2014-2015 COMMUNITY COLLEGE INITIATIVE PROGRAM Minimum Requested Standards and Best Practices Framework for Partner Community Colleges IREX asks that each partner college hosting a CCI cohort incorporate these guiding principles when designing and implementing their CCI program. Program Component Orientation Minimum Requested Standards Below are requested minimum standards for each partner to ensure successful implementation of each CCI program component. -Work with IREX and other partners to develop comprehensive agenda for on-campus orientation prior to arrival of students -Develop and implement on-campus orientation of a minimum of four weeks and with a minimum of 40 hours of training, team-building, and community engagement, including: -Campus and Community Orientation, including tours of resources and how to use them (5 -Introduction to Program Components, including academic, professional, and personal growth (2 -Support for Individual Development Plans including setting goals and developing global citizenship (3 -Academic Success Skills trainings are conducted in technology, study, and field technique (10 -English language training and support at appropriate levels (20 Best Practice Recommendations Below is a list of optional best practices developed by IREX s partners of undergraduate programming. These are not required elements but have been strategies employed in successful program implementation. We continue to build this list of successful program innovations by welcoming suggestions from current partners like you. -Community orientation includes setting up bank accounts, a tour of campus and the surrounding town, transportation system, and food and shopping options. -Orientation includes sessions on team building, cross-cultural communication, and conflict resolution to develop group cohesion. -Orientation includes planned activities for participants during evening and weekend to facilitate group cohesion and support cultural transitions -Orientation prepares participants for courses in their fields of study through a variety of learning including discussions, field trips, and relevant skills-building, including: technology, vocabulary, and using syllabi
Academic Success and English Language Development Professional Development: Internships and Workplace Excellence -Review participants previous academic work and transfer credits when possible -Provide the opportunity to earn certificates in participants fields of study within the program timeframe -Program Coordinator monitor participants academic progress throughout the year and if needed provide additional support -Test participants English language level and place participants in appropriate ESL courses, as needed -Provide access to English as a Second Language development throughout the academic year, as needed -administer an English language skills test at the beginning, after the orientation period, and conclusion of the program -Implement monthly soft skills training to prepare participants for their internships -Facilitate visits to local companies for a firsthand view of the U.S. workplace -Ensure that students are engaged in a fieldappropriate internship for the duration of the second semester -Brief internship hosts on each student's professional, academic, and cultural background and clearly communicate goals for the internship -Monitor the internship through regular meetings with students and direct check-in calls to the internship hosts -Transportation to and from internship is provided where necessary -Volunteer tutors or conversation partners are utilized -Bridge courses are utilized and/or developed to facilitate English language learning in conjunction with field of study learning -Field of study tutors are identified to support field of study learning for participants still building their English language skills -Partners facilitate meeting between students and internship hosts prior to the start of the internship to discuss goals and expectations for the internship -Internships are monitored by program coordinator via site visits at least at the beginning and two-thirds of the way through the internship -Partners use an internship coordinator with strong connections to local businesses to plan, assign, and facilitate internships. -Students intern at no more than 1-2 sites, for a total of 40 hours per month. This duration and intensity ensures that students can take on substantive projects, while still maintaining their academic performance.
Fostering Personal Development: Leadership, Community Engagement, and Cultural Programming -Identify a program coordinator to work directly with participants -Program coordinators have bi-weekly check-in meetings with participants to ensure success -Program coordinators help students develop, implement, and revise Individualized Development Plans -Program coordinators ensure at least two cultural activities are organized for participants per semester -Program coordinators ensure that participants have access to and are using academic and campus support services -Program coordinators develop a Service Learning program for the year that will provide a window into U.S. diversity, develop students as leaders, and promote habits of community engagement (4-6 daylong sessions over the academic year) -Program coordinators provide and monitor opportunities for cultural exchange including country presentations, and Friendship Families -Program coordinators ensure that participants are experiencing the diversity of U.S. through administering the Passport to America program -Program coordinators facilitate a re-entry workshop which prepares participants to return home at the end of their program. -Expectations for attendance at service learning, professional, and cultural events is clarified at the beginning of the program; participants understand what is mandatory and what is optional and they know up front when they have free time -Friendship Families are introduced during the first week or two of the program and are allowed to organically grow into relationships -Sufficient reflection time is allocated for participants to process new learning and experiences during their program. Program design incorporates structured reflection activities such as journal writing/blogging, small group work, or group sharing -Partners develop service learning experiences by identifying underserved populations that reflect the diversity of their community and the organizations that work to address their needs. -Service learning sessions begin with presentation on the history of the population in the community -Program advisers draw students into the service-learning planning process, giving them opportunities to develop their leadership skills -Cultural, service learning, and professional development activities address gender and diversity issues and allow time for participants to explore and ask questions -Participants are introduced to a buddy who can show them around campus and answer their questions about how to use campus resources -Program coordintors assist students in identifying and planning diverse cultural activities within their community and assist students in reflecting on their cultural experiences
Participant Monitoring Daily Life -Program coordinators work closely with IREX to understand and implement effective participant monitoring -Program coordinators have bi-weekly in-person check-in meetings with students and check in with students by email or phone weekly -Program coordinators facilitate utilization of campus resources for students that are struggling -Program coordinators advise IREX staff of student emergencies the same day -Program coordinators advise IREX as soon as possible of students with issues impacting their success, including academic issues, health issues, and professional issues -Program coordinators monitors students progress on Individual Development Plans -Partners ensure appropriate and safe housing, taking into account gender and culture-specific considerations -Partners work with participants to ensure access to healthy meals and facilitating solutions to religious and dietary needs -Housing is within an easy walk or public transit ride to. -Housing assignments/roommates are mixed between countries and settled before the arrival of the participants -A roommate contract or code of behavior and housekeeping standards are established to clarify roommate expectations and help mitigate potential roommate conflicts -Participants are introduced to Skype (or other VOIP tool) to facilitate free or low-cost phone calls/communication home for the participants; the earlier the better! -Partners identify local health care providers and pharmacies who accept ASPE health benefit plan in advance of participants arrival.
Collaborative Institute supporting community colleges in their international student capacity -Partners follow CCI program best practices and minimum standards to ensure high-quality programming -Partners participate in and utilize collaborative institute opportunities and resources -Partners attend in-person pre-program partner meeting and mid-program partner meeting -Partners participate in online professional development opportunities and collaborate with other partners -Partners contribute to peer-to-peer mentoring, sharing and instituting best practices -Partners participate in virtual reflection workshop to discuss lessons learned and develop next steps -Partners read and respond to each other online regularly to facilitate sharing of best practices while program components are being developed and implemented -Partners encourage all staff working with CCI participants to utilize the resources and networks available through the collaborative institute -Partners join workshops prepared to learn and share -Partners take advantage of organic peer-to-peer opportunity to share experiences through participation in Partnerships for Peer Learning visit