Future
study abroad programs threatened
By
Samantha Britland
On-line Forty-Niner
Future
summer study abroad educational programs
may be in jeopardy due to recent educational
budget cuts affecting all departments.
The
Cal State Long Beach Academic Affairs Office,
along with the Dean's Office said they have
noticed that enrollment for summer study
abroad programs has been relatively low
in comparison to other summer courses and
may threaten the longevity of the program.
Each
college has a faculty budget for each term.
It had been discussed that the summer abroad
programs have relatively low enrollment
when compared to a course taught on campus,
according to Keith Polakoff, associate vice
president for academic affairs graduate
and undergraduate programs.
"We
have specifically tried to reserve funds
to protect the summer abroad program,"
Polakoff said.
A
decision was agreed upon by the college
deans and the Academic Affairs Office for
the summer 2004 program. Each college will
fund one-third of the cost, and the Academic
Affairs Office will fund two-thirds. The
summer study abroad program is developed
by college professors interested in taking
a group of 12 to15 students to another country
to learn. The program lengths vary, but
are usually about six weeks.
Cecilia
Fidora, assistant director, Center for International
Education for Study Abroad Services explained
that the faculty decide on the programs
and submit proposals to the International
Education Committee for approval. Last summer
four professors took students to different
countries including Cuba and Mexico. Fidora
said she feels that the issues with the
program funding are with salary budget constraints,
and compensating the professors that take
about 12 students abroad versus a professor
that can teach approximately 50 students
at CSULB. The problem is not with the professors
themselves, but with paying a professor
to teach 12 students rather than 50.
"It
is a faculty problem in funding teachers,"
Fidora said.
At
this time Fidora said she was not aware
of any cuts to this summer's program, but
said "in the future [the summer program]
may not be guaranteed." Fidora also
said she thought that this was strange for
the program cut to be considered as the
trend in summer programs have been growing.
The
budget problem has only been resolved for
next summer's study abroad program.
The
regular yearlong study abroad programs are
not at risk of deletion. These programs
are run and funded by the Cal State University
Chancellor's Office and have been in existence
for many years. These programs are more
secure because the entire CSU school system
shares the burden and the professors do
not go abroad with the students. Students
from all CSUs can be involved in the programs,
Polakaff said.
The
yearlong program also incorporates the exchange
student system, which costs the system relatively
no money. For example, one student from
CSULB will go to France to study, and a
French student will come to Long Beach to
study, thus an exchange. Yearlong study
abroad programs include Australia, Canada,
Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand,
Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
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