Faculty Advisor Responsibilities

The faculty advisor is the instructor for the learning experience. The advisor assists the student intern to formulate attainable, measureable, learning outcomes.

Students work with a faculty advisor from the beginning of the internship process. As an advisor, faculty must meet with students (either in person or online) to discuss their progress toward completing the learning objectives and written assignments that are part of the internship. During the semester the faculty advisory will conduct one site visit per the Title 5, California Code of Regulations, section 55255. The site visit provides the opportunity for the faculty advisory and work supervisor to meet in person to discuss the student’s progress during the semester. The faculty advisor will determine the student’s final grade.

Checklist for Faculty Advisors

The following checklist highlights the necessary steps for faculty supervision of a student intern at Orange Coast College.

Step 1: Faculty Advisory Expectations: Agree to serve as a faculty supervisor for a student during the course of his or her internship.

Step 2: Networking: When possible, help the intern in the search for opportunities.

Step 3: Student Learning Outcomes: Work with the student to develop the Internship Learning Outcomes contract. This assistance includes helping the student formulate learning outcomes and academic assignments, as well as negotiating the level of supervision and methods of evaluation. The Learning Outcomes contract will be submitted with the Internship Approval Form to the academic dean for approval.

Step 4: Site Visits: The faculty advisory will conduct one site visit per the Title 5, California Code of Regulations, section 55255. The site visit provides the opportunity for the faculty advisory and work supervisor to meet with in person to discuss the student’s progress during the semester. The student does not need to be present when the visit occurs. Contact the site supervisor and initial by the name of the site supervisor on the Internship Approval Form within the first six (6) weeks of the semester. The faculty supervisor’s signature is required on the completed Learning Outcomes contract. A faculty advisory visitation form is provided for your convenience.

Step 5: Communication: Maintain appropriate contact with the intern and site supervisor throughout the duration of the internship. Initiate a phone call to the student intern and site supervisor sometime during the first ten days of the semester/summer session to establish contact and open communication.

Step 6: Writing Assignment: Meet with students monthly to discuss journal and review internship experience. It is recommended that you meet with your internship students in a group. Peer review and sharing the experience is a valuable learning tool and facilitates continued learning.

Step 7: Evaluation: Meet with the student intern at the end of the internship to review the student’s work and to provide closure to the process.

Step 8: Final Grades: Verify student enrollment, evaluate student performance, review the employer evaluation, determine if credit should be granted and submit a final grade to the Job Placement/Internship office for each student intern.