UHB Rennes II - A Model For the French Student

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1 CIEE Study Center University of Haute Bretagne Fall semester, Academic year, Spring semester ACB Evaluation Report Rennes 2002 Dates of Evaluation: March 17 22, 2002 Team Leader: Professor Julius Coles, Morehouse College Introduction Executive Summary Methodology Evaluation Report Quality of the Academic Activities including Teaching and Assessment Quality and Appropriateness of Services Quality and Appropriateness of Students Who Participate Quality of Facilities The Program s Plan for Improving its Teaching and Services Relationships with the Host University The Perceived Satisfaction of the Consortium Member Institutions The Perceived Satisfaction of the Student Participants Safety and Security Issues The Program s Compliance with Council Policies The Quality of Administration and Management of the Program Future Prospects and Plans Acknowledgements Summary of Recommendations If you have feedback about this ACB Evaluation please evaluations@ciee.org Introduction The Academic Consortium Board (ACB) of Council is pleased to present the following report on the Council Study Center at the University of Haute Bretagne (Rennes II). Members of the Evaluation Committee of the ACB received the report of the site visit team. After review by that committee, the ACB accepted the report, and presents it to the Academic Consortium. The "Plan for Program Evaluation" is available here. We wish to make clear at the outset that we greatly value the cooperation of the

2 University of Haute Bretagne (UHB) Rennes II and that this report is a review of Council s program and not a review or evaluation of UHB Rennes II as an institution. The review focuses on the program offered by the Council Study Center and on the courses offered by Council as part of the International Study Program at UHB Rennes II. In addition, the site visit team has examined Council s relations with the host institution and its analysis has been presented to Council staff. Executive Summary The Council Study Center at the UHB Rennes II in Rennes, France, is under the direction of Dr. Loren Ringer. The program is based at the Universite d Haute Bretagne s Centre International Rennais d Etudes de Francais pour Etrangers (CIREFE), which is under the direction of Mme. Francoise Berthu-Courtivron. These institutions working together offer American students a strong and coherent academic program in French, which allows students to significantly improve their oral and written expression. The program also provides opportunities for students to experience French culture first-hand through excursions, to learn more about French civilization and history during the semester, as well as in a well-organized pre-program course. The program also allows students to develop an awareness of themselves and their own culture through interaction with French students, home stay families, professors, and other international students. If students are at an advanced level of French, they will be permitted to take regular courses at the UHB Rennes II. These students need to be aware that these classes are to be taken in addition to CIREFE courses. All students in the Council program will take at least 4 credits of coursework at the CIREFE, a French language program for international students. In general, the program is designed for students who have had at least two years of college French. The professors teaching courses are on the whole excellent and are committed to the program and to meeting the needs of students. The UHB Rennes II is located approximately one mile northwest of the center of Rennes and is very accessible to various parts of the city by bus or subway. The University has 22,000 students of which about 1,200 are international students. The American student population is about 200 students, 28 of which are from Council. The University has excellent physical facilities, including adequate classroom space, small class sizes, computer and language laboratories, a newly renovated main library, specialized smaller libraries, dormitories on campus, sports facilities, and a health clinic. The UHB Rennes II is more like an American-style campus with green space, dormitories, and student restaurants located all on the main campus. Council students are generally satisfied with the program and the opportunities provided by it to live in French home stays. There are various opportunities for students to interact with French students, but in order for this interaction to be

3 successful, American students must make self-motivated efforts. Some of the problems identified for further attention include better testing for proper placement of students at the correct level, uneven quality of courses, informing students in more detail about the French grading system, and better screening of prospective participants. The Council and CIREFE staffs have an excellent working relationship and both staffs are viewed as being very good in the services and support provided to students. Overall, the program is judged as being very good. Methodology The evaluation site visit team was composed of Professor Julius E. Coles (team leader), Dr. Patricia Brand, and Dr. Catherine C. Spaeth. Professor Coles is a member of the Academic Consortium Board (ACB) and is Director of the Andrew Young Center for International Affairs and Professor of Political Science at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Brand is Professor Emerita of French at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Spaeth is Study Abroad Advisor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. The three members of the site visit team each reviewed the history and evaluation of the program produced by Council-International Study Programs (ISP). We studied the course catalog and reviewed course syllabi for all program courses; we read Resident Director end-of-session reports, reviewed statistical information on the participants (number, gender, ethnicity statistics, sending institutions, etc.), and reviewed staff and instructor curriculum vitae. We also reviewed the pre-departure orientation handbook, the on-site orientation schedule, student evaluation summaries and all the evaluations covering the period from We contacted the top sending institutions and another random sampling of sending institutions in the past five years from the Academic Consortium to learn of their concerns. Finally, we reviewed the International Study Programs staff analysis of the strengths of the program, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the program. In preparation for the site visit, the team chair wrote an memo on a number of issues to the Resident Director inviting him to give us comments either in writing or orally during the visit. A similar memo went to all students requesting their responses or the opportunity to meet with them individually or in groups. During the five-day site visit, team members visited a total of twenty-one courses offered by Council, the UHB Rennes II, Centre International Rennais d Etudes de Francais pour Etrangers (CIREFE), and the Department of Foreign Languages. The team visited courses at three of the four levels of language instruction offered at these institutions, including courses in phonetics, grammar, composition, literature, oral expression, methodology, civilization, art, history, and

4 international relations. These levels include levels I, II, and III. We were invited to attend these classes and were cordially received by each professor. We were also given instructional materials by the instructors, which enabled us to follow each class easily. We also held brief discussions with these instructors about the nature of the course and the progress being made by students attending the classes visited. In addition, we had an opportunity to observe two students participating in teaching internships at local schools. The team also met individually and in groups with approximately half (about 15) of the 28 academic year and spring semester students. We discussed with these students the quality of pre-departure information and services, Paris and Rennes orientations, quality of services, housing, quality of instruction, administration, safety and security, university facilities, and the nature and quality of academic advising received as well as other issues of concern for the students. We also had lunch with a small group of students at the university restaurant. We were given a general tour of the UHB Rennes II campus by the Resident Director, which included the library, various computer centers, cafeterias, language laboratory and library, health clinic, and various academic and administrative buildings. The team visited the university dormitories and inspected one of the student rooms and common areas. In addition, we spent time with one of the home stay families in their home and had the opportunity to discuss the mutual benefits of this experience. The team had an opportunity to meet with people at various levels associated with the language program and included the Vice-President of International Relations at UHB Rennes II, the Director and former Director of CIREFE, the two assistant directors of CIREFE, Director of Langues et Communication (the preprogram language school), program assistant monitors, Consul and Commercial Attaché for the U.S. Consulate in Rennes, and professors. In addition, we met formally and informally with the Resident Director of the Council program. Even though the Resident Director had a busy schedule, he was available to meet with us and to escort us to various meetings, programs and site visits, as well as hosting us for various lunches and dinners during our visit. The team jointly drafted and agreed on all of the recommendations, which are contained in various sections of this report. 1. Quality of the Academic Activities Including Teaching and Assessment A. Teaching The team attended classes at three of the four levels: premier degre pratique, deuxieme degre, troisieme degre (the most advanced) at the CIREFE (no students are currently at the most basic level, "fondamental"), as well as regular courses at UHB Rennes II. These were taught by a variety of instructors, who without exception impressed us with their knowledge, clarity of presentation,

5 patience and sense of humor. The degree of involvement of these professors with their teaching and their students is evident; students seem to feel this and react in kind. Classes tend to be relatively small, ranging from nine in a phonetics course, to twenty in civilization, but up to fifty in UHB Rennes II courses. The CIREFE professors know their students, encourage them to ask questions and are often aware of individual strengths and weaknesses. It is evident that these professors are familiar with the differences between the French and American educational systems and are making serious efforts to accommodate American students, all the while maintaining their own educational systems. All courses include references to contemporary French culture, differences in social register and those between oral and written French. In this way, they contribute to the ease with which students adjust to and understand life in France. Students have the option of taking all their courses at CIREFE or including some courses from UHB Rennes II. These courses are taught chiefly through lectures, which is typical of the French university system. Thus, it is important that any of our students, whether auditing or taking courses at UHB Rennes II for credit, have strong listening and comprehension skills in French. Those who wish to earn credits at UHB Rennes II should also have well developed writing skills in French, as they will be working alongside French students. B. Assessment The French university system considers students autonomous, responsible for their own learning. Although it is true that most CIREFE courses have incorporated testing at various intervals throughout the semester, others, and all UHB Rennes II courses, require only the final exam and/or paper. Since daily assignments and frequent testing, a major component of most American courses, are foreign to the French system, some American students don t understand the importance of progressing on their own; they believe they are insufficiently challenged. C. Grading In many courses (phonetics, expression ecrite, expression orale, literature, for example), opportunities exist to gain experience in spoken and written French. Students may answer questions, participate in discussions, give oral presentations and compose papers, which professors critique. Nevertheless, such participation is essentially voluntary and does not receive a grade. Despite the inclusion in the student information packet of a conversion table showing equivalencies between French and American grades, students often panic upon receiving their first grades. For students taking UHB Rennes II courses, where the semester ends

6 approximately two weeks later than CIREFE courses, permission is generally given to either take the exam at an earlier date or write a paper (dossier). Since professors are aware that virtually none of our students has a high enough level of French to be held to the same standard of written expression as native speakers of French, a slightly different grading scale is applied. For additional assistance, American students may ask their French counterparts to make their notes available. This is accepted practice in French university life and will contribute to a more successful course experience. There does exist an administrative problem concerning final grades: students are not permitted to learn even non-official grades until their transcripts at the home college or university are complete. This prevents yearlong students from realizing where they stand and from knowing what, if any, adjustments to make to their study habits the following semester. Recommendation #1: The Resident Director should continue to work with the CIREFE Director to get individual professors to explain their grading preferences to students, i.e., the range of possible scores and the proposed basis for the final grade. Recommendation #2: Council New York headquarters should allow the Resident Director to release unofficial semester grades for academic year students as soon as he obtains them from professors. Appropriateness of Academic Offerings Before students enter the CIREFE at UHB Rennes II, they take a two-week intensive course at a private language institute (Langues et Communication). Divided into small groups according to their language skills, they soon develop greater language proficiency and cultural awareness. Students much appreciate this bridge between their home school and the experience awaiting them at CIREFE. Of particular interest to prospective teachers and anyone wishing greater participation in the Rennes community is the opportunity for student teaching (English) in elementary or high school, or adult continuing education. The only requirement is enough French oral proficiency to also take a one-hour weekly Methods of Teaching course. When students are ready to begin courses at CIREFE, and perhaps even UHB Rennes II, they select courses based on results of a placement exam, which solely tests written skills. These tests are usually quite accurate, but if a student feels inappropriately placed, she may request a change in levels. Occasionally, students particularly non-french majors become frustrated upon learning that they are required to complete courses in grammar and writing methods before they may sign up for content courses. Since professors in France believe

7 strongly that acquisition of a certain linguistic base is essential to all studies, we must accept this aspect of the French educational system. Students taking regular courses at UHB Rennes II sometimes experience difficulties registering: dates at which these courses begin and end are different from those at CIREFE; professors supply little or no information about course content; professors also often do not keep office hours, requiring students to track them down. In addition, most professors in the French university system do not provide American-type syllabi for their students. This makes it difficult for students to know how to prepare for classes and exams. Recommendation #3: The Resident Director and CIREFE should provide an outline of the types of skills required at the various language levels so that students may make an educated guess as to their placement. Recommendation #4: While CIREFE has abolished the oral comprehension component in the placement exam, the team believes that the Resident Director should work towards re-instituting this component to provide a better appraisal of each student s language competency. Recommendation #5: The Resident Director needs to adjust the second semester orientation schedule by starting one week earlier or by shortening the orientation period for students in the second and third levels who desire to take regular UHB Rennes II courses. Otherwise, these students will be at a disadvantage due to late enrollment. Recommendation #6: The course marketing descriptive materials should be revised by the Resident Director to indicate that only the best and most motivated students at levels two and three will be able to enroll in regular university courses for credit, given their level of difficulty. In addition, the Resident Director should prepare a list of suggested courses from various departments that may be appropriate for American students. This document should also include a detailed written description of how to enroll in these courses, for the existing description does not appear to be adequate. This should be followed up by a detailed oral description of the process during orientation. Recommendation #7: The Resident Director should continue to work with the CIREFE Director to get more professors to develop syllabi for their courses. 2. Quality and Appropriateness of Services A. Pre-Departure Services The team compared the following materials: catalog (pre-acceptance), student handbook (post acceptance), pre-registration form and other materials, and the orientation packet. The post-arrival packet contains much valuable information,

8 and some of that (particularly information about course listings according to language level) could be spelled out more clearly in the catalog. Requirements and electives are quite clear at the CIREFE, but the catalog explanation presents a complicated picture. Recommendation #8: Council New York and the Resident Director should revise advising marketing materials, catalog, and post-acceptance materials to clarify the fact that the majority of classes are with other international students at CIREFE and not in the regular French university courses. This information is in the catalog but is buried amid many references to UHB Rennes II. Recommendation #9: Information contained in marketing materials about the Franco-American Institute should be revised by the Resident Director to indicate that this institute is no longer used for ESL internships. Orientation The three-day orientation in Paris followed by the two-week Cycle I pre-program has become a highlight of the program. Using the Langues et Communication private language institute for Cycle I has worked very well this year and the evaluation team supports its continuation. The Resident Director makes every effort to conduct the Orientation (and all his interactions with participants) in French from the time of their arrival at the airport. He should be commended for this effort as it accustoms students to speaking French right from the start. The French assistants (Monitors) work with the students at Orientation and provide language encouragement and cultural immersion. They are a strong asset to the program and are rated highly by students across the board. Academic Advising Academic advising is done both by the home institution and by the Resident Director once students receive the results of the placement exam. Written materials are very complete, but students do not seem to read them very carefully. However, the Resident Director compensates with individual advising and trouble-shooting during the pre-program and during the first week or so of regular semester courses. The number of credits awarded per course has changed in the last two years, and if such changes occur frequently, confusion among prospective students and their study abroad offices about how the program is structured may arise. Current students reported being confused by catalog and other pre-departure materials on course selection and course requirements and electives by language level. However, once on-site, they reported that the course selection process remains unclear and confusing. Recommendation #10: Currently, the students are stating in their program evaluations that they are not receiving clear guidance on course selection. The Resident Director should take a more active role in the academic advising

9 process throughout the academic year. Housing Council offers the choice of either a home stay or dormitory accommodations, a choice, which serves students well. The dormitories are well furnished and are generally adequate for student needs. The Resident Director carefully interviews students and prospective host families to determine suitability. As a result, home stays are continually rated highly by participants. They contribute strongly to students goals of improving language fluency and cultural knowledge. As with most home stay programs, there is variety in the types of homes and families and it is important to continue to inform students of this. Past participants have complained about long commute times, but both the work of the Resident Director in selecting families within Rennes city limits and the opening of the subway system appear to have alleviated this issue. Recommendation #11: The Resident Director should seek to ensure that new home stay families should be checked after the first month of the semester for problems instead of waiting for the end of semester student evaluations, as students are sometimes hesitant to complain about their living situation. Also, longtime home stay families should be periodically rechecked to ensure they are providing a welcoming and safe environment for Council students. Recommendation #12: The Resident Director should create a separate file of families who have not worked out so as to avoid using them again. Accommodation of Special Needs UHB Rennes II can accommodate students with physical disabilities. The campus is fairly flat, with ramps where needed and all buildings and classrooms are wheelchair accessible. As with most French cities, some streets are cobblestone and could pose problems. We suggest that students with special needs get in touch with Council-ISP early so that accommodations may be made. Medical Services UHB Rennes II operates a free medical clinic on campus for registered students, Council students included. Doctors and hospitals are nearby, so availability of medical services is very good. 3. Quality and Appropriateness of Students Who Participate Overall student participants in this program are qualified and appropriate. Students need a certain level of independence and self-motivation for language learning that is expected by French professors. In order also to reap the benefits of cultural and language immersion, to persist in speaking French and to meet

10 French people, students must also demonstrate emotional maturity and willingness to seek out extra-curricular activities. As the catalog quotes a former participant: "Don t expect that just because you re in France, you ll be entitled to a rich and wonderful cultural experience: often times you need to work for it." Council should continue to highlight the need for self-motivation; the French university system expects this trait of students and Council must make participants aware of it. The most important criterion in student selection for this program is an intermediate level of language. Discrepancies in assessment occur regularly between the CIREFE professors evaluation of students language levels and the students self-assessment. Since students are initially selected by their home universities and subsequently screened by Council, we recommend that Council impress strongly on the consortium members and on other institutions the minimum criteria described in this report for selection. Recommendation #13: The Resident Director and Council New York should seek to assure that students have satisfied the minimum language requirement (two years of college French) with a demonstrated high level of achievement (not just class time). 4. Quality of Facilities Campus and Classroom Space The campus of UHB Rennes II is a very pleasant campus that has been improved and renovated over the past few years. The campus is self-contained, with classroom buildings, dorms, cafeteria, and library all within a few minutes walk of each other. Classrooms are clean, well lit, and adequately equipped with whiteboard, TV/VCR, and audio equipment. Council Office Space The Council Resident Director s office is located on the same floor with CIREFE classrooms and offices. This co-location facilitates maintaining a good working relationship between Council staff and the CIREFE director and professors. The office is small and shared part-time with the Nazareth College Resident Director but is on par with other French university offices. Library Students have access to several libraries at the Universite d Haute Bretagne. The main library has been very recently renovated and is now undergoing expansion. This main library is spacious, well lighted, has a full and varied

11 collection, and seems a pleasant place to study and do research. Students can also use the Mediatheque, the Languages Department library with language lab, video, and audio facilities and many foreign language reference materials. The Resident Director has also encouraged students to take advantage of a small Social Science library that provides an intimate and very quiet study space. Computer and Facilities UHB Rennes II provides several computer labs with word-processing, and Internet accessibility. Student sometimes must wait for available computers but this is typical of the French university system and there seems ample time for students to do academic work. Cyber cafes are also available in Rennes. The Resident Director has created a web site for participants and has plans to expand it to make it more interactive, including sections for discussion among participants. This will be a helpful tool for prospective students and will allow current students to share both positive and negative aspects of their experience in Rennes. 5. The Program s Plans for Improving Its Teaching and Services The Director of CIREFE is investigating various ways of improving the curriculum teaching methodology and services provided to students participating under Council s program. She has a desire to work with teachers to ensure that they provide syllabi for their courses and that the faculty takes more time to help foreign students understand the Center s pedagogical approach. She has also expressed an interest in establishing a meaningful faculty and student exchange program between UHB Rennes II and American universities. In addition she has asked if Council could assist in arranging such a program. Likewise, the Director of CIREFE has done an excellent job of recruiting a group of outstanding French language teachers who are interactive with their students and are concerned about their students overall language acquisition. 6. Relationship with Host University The Resident Director and members of his staff enjoy a close professional relationship with the Director of CIREFE and her two assistant directors. In addition, a close relationship exists with most of the CIREFE professors and other staff members. These Directors meet frequently to discuss problems and to review student progress. The close cooperation between staffs has enabled the Resident Director to deal with and resolve problems with students quickly and effectively. In addition, the Resident Director is also building a relationship with the new Vice-President for International Relations, who is responsible for all student exchange programs for the University. The Resident Director has also begun to develop a close relationship with University administration at UHB Rennes I, which houses the Science, Engineering, and Philosophy departments,

12 to enable Council students to enroll in Science and Philosophy courses under the regular university program. 7. The Perceived Satisfaction of Consortium Member Institutions The team contacted all of the major sending institutions via (Bradley University, Guilford College, Hamline University, Indiana University, Saint Olaf College, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Richmond, University of Washington, Wittenberg University, Wofford College) and asked each one to respond to a standard questionnaire on the quality of the orientation, academic program, evaluation of on-site staff, grades, communications and student evaluations of the program. Three of the major sending institutions responded to the questionnaire (Indiana University, Richmond University and Wofford College) and another major sending institution, the University of Colorado at Boulder, was represented on the evaluation team. In general, these institutions identified many positive aspects of the program and the following concerns: The orientation program and acceptance packets are very good and timely. Students have consistently expressed the view concerning a lack of academic rigor in their courses, the slow pace of various courses, and the desire to take more courses outside of the CIREFE program. The option of taking courses in the regular UHB Rennes II departments for yearlong students should be extended to semester students. The on-site staff was viewed positively and was felt to be generally responsive to students problems. Registration material was being sent in a timely manner, but transcripts are often late. Grades in the French system are very different, appear to be highly subjective and were often late in arrival to the home institutions. Communications appeared to be good between the Resident staff and home institutions. The sending institutions were not receiving student evaluations from Council on a consistent basis. Some home institutions experience problems in awarding credit for twohour CIREFE courses. The evaluation team has received similar comments during the course of this evaluation and has dealt with many of these concerns in various sections of their report. 8. The Perceived Satisfaction of the Student Participants In our interviews with students and from reading the post-program evaluations and course evaluations, the evaluation team found a mixed level of satisfaction with the program overall. The students report satisfaction with the pre-program

13 orientation and language courses, with home stays, staff, and courses overall. A persistent complaint has been the lack of adequate challenge in CIREFE courses, a complaint that is addressed elsewhere in this report. 9. Safety, Health and Security Issues In general, the city of Rennes is considered to be a relatively safe and secure environment. While there are incidences of crime, the rate is below average for a city of this size in France. Both Council and the U.S. Consulate staffs feel that the Rennes police have good control over crime and have responded quickly to any criminal problems occurring in the city. Only one Council student has been robbed in the past three years. Otherwise, there have not been any criminal problems impacting on Council students. Nevertheless, students should be aware that buses and the subway close at 12:30am and it is not considered to be wise or safe to be out after their closure. Students who live with families in the suburbs of Rennes are strongly advised to take taxis home late at night to avoid problems. In addition, female students have found French men to be aggressive in their behavior towards them but have not encountered any incidences of sexual assault to date. Recommendation #14: While Council more than adequately addresses safety issues in its acceptance packet materials, during on-site orientation, and in a handbook given to them upon arrival, the Resident Director needs to periodically reinforce the importance of self-defense strategies and prudent safety measures. Council staff should also impress upon students the fact that safety is of prime importance to Council and that support is available to help them cope with difficult situations. 10. The Program s Compliance with Council s Policies The Resident Director has served in his position for six years and is well informed on Council s policies and programs. He keeps a copy of Council s Policies and Procedures book in the office and is knowledgeable of its contents. In addition, the Resident Director receives policy and procedural guidance from the Regional Director in Paris and from the New York office via and memos. Based on observations and discussions with the Resident Director, the program appears to be in compliance with all of the Council policy directives and procedures. The Resident Director has also been persistent in ensuring that students are in compliance with Council s attendance and vacation policies. 11. The Quality of Administration and Management of the Program In general, the team found the Council program at UHB Rennes II to be very well managed. While the staff consists only of a full-time Resident Director, a parttime (50%) Program Assistant and three part-time student monitors, this staff is

14 doing a very good job of orienting students to the culture and French educational system, providing logistical support to the students and dealing with student concerns. Ratings on the performance of the Resident Director in student evaluations have ranged from good to very good. The Program Assistant has been rated excellent, as have been the monitors. Students have felt that the staff is generally responsive to their needs and problems. Nevertheless, some students have noted their desire to receive more assistance from the Resident Director in the area of academic advising and would like him to be available more during class hours. Overall, the evaluation team would rate the Council staff s overall performance as very good to excellent and well qualified for their positions. Council resident staff has raised some concerns about the quality of support provided by the New York office since the recent reorganization. The Rennes staff believes more prompt response to s and requests for support need to occur from New York. Recommendation #15: Council headquarters in New York should examine the impact of its management and staff reorganization in terms of its effectiveness in serving the needs of the overseas staff. 12. Future Prospects and Plans Currently, the program has about 28 to 30 students per year. The Resident Director believes this is about the right size for the program in view of staff limitations. Any increase in the number of students will require additional staff. One area for future exploration is the expansion of the limited enrollment of students in the regular university courses at UHB Rennes I in the Sciences and Philosophy. This will require the recruiting of more advanced level students (3eme degree) to enable them to benefit from such a program. In addition, there has been some discussion of CIREFE starting a summer language program for foreign students. The Resident Director is interested in exploring Council s interest in a summer program if it is extended from the currently proposed threeweek session to two sessions of three weeks each for a total of six weeks. Remarks on First ACB Evaluation and Council Action Plan The ACB Evaluation of the UHB Rennes II program was carried out in October 1998 and was posted in the spring of This evaluation gave the program a very good to excellent rating. It also pointed out a number of problems requiring attention including: 1) the need to screen students more rigorously; 2) the appropriateness of academic offerings; 3) the need for a separate registration form for academic year students; 4) clarification of housing assignment procedures; and 5) a lack of understanding of the grading system. Since the report, progress has been made in a number of these areas as follows: 1) the molecular course structure has been successfully implemented; 2) new

15 registration forms have been developed for academic year students; 3) new material has been developed for the handbook to clarify information on the home stays; and 4) better housing has been found that is located closer to the UHB Rennes II. Nevertheless, the earlier problems identified on the need to better screen students to ensure that they have the proper level of French for the program and the need to further clarify the grading scale used by the French professors remain areas of concern. The recommendations contained in this evaluation report will follow-up on some of the earlier actions still requiring attention and recommends new ones that should to make the UHB Rennes II program stronger. Acknowledgements The members of the evaluation team benefited from the care and concern shown for this process by Council staff and CIREFE. The pre-departure briefing materials prepared by Council New York staff were very thorough and helpful in preparing the team for its field visit. The Resident Director and his staff did an excellent job of preparing a detailed schedule that allowed the team to gain a broad perspective of the program. In addition, the Resident Director spent many hours with the team discussing the curriculum, pedagogy issues, student performance, etc., to give the team a comprehensive picture of the program. This included providing a detailed tour of the UHB Rennes II, the city and even hosting the group for several working lunches and dinners. The team would also like to give a special thanks to the program assistant for all of her help in facilitating our stay in Rennes. In addition, the team commends the Director of CIREFE, her staff, and the faculty for their willingness to allow class observations and to respond to numerous questions about the program. The evaluation contained in this document should not be read as a review of the UHB Rennes II nor of its international relations office nor of the CIREFE program. Summary of Recommendations Recommendation #1: The Resident Director should continue to work with the CIREFE Director to get individual professors to explain their grading preferences to students, i.e., the range of possible scores and the proposed basis for the final grade. Recommendation #2: Council New York headquarters should allow the Resident Director to release unofficial semester grades for academic year students as soon as he obtains them from professors. Recommendation #3: The Resident Director and CIREFE should provide an outline of the types of skills required at the various language levels so that

16 students may make an educated guess as to their placement. Recommendation #4: While CIREFE has abolished the oral comprehension component in the placement exam, the team believes that the Resident Director should work towards re-instituting this to provide a better appraisal of each student s language competency. Recommendation #5: The Resident Director will have to adjust the second semester orientation schedule by starting one week earlier or by shortening the orientation period for students in the second and third levels who desire to take regular UHB Rennes II courses. Otherwise, these students will be at a disadvantage due to late enrollment. Recommendation #6: The course marketing descriptive materials should be revised by the Resident Director to indicate that only the best and most motivated students at levels two and three will be able to enroll in regular university courses for credit, given their level of difficulty. In addition, the Resident Director should prepare a list of suggested courses from various departments that may be appropriate for American students. This document should also include a detailed written description of how to enroll in these courses, for the existing description does not appear to be adequate. This should be followed up by a detailed oral description of the process during orientation. Recommendation #7: The Resident Director should continue to work with the CIREFE to get more professors to develop syllabi for their courses. Recommendation #8: Council New York and the Resident Director should revise advising marketing materials, catalog, and post-acceptance materials to clarify the fact that the majority of classes are with other international students at CIREFE and not in the regular French university courses. This information is in the catalog but is buried amid many references to UHB Rennes II. Recommendation #9: Information contained in marketing materials about the Franco-American Institute should be revised by the Resident Director to indicate that this institute is no longer used for ESL internships. Recommendation #10: Currently, the students are stating in their program evaluations that they are not receiving clear guidance on course selection. The Resident Director should take a more active role in the academic advising process throughout the academic year. Recommendation #11: The Resident Director should seek to ensure that new home stay families should be checked after the first month of the semester for problems instead of waiting for the end of semester student evaluations, as students are sometimes hesitant to complain about their living situation. Also, longtime home stay families should be periodically rechecked to ensure they are

17 providing a welcoming and safe environment for Council students. Recommendation #12: The Resident Director should create a separate file of families who have not worked out so as to avoid using them again. Recommendation #13: The Resident Director and Council New York should seek to assure that students have satisfied the minimum language requirement (two years of college French) with a demonstrated high level of achievement (not just class time). Recommendation #14: While Council more than adequately addresses safety issues in its acceptance packet materials, during on-site orientation, and in a handbook given to them upon arrival, the Resident Director needs to periodically reinforce the importance of self-defense strategies and prudent safety measures. Council staff should also impress upon students the fact that safety is of prime importance to Council and that support is available to help them cope with difficult situations. Recommendation #15: Council headquarters in New York should examine the impact of its management and staff reorganization in terms of its effectiveness in serving the needs of the overseas staff.