBOUND STUDENTS

1. Students must register for STDY prior to their departure. This is a 0 credit registration, whose call number is listed under Foreign Study in each quarter's "Schedule of

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   Classes." The registration can be done via TRIPS. This registration serves as proof of full-time registration for purposes of Financial Aid along with documentation from the student's College that the student is participating in an official Ohio University exchange program. It also keeps the student on the data base and prevents their having to re-enroll upon return to campus.

2. Students who are on Financial Aid and 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 student in jeopardy of losing his/her financial aid.

3. Students must leave with appropriate University offices the name(s), addresses, and telephone numbers of persons who are to receive pertinent University information on their behalf on such matters as finances or registration. This person will be responsible for paying the student's bills to Ohio University, registering the student for STDY in intervening quarters, and perhaps preregistering the student for the quarter of return to campus.

4. Outbound students living on campus who will be abroad fall and/or winter quarters should arrange for proper check out of their residence hall with Residence Life staff in their building. Upon their return from abroad, these students will receive a residence hall assignment and meal plan (if appropriate). Housing will make every effort, based on available space, to assign these students to the residence hall in which they lived before their study abroad; room assignments for winter and spring quarters will be made by Residence Life staff in the residence hall.

   Outbound 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 overseas experience.

   Schools and departments managing exchanges for winter or spring quarter only must submit a list of participants in those exchanges to Housing prior to the beginning of the quarter.

Dick Piccard revised this file (http://www.ohiou.edu/policy/s20-090.html) on January 6, 2004.

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