Policies, Internship Guidance & Risk Mitigation

Faculty members advising and leading internships classes should familiarize themselves with the following internship guidelines. Any questions on policies can be directed to the Career Center Internship Team at internships@csusm.edu.  

CSU and CSUSM Policies

• CSU Student Academic Internships and Community Engaged Learning Policy
• CSUSM Student Internship Policy
• CSUSM Guide to Risk Management for Experiential Learning  

Internship Pay Structure Policies

Students may work in a paid or unpaid internship for Academic Credit. For an internship to be allowed as unpaid, it must pass the FLSA – Paid intern checklist which established that the student is the primary beneficiary of the internship experience.  

• Unpaid or Stipend Paid Internships
  Unpaid or stipend paid internships (including 1099 contractual work) require the University Community Partnership Agreement, as workers' compensation is not offered. This agreement establishes guidelines that allow for safe and positive learning environments where the risk and liability have been minimized for all parties.
• W2 Paid Internships
  Paid internships require that students be hired as W-2 employees, compensated at or above minimum hourly wage, and covered under workers’ compensation and liability insurance.

Guidelines For Approving Internships

Things to consider when approving student internship placements

• Hour Requirements
  Internships must meet the hour requirement for the course, roughly 90-120 hours for a 3 unit course.
• Clerical and Office Duties
  Clerical and routine office duties should be kept to a minimum (less than 20%).
• 1:1 Work with Minors
  If the intern is not considered a W-2 employee, students cannot work 1:1 with minors without proper supervision.
• Cannabis
  Internships associated in any way with cannabis, smoking, or vaping, or internship activities that violate campus policy or federal law will not be approved.
• Transporting Clients
  Students may not transport clients/consumers of their field internship agency at any time for any reason.
• Home-Based Businesses
  Home-based businesses may be approved once required criteria are met. Furthermore, a site visit may be required but does not guarantee approval.
• Door-To-Door and Direct Sales
  Students are not permitted to participate in door-to-door sales, telemarketing, canvassing, or cold calling of any kind.
• Internship at Current Place of Employment
  Students wishing to use their job as their internship experience must seek pre-approval from their course instructor to ensure that the experience is above and beyond the student’s regular work duties.
• Interning for Faculty Supervisor
  To avoid a conflict of interest, students are not permitted to intern at businesses in which their current faculty supervisor has an ownership stake, nor may a faculty member be both a site supervisor and a faculty supervisor.
• Interning for Family
  To avoid a conflict of interest, students are not permitted to intern in family-owned businesses (in other words, if a member of their own family owns the business) or to be supervised by an immediate member of the family (i.e., father, mother, sibling).
• Retroactive Internships
  Internships cannot be approved retroactively.
• Remote Internships

  Students may partake in remote opportunities. To ensure the student is properly supported, we advise the following structure is put into place:  

  • At least 1 weekly structured meeting with the supervisor and intern. Any meetings should be online or, if in person, on the CSUSM campus, in an office, or public setting (not in a personal home)   

  • Very clear job description and weekly work assignments for the intern  

  • Easily accessible support from the company with tools such as communication platforms (Slack, Teams, Google Chat)     

  • Set hours of work with professional boundaries set for the intern and the supervisor 

  • Clearly state on the job posting if any hardware or software will be provided to an intern or if the student must utilize their personal device(s)/resource(s) for the internship 

Additional Topics and Resources

• International Internships
  International Students or Domestic Students in an International Experience should consult with the Office of Global Education for work authorization. Please also contact our office at internships@csusm.edu at least 6 months in advance of the internship experience to start the process of onboarding an international internship site.
  Note: Dependent on agreement of terms, not all sites may be approved.
• Reasonable Accommodations
  Consult with the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) for providing reasonable accommodations for eligible students.
• Background Checks
  Background checks are the responsibility of the student if required by the site. CSUSM UPD can provide LiveScan service to students for a fee.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  TB tests are the responsibility of the student if required by the site. SHCS provides TB tests for a fee; call 760-750-4915 to schedule an appointment.
• Concerns About an Internship Site

  Students concerned about their internship site can report it directly to the Career Center Internships Team via email at internships@csusm.edu or via this form: Internship Concern Form.

  Faculty are encouraged to reach out to the Career Center Internships Team to report a concern via email at internships@csusm.edu.

Required Student Compliance Forms

The Career Center is the central point for ensuring student safety, compliance and all related paperwork.
Information collected and provided during the student placement process in S4 include:

• Safety Orientation & Professionalism Video for Students
• Student Participation Form
  (Emergency contact information, site supervisor information, learning outcomes and more.)
• Liability Release Form