Memo Of Understanding

College/Agency Memo of Understanding

Messiah College Database Applications Practicum

1. Purpose. A Messiah College Database Applications Practicum provides an educational strategy whereby students complement their academic preparation with direct practical experience. The effort to combine a productive work experience with an intentional learning component is a proven method for promoting the academic, personal, and career development of students. Your participation in the Messiah College Database Applications Practicum by sponsoring students exhibits your interest and commitment to this educational strategy.

2. Responsibilities. To help insure the interests of and promote the benefits of a practicum for all parties involved, Messiah College has developed this memorandum of understanding to describe the mutual responsibilities between the College and your organization Harrisburg Habitat for Humanity hereinafter named as Agency.

   1. Responsibilities of the College.

      1. To encourage the student's productive contribution to the overall mission of the Agency;
      2. To certify the student's academic eligibility to participate in a practicum;
      3. To establish guidelines and standards for the conduct of its program and to make these guidelines and standards available to the Agency;
      4. To designate Brian Nejmeh, a faculty member, to serve as advisor to the student with responsibilities to assist in setting learning objectives, to confer with Agency personnel, to monitor the progress of the assignment and to evaluate the academic performance of the student;
      5. To maintain communication with the Agency and to clarify Messiah College policies and procedures;
      6. To maintain the confidentiality of any information obtained about the Agency;
      7. To provide public liability insurance and such professional liability insurance as may be reasonably required for each participating student and faculty member;
      8. To inform students prior to the practicum that the student is not entitled to unemployment compensation benefits upon completion of the internship experience;
      9. To enforce any additional rules and procedures that are mutually agreed upon in advance in writing between Messiah College and the Agency.

   2. Responsibilities of the Agency

      1. To encourage and support the learning aspect of the student's practicum assignment;
      2. To designate an employee to serve as student advisor with responsibilities to help orient the student to the Agency and its culture, to assist in the development of learning objectives for a database project, to confer regularly with the student and his/her faculty representative, and to monitor progress of the student;
      3. To provide adequate supervision for the student and to assign duties that are career-related, progressive and challenging;
      4. To make available equipment, supplies, and space necessary for the student to perform his/her duties;
      5. To provide safe working facilities;
      6. To not displace regular workers with students secured through internship referral;
      7. To notify College personnel of any changes in the student's work status, schedule, or performance;
      8. To allow Brian Nejmeh, faculty representative, to conduct at least one visit to the work site to confer with the student and his/her supervisor;
      9. To provide periodic written appraisals of the student's performance (forms to be provided by Brian Nejmeh) as requested by Brian Nejmeh;
      10. To communicate to College personnel Agency policies and standards that affect the student.

3. Terms of Practicum. This practicum arrangement is for one academic term, February through the first week of May, or a period agreed upon by the Agency and Messiah College. In the event that the Agency is dissatisfied with the performance of a student, termination of the practicum arrangement can be requested by the Agency but only after College personnel have been notified in advance and a satisfactory resolution cannot be obtained. Conversely, the College may request termination of the internship arrangement for any student not complying with College guidelines and procedures for the practicum program as long as Agency personnel have been notified in advance and satisfactory resolution cannot be obtained.

4. Duration of Agreement. This memorandum of understanding shall continue in effect from February 1, 2003 through May 15, 2003.

Any questions regarding the Database Applications Practicum program, its procedures, or this memorandum should be referred to: Brian Nejmeh, Messiah College, Grantham, PA 17027; e-mail bnejmeh@messiah.edu