To the ACAS Homepage
TO: NRC Colleagues
FROM: Miriam A. Kazanjian
RE: HR 3077, International Studies in Higher Education Act of 2003
DATE: September 19, 2003
On Wednesday the House Select Education Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) reported HR 3077, the International Studies in Higher Education Act, the bill to reauthorize and extend Title VI programs through FY 2009.
Overall the bill extends the programs intact and adopts most of the Coalition’s recommendations. That's the good news. However, several provisions added by the subcommittee cause concern, the most serious among them being aspects of new International Advisory Board. I urge you to read the legislative language concerning this board (attached). Also see the Chronicle's article at http://chronicle.com/daily/2003/09/2003091801n.htm
Full committee markup is scheduled for next Wednesday, September 24. Attached is a list of the full committee Members. If your state has a representative on the committee, please fax, call or e-mail your concerns as soon as possible.
Here is a description of troublesome items for NRCs:
SEC. 633 INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD. We are extremely concerned that the new advisory board provisions create a set of purposes and functions that would hamper, rather than enhance, efforts to strengthen our nation’s international expertise. With apparently unlimited authority and no checks on the exercise of that authority, the advisory board is charged with functions that could place it in conflict with the Department of Education Organization Act, which explicitly prohibits federal interference in curriculum decisions. For example, the Board could review curricular materials of grantees and insist on changes, dictate reading lists and insist that certain materials be taught from a specified perspective. The Board also could dictate selection criteria for grant awards or changes in regulations to reflect their perception of national needs and/or world regional issues and international affairs. An additional problem is the assignment of annual tasks to the advisory board. We believe this requirement will prove to be disruptive and counterproductive to the long term success of Title VI, since capacity building in international and foreign language studies at our nation’s institutions of higher education is a long and challenging process under the best of circumstances. Moreover, the purposes and functions are far too dispersed, and for that reason, would lead the board either to an inability to realize its mission, or to becoming a bully pulpit for those who have an axe to grind. Neither outcome would serve the higher education community or the nation well. Finally, the composition of the advisory board fails to take advantage of the wide array of federal agencies that for decades have made and continue to make important contributions to U.S. national interests through international education and exchange programs. Such agencies as the Departments of State, Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, HHS and others play a significant role in ensuring the nation’s broad and continually expanding national security interests.
[Note: One of our universities was invited by the subcommittee chairman to submit the following alternative idea, which is consistent with the Coalition’s position. Please feel free to incorporate this idea into your communication if you are in agreement.
We think replacing the current purposes and functions of the board in HR 3077 with a focus on the needs for international expertise in government, business and education sectors will help strengthen the nation’s understanding and engagement in the world. We believe the board should be charged with commissioning a study by a politically neutral but highly esteemed body such as the National Academy of Science to assess the nation’s needs for international expertise in all major sectors. Second, the study should also assess how well the K-12 through higher education system is producing graduates to meet those needs and identify the obstacles to recruitment in the various professions. Finally, the board should submit the findings and recommendations to the Congress prior to the next reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. We believe this approach will yield a consequential and productive outcome useful to the education community, federal agencies, the Congress, and the private sector.]
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AUTHORIZATION LEVELS FOR PARTS A AND B. Given the urgent imperative to strengthen our nation’s foreign language and international expertise to meet global challenges and homeland security needs, we believe setting the FY 2004 authorization levels for Parts A and B at the FY 1999 authorization levels is inadequate. These targets have nearly been met. The FY 2003 funding level for Part A is only $3 million below its FY 1999 authorization level and for Part B, Section 612, the FY 2003 level has actually exceeded its last authorized level by $100,000. Yet, two key programs alone are roughly $20 million, or 20-30% below their FY 1967 levels in constant dollars, a fact which has contributed to the nation’s shortfall in international expertise. We strongly urge reconsideration of the Coalition’s recommendation to increase the Parts A and B authorization levels by 50% to enable these programs to adequately address national needs.
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RESTORATION OF FLAS FOR UNDERGRADUATES. Reinstating undergraduate FLAS awards for those undergoing advanced training in foreign languages and area or other international studies is needed to support efforts to produce graduates with high levels of proficiency. This is especially true for the less commonly taught languages, including those of recent strategic concern, which take many more years and time on task to learn. This is an important way to encourage students to accelerate their international skills as early as possible in the pipeline. The 1992 reauthorization inadvertently closed the door on FLAS awards to undergraduates undergoing advanced training by inserting a subsection heading that refers only to "Graduate Fellowships." The Coalition suggests inserting the phrase "and Undergraduate" after "Graduate."
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Sec 602(a)(2)(J) NRC AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES. A new activity was added as follows:
(J) widely disseminating materials developed by the center or program to local education agencies, public and private elementary and secondary education schools, and institutions of higher education, presented from diverse perspectives and reflecting the full range of views on the subject matter, except that funds under this section may not cover more than 50 percent of the cost of dissemination;"
We support dissemination of materials to K-12, but suggest striking all after " institutions of higher education" and inserting a period. Rather than diversity of perspectives and full range of views, which would be difficult to administer without involving curricula questions and violating the Department of Education Organization Act, the focus would be better placed on scholarly excellence. Additionally, the National Resource Centers do not now adequately funded even to carry out their main mission of producing expertise and research. They should be allowed to use Title VI funding for 100% of the cost of dissemination.
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SEC 607(b) SELECTION OF CERTAIN GRANT RECIPIENTS. A new sentence was added that qualifies the definition of excellence on which NRC and FLAS recipients are selected to include certain outcomes: "In keeping with the purposes of this part, the Secretary shall take into account the degree to which activities of centers, programs and fellowships at institutions of higher education advance national interests, generate and disseminate information, and foster debate on American foreign policy from diverse perspectives."
The Coalition suggests deleting the phrase "fostering debate on American foreign policy from diverse perspectives." The mission of the National Resource Centers is to train experts and inform debate on foreign policy as well as on a myriad of other international issues. Limiting their selection in this way contradicts the goal of producing well-informed experts in a wide variety of fields and professions.