SPECIAL REPORT of the INTERNATIONAL STUDIES COUNCIL concerning AN EXCHANGE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS, USA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA FORLÌ CAMPUS FORLÌ, ITALY (Approved by the Rules Committee, acting on behalf of the Faculty Senate, May 15, 2013) Presented at the 729 th Regular Meeting of the Faculty Senate September 12, 2013 COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP Neal Abraham Tayeb El-Hibri Jack Ahern Stephen Forrest Yetunde Ajao Song Gao Michael Alderman Sangeeta Kamat Margaret Allard M. Christine King, Chair Sonia Alvarez Tim Lang Bradley Bolin Holly Lawrence Irena Bozin Ernest May Elizabeth Brabec Jose Ornelas Thomas Brashear-Alejandro Maria Papapietro Carolyn Cave Howard Peelle Michael Coblyn Jenny Spencer Jennifer Donais Peter Stern Gonen Dori-Hacohen Xuejia Wang Lisa Wexler
At its meeting of April 1, 2013, the International Studies Council voted unanimously to recommend to the full Faculty Senate the proposed agreement between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Bologna Forlì Campus, Forlì, Italy. The Council based its positive recommendation on the following features in the agreement: 1. The exchange agreement provides opportunities for UMA graduate and undergraduate students to study abroad at the University of Bologna Forlì Campus and for graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Bologna Forlì Campus to study at UMA. 2. The exchange agreement provides opportunities for a rich cultural experience. For the period of their registration at the host institution, students participating in the exchange will have all of the privileges enjoyed by regular students of the host institution to the extent permitted by law. 3. The exchange agreement protects intellectual property. The participating institutions wish to jointly benefit, within the policies, procedures and regulations in effect in their countries and institutions, from scientific results and information acquired within the collaborative implementation of this agreement. Thus, the participating institutions may collaborate to write common publications in national or international journals. Unless otherwise required by law, institutional policy, or contract, information and scientific research not jointly published can be conveyed to a third party only by agreement of both institutions. The participating institutions recognize the need to protect their background information in science, technology and the humanities within the framework of joint research programs. Finding: UMASS Amherst students will be well served academically and culturally during their enrollment at the University of Bologna Forlì Campus, Forlì Italy. Likewise, we anticipate that the students who come to UMASS Amherst from the University of Bologna Forlì Campus, Forlì Italy will enrich our campus community by their presence. MOVED: That the Faculty Senate approve the Exchange Agreement between the University of 81-13 Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA, and the University of Bologna Forlì Campus, Forlì, Italy, as presented in Sen. Doc. No. 13-075.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA FORLÌ CAMPUS (UBFC) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST To enhance the educational curriculum at their respective institutions, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Bologna Forlì Campus (UBFC), Forlì, Italy, agree to establish the following reciprocal student exchange program based upon principles of mutual benefit: 1. Each year during the term of this agreement, each institution can send up to six (6) students to be enrolled at the other institution participating in the exchange. The School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Interpreting and Translation of the University of Bologna at Forlì (SFLLIT, formerly SSLiMIT) and the Department of Language Literature and Culture at UMA (LLC)/International Programs Office at UMA (IPO) shall be the coordinators for the exchange. The number of students, and level (undergraduate or graduate or a mix), to be exchanged will be agreed upon each year by the SFLLIT and the LLC in consultation with the IPO. With the intent of maintaining an acceptable balance in the number of students exchanged, SFLLIT, LLC and IPO shall consult each year to discuss the number of eligible applicants, before formally accepting them into the program. Two students enrolled for one semester/term will be equivalent to one student for one year. By mutual consent of the two institutions, imbalances may be carried forward from one year to the next, as long as the balance is restored by adjusting the number of students participating in the exchange during the following years. 1.1 The UMA shall send students from the LLC and any other department that might be included in the program, to be enrolled in the UBFC either for the Fall semester, Spring semester, or the full Academic Year. Up to two SFLLIT students will be involved in a student-teacher practicum in teaching Italian as a foreign language to university students at the UMA. This activity will be counted as a tirocinio / internship for which the students involved will receive credit from their home institution. While this specific option will be available at UMA only during the Fall semester, students from SFLLIT can apply for the entire year. Similar opportunities will be made available to LLC exchange students who should be interested in engaging in practicum activities at the SFLLIT. In addition to the SFLLIT, two other UBFC schools are participating in this exchange program: the School of Political Science Forlì Campus, and the School of Economics, Management, and Statistics Forlì Campus. These two schools can send only graduate students, unless otherwise agreed upon; also, the number of such students will be determined, on a yearly basis, by the above mentioned exchange coordinators. 2. Exchange students shall be enrolled as non-degree students for a period not to exceed 12 months and the student shall not claim any degree from the host institution. Credits gained at the host institution shall be transferred back to the home institution. 3. Students participating in this exchange program will pay their normal tuition and curriculum fees at their home universities. During the term of this agreement UBFC agrees to waive tuition and curriculum fees for all incoming UMA students, while UMA agrees to waive tuition and curriculum fees for incoming UBFC students. 4. Incoming UBFC students are responsible for the remaining mandatory academic/administrative fees at UMA, such as the Graduate Senate Tax, the Graduate Service Fee and any other mandatory academic/administrative fees imposed subsequent to the signing of this document, and their own travel and living expenses. 5. UMA students must provide proof of health insurance covering illnesses, hospitalisation, maternity, accidents, repatriation, and civil liability for the period of their stay abroad. Presently, UBFC students must purchase the health insurance required by and made available through UMA to cover medical contingencies while in the United States.
6. UMA students are covered by the University of Massachusetts insurance plan for approved education abroad programs. In addition, they are required to maintain their own health insurance in the U.S. They are responsible for their travel and living expenses, and all other miscellaneous costs during the exchange. 7. In order to participate in the exchange, students must have completed at least one year of study at the home institution before the exchange takes place and must have good academic standing as reflected by a minimum GPA of 3.0 or equivalent. 8. Exchange students must meet the admissions requirements of the host institution. Each institution reserves the right to refuse candidates although the host institution will make every effort to minimize such refusals by communicating its criteria and standards before applicants are selected by the partner institution. 9. The academic activity of the students participating in the exchange shall be developed in consultation with the student s home institution. Grade transcripts for courses taken during the exchange will be made available to the home institution in a timely fashion after the completion of the exchange and within the deadlines indicated by the academic calendar of the home institution of the student. 10. Each institution shall designate an individual to serve as liaison officer in order to facilitate the exchange under the terms of this Agreement. 11. Exchange students shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the host institution. They will also enjoy the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the other students at the host institution. 12. Each institution shall make accommodation available to exchange students. The UMA offers accommodations in a double occupancy room in a university dormitory. Students will be entitled, however, not to take advantage of such resources. After communicating their intention to the host institution within the timeframe determined by the host institution itself, they will be free to arrange different accommodations but assume all responsibility for their choices. The UBFC has designated Koinè, an organization that has long been affiliated with the University, to find housing for incoming international students, before their arrival. UMA students shall be informed that housing at Italian universities is primarily provided through private rentals of shared apartments in the University area, and not in dormitories. If for any reason housing has not been found before the students arrival, those students can stay at the university hotel free of charge for the first ten nights while housing arrangements are found. The cost for each night after that will be 30.00 euros. 13. Exchange students shall be entitled to participate in any introductory or orientation courses or programs that may customarily be arranged for international students at the host institution. 14. Both institutions may, at any time, review this Agreement and the actions taken under it and, by mutual agreement, make any necessary modifications to its terms. 15. The present Agreement shall become active after having been signed by the representatives of both institutions for the duration of five years. Either institution may terminate the Agreement at the end of any academic year and with a minimum of six months notice. This Agreement may be extended after the first five years for a time period determined by mutual agreement by both institutions. 16. Both institutions subscribe to a policy of equal opportunity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, ethnicity, national origin, physical disability or sexual preference. The UBFC and the University of Massachusetts Amherst shall abide by these principles in the administration of this agreement. 17. The parties agree that, if by reason of strike or other labor disputes, civil disorders, severe weather, acts of God, or other cause beyond the control of the party seeking to invoke this paragraph, either party is unable to perform entirely its obligation, such non-performance shall not be considered a breach of this agreement. 18. Any notice to either party under this agreement must be made in writing and signed by the party giving it and shall be served either personally or by registered or certified mail or by overnight or expedited delivery, addressed as follows:
For Communications to the University of Massachusetts Amherst: International Programs Office 111 Thatcher Way, Ofc.3 University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 USA Sen. Doc. No. 13-075 For Communications to SFLLIT: SFLLIT dell Università di Bologna a Forlì Corso della Republica, 136 47100 Forli Italia This agreement is drafted in two copies, one in English and one in Italian, with a copy of each to both institutions. Both versions are equally valid. The undersigned agree to the terms of the present document on behalf of their respective institutions. For the UBFC: For the University of Massachusetts Amherst: Prof. Felix SanVincente Dr. Kumble R. Subbaswamy Chancellor Program Coordinators: Program Coordinator Jack Ahern, Vice Provost Int l Programs Prof. Sam Whitsitt, SFLLIT Prof. Roberto Ludovico, LLC