July 2010
- The Alliance issued two action alerts this week: 1) to urge your Senators and Representatives to fund exchanges at $675 million in FY 2011 (take action here); and 2) to ask Congress to help eliminate a prohibition of single parent host families of exchange students (take action here). There is still time to take action on both of these alerts! Using the Alliance’s sample letters, it takes but a few minutes to contact your entire Congressional delegation. (And while the House has already set its own FY 2011 mark for exchanges [see next item], there is still time to contact your Senators and urge them to fund exchanges at $675 million.)
In today’s Chronicle of Higher Education, Wendy Williamson, director of study abroad at Eastern Illinois University, tackles the question of why as few as 1.5 per cent of college students travel overseas to study every year. She cites a 2008 report by the American Council on Education and the College Board to find a reply:
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs marked up its FY 2011 appropriations bill yesterday afternoon, providing $635 million for Department of State educational and cultural exchanges. This funding level constitutes a $1.8 million increase from the President’s FY 2011 request of $633.2 million and matches the FY 2010 enacted level of $635 million.
Below please find the listing of Federal Register announcements issued by the U.S. Departments of State, Education, and Homeland Security, and USAID since 06/25/10.
The United States should look to increase its soft power influence on Muslim-majority countries though “its open intellectual culture, its great universities, [and] its capacity for discovery and innovation,” Ahmed Zewail, White House science envoy to the Middle East, writes in the Los Angeles Times:
The U.S. and World Education Act (HR 3359), introduced in July 2009 by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), picked up its 214th co-sponsor last week. The bill was referred to Education and Labor Committee when it was first introduced last summer, though no indication has been given as to if and when the bill may pass.
The House Agriculture Committee last week passed the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, a bill that would end a ban on travel to Cuba and ease restrictions on agricultural exports to the island, CQ.com reports: “The bill (HR 4645), approved 25-20 by the Agriculture Committee on June 30, would prohibit the president from regulating travel to Cuba.…’This legislation is the right policy at the right time,’ said Agriculture Chairman Collin C.
The enrollment of first-time foreign students at U.S. colleges rose in the most recent academic year despite the declining global economy, the Chronicle of Higher Education reports:
During a meeting of civil society and youth leaders in Baku, Azerbaijan, on July 4, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with three representatives of the FLEX program, including the Azerbaijan alumni coordinator, Leyla Aslanova (FLEX ’07). Aslanova asked Clinton what role she sees U.S.-educated exchange alumni playing in Azerbaijan society. Clinton responded that alumni should continue to foster ties between Americans and Azerbaijanis by sharing their experiences and encouraging more students to apply to study in the U.S.
Below please find the listing of Federal Register announcements issued by the U.S. Departments of State, Education, and Homeland Security, and USAID since 07/02/10.
