POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS (NON-CLINICAL/NON-LICENSURE)

                                                                             California State University, Long Beach Policy Statement 

Policy Number: 24-21

Date: October 24, 2024

POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS (NON-CLINICAL/NON-LICENSURE)

This policy statement was recommended by the Academic Senate on October 10, 2024 and approved by the President on October 23, 2024.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to address Chancellor's Office Executive Order 1064 by establishing guidelines for CSULB’s student Academic Internships (non-clinical/non-licensure) policy and procedures. This document affirms the beneficial educational purpose of student Academic Internships and seeks to maximize educational experiences within internships, while mitigating the risks to participants and minimizing the University’s liability exposure.

1. Terms and Definitions

An Academic Internship formally integrates students’ academic study with practical experience in a cooperating organization. It is a faculty-approved and directed activity designed to enhance academic knowledge and promote professional preparation by offering supervised experience in business, nonprofit, government, educational, and/or other workplace settings. Because Academic Internships involve institutions external to the University, CSULB cannot guarantee that all students who are interested in Academic Internships will secure internship placements, and an Academic Internship program may require interested students to secure an offer for an internship themselves.

Academic Internships are those completed for either undergraduate or graduate credit. They can be on or off campus, in-person or remote/virtual, paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, and can be done at any time during the academic year (i.e., fall, spring, summer, and winter).

For the purposes of this policy, Academic Internships do not include teacher preparation or clinical placements such as nursing, counseling, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech- language pathology, or other pre-professional, credentialing, or licensing requirements.

Non-Academic Internships are not subject to this policy. These are internships not taken for academic credit and/or affiliated with an academic course (undergraduate or graduate). The University will assume no responsibility for these placements. Students may pursue them on their own and shall not receive any academic credit for them.

1. Internship Planning

In departments/units with Academic Internships, department internship plans should minimally include the following:

• Academic procedures for establishing or determining internship placements;
• Information about the awarding of academic credit;
• An accommodation plan for students with disabilities;
• An emergency response plan;
• Information about Student compensation, as applicable; and

1. Minimum department/unit expectations for placements with internship sites.
2. Internship Site Assessment

In accordance with Executive Order 1064, prior to placing students at an internship site, an assessment of the appropriateness of the internship site as a placement for CSULB students will be conducted. Each College (or designated unit) is responsible for developing a written assessment summary of the internship site. Consult the CSU’s Reducing Risk in off Campus Academic Learning Experiences handbook for recommended guidelines.

Each College (or designated unit) is granted authority to develop an applicable assessment summary, provided it meets the following minimum components:

• A description of the internship site’s potential for providing educational experiences, including how the educational environment will be evaluated in relation to the students’ academic experiences;
• Identification of any potential risks of the internship site;
• Identification of an appropriate individual from the host organization to supervise the student at the internship site;
• Selection criteria and basic skills required of the student placed at that internship site.

Departments/units can consult with the Academic Internships Office, housed in the Center for Community Engagement, for templates and resources to assist in this process.

1. Internship Site Visits

Whenever the University has a formal agreement with an internship site, the campusdepartment placing the student shall ensure that the proposed internship site meets the site suitability criteria established through the Site Assessment. Such suitability determination can be made through a physical site visit, online assessment or assessment of materials provided by the intern employer. The site visit may be bypassed if the University can demonstrate and document sufficient knowledge of the internship site.

This could be accomplished through online review, published materials, or direct contact with the site. Departments/units can consult with the Academic Internships Office, housed in the Center for Community Engagement, for templates and resources to assist in this process.

1. Campus Affiliation Agreements

The internship sites and CSULB are required to sign Campus Affiliation Agreements, also known as Student Field Placement Agreements. “The agreement secures the student’s access to the site and ensures that the site’s personnel will supervise the student and provide a meaningful experience. The agreement also defines the relationship between the University, the site, and the student.” (Contract Services, CSULB website). Affiliation Agreements are executed in accordance with Contract Services guidelines and contain all of the minimum CSULB requirements for liability and risk. Standard affiliation agreement templates can be found on the University's Contract Services website and signed by the Dean's Office. If a standard template cannot be used, Contract Services should be contacted.

1. Placement and Orientation

Campus departments/units with Academic Internships shall complete the following steps before students begin their internship placements:

• Student orientations that include coverage of conduct expectations, health and safety