SA/37/AS/13/UEPC - Policy for Student Internships

Effective December 16, 2013

Purpose

California State University Executive Order 1064 establishes guidelines for campus student internship policy and procedures and delegates to each campus president, the responsibility for the development, implementation and maintenance of the campus student internship policy, and to ensure that there is a means for future review of the policy that is updated and communicated to faculty and staff at appropriate intervals.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to all enrolled students at CSU Stanislaus, and governs all internships where the University makes or hosts the placement.

This policy does not apply to internships for CSU Stanislaus students enrolled in nursing, allied health, social work, or education credential programs. Such internships are governed by separate policy and insurance requirements.

This policy also does not apply to paid teaching associates, graduate assistants, or instructional student assistants, who are governed by a collective bargaining agreement.

CSU Stanislaus shall only authorize internship agreements and placements that comply with the requirements set forth in this policy.

Definitions

Academic Department: Personnel to include CSU Stanislaus faculty, staff, and students.

Academic Designee: Within each Academic Department, the individual designated to be responsible for the department’s compliance to the policy.

Agency: Business, company, organization, or bureau that provides a particular service or is authorized to act for others.

Internship: The formal integration of the student’s academic study with practical experience in acooperating organization. An on- or off-campus activity designed to serve educational purposes by offering experience in a service learning, business, non-profit, or government setting, and requires students to engage in supervised academic study through activities in an applied setting.

Internship Site: The Agency where the internship occurs.

Internship Site Supervisor: The Agency or organization representative who supervises the student at the internship site.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): The written agreement between CSU Stanislaus and the Agency site (off-campus location), that includes (but is not limited to) the University and Agency contact information, the statement of purpose, the priorities and program activities, the structure and support of students, the length of the agreement term, general provisions (including insurance and liability requirements), and any other considerations specific to the student placements.

Position Description: a written statement that describes the a) duties and responsibilities, b) skills and specifications, c) education and qualifications, and d) reporting relationship of the particular internship.

Responsible Campus Official: The designated campus official (provost’s designee) responsible for campus compliance with this policy.

Student: A person enrolled at CSU Stanislaus in credit-bearing courses.

Student Internship Agreement: The written agreement between the enrolled student, the Internship Site, and Academic Designee, that includes student and Agency contact information, student learning outcomes, academic credit unit value, placement logistics (including hours and pay), insurance requirements, risk awareness, informed consent, release of liability, and other special considerations specific to the placement and the site supervisor evaluation.

Responsibilities

The CSU Stanislaus President delegates authority for the implementation of this policy to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The CSU Stanislaus Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs may delegate the a) authority for the implementation of this policy, and b) the responsibility for the development, annual review, and maintenance of the MOUs for the Student Placements to the Responsible Campus Official.

All CSU Stanislaus Academic Departments shall comply with the procedures set forth below regarding the placement of student interns. Each Academic Department shall identify an Academic Designee. (Note: For interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary Service Learning courses, a designated Academic Department affiliation is necessary for enrolled students to participate in a Service Learning Experience.)

The CSU Stanislaus Risk Manager and the Responsible Campus Official shall provide risk management and liability requirements consultation and training to faculty and staff concerning MOUs, Student Internship Agreements, and procedures.

Procedures

• Internship Planning. The Academic Designee with assistance from the Responsible Campus Official, will record the

  • academic criteria for establishing an internship (established by Academic Department via the submission and approval of the University Course Proposal Form);

  • awarding of academic credit (established by the Academic Department via the submission and approval of the University Course Proposal Form);

  • accommodation plan for students with special needs (Academic Department develops plan in coordination with Disability Resource Services);

  • emergency response plan (Academic Department develops in consultation with Risk Management);

  • student compensation, if applicable (per Student Internship Agreement); and 

  • compliance with contractual requirements for the internship and Student Internship Agreement (completed in consultation between Academic Department and Responsible Campus Official).

• Placement Assessment. Prior to placing students at off-campus locations, the Academic Designee will conduct an assessment of the appropriateness of the Internship Site as a placement for CSU Stanislaus students. A written assessment summary of the Internship Site shall be completed and retained by the Responsible Campus Official and be available for review. This summary shall address, at minimum, the following considerations:

  • the potential for the Internship Site to provide an educationally appropriate experience;

  • identification of the potential risks of the Internship Site;

  • identification of an Internship Site Supervisor to supervise the student at the Internship Site;

  • evaluation of the educational environment at the Internship Site;

  • evaluation of the potential for student academic experience at the Internship Site and its relationship to the student’s academic study;

  • selection criteria and basic skills required of the student;

  • a Position Description describing duties and responsibilities expected of both the intern and the Internship Site Supervisor; and

  • confirmation that the Agency has executed a MOU with CSU Stanislaus.

• Internship Site Visits.

  The criteria for conducting a site visit and evaluating the site shall depend on the particular internship and shall be developed by the appropriate Academic Department. At a minimum, the site visit shall include: a) an assessment of whether the placement is designed to lead to an academically meaningful internship; b) an evaluation of the facility to identify potential risks (and how they should be mitigated); and c) communication with the Internship Site Supervisor who will supervise the student at the Internship Site. The site visit may be bypassed if the Academic Department has documented sufficient knowledge of the internship site. This could be accomplished through online review, published materials, direct contact with the site, or a history of approved site visits.

• Placement and Orientation. Before the student begins the internship, the following steps shall be completed:

  • Responsible Campus Official reviews and retains an electronic copy of the signed and approved MOU and Position Description;

  • Responsible Campus Official reviews and retains an electronic copy of the signed and approved Student Internship Agreement;

  • Completion of a student orientation by Academic Designee that includes conduct expectations, health and safety instructions, and emergency contacts; and

  • Completion of a student emergency contact form.

• Documentation of the above items shall be retained by the Responsible Campus Official.

• Annual Review.

Before the start of any Internship, the Responsible Campus Official will ensure that an appropriate MOU has been approved by the campus Contracts office and executed by the University and the Agency.

The Responsible Campus Official shall also perform an annual review of all internships, both for educational purposes and student safety. This review shall take into account information gathered from on-site supervisors, faculty members, university staff, and students.

The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall meet annually with the Responsible Campus Official to review the policy and procedures, to determine if updates are needed, and to communicate those updates to faculty members and staff.

• 7. Document Retention.

Consistent with system-wide and campus document retention guidelines, the Responsible Campus Official will retain the documents pertaining to student internships. See Executive Order 1031.

In addition, the instructional agenda, name and contact information for the internship site, student information, and executed release of liability shall be retained together for a period of two years after the conclusion of the semester during which the Internship took place. Electronic copies of the documents are permissible.

Laws, State Codes, Regulations and Mandates

CSU Chancellor’s Executive Order 1064 Student Internships

CSU Chancellor’s Executive Order 1051 Use of Approved Waiver of Liability

Related Policies and Procedures: AA/37/AS/13/UEPC - Student Internships , EO 1064, EO 1051 

Review History: Approved by the Academic Senate on November 5, 2013. Approved by President Joseph Sheley on December 16, 2013.

Student Affairs Division has the primary responsibility for this policy.

Attachment(s): SA/37/AS/13/UEPC - Student Internships  

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