1) Key IEP program administration terms for those new to the industry or transitioning into intensive language program administration 2) Concise overview of essential terms and their significance

1. Vocabulary for
Intensive English Program
Administration
ERIN N. O’REILLY, PHD
JUNE 2017
INTENSIVE ENGLISH INSTITUTE | UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

2. OVERVIEW & PURPOSE
 Key IEP program administration terms for those new to the industry or
transitioning into intensive language program administration
 Concise overview of essential terms and their significance
 Facilitate learning and enhance effectiveness in administrative roles

3. IEP
 Intensive English Program – A language program geared towards English
language learners who have completed high school (at a minimum), IEPs provide
intensive English instruction for a variety of purposes – academic, professional,
personal enrichment.
 Not to be confused with an ESL course offered to international Undergrads/Grads
who are fully enrolled in an academic program and who are taking supplementary
ESL as a condition of their enrollment or in lieu of a mainstream English
composition course.
 Some IEPs will house both the IEP and the ESL courses.
 Some IEPs are private businesses independent of an academic host.
 Some IEPs are run as non-profits attached to other organizations (e.g., religious,
refugee, military, etc.)

4. IMMIGRATION

5. ICE (Not INS)
 Did you know that INS is no longer a 'thing'?
 Even though it still plays a leading role in CSI, the INS was replaced by ICE –
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. SEVIS falls under the purview of ICE.
 An ICE officer could come to your program and request to see your non-
immigrant student records – never happened on my watch, but hypothetically
possible.

6. SEVIS
 A government agency operated under ICE,
SEVIS is the organization that tracks
international students in the U.S.
 Note: SEVIS website also has one of the
most ridiculous password security
protocols on the planet.

7. PDSO
 Principal Designated School Official – The employee in the school/department
with added responsibilities of maintaining the school's I-17, or eligibility
requirements for issuing the I-20, and who tells me very nicely when I've made a
mistake or when one of my ideas is illegal.

8. DSO
 Designated School Official – One of the employees within a school/department
with the ability to issue the I-20, or official form needed for a student to apply for
an F-1 student visa.

9. I-17
THIS IS THE LEGAL FORM THAT
ALLOWS THE SCHOOL TO ISSUE
THE I-20 THROUGH SEVIS.
PROGRAMS MUST BE
ACCREDITED TO HAVE AN I-17.

10. I-20
 This is a legal document issued by the school to a prospective student that entitles
him/her to apply for an F1 visa, a non-immigrant student visa.
 Emphasis on non-immigrant.
 Students on an F-1 visa must be enrolled in a full course of study. For IEPs, this
means 18 or more contact hours of class per week.
 IEPs must be accredited to be able to issue an I-20.

11. F1/F2 Visa
 Non-immigrant student visas for language and academic programs – emphasis on
non-immigrant. These are students who intend to come the U.S. for a specific
period of time and then return to their home countries.
 In order to be granted and F1/F2 visa, the student must demonstrate that s/he
intends to return (e.g., home or business interests, family ties, etc.).
 The F1 is for the student. F2 is the dependent (spouse or child).
 The vast majority of US-based IEPs rely on international students coming into the
country on F1 visas.

12. DS-2019
THIS IS THE LEGAL DOCUMENT
THAT THE SCHOOL ISSUES TO
"EXCHANGE VISITORS",
ALLOWING THEM TO APPLY
FOR A J1 VISA.
J1 VISAS ARE USED FOR
VISITING SCHOLARS.

13. B1/B2
 B1 = business visa; B2 = tourist visa.
 B1s can come into the country for 'professional training'. If an IEP offers a short-
term, professional program, then the student could come in on a B1 instead and
F1.
 What's the difference? Program focus, visa processing time, and money.
 Program participants on a tourist visa should be taking significantly fewer than 18
hours per week. They should have come into the country for a primary purpose
other than language classes. In essence, their language program should be
incidental to their visit.

14. Port of Entry
THE PHYSICAL LOCATION
WHERE AN INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT (OR OTHER
INTERNATIONAL INDIVIDUAL)
ENTERS THE U.S.
HEAVEN HELP YOU IF YOU HAVE
A MINOR DETAINED AT A PORT
OF ENTRY…

15. TRANSFER
A STUDENT WHO WAS AT A
DIFFERENT IEP AND NOW WANTS
TO ENROLL IN YOUR IEP.
THERE ARE ALSO STUDENTS WHO
WILL TRANSFER OUT OF YOUR IEP
TO OTHER PROGRAMS.

16. Authorized Early
Withdraw
A STUDENT WHO LEAVES THE
IEP BEFORE THE END OF THE
COURSE OF STUDY. THIS
HAPPENS FOR VARIOUS
REASONS (FAMILY, MEDICAL,
ETC.), AND DOESN'T AFFECT
THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.

17. GOOD STANDING
 In order for an F1 visa holder to be eligible to continue his/her stay in the U.S.,
s/he must stay in good standing. This includes making normal progress in a
course of study (in this case learning language) and going to class.
 Believe it or not, IEPs take attendance and monitor the hours of class missed. If
students miss a certain percentage over the course of their stay, they are no
longer in good standing and this can jeopardize their visa status.

18. INDUSTRY TERMINOLOGY

19. UCIEP
 The University and College Intensive
English Program consortium. A
professional membership group
comprised of some 70 IEPs housed under
4-year academic institutions. The group is
heavily involved in advocacy and pushes
for the professionalization and recognition
of IEPs within the university context.

20. CEA
 The Commission on English Language Accreditation is
a specialized accreditor under the Dept. of Education
that accredits IEPs. Accreditation is not limited to
university-based IEPs, but includes non-profits, for-
profits, overseas institutions, etc.
 An IEP must be accredited to be eligible for an I-17.
Those programs not under the regional accreditation
of a 2- or 4- year program seek accreditation with
CEA in order to enroll students on F1 visas.

21. PROPRIETARY
A PRIVATELY OPERATED IEP
NOT UNDER THE FINANCIAL
AND ADMINISTRATIVE
CONTROL OF A COLLEGE,
UNIVERSITY OR SIMILAR NON-
PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

22. SHORELIGHT
 An innovative LLC started in 2013, Shorelight is a for-profit company that partners
with university programs to facilitate international student recruitment. Students
come into a hybrid English/academic program and transition to full academic
study as their English proficiency improves.
 Learn More Here:
https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/people.asp?privcapId=2704
43402

23. INTO
SIMILAR TO SHORELIGHT, INTO
OPERATES AS THE PRIVATELY
HELD IEP ON 4-YEAR
CAMPUSES.

24. PIE
 Professionals in International
Education: This is the industry magazine
for those involved with international
education.
 The focus is truly global, which gives a
good perspective of industry trends.
 Learn More Here:
https://thepienews.com/

25. NAFSA
 NAFSA is the 'world's largest non-profit association dedicated to international
education'. NAFSA, as an acronym, doesn't actually stand for anything – which is
slightly confusing to the initiate.
 The annual international conference for NAFSA makes the TESOL convention pale
in comparison. This is the convention to go to if you are an international
education professional. The convention attracts government types, embassy
representatives, and every major (and minor) player in international education. The
professional development opportunities make it worth each costly penny. This is
where those involved in international education make it rain.
 Learn More Here: http://www.nafsa.org/

26. HEIS
THE TESOL INTERNATIONAL HIGHER
EDUCATION INTEREST SECTION
(IS). THIS INTEREST SECTION HAS A
WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS
FOCUSED ON VARIOUS ISSUES OF
ESL IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION
TEXT. THE I.S. ENJOYS A VIBRANT
MEMBERSHIP – A LARGE PORTION
OF WHOM WORK IN IEPS.

27. PAIS
 Program Administration Interest Section. The PAIS interest section is focused
on language program administration issues. Highly recommend joining this if you
are a language program administrator.
 Paradoxically, this interest section is not as vibrant as HEIS – probably because all
of the program administrators are over-worked and putting out administrative
fires. No rest for the weary!

28. EnglishUSA
 This non-profit provides support,
standards, and advocacy for intensive
English programs in the USA. They engage
in lobbying in D.C., host an annual IEP
professional development conference, and
run an active membership list serve for
Q&A mainly focused on program
administration and curriculum issues.
 Learn More Here:
http://www.englishusa.org/

29. OPEN DOORS
 Open Doors®, supported by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, is a comprehensive information resource
on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education
institutions in the United States, and U.S. students studying abroad for academic
credit at their home colleges or universities.
 They publish an annual report on international student mobility trends.
 Learn More Here: https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors

30. CIEE
 A nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, CIEE is the oldest and largest
nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization in the US.
CIEE administers several grant opportunities, including Fulbright pre-academic
intensive English programming for international scholars
 Learn More Here: https://www.ciee.org/

31. PROGRAMMING & INSTRUCTION

32. PATHWAY
 An IEP program that offers courses that will lead to entry into an academic
program (undergraduate/graduate). Typically, a student will be conditionally
admitted into the academic program contingent upon successfully completing the
highest level of the IEP. The incoming student can bypass standardized English
tests and go on to get a degree.
 The million dollar question is: Does passing the highest level of an IEP guarantee
that the student is prepared linguistically for academic study? This is where
ensuring a rigorous academic program becomes critical, otherwise the academic
departments will balk and the students will struggle.

33. BRIDGE
 Similar to a pathway, bridge programs offer concurrent enrollment with IEP/ESL
courses and academic coursework. This is usually scaffolded depending on the
student's proficiency level. Lower proficiency equals more ESL, and less academic
coursework. Higher proficiency equals less ESL, and more academic content work.

34. Progression
THE TERM USED TO DESCRIBE
A STUDENT'S MOVEMENT
FROM ONE LEVEL TO THE
NEXT IN AN INTENSIVE
ENGLISH PROGRAM.

35. Progression Rates – Progression Tracking
 The statistical calculation of how many of a program's students move from one
level to the next.
 Of specific interest is the question of patterns: Do certain levels cause problems
with progression? Certain student profiles? What does the data tell you?

36. FINANCES

37. RECRUITMENT
THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING
IN ACTIVITIES TO ATTRACT
NEW STUDENTS TO THE IEP.

38. ARMCHAIR
RECRUITMENT
THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING
IN ACTIVITIES TO ATTRACT
NEW STUDENTS WITHOUT
TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY.

39. AGENT
 Someone who recruits students for a program in return for a percentage of the
student's tuition (somewhere between 5%-35% depending on the program).
 I recently recall learning that agents recruiting for the U.S. are demanding higher
cuts given the climate challenges we're facing. Cheeky, but savvy.

40. RECRUITER
SOMEONE WORKING TO
BRING IN STUDENTS.
TYPICALLY, RECRUITERS ARE
EMPLOYED BY THE
PROGRAM/SCHOOL. BUT I'VE
HEARD THIS TERM USED
INTERCHANGEABLY WITH
AGENT.

41. RECRUITMENT
FAIR
AN EVENT ORGANIZED BY A
PRIVATE COMPANY OR FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT OVERSEAS THAT
BRINGS TOGETHER DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS IN 1 LOCATION.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND
PARTNERS CAN VISIT AND TALK
TO SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES –
WITH THE AIM OF GETTING
STUDENTS TO ENROLL.

42. ROI
 Return on Investment – A business term. Very relevant to IEPs involved with
recruitment expenses. ROI tracks the outlay of money, time, and effort, to recruit
new student bodies into the program.
 ROI is notoriously difficult to track.
 ROIIE.com is a nifty (free) resource to help those in the international education
industry look at different quantitative and qualitative metrics.

43. STAFFING

44. Contingent / Adjunct
 Teachers who do not have fulltime academic year contracts – or if they do, the
contracts are year-by-year (no tenure).
 As an industry, ESL is much more volatile than its 2-4 year academic counterpart.
This makes sense since students may enroll in 1-2 semesters of language study,
but 4-6 years of academic study. As such, the IEP industry is heavily dependent on
contingent/adjunct teachers. There are many hidden costs to this model, but it
allows for maximum flexibility for the small IEP business.

45. FRINGE (a.k.a. Loaded Labor Costs)
 An additional percentage of a salary on top of the base salary for which a
business/organization is responsible.
 Fringe typically includes: health insurance, unemployment insurance, social
security, matching retirement, etc. Depending on the state, fringe can range from
20%-50% of the annual salary. These costs are usually hidden to the employee,
but painfully acute for the employer.

46. OVERLOAD
 Workload above and beyond a fulltime appointment.
 Depending on the organization, overloads can be paid as a percentage of salary or
lump sum.
 Overloads are convenient for last-minute classes or course development
assignments.

47. 2:1 PREP
 2:1 Prep (or any ratio thereof): The first number is the number of classes a teacher
is teaching. The second number reflects how many different classes the teacher
has. In this case, the teacher is teaching the same class two times, a very
manageable workload.
 A 3:3 Prep would be much more time intensive, especially if the teacher hasn't
taught the classes previously.

48. 3/3 LOAD
3/3 LOAD (OR ANY RATIO
THEREOF): THIS REFERS TO THE
TEACHING LOAD IN THE FA/SP
SEMESTER, RESPECTIVELY. IN
THIS CASE, THE TEACHER HAS
3 CLASSES IN THE FALL AND 3
CLASSES IN THE SPRING.

49. Pleasure in the job puts
perfection in the work.
~ARISTOTLE