April 2009
The U.S. Global Leadership Campaign reports that Congress began a two-week recess following approval by the House and Senate of their respective versions of the FY10 Budget Resolution. A Budget Conference Committee is expected to meet during the week of April 20 to resolve differences between the two bills.
InsideHigherEd.com reports today that international applications to U.S. graduate schools rose 4 per cent between 2008 and 2009, “with the increase ‘driven almost entirely’ by growth at institutions with the largest numbers of international students enrolled already,” according to a new survey by the Council of Graduate Schools:
“Foreign applications rose 6 per cent at the top 100 destination institutions for international students, but dropped 4 per cent at institutions outside the top 100.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported Friday that a major antiterrorism operation in Britain last week, in which 12 men were arrested, all of whom had entered the country on student visas, has heightened student visa concerns: “Last month Britain’s immigration minister said that ‘abuse of the student visa has been the biggest abuse of the system, the major loophole in Britain’s border controls.’”
The Washington Post ran a piece yesterday on the affect of visa delays on scientists and other skilled foreign workers:
Delays have increased because of rising demand for U.S. visas all over the world, said David Donahue, deputy assistant secretary of state for visa services.
A White House press release yesterday announced the nomination of Judith A. McHale for Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the Department of State. No indication is given as to when confirmation hearings will be held.
The Senate has officially received the nomination of Judith McHale to be Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, this morning’s Senate Digest confirms. The next steps for Ms. McHale’s nomination now include a Senate confirmation hearing and full Senate vote, both of which remain unscheduled.
Robert M. Shireman, president of the California-based Institute for College Access and Success and a consultant to the Department of Education for the past several months, was named Deputy Under Secretary of Education, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported today:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tackled a broad range of issues this morning—from Cuba to Gaza to Pakistan to China, from climate change to rogue regimes to terrorism to disease—at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “New Beginnings: Foreign Policy Priorities in the Obama Administration.” The hearing marked Secretary Clinton’s first appearance before Congress as Secretary of State.
The office of Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) announced yesterday the introduction of S.838, the United State Science Envoys Bill. The bill seeks to enhance collaboration between U.S. scientists and their counterparts around the world in order to promote scientific advancement. Science Envoys, to be selected by the Secretary of State, will also serve as “good-will ambassadors:”
President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (also known as the Serve America Act, or S.277) yesterday afternoon at the charter SEED School of Washington, DC. The bill is a “landmark” and would greatly expand the nation's volunteer corps and start new programs to expand innovative social programs, help small charities get management advice, and make volunteerism more effective, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
