Advocacy Email - December 1, 2003Subject: Potential Cutback in Title VI Federal Funding (12/1/03) To: International Education Advocates UPDATE:Potential Cutback in Title VI Federal Funding: Dr. Anand Yang, Director, of the Jackson School for International Studies, Emphasizes that Our Best Hope of Encouraging Funding for International Education is in Grassroots Advocacy to Internationalize Our K-12 Curricula The Jackson School for International Studies at the University of Washington is committed to regional, cross-cultural, and comparative studies. Aside from its formal academic programs the School has seven federally funded National Resource Centers and one Undergraduate Center. These centers are devoted to outreach and public education activities for teachers, business people, and the general community. Each year the School sponsors dozens of conferences, colloquia, and seminars featuring the works of scholars, business people, and diplomats from around the world. The Jackson School, much like other educational institutions, is funded through individuals and foundation, federal and state agencies, and an endowment fund. Title VI for International Studies Programs is one source of federal funding. As Congress wrap ups its agenda for this year there is a strong likelihood that funding for Title VI Parts A & B International Studies Programs will be cut significantly, by as much as $7 million. This comes at a time when Title VI grantees are trying to address national strategic language, area and economic security needs. Sustaining the current level of funding would ensure that new students brought into the pipeline, with increased funding in the last couple of years, continue their training, and that new programs implemented to meet national strategic needs are maintained. If Title VI funding were cut, the Jackson School might face a significant cutback. Dr. Anand Yang, Director of the School believes that this is a highly charged decision, as centers, like the Middle East Studies Center around the country are seen as not pro-American enough and are seen as somehow unwilling to generate the knowledge that is needed to enhance national security. The conservative forces are critical of the approach that some area studies programs have taken – an approach where all countries are seen as equal, where there is no “us vs. them” mentality, and where concepts such as global citizenship are explored. Dr. Yang echoes what many in the field of international education are seeing in the current geopolitical climate – he sees two contradictory impulses, one toward a growing conservatism in our national affairs and in contrast a growing grassroots awareness of the importance of learning about the rest of the world. In the midst of a heightened xenophobia, is the ever-increasing knowledge and awareness that cross-cultural studies and exchange is vital to the mental and economic health of the U.S., and in particular Washington state. Dr. Yang strongly emphasizes that the best thing we can do, as Coalition members is to advocate for internationalizing education as early as K-12 education. He believes the strongest position we can take is to have non-profits, teachers, school boards, and entities like the Jackson School join in grassroots advocacy for an international component in K-12 curricula, where world languages and global perspectives are taught from day one. The only solution for significant change is a long-term one. To learn more about the Jackson School. visit: http://jsis.artsci.washington.edu/. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ACTION:
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