Furman University

Committee Members: 
Erik Ching, History, (Chair)
Christopher Hutton, Music
Lisa Knight, Religion
Brent Nelsen, Political Science
Cheryl Patterson, Business
Wade Worthen, Biology

In May 2006, The Implementation Study Away Committee (I-StAC) recommended that study away and international education programs be administered by a new Dean and a new faculty committee. (“Study Away at Furman: Report of the Study Away Committee to the Implementation Task Force,” May 29, 2006). This structure was approved by the faculty and administration. Members of the Study Away Committee (StAC) were selected in winter 2007, and the search to fill the new position of Dean of International Education and Study Away will conclude at the end of May. The committee has addressed some issues through e-mail, but the committee decided to defer an official meeting until the Dean has been selected.

The Study Away Committee (StAC) must complete its operating procedures and have them approved. I-StAC, chaired by Brent Nelson, submitted a draft of operating procedures to APC. APC reviewed this draft and wanted clarification on the type of material that StAC would be forwarding to APC for approval. StAC will address this issue at its first meeting.

To begin preparations for study away under the new calendar, Erik Ching (Chair, StAC) and Willard Pate (acting Dean of International Programs and Study Away) attended a meeting of the Implementation Subcommittee on May Experience (chaired by John Batson). Obviously, StAC will be involved with reviewing and approving study away programs that occur during the May Experience. Ching and Pate also met with Benny Walker, Vice President for Enrollment. They consulted with departments and created a list of study away programs that departments intend to offer in 2008-2009. This list was sent to StAC for approval. Departments plan to preserve most existing study away programs, and may add a few under the new calendar. This raised the issues of the number of students that Furman can afford to subsidize on study away, and whether increased program capacity will be met by student demand. In addition, there are a wide array of program formats being considered, with varying impacts on housing, enrollment and FTE’s. For these reasons, Ching, Pate and Walker decided to distribute a study away application form to all prospective program directors, to accumulate more detailed information about their plans. Ching and Pate are revising the application form initially drafted by I-StAC in 2006. The revised application form will be sent to the committee for review, and it will then be distributed to program directors. These applications should provide the information necessary to evaluate the institutional impact of each program.

To summarize, the committee is awaiting the appointment of the dean before moving forward. However, the committee will meet before the conclusion of the current school year to discuss operating procedures, future responsibilities, the relationship between the committee and the incoming Dean, and the vision of study away at Furman under the new calendar and curriculum.

Respectfully Submitted,

Erik Ching