Bylaws of the University International Council

Membership:

The University International Council (UIC) is a University standing committee. Members are appointed by the President, based upon recommendations from the Committee on Committees. Membership of the UIC consists of faculty, student and administrative representatives as follows:

Each college will be represented by one representative who holds faculty status and has international experience. Colleges with a substantial level of international activities should preferably be represented by directors of international programs or offices, if they exist, or by faculty members with appropriate international experience who are able to coordinate their activities with the dean’s office.  The college representative shall be nominated by the dean, recommended by the Committee on Committees and appointed by the President. The role of College representatives is to represent their college, not just their own department, school or other academic program; consequently, they will be expected to coordinate their activities with the dean’s office. College representatives shall serve staggered three-year terms and may be re-nominated at the end of their term. College representation will include:  

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• Scripps College of Communication
• College of Education
• Russ College of Engineering
• College of Fine Arts
• College of Health and Human Services
• College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Honors Tutorial College
• Regional Higher Education
• University College

Student representatives shall be nominated by the respective student organizations and shall serve a one-year renewable term. Student membership shall be made up of one representative each from:

• Graduate Student Senate
• International Student Union
• Undergraduate Student Senate

Ex officio membership shall be made up of:

• Vice President, Student Affairs (non-voting)
• Director, Graduate Student Services
• Executive Director, Center for International Studies
• Director, Distance Education
• Director, Education Abroad
• Director, Fulbright Programs and Liaison for International Partnerships
• Director, International Student and Faculty Services
• Chair, Department of Linguistics (faculty)

 and one representative each from:

• University Libraries
• Alumni Office
• Office of International Recruitment
• Global Leadership Center
• Undergraduate Admissions

Administrative members may appoint a designee with full voting rights as appropriate to serve on the Council.

Charge:

The UIC serves the Provost and the President in an advisory capacity on international matters. Its broad charge is to initiate, foster, coordinate, evaluate and effectively communicate the international activities of the University, and to develop and propose new international education policies and other initiatives. Guidelines and priorities for the University’s international activities shall be proposed and monitored.

More specifically, the UIC is charged with the task of rendering advice and making policy recommendations on the following:

• The UIC shall review all new international program initiatives and study abroad proposals.
• The UIC shall evaluate all existing international agreements and study abroad programs on a regular review schedule.
• The UIC shall consider the extent and nature of affiliations with foreign universities and their relative benefit to Ohio University.
• The UIC shall seek to continue and increase the presence of international students and faculty on campus and shall study and recommend ways to continue to attract and retain international students and faculty.
• The UIC shall encourage international travel for professional purposes through administering the University’s International Travel Fund.
• The UIC shall encourage more students to participate in academically sound study abroad experiences.
• The UIC shall undertake proactive steps to monitor and encourage the internationalization of the University’s curriculum and shall endeavor to assist faculty seeking to add international components to their new or existing courses.
• The UIC shall initiate, develop and propose to the appropriate units or offices new international education policies, programs, priorities and other initiatives.

Operational Procedures:

The UIC shall be chaired by a senior college representative elected by the members of the UIC. Once a college representative is elected chair of the UIC, his or her home college will nominate another faculty member to represent the college. This will allow the chair to act more freely on behalf of the university as a whole and to avoid possible conflicts of interest when issues affecting his or her own college must be considered. At the same time, the home college of the UIC chair will also have adequate representation by appointing a new faculty representative.  Staff support for the UIC will be provided by the Office of the Associate Provost for International Affairs. The Office of the Associate Provost for International Affairs is the official repository for all international agreements approved by the UIC and maintains a database of all existing programs. The Office of Education Abroad is the official repository for all student exchange agreements and approved study abroad program proposals.

The UIC shall meet at least once each month during the regular academic year. Special meetings may also be scheduled as needed. Business during the summer and during the winter intersession may be conducted electronically as needed.  Minutes of all meetings shall be recorded and distributed to the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, Deans and members of the Council. All activities, actions and recommendations of the UIC shall also be reported and posted on the UIC’s web page at http://www.ohio.edu/uic

In addition to any ad hoc committees as it shall from time to time establish, the UIC shall operate with the following standing committees:

• International Linkages Committee
• Study Abroad Committee
• Planning and Assessment Committee
• International Travel Fund Committee