Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do faculty and students learn more about Learning Clusters? 
A: This Handbook provides an explanation of the LC program, with additional materials available through links and on Brightspace. Faculty and students are encouraged to consult syllabi from previous LC courses through Learn, and to approach experienced LC instructors. Faculty and students are also encouraged to contact the LC Coordinator (sbarter@soka.edu), who will provide multiple orientation sessions for students and faculty.

Q: What if the faculty member I want to work with is not on the LC Faculty roster? 
A: Only faculty scheduled to teach a Learning Cluster can teach a Learning Cluster. The Dean of Faculty will confirm the roster as soon as possible, with the number of faculty based on expected enrollment and the specific faculty members determined by their teaching obligations alongside curricular needs. While we encourage faculty and students to think about potential LCs early on, they should not engage in advanced planning until the teaching roster has been confirmed.

Q: How do LCs relate to my other courses? 
A: LCs are part of the General Education curriculum rather than Concentrations. While instructors often offer LCs in areas where they possess expertise, LCs provide opportunities to branch out and follow student interests. In these intense classes, students should anticipate about three contact hours per day across about 15 days of instruction, with about two hours outside of class (reading, planning, research, writing, and creating) for every hour of in-class time, a workload commensurate with full course load in a regular semester.

Q: How much funding is available to each LC? 
A: Each LC course is allocated a $2000 budget. Instructors may request further funding by submitting a supplementary budget request, with a maximum of $3500 additional funding. Finally, NFF grants are available for up to $35,000 (total budget) to enable travel beyond southern California.

Q: When should I start planning an LC course? 
A: LCs typically take shape in the Fall semester, developing through collaboration between faculty and students. This said, some LC courses take shape earlier, especially those intending to apply for the NFF grant.

Q: How does preregistration work? 
A: Students committed to a particular LC will provide their name and student number to the instructor, who adds this to the LC Registration Form as part of 24 October deadline. Pre-registration is required for travel grant recipients (necessary for booking transportation), and is recommended for students that helped to develop a LC course and for third-year students taking an optional third LC course.

Q: How are Learning Clusters graded? 
A: Students are evaluated in ways consistent with other classes. Completing an LC earns students four credits. Contact hours and workload are commensurate with a course taken during regular semesters, but condensed into three weeks. Students should expect about three contact hours per day across 16 days of instruction, with about two hours outside of class (reading, planning, research, writing, and creating) for every hour of in-class time.

Q: What is the Learning Cluster Fair? 
A: The LC Fair allows students and instructors to exhibit what they learned to the campus and the wider community. On the final day of the Winter block, the campus comes together to experience the educational output of LC classes. This may include performances, artistic displays, videos and photos, posters, games, skits, or other activities that give a window into LC classes. Participation is required for all LCs class and faculty; faculty not participating in the LC Fair may be ineligible for travel funds in subsequent years.

Q: Does my LC require Institutional Review Board (IRB) assent? 
A: If class activities or assignments involves human research subjects, please consult with SUA’s IRB. This can protect the university, including its students, as well as ensure high ethical standards with human participants.

Q: How do I provide honoraria for guest speakers? 
A: All honoraria must be approved by the LC Coordinator. Honoraria are capped at $200 per session for virtual appearances and $300 for in-person appearances, as per the SUA Honoraria Policy. Amounts in excess of these or one speaker obtaining multiple honoraria must be approved by the Dean of Faculty. Preparing honoraria involves two steps: 1) Ask your speaker to fill out a tax form, W9 for US-based speakers or the W-8BEN for international speakers. 2) Review the Honorarium Policy and submit the Honorarium Request Form. You will be required to upload the completed W-9 or W-8BEN to submit the Honorarium Request Form. The Dean’s Office will complete the submission in Workday. Honoraria will be paid after services have been rendered. Please contact Janna Skye (jskye@soka.edu) with questions.

Q: What if we want to take a last-minute field trip? 
A: Field trip and cafeteria meal requests must be submitted at least three work days before the trip. Field trip requests with less than 72 hours’ notice cannot be accommodated, since approval requires the assent and signatures of several offices. Time is required to ensure the trip is appropriate as well as to arrange transport and food.

Q: Are faculty required to fill out a field trip request form, as in other classes? 
A: Instructors must complete the Field Trip Request Form, with a minimum of three days’ notice. Students must sign the Field Trip Risk Acknowledgment and Safety Agreement. All LCs intending to conduct off campus activities should consult the SUA Field Trip Policy.

Q: Are students allowed to arrange their own transportation and drive their cars? 
A: Students may arrange transportation in consultation with the instructor. Please refer to the Lyft Concierge form in the LC Transportation Policy section Students can use personal vehicles and instructors are permitted to drive personal vehicles within their driver’s license class limits, reimbursing mileage at current University rates.

Q: Can faculty rent and drive larger, 12-15 person vans? 
A: Not at this time. California law require a professional, Commercial Driver’s License to transport over 10 persons in a vehicle for a university-linked field trip (but one may drive 12-15 persons without a CDL if it is for a personal trip or vanpool). It appears that faculty without a ‘P’ (Passenger) endorsement are restricted to 10 or fewer persons per vehicle. Most California universities do not allow over ten persons in a vehicle out of safety concerns.

Q: Can we use Uber/Lyft for field trips? 
A: Yes, especially Lyft, with which SUA offers the Concierge service for all field trips. Faculty can request access to the Concierge account through Janna Skye (jskye@soka.edu), and then link their Lyft App to be paid directly by the university. Further details are available on the Lyft Concierge document.

Q: What lodging is appropriate for overnight trips? 
A: This depends on what faculty and students agree is appropriate, as perceptions of safety and comfort vary by person, and depends on the location of the field trip (in another country, camping, or at a hotel). There are some more intuitive rules, such as doors having locks or faculty having separate accommodation. Beyond this, students and faculty should communicate with each other, as your preferences should not be assumed.

Q: What sort of meals are appropriate for field trips? 
A: First, students should communicate their dietary restrictions to the faculty member. To help save costs, field trips should make use of Bon Appetit, requesting breakfasts and lunches on field trips. For longer trips, it is acceptable to dine at restaurants, especially for dinner. It is also acceptable to pay for meals when there are sound pedagogical reasons (i.e., cuisine links to class interest in culture) or when doing so is necessary for meeting with key figures. When eating at restaurants, classes are encouraged to make cost-effective decisions, enabling an efficient use of LC funds and respecting our donors.

Q: What happens if we request meals from the cafeteria for a field trip but no longer need them? 
A: To cancel requested meals, instructors must communicate with the cafeteria and through Teri Chester, providing adequate time for cancellation. Otherwise, all meals must be picked up from the cafeteria as agreed. Failure to pick up meals once they are prepared will result in the LC course budget being charged for the wasted food.

Q: Which expenses can faculty expect students to pay for? 
A: To ensure equal access, students may not contribute persons funds towards required LC activities. Exceptions include textbooks and small, optional expenses such as snacks and souvenirs. This applies to all LCs, whether on campus or abroad.

Q: Is it possible for the university to issue a pre-paid card for necessary expenses to make reimbursement easier? 
A: LCs involving off-campus travel can apply for SUA Corporate expense cards. Faculty should consult with Janna Skye (jskye@soka.edu) for more information; arrangements should be made by late November to ensure adequate processing time.

Q: Can faculty use the leftover cash advance toward other expenses? 
A: Leftover cash advances must be returned and cannot be used for expenses that were not previously approved.

Q: What can we do to ensure safe educational experiences in our LCs? 
A: All classes are expected to consider safety, especially those going on field trips, and all classes gaining supplementary or NFF funding must provide a safety plan of some sort. This includes knowledge of student health issues, student health insurance (typically Anthem Blue Cross with a $400 deductible, see https://soka.myahpcare.com/ for details), nearest medical facilities, and emergency phone numbers.

Q: Which faculty are eligible for supplementary travel funding or NFF grants? 
A: All faculty teaching Learning Cluster, regardless of rank, are eligible for additional course funding, with the following restrictions. First, in the interests of ensuring opportunities for more persons (and not burning out our more adventurous faculty), faculty may not be awarded NFF travel grants in consecutive years. Second, faculty must have a record of responsible use of university funds, including a demonstrated ability to use Workday.

Q: How do I apply for the Nieves Family Foundation (NFF) grant? 
A: Applications require a draft syllabus, detailed budget, list of students, justification for travel, and a tentative list of meetings/activities. Instructors are encouraged to ask previous NFF recipients or the LC Coordinator for advice. Faculty members may not receive a NFF grant in consecutive years. Applications are due in mid-October, with a committee evaluating applications and sometimes requesting modifications or additional information.

Q: What happens if my class does not receive the NFF grant? 
A: We expect that no class applying for an NFF grant is focused only on travel. Faculty and students should be interested in the topic and committed to its educational value regardless of location. If a class is not awarded an NFF grant, it is assumed that the class will continue locally on a similar topic. Education is the goal, not travel and tourism, and those interested in a class only if it travels should reflect on this.

Q: Why do courses involving international travel require waitlists with 1-3 students? How do these work? 
A: It is essential to have a list of confirmed students ready for international travel, enabling the purchase of airline tickets and potential visas. Students are often dropped during pre-registration because they have holds on their accounts or because their names are associated with multiple LC courses, and sometimes students step out for visa related issues. Thus, all classes involving international travel must have waitlists when applying for funds, and the waitlist must be active through at least pre-registration, potentially even after during registration and in the lead-up to courses. Students should be aware that while on a waitlist, they may not enroll in another LC course, as the registrar’s software can only have one course for each name. Thus, the students on waitlist for international travel should be those dedicated to the class, as they have fewer registration options for other preferred courses. One option is to invite third-year students that do not need a third LC course to be on waitlists, as they are especially experienced so may step into a course if someone drops, but may not need to take an LC. In the event that a student is dropped or is forced to withdraw, the spot must go to the next student on the waitlist. If for some reason the waitlist empties and a course has a free spot, it must be filled during regular registration periods, either in November or January, depending on when the vacancy occurs. In emergency situations, instructors must communicate with the LC Coordinator.

Q: How do NFF grant awardees purchase airline tickets? 
A: Ticket prices tend to increase as travel dates approach; as a result, it is recommended that airlines costs estimated in applications reserve 5-10% for potential price increases. In applications, be aware that single ticket estimates from travel websites may not reflect the actual travel costs for groups (it is common that a certain fare has limited seats available) and may exclude baggage or other fees. Tickets may only be purchased after the Registrar’s office approves pre-registration lists, usually in late October, so classes have a full confirmed roster, and only after the LC Coordinator has approved potential revisions. Applicants are encouraged to contact airlines, especially group bookings, to get a sense of their policies. Some airlines allow refundable deposits or to purchase tickets early (i.e., right after the NFF grant has been approved), but provide names and passport information weeks later (i.e., after registration). To purchase tickets, faculty may work through Janna Skye and the SUA travel agent, or may purchase tickets themselves to be reimbursed.

Q: When should an NFF Grant LC depart for travel? 
A: It is recommended that international travel takes place at the end of the first week of the Winter Block. It is expected that on-campus class sessions take place prior to travel to provide foundations and framing for relevant course concepts and empirics. Classes may only spend a total of 12 days, including travel time, off campus. Students are not permitted to travel separately and meet the class at the destination, as faculty and students must travel together, and the student in question would be unable to benefit from pre-departure classes, and would violate the maximum 12 days off campus. Exceptions will be made only in truly exceptional circumstances in consultation with the LC Coordinator and Dean of Faculty.

Q: Who is responsible for visas and related immigration issues? 
A: Faculty and students are expected to factor these expenses into their budgets and are responsible for obtaining proper travel authorization, which includes the cost of the visa as well as potential travel, mailing, or online expenses to obtain it. Faculty and students will be reimbursed provided that relevant costs have been included in the budget. Different passports have different visa requirements; it is recommended that students look into the requirements for their country in the destination country. Classes involved in international travel may wish to consider Visa service companies, such as Global Services (https://g3visas.com/losangeles), CIBT (https://cibtvisas.com), Peninsula (www.peninsulavisa.com/), or Travisa (www.travisa.com/service-fees), but must factor such services into their budget. Third-year students may also have to consider Study Abroad visas, and passports must be valid for at least eight months from the time of application (many countries deny entry to persons whose passports expire within six months of entry). Participants should also ensure that they have relevant reentry documents, such as student visa documentation, a signed I-20 letter, Green Cards, and other information as appropriate (student may wish to have copies of SUA enrollment letters, financial aid, transcript, and proof of residence). To pay for costs associated with obtaining visas, faculty may request a cash advance and provide funds to the student (who must sign for receipt of funds and provide receipts), or the student may be reimbursed by the faculty member, who then seeks reimbursement via Workday with appropriate documentation.

Q: How do we get relevant vaccinations for international travel? How much do they cost? 
A: The cost of vaccinations, if required, must be incorporated in the Travel Grant Application. Faculty and students are responsible for reviewing CDC and State Department guidelines related to the country(ies) they will visit. Conditions in a country can change rapidly, and may vary depending on the region of a country. For many countries, faculty expertise is essential in assessing health and safety needs. Students will be fully reimbursed before the end of the winter block, given that the costs have been included in the proposed budget. The SUA Study Abroad Office recommends vaccinations from Walgreen’s, which offers many travel immunizations through Wellfleet (SUA student medical insurance). Vaccinations may also be available through Saddleback Memorial Hospital, South Coast Medical, and the Soka Health Center, please reach out with inquiries. Another option is Passport Health, a clinic in Laguna Hills that specializes in travel. Finally, there is the OC Healthcare Agency in Santa Ana; OCHA requires appointments, proof of Orange County residency, proof of travel, and a completed questionnaire. Please see the OCHA vaccination price sheet.

Q: Can faculty obtain cash advances for field trips? 
A: As instructors must pay for various expenses once in the field, SUA supports cash advances of up to $5000, with larger advances available if instructors provide a compelling case.

Q: How do I plan and pay for meals during international travel? 
A: Per diems may not exceed $60 US per person, per day, including incidentals and gratuities. Details are provided through the Dean of Faculty’s Travel and Reimbursement Policy. It is likely that some meals in groups can be covered by expense cards or be paid by faculty to be reimbursed. Other meals may involve distributing funds (including cash advances) to students for multiple meals, then managing budgets in the field; students receiving per diem allowances must sign the per diem document acknowledging receipt of funds. Faculty are encouraged not to disburse all per diem funds to students at once, in case money is lost, funds are spent too quickly, or an unexpected number of group meals are covered by the instructor. Per diems given to students are allotted for food and drink, and may not be used to pay for souvenirs or other personal items. Remember, breakfasts may be included in hotel rates. Some lodgings have kitchens, allowing faculty to purchase groceries, which can lower meal costs and make morning departures more efficient. Finally, faculty and students are strongly encouraged to obtain itemized receipts whenever possible, although per diems will be reimbursed without itemized receipts provided students have signed off acknowledging receipt, and per diem costs are within the maximum as well as planned for in the budget proposal.

Q: May I obtain additional funding beyond the NFF Grant? 
A: NFF Grant recipients may not request additional funds from SUA under any circumstances and may not request contributions from students. Provided they do not undertake fundraising efforts on campus, classes may seek external funding sources. Additional funding cannot be used to cover expenses already paid by the NFF grant.

Q: Do you have any additional advice for a successful LC? 
A: Yes! Consider using WhatsApp or a related platform that can be used with internet or mobile data, perhaps create a class WhatsApp group while in the field for the sake of communication. Please keep in mind that while off campus, you are ambassadors for SUA. Behave yourselves. Do not be intrusive with photography, especially with children and religious symbols. Be informed, engaged guests. Dress appropriately. Consider having course materials, business cards, and some small SUA gifts for important meetings.