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Home » Faculty & Administrators » Committees » SCIE »

System Council on International Education - Meeting Agenda

University System of Georgia System Council on International Education
Friday, September 24, 2004, 10:00am - 2:00pm

Minutes

bold text = substitute

Packet handouts:

• Final Agenda
• Draft of the "Vision & Goals for International Education in the University System of Georgia "
• Strategic Agenda for 2004-2005
• Chancellor's Budget Principles
• Chancellor's Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Shortfall
• OIE's FY05 Budget

The meeting began at 10:15am and ended promptly at 2:00pm

Rick started off by thanking everybody for readjusting their schedules for this rescheduled meeting (due to Hurricane Ivan).

Rick asked that the new System Council members please introduce themselves. Those who were present did so - they were:

• Ulf Kirchdorfer
• Dlynn Armstrong-Williams
• Patrick Brennan
• Peggy Ellington (filling in for Phil Szmedra)

Next the Council Chairs (Saba Jallow, Tracy Harrington, Lynn Fedeli and co Mark Patterson, and Dan Paracka) were introduced.

The meeting was opened to anyone with any announcements to make; and those were:

1. Karen Guffey led the announcements with that of her new book, " Barcelona for Students." Contact information will be sent out in the form of an email.
2. Beth Biron announced Dalton 's new program in China
3. Nancy Shumaker announced Georgia Southern's new program in the Czech Republic ; geared towards the sciences, the program is good for freshmen and sophomores.
4. Tracy Harrington announced that Valdosta also has a new Maymester Czech program focused on Psychology and Education. Valdosta also has a new, small program in Guadalajara , Mexico focusing on social work.
5. Coastal and Armstrong have a new program in Mendoza , Argentina geared for Communication, Education, and Geology.
6. Armstrong and Kennesaw have a 3.5 week program in Chile geared toward Clinical Science, Visual Arts, Anthropology, and for students who want a Latin experience without a Spanish language requirement.
7. Chaudron Gille was accepted for 20 months of training with the NAFSA Academy for Leadership Development. Also, she announced, for the first time Gainesville College is offering a small amount of funding for study abroad.
8. Fort Valley State University recently received funding from USAID/UNCF in Brazil for developing curriculum materials.
9. Georgia College and State University recently received cooperation from the School of International Training .

Rick gave his Director's Report, beginning with the increasing importance of the Charge to the Council (Chapter 8, Page 4 of the Briefing Book). Rick reminded the Council that it is their job to make sure information from meetings and related opportunities reach the people on their individual campuses. The Council members are to:

• Move from a symbolic role to a role requiring that members sign-off on applications (i.e. Chancellor's Award, Best Practices, etc.) - this will advocate and reinforce Council members' role as campus representatives
• Appoint official delegates from their campuses as institution representatives in the World Council
• Join Nancy, Bill, and Jim in their committees (International Students and Scholars, Faculty and Curriculum, and Study Abroad respectively)
• Manage STARS programs at individual institutions
• Report study abroad data (electronic forms will be sent out on Monday 9/27) before October 15, 2004

Tracy Harrington asked (after saying how much he supports the charge) about signing off, and would this new requirement be sent to the chief academic officers of the USG schools. Rick responded that all of the Chief Academic officers would be receiving a briefing book, including the new charge to the council, but that he would add a cover letter referring specifically to this change.

Rick highlighted the results of the August retreat - a session of brainstorming between the committee chairs, World Council chairs, and OIE - which can be found in the blue handout titled, "Draft: Vision and Goals for International Education in the University System of Georgia."

The first platform: how do we build it, strengthen it, prioritize it (see Vision statement).

Goal 1 - Build USG identity to achieve peer recognition as the best international University System in the country. Dan Paracka points out that he spoke with NAFSA and learned that none of the other states in the Southeast region have offices such as the Office of International Education to pull international education, and that in terms of our region, we are the leader. Rick explains that the mention of the University System of Georgia brings thoughts of the "HOPE Scholarship;" whereas Rick's goal is for the USG to bring thoughts of "International Education."

Goal 2 - Strengthen the core components of international education across all USG institutions.

This draft is meant to be a stimulus to further thought and action.

Some ideas are mentioned:

1. Dan Paracka wants to push the international fee
2. John Hicks wants to incorporate more pleas for budgetary help, and adds that one goal should be "increase budgetary resources at the strategic level"
3. Nancy Shumaker wants to engage upper-level administrators in study abroad programs
4. Dlynn Armstrong-Williams points out that international studies is being divvied up amongst staff to avoid new positions. She would like to add a goal for centralization . Some problems with centralization surface, so John Hicks suggests the goal be for coordination as GSU for example has experienced decentralization.
5. Jim Anderson adds that it might be best to say something to the effect of, "generally, centralization works best..."
6. Gerald McIntosh wants to work toward convincing those involved (i.e. Financial Aid) that not all is against board policy.
7. Chaudron Gille is experiencing backlash for how expensive international programs are. Some members of the committee agree they've experienced the same while others say they've not experienced this, or have even experienced the opposite.

The Strategic Agenda (see black and white handout) also came out of the retreat.

1. Promote, advocate, and publicize international education
   who on campuses (i.e. public relations) or what representatives would be good with this. Good political skills are necessary, and one key would be hitting legislators.
2. Strengthen Communication
   role of council as the key source for disseminating and collecting information. Gerald McIntosh asks about moving ad hoc to something more permanent.
3. Strengthen international education partnerships between USG sectors

FY05 Current Budget (see Chancellor's Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Shortfall handout):

• $382 million cut in budget reductions
• Additional $68 million cut after budge was approved and signed
• Governor is avoiding shifting payrolls
• Mid-year tuition increase to save $68 million before the end of the year
• Non-instructional units (and most international programs are classified as this) will suffer the most.

OIE must work to maintain its key priorities while eliminating, suspending, or cutting back others (refer to green OIE budget handout).

Eliminated, suspended, or cut back:

• The Hispanic Task Force Project (special funding) has been cut out all together.
• The Special Funding Initiative (funded by special projects) and Hispanic Initiatives have been eliminated at: UGA, Dalton , Georgia Southern, and ABAC.
• Best Practices were cut back to a very small monetary award this year (3 honorary awards - responses to applications will be sent soon), and there will be no competition next spring.
• Suspended: Global Partnerships, Best Practices, GLOSSARI, SCIS Membership
• Probably never again funded: European Union, Latin American Studies scholarships, and Russian Studies scholarships

Preserved :

• STARS (kept at nearly 100%)
• European Council Position
• ISEP Program
• GILC
• SEMAU
• Teaching Symposium
• World Regional Councils and Committees

Continued but reduced :

• Underserved Study Abroad (25%)
• Chancellor's Awards (46%)
• NSEP on-line languages (23%)
• Regional Campus Workshops (67%)

Restoration Priorities (should monies become available):

• Chancellor's Awards
• GLOSSARI
• Advocacy Committee
• STARS

FY05 is bad, but FY06 is worse ...

FY06 System Budget (see Chancellor's handout on Budget Principles)

• Formula funding will no longer be included (enrollment funding is kaput)
• Per student appropriation from state has fallen from $8128 in 2002 to $6437 in 2005.
• Instruction at a home campus will (generally) take precedence over off-campus instruction (see Principle #10) ... this poses a threat to study abroad.

Tracy Harrington points out the new vulnerability of international education and foresees losing the grounds we've gained.

John Hicks echoes this sentiment, stressing that everyone must work to not lose the ground gained by:

• Emphasizing international education incorporated at the institutional level
• Building allies on campus
• Integrating to provide a base of support (in turn reducing vulnerability)

Claude Perkins reiterates what John Hicks has said.

Jim Anderson says we can use less money as an advantage - to see the idea of study abroad rather than selling the scholarships. Jim emphasizes education.

Chris Bourdavalis asks if this Budget fall reflects the economy (and should expect to rise or fall) or thinking on education.

Rick laments that it seems to him to be a new way of looking at education (policy changes). Rick points out that Georgia is said to be moving from "state funded" to "state affiliated."

Other System News :

Right now, there is a Statewide Assessment in which institution names, sectors, and missions are open for official change.

There is new focus on research institutions, and there is talk that Gwinnett State College will join the USG as the 35 th institution.

Those who take advantage of USG's free courses will no longer need to show courses are job related.

There will be a gala in November working as a fund raiser and will:

• stress the foundation has served to raise money for scholarships.
• hope to raise proceeds to fund at least $5000 in scholarships for each USG campus

Atlanta was awarded (CIFAL) as the first North American training center for training local government officials (CIFAL's presence in Atlanta will be a training arm focused on Information and Communication Technologies).

SCIE Meetings:

The retreat resulted in a recommendation for three (shorter) meetings per year including some changes in format.

Proposed meeting dates are:

• September 24, 2004
• January 21, 2004
• April 1, 2005

It was also recommended that we have invited presentations. Rick calls for opinions:

• Dlynn Williams-Armstrong thinks the SCIE should focus on money-giving groups such as NAFSA
• John Hicks agrees, and suggests further the State Department
• Saba Jallow requests grant writing workshops
• Gerald McIntosh seconds that motion
• Rick says grant writing workshops would be separate from SCIE meetings
• Neal McCrillis suggests other campuses which do well with study abroad/intl students
• Dan Paracka suggests ACE
• Tracy Harrington adds international student sponsor groups (i.e. IREX)

John Hicks introduces to the meeting the Lincoln Scholarship Commission, expressing his belief that it will be funded, and asking how we can link in to it. Rick postpones this discussion until study abroad is discussed after lunch.

World Regional Councils

Rick introduces the 2004-2005 charges to the World Regional Councils. There are proposed new mission statements and by-laws to link the WRC's.

Saba Jallow highlights what is going on with the Africa Council . . .
Details may be accessed at: http://www.gpc.edu/~jkahiga/usac.html

Mark Patterson highlights what is going on with the Americas Council . . .
Details may be accessed at: http://www.kennesaw.edu/ac/

Dan Paracka highlights what is going on with the Asia Council . . .
Details may be accessed at: http://www.kennesaw.edu/globalinstitute/council.htm

Tracy Harrington highlights what is going on with the European Council . . .
Details may be accessed at: http://www.valdosta.edu/europeancouncil/index.shtml

Study Abroad (Jim Anderson and Alison McCubbin)

• Programs with 0-10 students are attracting more grants
• Working on mini-workshops focused on Financial Aid people, Registrars, etc.
• Alison gives the study abroad numbers (see Chapter 1 of the briefing book)
• Funding request for FY06 STARS will be sent out soon with a deadline of April 1, 2005
• Sue gives ISEP update (see Rick's powerpoint slides)
• Increased reports of tenure-track faculty being discouraged to teach study abroad programs. Institutions want more research instead.
• Alison introduces this year's new study abroad catalog on CD
• Regents task force
• Standards of Good Practice will be discussed at the November meeting
• Lincoln Study Abroad Program could make a potentially significant impact

International Students and Scholars (Nancy Shumaker)

• Encourage reps from each campus for SEVIS (listserv)
• Georgia International Leadership Conference - looking for experienced students to serve as peers/mentors for first-time students
• Updating ESL information with a new survey - a final report will be submitted to SCIE
• International scholars on campuses are happy to talk at other institutions; however, there needs to be a way to let everybody know who/what is available/interested
• Tracy Harrington adds that sharing scholars is great, and there are plenty of Fulbright visiting scholars here who are required to travel and speak
• The (3-yr) insurance contract is up - looking to have a new insurance policy by Fall '05

Some Council members encourage advertising in Hobson's (NAFSA endorsed), and feel the results are worth the high price. Valdosta previously received a 50% discount.

Faculty and Curriculum (Bill Schaniel)

• Faculty development seminar for senior administrators (the more involved, the better)
• Neal McCrillis' 3 rd annual Teaching Across Curriculum workshop
• Set up ad-hoc committee to discuss best practices & to work w/study abroad committee
• Rick mentions the (Georgia Tech) arrested faculty member as well as the government's denial of a visa for a Notre Dame professor. Hopefully these are isolated incidents, but are worthy of concern

Minutes Prepared and Submitted by Carrie Sloan

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