C E N T R A L P I E D M O N T C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E Cooperative Education Faculty Coordinator Training

C E N T R A L P I E D M O N T C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E

CooperativeEducation

Faculty Coordinator

Training

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Introduction to Cooperative Education

What is Cooperative Education (Co-op)?

• Cooperative Education is an academic class commonly called Co-op, which blends classroom learning with practical work experience.

• Every semester, CPCC partners with hundreds of leaders in the business community to provide relevant, short-term work experience to qualified students.

• Employers have the opportunity to work with students with the guidance and support of a major educational institution.

• Students earn academic credit while gaining valuable work experience related to their program of study.



What is a Faculty Coordinator?

• A Faculty Coordinator is the representative of the academic division who works directly with students in their program who are interested in Co-op or are enrolled in a Co-op class.

• A Faculty Coordinator is appointed by their division director for a one-year term but may be reappointed.

• The Faculty Coordinator who serves as the instructor for a Co-op section is compensated by their department at $125 per student or .6 load credit per student.

What is a Faculty Coordinator? (cont’d)

• Travel for the site visit is reimbursed by your department according to policy.

• An exemplary Faculty Coordinator believes in the value of Co-op, understands the responsibilities, provides required documentation, and works collaboratively to support students and employers.


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Faculty Coordinator Responsibilities


General:

• Know your program’s eligibility requirements for Co-op and revise as needed.

• Discuss the Co-op program with both potential students and employers.

• Review the Co-op faculty calendar for due dates.

• Support the student and employer throughout the Co-op experience.

Before the Semester Begins: • Discuss with the student what Co-op is and what

he/she would like to accomplish for this class.

• Review the student’s EVAL or transcript to see if he/she is eligible for Co-op.

• Approve the student’s Co-op application:Sign & date, list the COE section, and note if

waiving eligibility requirements.

• Assist the student with finding a Co-op worksite, if necessary.

• Refer student to the assigned Co-op Coordinator.


After the Semester Begins

• Help student and employer with developing Measurable Learning Objectives (MLOs) within the first two weeks of the semester (10%/census date).

– If student is using a current worksite for Co-op, MLOs should be unrelated to past duties.

– MLOs start with, “By the end of the semester…”– MLOs end with, “…as evaluated by my supervisor.”– MLOs must be directly related to the program of study.


After the Semester Begins (cont’d)

• Submit the 10% roster/census report to the appropriate person in your department.

• Discuss the mid-semester evaluation with the student via phone, email, or in-person, by the suggested date on the calendar.

• Conduct one site visit to the employer during the suggested week on the calendar. Complete the On-Site Visitation Report and return to the Co-op office.

• Notify the Co-op Coordinator if the student is no longer at their original co-op worksite (due to termination, job change, etc.) or has dropped the Co-op class.



When the Semester Ends• Review the student’s workbook

– Make sure all pages are completed– Read the Employer Evaluation– Check if the MLOs are rated– Calculate total hours

• Complete the Grade Report page of the workbook– Follow college policy and procedures on grading– Submit a grade within 48 hours of the semester ending

• Return completed workbook to the Co-op Coordinator

- Within 48 hours of the semester ending

• Division Directors have the option of withholding compensation until completion of all required paperwork.

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State Regulations for Co-op:Section 20 of NCCC Curriculum Procedures

• All NC community colleges must follow state regulations to report Co-op hours for FTE.

• Each Co-op student earns:– .31 FTE ($1478) for a one credit Co-op class– .63 FTE ($2956) for a two credit Co-op class.

• FTE’s earned by Co-op classes benefit divisions by going to funds used for instructional budgets.

• Failure to follow Section 20 requirements can result in:– an audit exception, requiring the College to repay the budget

FTE earned, plus an additional fine. – a report to the president, cabinet, and board of trustees outlining

all audit concerns and findings– the College responding to the system office with a corrective

plan of action.

State Regulations for Co-op: Section 20


• Student files are strictly audited each year.

• The Co-op must reinforce academic knowledge with work experience and involve cooperative efforts among the student, the college, and the employer.

• The total number of hours a student must work per semester:

160 hours if registered in a 1 credit course



How This Relates to Students

• The Co-op must be directly related to the program of study. – For example, the state auditor ruled that Medical Office Admin Co-

ops must be in medical facilities rather than in a general office setting.

• Students must be enrolled in the correct curriculum program prior to registration and maintain enrollment during the semester.

• Co-op must appear as a technical elective or requirement for the student’s catalog year on the EVAL or transcript.

• Students must be at least seventeen years old to participate in Co-op (most Co-op positions require students to be at least 18 years old).



How This Relates to Students (cont’d)

• Students must be registered in the Co-op class according to the suffix related to their program. – i.e. Paralegal- 111Q, Business- 112B, Culinary- 112H

• Students must have a minimum 2.0 program GPA. – Individual program eligibility may be higher

• Students must have completed 9 credit hours, with 3 of these credits in the core of the program of study. – Individual program eligibility may be higher


Once A Student is Registered

• Tuition must be paid for the class.

• If students are dropped and re-registered, they can only count hours starting from the official entry date.

• Students can count work hours after they are registered and the class has started.

• Students must complete one orientation (online or in person).

• Student must be registered and work by 10% date.

• Students must remain in the class past the census date.

• Measurable Learning Objectives must be recorded within the first two weeks of the semester.

• Students must have required paperwork for each employer.


How This Relates to Faculty

• The COE class must be included in the program of study for the student’s catalog year.

• Faculty must document on the Co-op application that they have verified program code, GPA, and credit hours.

• Programs can have higher eligibility requirements for Co-op; if waiving these requirements, it must be done in writing. State minimum requirements cannot be waived (see Co-op Coordinator for clarification).

• There must be at least one measurable learning objective (MLO) completed per credit hour.

• MLOs must include activity, level of accomplishment, time frame, and method of measurement (i.e. evaluation by supervisor).

• Students who withdraw may be counted for FTE’s if criteria are met (see Co-op Coordinator for clarification).


Students Who Co-op at Their Employer

• Students may co-op at their current place of employment on a limited basis.

• Students must learn skills that are new, different and of an increasing level than they have already experienced.

• The Present Position form and job description must document the difference in skills. This does not apply to students just starting a paid Co-op work experience.


Early Childhood Education

• Additional requirements must be followed for Early Childhood Education students (see Co-op coordinator).

International Students• International students must be authorized to work in the

United States.


Site Visits by Faculty Coordinators

• The Faculty Coordinator must document at least one on-site visit during the dates of the semester. Co-op requires at least one site visit per employer. Site visits must be done before the end of the semester.

• Co-op students getting an Incomplete must still have a site visit during the original semester dates to count for FTE.

• A telephone or email visit may be substituted for on-site visit when the distance to the work site makes traveling prohibitive.


Documentation Required for FTE

• Application• Placed Sheet• Job Description• Orientation• Site Visit • Completed Co-op workbook

- (Agreement, Measurable Learning Objectives/MLO’s, Evaluations, Signed Time Sheets, Grade Sheet)

Section 20 Revisions

• Revisions go into effect Fall 2008.

• Clarifies that one orientation is required per student rather than per co-op class.

• Social security numbers are not to be included on forms.

• Electronic submission is allowable after a policy on electronic signatures is developed.

• Clarifies that one MLO is required per credit hour. Co-op Department policy recommends three MLOs per course.



Reference:

http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/Programs/docs/CPRM/Section20_14Mar08CoopEduc.pdf



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Class Origination Document (CODs)For Co-op

• In order for a student to register for Co-op, the department must submit a COD for the appropriate class.

• Instructional Course Management sends out a memo request for course COD’s right after the previous semester begins.– Please submit Co-op CODs for your program at this time.– Either create a new Co-op course or update a course offering.

• When COD’s are generated (in the appropriate time frame) information is automatically sent to Admissions & Registration.

Class Origination Document (CODs) for Co-op

• Admission & Registration provides course block permission to co-op coordinators.

• Co-op coordinators then have permission to lift the block for student registration.

• CODs generated by the faculty coordinator after the original input date require special set-up so the student can register. Please copy the Co-op Coordinator when submitting.


Instructor of Record

• The Division must enter the Instructor of Record for the class. This is a separate function from entering the COD.

• Faculty Coordinators need to verify that they are listed as the instructor of record.

• If a Faculty Coordinator is not listed as the Instructor of Record, he/she:– will not be able to enter grades for co-op students.– will not receive the 10%/census report.


Canceling a COD

• Each division is responsible for canceling COE classes where no students have registered.

• Failure to cancel the course impacts the audit.


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Additional Co-op Policies

Initial Visits

• CPCC Personnel must make an initial visit to the student’s Co-op worksite every three years, prior to the start of the semester.

• This visit is traditionally done by the Co-op Coordinator, but faculty can request to do this, if preferred.

• Documentation of the initial visit is required; please ask the Co-op Coordinator for a copy of the Initial Visit form.

Submission of Paperwork

• Scanned or faxed copies of paperwork are acceptable and advisable


Open Entry Classes

• One open entry section of Co-op will be available for students with extenuating circumstances. Please see the Co-op Coordinator for more information.

• The open entry section will start after the semester begins, but ends on the same day as the regular semester.

• Open entry classes can only report hours with documented time sheets attached.

Scholarships

• Students with financial need may be eligible to receive a Co-op scholarship to cover instate tuition for the Co-op class. Contact a Co-op coordinator to refer a student.


Home-Based Businesses• Generally, students are not allowed to do a Co-op with a

home-based business for liability reasons.

Working Remotely• A portion of work for Co-op may be done remotely if the

supervisor feels he/she can assess the work completed and verify hours.

On-Site Supervisor• The Faculty Coordinator and on-site supervisor cannot be

the same person.• The on-site supervisor cannot be related to the student.


Accident Insurance • In addition to tuition, students are automatically charged

for CPCC Accident Insurance.

Unemployment• Co-op students are not eligible for unemployment benefits

unless they were employed by the company prior to the Co-op.

Incomplete Grades• Students cannot register for a second Co-op until an “I”

grade is addressed and all paperwork is submitted for the first Co-op.


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Co-op Website

www.cpcc.edu/cooperative_education

Approved Programs

Student Information

Employer Information

Faculty Coordinator Information

Forms

Calendars

Workbook Directions

Syllabus

Job List

Online Orientation

Staff Directory/Office Hours

Co-op Related Links

State Regulations for Co-op (Section 20)

Co-op Website

Please send an email to [email protected] to

verify that you have completed the Co-op Faculty Coordinator orientation (and to receive PDP credit).

If you experience any technical difficulties please contact Elaine Olenik.

[email protected]

Co-op Orientation Verification

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

C E N T R A L P I E D M O N T C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E Cooperative Education Faculty Coordinator Training