For Faculty - Once Approved

Orientation meetings:

We suggest that you schedule at least two pre-departure orientation meetings. The first meeting should be held a few weeks after you've accepted students, and the second a few weeks before departure. Good times for meetings are early-evenings or on weekends (as parents are more likely to attend). We encourage you to invite parents to the meetings, as they can reinforce your words about attendance, behavior, alcohol, etc. after the meeting.

These orientations are your opportunity to get to know the students in your program, to communicate important information, and to build group rapport.

If possible, hold the meetings in an informal setting (some directors have held pre-departure meetings in their homes). Invite former student participants to help answer questions.

Among the faculty director's many "hats" is that of supervisor to a group that is particularly difficult to supervise, i.e., undergraduate students abroad. As young adults, students are responsible for themselves when studying on campus, but when studying in a foreign country students may need to be informed about laws and behavioral norms that are often quite different from those in their usual environment. In addition to the application interviews, the orientation meetings are an important occasion to make clear your expectations about student conduct overseas and to set guidelines about potential trouble spots.

Among the most crucial topics to address are safety, alcohol and drug use, and observance of University policies while studying overseas.