How does salary work on study abroad? Faculty receive the same salary that they would receive to teach the same number of credits on-campus during winter or summer session, and they are paid the same way, namely via S-contract direct-deposited on the 15th and last day of the month.
What about travel expenses? The budget you will submit includes lines for faculty airfare, single-room lodging, ground transportation to/from U.S. and foreign airports, local ground transportation abroad (taxi, subway), per diem, and excursions. The faculty excursion and airfare amounts are the same as those budgeted for the students; the per diem is based on federal rates, and the other items are negotiated according to what is reasonable for your program and site. The University does not reimburse personal expenses such as laundry, passport fees, routine immunizations, etc.
When I'm not in class or on an excursion with the students, aren't we all free to do as we please? Yes and no. If there are no problems on your program, you may find that you have some free time for yourself. However, such occasions are few and far between. For example, if a student is ill, you will have to advise them on what to do or even take them to the doctor yourself; if the weather forecast is poor, you may have to work on rearranging an excursion for the next day.
Will CFIS pay for me to visit my program site ahead of time? If your program will take place in a country or countries where other programs have taken place, it is unlikely that we will pay for a site visit because there is sufficient expertise among UD faculty for you to glean the information you need. We may consider at least partial funding for a site visit if your department and you are making a long-term commitment to developing a program at a new site where UD has no resources, infrastructure, or experience, or where there are communication/technology challenges.
Will CFIS pay for me to take a TA/intern along with me on my program? CFIS will fund an assistant for single-director programs that enroll at least 18 students and for co-directed programs that enroll at least 30 students. These enrollments must be valid at the time of ticketing (usually, but not always, early November for winter programs and April for summer programs). The assistant can be an undergraduate or a graduate student, or even have some other status, but the person may not be a student enrolled in the program. If the assistant is a graduate student or UD employee, have their supervisor or chairperson e-mail their approval to your coordinator. We highly recommend that the assistant be someone with travel experience, preferably at your program’s location, who can relate well to the students, live with them, and assist them with day-to-day questions. If the program takes place in a non-English-speaking country, it would be helpful if the assistant were fluent in the local language. CFIS will cover the assistant’s expenses (airfare, housing, excursions, local ground transportation—whatever your program fee includes) up to the amount of the program fee and including single room accommodations if appropriate and financially feasible. If you think you might need an assistant, please include that person’s expenses in your preliminary budget. Assistants for co-directed programs should be agreed upon by both faculty directors.
Can my family or other guests come along with me on my program? Yes, however your main responsibility during the program is to the students. The program schedule should not be disrupted by activities associated with guests. If a program has more applicants than spaces, the director's guests can not use seats (on the plane, bus) which could be given to qualified students. The University will not reimburse faculty for expenses incurred on behalf of family members or other guests (admission fees, double hotel rooms, performance tickets, etc.)
What are my responsibilities as faculty director? Doesn't CFIS handle a lot of the work? We handle many administrative tasks (such as ordering plane tickets and handling student payments), and your coordinator (a CFIS staff person) will assist and guide you throughout your entire program. However, a good deal of the work is your responsibility. You will have to communicate with your contacts overseas to establish a program itinerary, budget, and perhaps even provide guidelines for courses taught by local faculty. You will have to recruit, interview, accept, and orient students. During the program you will be called upon to handle a variety of problems while ensuring that courses run smoothly, and afterwards you will have to reconcile your cash advance and submit a brief report.
Do you have links to other study abroad websites that might help me to plan my program? Yes, a comprehensive list of helpful links is available here.
