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Policy Number
AC-26.05
Responsible Office
Office of International Affairs
Originator
President Manny Diaz, Jr.
Current Status
Abstract
This policy provides information about study abroad programs for academic credit offered or approved by the University of West Florida (UWF). UWF does not provide support or services for or make any attestations as to the quality of study abroad programs that have not been approved by UWF.
As written, the draft addresses program approval, compliance, and participant requirements, but it does not clarify who is identified in university systems when instruction is provided by a host institution, exchange partner, or third party provider. In practice, a UWF department chair or other UWF employee may be listed in the class schedule as the instructor of record for administrative processing purposes, even when that person is not teaching the course, is not serving as the academic instructor, and has no control over course content.
This creates a risk of public misunderstanding about instructional responsibility, faculty qualifications, and course content. It may also create avoidable reputational and governance concerns.
I suggest adding a statement that clarifies the following:
A UWF employee may be assigned in institutional systems for registration, oversight, or administrative processing of study abroad coursework.
Such assignment does not by itself mean that the employee is the instructor delivering academic instruction.
The University shall use standardized notation in the course schedule and student record to identify the actual source of academic instruction for all study abroad coursework delivered by a host institution, exchange partner, or third party provider. Any UWF employee listed in University systems for administrative, registration, compliance, coordination, or oversight purposes shall not be represented as the teaching instructor or instructor of record for instructional responsibility unless that employee is formally assigned to deliver the instruction.
This would improve accuracy, transparency, and role clarity for students, faculty, administrators, and the public.
1 Comment
Angela Hahn
Feb 23, 2026As written, the draft addresses program approval, compliance, and participant requirements, but it does not clarify who is identified in university systems when instruction is provided by a host institution, exchange partner, or third party provider. In practice, a UWF department chair or other UWF employee may be listed in the class schedule as the instructor of record for administrative processing purposes, even when that person is not teaching the course, is not serving as the academic instructor, and has no control over course content.
This creates a risk of public misunderstanding about instructional responsibility, faculty qualifications, and course content. It may also create avoidable reputational and governance concerns.
I suggest adding a statement that clarifies the following:
A UWF employee may be assigned in institutional systems for registration, oversight, or administrative processing of study abroad coursework.
Such assignment does not by itself mean that the employee is the instructor delivering academic instruction.
The University shall use standardized notation in the course schedule and student record to identify the actual source of academic instruction for all study abroad coursework delivered by a host institution, exchange partner, or third party provider. Any UWF employee listed in University systems for administrative, registration, compliance, coordination, or oversight purposes shall not be represented as the teaching instructor or instructor of record for instructional responsibility unless that employee is formally assigned to deliver the instruction.
This would improve accuracy, transparency, and role clarity for students, faculty, administrators, and the public.