Internship Policy
1.00 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for educationally enriching internship and service learning experiences for CSU Monterey Bay students that mitigate potential risk to students, staff, faculty, the University, and its partners.
This policy is intended to reflect the University's commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals described in the CSUMB Vision Statement and to its core values.
2.00 Definitions
An internship is a University-sanctioned activity, paid or unpaid, that formally integrates the student’s academic study with practical experience with a cooperating, off-campus organization¹. The activity is designed to serve educational purposes by offering experience in service learning, business, non-profit, government, or other settings that are relevant to the student’s academic pursuit. Because this definition is inclusive of service learning experiences, a University requirement for all students, all future reference to “internship” in this policy also includes service learning. This definition also includes student placement in research experiences.
For the purpose of this policy, an internship does not include teacher preparation placements or clinical placements such as for nursing, counseling, or social work. Teacher education placements and clinical placements meet the requirements of professional and/or specialized accreditors. Those programs follow separate rules.
An internship site is the organization at which the internship takes place. The “site” may also include additional location(s) at which related internship activities occur.
A learning plan agreement is developed by the faculty/staff member and the student in consultation with the site supervisor. It identifies the potential for student academic experience and its relationship to the student’s academic pursuit. In addition, it articulates the learning outcomes/objectives of the internship. It requires the signatures of the student, site-supervisor, and authorized staff and/or faculty member. (Developing internships is generally work of the faculty; however, an authorized staff member may develop internships, conduct site evaluations, and approve learning plan agreements as part of his/her documented professional responsibilities or if s/he has been delegated or invited to do so in writing by a department chair or Dean.)
A site evaluation refers to an assessment (which may include the Site Evaluation Checklist, or other documentation) written by a staff or faculty member, which is based on that person’s knowledge of the site intended for an internship. Knowledge of a site may be based on online reviews and other published materials, and/or direct contact with the site.
A site visit refers to a comprehensive review of the internship site, which is based on either an in-person visit by a CSUMB staff or faculty member or review of available online materials.
A site supervisor is the person responsible for providing mentorship and/or oversight of a student at the internship site.
The University-Agency Agreement documents the acceptance of the internship site to meet campus expectations and articulates both the site’s and the campus’ role in the internship, as well as the student’s responsibilities. It requires the signatures of the authorized signatory of the internship site, the Chair, and the Office of Business and Support Services. The Office of Business and Support Services and the campus office supervising the internship shall retain signed copies of the University-Agency Agreement.
3.00 Types of Internship Agreements
This policy recognizes two types of agreements that can be developed for internships.
- A Short-Term Placement Agreement (used with one site for a maximum of two academic terms) is available for students to work on a specific short-term project. A Short-Term Placement Agreement is signed by the site supervisor, the student, and the faculty. It is valid only for that specific student during that specific academic term. After two semesters with a specific site, a long-term placement agreement must be established. (See the Internship Procedure for the steps to follow and form needed for the short-term option.)
- A Long-Term Placement Agreement (with a five-year University-Agency Agreement) establishes a long-term relationship between the university and the organization. The long-term relationship requires the completion of a Site Evaluation Checklist, and the signing of a University-Agency Agreement following the policy established below in section 4.00.
4.00 Establishing a New Internship Site
In order to establish a new internship site, a site evaluation and a University-Agency Agreement must be completed.
4.10 Internship Planning
Faculty and staff intending to develop internships for academic programs shall coordinate their plans with the appropriate department chair.
4.20 Site Evaluations
An assessment of the appropriateness of the internship site as a placement for CSUMB students shall be conducted using a Site Evaluation Checklist. In exceptional cases and with prior approval, a student may conduct the assessment, however, the completed Site Evaluation Checklist shall be verified and approved by the appropriate staff or faculty member.
At a minimum the checklist shall address the following considerations:
Educational Potential
• Evaluation of the overall educational environment;
• The potential for the internship site to provide an educationally appropriate experience that relates to the student’s academic pursuit at CSUMB.
Risk Mitigation
• Identification and mitigation of the potential risks of the internship site;
• Emergency response plan of the site;
• Identification of an appropriate individual(s) from the proposed internship site to supervise and/or mentor the student.
Additional Items Required
• Accommodation plan for students with special needs, if appropriate;
• Selection criteria and basic skills required of the student; and
• Student compensation, if applicable.
Upon completion, all Site Evaluation Checklists shall be signed and submitted by the staff or faculty member to the department chair. The Chair will approve or not approve the site as adequate for a CSUMB learning experience. A copy of the approved Site Evaluation Checklist will be sent forward with other materials and filed with the supervising campus office (see section 8.00).
4.30 University-Agency Agreement for the Placement of Students
Following the completion and review of the Site Evaluation Checklist, the CSUMB office that authorizes and/or oversees the internship shall develop the University-Agency Agreement for the Placement of Students and facilitate its signature by the site, the Chair, and the Office of Business and Support Services. An internship under the long-term option may not proceed without the approval of all parties.
5.00 Internship Placement & Orientation
Before a student may begin an internship, the CSUMB entity that authorizes and/or oversees the internship is responsible for ensuring that the following takes place:
- A student orientation that includes conduct expectations, health and safety instructions, site risk considerations, sexual harassment training, and emergency contact information;
- The Release of Liability Form is completed by the student for all internship placements,
- The Learning Plan Agreement form is signed by the student, the internship site supervisor, and the authorized CSUMB staff or faculty member (see section 4.10).
- The Release of Liability Form and the Learning Plan Agreement shall be retained by the supervising campus office.
5.10 Learning Plan Agreement
The Learning Plan Agreement is an important component of the internship experience. It is designed to ensure that the objectives of both the student and the partner organization (providing the internship site) are clear and achievable. At a minimum the learning plan agreement should address the following:
- The potential for student academic experience and its relationship to the student’s academic pursuit;
- Defined learning outcomes;
- The nature of the work to be provided by the student;
- Placement logistics, including the start and end date, the hours to be worked, supervisor feedback, and if applicable, student remuneration; and
- Emergency student contact information.
- The completed Learning Plan Agreement shall be reviewed and signed by the student, site-supervisor, and the authorized staff or faculty member.
6.00 Suspending or Terminating an Internship Site
6.10 Removing a Student From an Internship
The faculty of record can remove a student from an internship based on health or safety concerns, allegations of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation upon, or from, a student by personnel at the site, or allegations of student misconduct. The faculty will notify the Department Chair. The faculty can give the student an “Incomplete” or the grade that the student has earned to that point in his/her experience.
6.1.1 Responding to Allegations of Discrimination, Harassment, and/or Retaliation
Allegations of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation upon, or from, a student shall be referred immediately by the faculty to the campus DHR² Administrator in accordance with Executive Order 1074. The DHR Administrator will determine the disposition of the allegation or complaint.
6.1.2 Responding to Allegations of Student Misconduct
Allegations of student misconduct shall be referred immediately by the faculty to the Office of Judicial Affairs and Community Standards. The faculty will notify the Department Chair. The continuation or termination of the internship will be determined at the conclusion of the judicial process.
6.20 Suspension of an Internship Site
Faculty or staff may suspend use of an internship site based on health or safety concerns, or changes in the internship situation. The faculty will notify the Department Chair. Record of the suspension will be retained by the supervising campus office.
Notifications on campus regarding the suspended internship site will be made by the campus office supervising the internship to department chairs, faculty, and staff with students currently placed at the same site.
If a site is suspended, a Site Review will be needed to remove the suspension. The Site Review described in section 8.10 shall be submitted to the Chair and the Office of Business and Support Services for review and approval.
6.30 Termination of an Internship Site and/or University-Agency Agreement
An internship and the University-Agency Agreement for the Placement of Students may be terminated by the Chair and the Office of Business and Support Services. Record of the terminated University-Agency Agreement will be retained by the supervising campus office and by the Office of Business and Support Services.
Notifications on campus regarding the terminated internship site and/or University-Agency Agreement will be made by the campus office supervising the internship to department chairs, faculty, and staff with students currently placed at the same site. Re-establishing an internship site following termination will require the steps articulated in section 4.00.
7.00 Awarding of Academic Credit
For students whose internship placement is required by a specific course, the awarding of academic credit shall be determined by the faculty member associated with the course.
8.00 Review of Internships
Department and programs requiring or organizing internships shall develop a plan for an annual review of internships. Reviews of internships shall take place minimally on an annual basis.
The internship review process shall include consideration of how well an internship met educational purposes and ensured the safety of students. Information related to the review may be gathered from students, site supervisors, and/or staff and faculty. Decisions regarding the viability of the site as appropriate for internships shall be made by faculty and/or authorized staff at any time during an academic year.
8.10 Internship Site Visits
Periodic visits to internship sites are strongly encouraged but may not be required if the staff or faculty member demonstrates and documents sufficient and up-to-date knowledge of the site through online review, published materials, and/or direct contact with the site.
A site visit by the staff or faculty member overseeing the internship may be required if the site receives negative review or feedback from participating students. However, when either of the following circumstances exist a site visit by the staff or faculty member shall be required:
- An incident occurs that endangers the safety or well-being of the student;
- The site does not uphold the tenets of the signed agreement.
When a site visit is triggered by any of the circumstances referenced above, the authorized staff or faculty member shall conduct a thorough review of the site before additional students are placed at that site that includes the following considerations:
- An analysis of the condition(s) which led to the circumstances requiring a site visit;
- Documentation, signed by the site supervisor, that the condition(s) described in #1 has been ameliorated; and,
- A rationale for continued partnership, based on an updated site evaluation (see section 3.20)
The Site Review described above shall be submitted to the Chair and the Office of Business and Support Services for review and approval prior to reactivation of the site.
If circumstances warrant, it may be necessary to suspend the University-Agency Agreement for the Placement of Students and remove the internship site from the list of possible locations for student internship placement.
9.00 Document Retention
The Site Evaluation Check-list, the Learning Plan Agreement, the University-Agency Agreement, participating student information, and the signed Release of Liability Form shall be retained together by the campus office supervising internships for three years following the conclusion of the semester during which the internship took place. Electronic copies of the documents are permissible.
10.00 Continuous Renewal
This policy shall be reviewed in five years to determine its effectiveness. It may be revised, as necessary to reflect University, CSU system, and/or State changes.
s/ President Eduardo M. Ochoa
Effective Date: May 1, 2013
Certification of Process:
Reviewed by: Policy Facilitation Team, Academic Senate Executive Committee, Academic Senate, Post Graduate Studies and Research Committee, Educational Policy and Programs Committee, Academic Affairs Council, Deans and Provost, Enrollment Services and Student Affairs Leadership Team, Associated Students.
¹On campus auxillary entities, e.g. the Child Care Center and CSUMB Centers and Institutes may also be included in this definition.
²Discrimination, Harassment, and/or Retaliation Administrator
Download a signed .pdf version of this policy