CEPP
Subcommittee on Diversity and Study Abroad
Minutes of
November 17, 2003
9:00 a.m.,
Intercultural Center
Present:
Michael Arnush (chair), John
Anzalone, Lisa Aronson, Sue Bender, Michael Ennis-McMillan, Cori Filson, Roy
Ginsberg, Kate Graney, Jack Ling, Mary-Beth O'Brien (scribe), Mehmet Odekon,
Paty Rubio, Jon Ramsey, Gordon Thompson
Absent: Meghan
Fair and Nick Merrill
1. Minutes of Nov. 3rd and Nov. 10th
approved.
2.
Announcements: Michael has added a website on internationalization from University
of Minnesota http://education.umn.edu/IntEduc/Int.FAQs.html
to the cepp-sads website http://www.skidmore.edu/classics/cepp-sads.html.
Michael also sent by email an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education
recommending that US colleges and universities triple the number of US students
studying abroad.
3. Discussion of proposal on Skidmore
Off-campus Study Experience (SOcSE) prepared by Lisa, Cori, Jack and
Gordon.
In regards to
the proposed 1 unit course, the question was raised why it will only be offered
with a pass/fail option. Some faculty
feel uncomfortable with pass/fail and prefer to assess the work through grades. The argument was made that this course
focuses on participation, the content will vary significantly, and the pre- and
post-departure structure makes it difficult to assess the quality of work.
With enrollments
of 250-300 students per year in sections with between 5 and 15 students, the
college will expend 3 to 4 FTEs to support this course. Also the faculty load
would be uneven with such wide differences in enrollments by department. Making this course mandatory will involve
significant resources and may not be deliverable. A discussion followed on whether this pre-post departure
experience should be primarily faculty- or student-driven. One suggestion was to consider the peer
mentoring system in place for LS1. A cadre of faculty would mentor students
returning, who in turn would mentor students planning off-campus study. Students who have been abroad could enroll
in a pedagogy course and acts as peer mentors to students planning to go
abroad. A seminar format with 300 level credit would allow students to discuss
and reflect upon the process of mentoring, thereby promoting self-evaluation
and modification. It was generally
agreed that the course should not be mandatory at this point, but an option among
many. The OIP is asking for one new
full-time position. It currently
employs five students for mentoring as well.
Another option suggested was to have one faculty advisor per department
responsible for advising and mentoring students who plan to study off-campus.
The
subcommittee (Lisa, Cori, Jack and Gordon) will revise the proposal and
resubmit to the larger group.
4. Discussion of Cori’s Proposal for the Growth
of International Programs
Questions were
raised on the “home-school fee” model, whereby Skidmore will charge students
its comprehensive fee for all study abroad opportunities. It is estimated that this new fee structure
will result in a $500,000 net in the first year. How will the proposed faculty research grants and faculty/staff
on-site visitations be regulated? It
was suggested that the proposal include a paragraph on how the Faculty
Development Committee will oversee the grants.
These would be funds for new initiatives and not used to rectify current
financial problems in other areas of the college. This fee structure would ensure an enhanced revenue stream
dedicated to faculty research that supports Vista and moves Skidmore College
forward as an internationalized institution.
Some study
abroad programs have funds and research positions available. IES, for example, has $80,000 for faculty
development for colleges with matching funds.
Skidmore could be involved in a pilot program with IES.
In the
Executive Summary put out by ACE, it is noted that weaknesses in Internationalization
at most US colleges are a result of low
institutional commitment to international education. A low percentage of institutions include
internationalization in the mission statement and strategic plan. Skidmore needs to get more faculty to go
abroad and learn languages. Grants
could be used for curricular development as well as research. The emphasis on internationalization should
be reflected in admission brochures and there needs to be more uniformity to
the message across offices and programs.
Discussion
followed on how students should be encouraged to study in less developed
countries. The approved list should
alleviate financial disincentives, because the comprehensive fee will cover
student costs.
The committee
endorsed this proposal. It anticipates
a Fall 2005 implementation of an approved list and comprehensive fee structure.
5. Models for
Leadership in Intercultural and International Education at Skidmore (Paty, Sue,
Jack, Mary-Beth, Mehmet)
A brief
discussion of this proposal began. The
subcommittee outlined a model for the establishment of an Intercultural Studies
Center and/or an International Studies Center.
The faculty member appointed to direct this center needs to be embedded
in the decision-making structures of the college. Due to the brevity of the conversation, the memo is included here
in the minutes.
“The
subcommittee stands behind the spirit and the vision that led to the creation
of the Intercultural Center, and underscores the need for leadership. Thus, the
subcommittee recommends commitment of adequate resources to allow it to achieve
the objectives that led to its creation.
The subcommittee, however, recognizes that significant consensus and (thus) concrete institutional support
for our intercultural mission must exist
before one person can
"orchestrate or conduct" an intercultural educational ensemble across
the historically semi-independent domains of the college e.g. student life and
academic affairs. That position or office must be sufficiently "embedded"
in the regular decision-making and governance structures of the college.
Furthermore, the person(s) in this position or office will need to be
knowledgeable and professionally qualified in a range of disciplines:
international education, domestic diversity, curricular and faculty
coordination, co-curricular development and student life etc. In the best
circumstances, even with faculty and staff support, the task will be formidable
indeed.
The subcommittee
discussed at length the creation of one or two positions, and did not achieve
consensus, realizing, on the one hand, the enormous challenges of the task
(which would call for the creation of two rather than one position), but also
mindful of the limitations imposed by scarce resources, on the other. The schema
below, outlines where one position would fit within the College’s present
administrative structure. The second model calls for the creation of two
positions: One director of the Intercultural Center whose main responsibility
will be to oversee, expand and enrich students’ intercultural experience at
Skidmore by promoting connections between the curriculum and co-curricular
areas. One director of International Education who will work with the OIP, IA
and area program directors in order to advance the College’s international
agenda, to promote research, and serve as grant director for this area. The
subcommittee agrees that the persons in these positions should possess faculty
status.”
|
VP/Dean’s Office |
|
Dean of
Studies (Student
Affairs) (Residential
Life) |
Director of
Intercultural/International Studies
|
Program
Directors OIP |
|
Steering Committee |
The meeting adjourned at
10:00am.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary-Beth O’Brien
Nov. 21, 2003