Look Both Ways Before Crossing Cultures: Proactive Approaches to Behavioral Issues Abroad

1. Look Both Ways Before Crossing Cultures: Proactive Approaches to Behavioral Issues Abroad Cindy Kraft, Assistant Director, University of Colorado at Boulder & Megan Wood, University Relations Manager, SIT Study Abroad

2. Introductions

3. Goals • Increase understanding of how to identify students who may display pink flags and red flags during the pre-departure process • Acknowledge the importance of partnerships amongst institutions and program partners • Gain a better understanding of how to set student expectations • Obtain new ideas for proactive approaches

4. What are you doing or what would you like to be doing in the application and/or pre-departure process? • Do you identify and/or address potential behavioral issues? How?

5. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • The Advising and prospective student phase – track interactions • Record interactions with students • Ask Advisors to note behavioral issues or problematic comments (but keep comments professional and factual, as students may be able to access these records) • Review comments during application process, and interview or send warning emails to students with recurring issues or serious instances

6. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • Application phase – ask questions that address potential behavioral issues! • Ask students to disclose disciplinary or legal charges • Ask students what “being an ambassador” means to them • Ask other indirect questions that can cause pink flags to surface

7. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • Follow-up with applicants – interviews or one on one discussions • Be candid about why you are concerned and explain why good behavior is so important abroad • Pose questions to the student and follow their answers with probes • If their answers are cause for concern, tell them • Outline your expectations for their behavior abroad

8. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • Work with providers and host institutions! • Consult with your colleagues about specific students • Ask your colleagues to conduct interviews when appropriate • Disclose students’ records to providers and ask them to disclose any incidents abroad • Create probationary acceptances when necessary (ex. Letter) • DO keep in mind cultural perceptions of incidents when working w/host institutions

9. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • Partner with your Judicial Affairs office (or equivalent) • Ask if they will work with you to identify students with records/violations in application or post-acceptance phase • Ask for advice! Consult with them! • Ask if you should report incidents abroad and, if so, know how they will handle them (and inform students of this in handbooks and at orientations)

10. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptance process? • Admissions Decisions • If you decide to accept/recommend them, explain the consequences for any unacceptable behavior abroad • Consult with providers/host institutions! • Consider rejecting students

11. How can potential behavioral issues be identified and addressed in the application/acceptanceprocess? Caution: Be sure to separate any mental health conditions out of any behavioral issues you address. Address mental health conditions in the post-acceptance process only, to ensure that students are prepared and have the necessary on-site support.

12. Pre-Departure Orientation • Have a pre-departure orientation • Require participation, if possible • Broach the subject of behavior abroad or “Being a good ambassador” • Direct lectures by staff can be necessary and effective, but try to involve student participation if possible • Discuss ramifications of breaking local laws (locked up abroad)

13. Pre-Departure Orientation • How to address behavioral expectations • Don’t just speak vaguely about “being good ambassadors” or “respecting local culture.” • Give examples of past behaviors that have resulted in dismissals (change details to ensure anonymity) • Ask students to brainstorm and share examples of good and bad behaviors abroad • Note codes of conduct and reinforce them (ex. code of conduct) • Set clear expectations!

14. Orientation Abroad: techniques to decrease behavioral issues • Behavior Expectations • Role of the Program Staff • Guidelines and expectations of student behavior, especially concerning sexual behavior, drinking/drugs, attendance, punctuality, and prohibited activities. • Review key points of Conditions of Participation • Clearly outline rules and policies about academic or behavioral warnings, probation and dismissal (ex. probation letter). • Consequences abroad and at home

15. Orientation Abroad: techniques to decrease behavioral issues • Group Matters • Expectations and Fears. Students should articulate their expectations and fears in writing. These are then shared and discussed with the rest of the group. The AD can confirm or clarify or assure, as appropriate. • Consider what his/her relation to the group will be and what contributions they can make to the group? What does each student expect from others in the group? Can the group agree to a set of group norms that they can refer to throughout the semester? • Discussion of ethical issues in participating in a study abroad program.

16. Orientation Abroad: techniques to decrease behavioral issues • Homestay & Local Norms • Important communication skills for adapting to the family: liveliness, listening for subjects of interest and following these up, choosing the proper moment to raise questions with family members. • Procedures and attitudes for dealing with homestay problems. • The group may want to role-play a late entry, a missed meal, a refused invitation, etc.

17. Training for on-site staff • If you run your own programs (faculty-led or centers), be sure that on-site staff are trained on: • Acceptable and un-acceptable behaviors • Process for reporting incidents • Procedure for probations and dismissals • Possible consequences (both on-site and at the home school)

18. Case Study I • Amanda Gordon is hoping to study in Germany and has completed her application. Upon review of her application, you discover (through her response to a question about her judicial record) that she has two violations for smoking marijuana and was also caught stealing a textbook from the bookstore. The marijuana violations occurred her freshman year in the dorms (she is now a junior) and the shoplifting incident occurred last semester. The comments from advisors note that she refused to wait in line on one occasion and demanded to be helped immediately. Her academic record is solid and her recommendation letter is strong. • What are the pink/red flags in this situation, and how might some of these manifest themselves as issues while abroad? How will you proceed?

19. Case Study II • Jenny Jones, wants to study abroad in Bali. The program she has found is focused on wild life biology. Her major at Park City University is International Business with a Spanish minor. Her current major GPA is a 2.5 and her overall GPA is a 2.3. In her application she noted her goals for studying abroad were to learn about another culture; understand more about what I she may want to do for her future career; become fluent in another language; understand the challenges of being away from family and friends (comfort zone) and learn how to become more self reliant. During advising sessions with the student she has mentioned she recently broke up with her boyfriend and she is not doing well in her current major and wants to use study abroad as a time to explore new opportunities for herself. She has never traveled internationally. • What are the pink/red flags in this situation, and how might some of these manifest themselves as issues while abroad? How will you proceed?

20. Questions? Thank you for your attention and participation!