E-Newsletter - December 16, 2003
from the Washington State Coalition for International Education

Advocacy Update

FY2004 Funding for International Education, Exchange Placed in Year-End Omnibus
Just before the Thanksgiving break, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees rolled all seven unfinished FY2004 appropriations bills (including the CJS Appropriations and Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations) into one $820 billion omnibus appropriations bill, H.R. 2673. Included in the bill is $320 billion for Department of State (DOS) educational and cultural exchange programs, which is less than the $345 million the House originally passed in July but more than the $255 million the Senate had proposed. To view the omnibus bill in detail, access: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app04.html.

In the News...

NAFSA Task Force Releases Education Abroad Report
(NAFSA: Association of International Educators) On November 18, NAFSA's Strategic Task Force on Education Abroad released its report, "Securing America's Future: Global Education for a Global Age." The report's fundamental message, that "study abroad needs to become an integral part of college students' education, and a national effort is required to make that happen," is directed principally at the President and Congress, state governors and legislatures, college and university leaders, businesses, accrediting agencies, and state certification and licensing bodies. The report is being broadly distributed in policy circles, on Capitol Hill, and to college and university presidents, among others. To access the full text of the report, go to: http://www.nafsa.org/securingamericasfuture.

Upcoming Events

January 10, 2004: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm YOUTH REFUGEES AT HOME AND ABROAD: Youth Summit for High School Students in Seattle Roosevelt High School Cafeteria, 1410 NE 66th Street, Seattle
Co-Sponsored by: International Rescue Committee & Hands for a Bridge. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org or call (206) 441-5910.

January 12, 2004: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm World Affairs Council Monthly Global Discussion Series: Middle East
Joel S. Migdal, Professor of International Studies, UW Henry M. Jackson School
Co-Sponsors: World Trade Center Seattle, University of Washington Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies For details: http://www.world-affairs.org/calendar.cfm

January 22, 2004: 4:00-5:00 pm - Meeting of Washington State Coalition for International Education. Seattle Location: UW Language Learning Center Room 109. We are working on a Spokane location with two-way live video. Watch for more details.

January 22, 2004: 7:00 pm World Affairs Council Annual Lecture Series: Upfront With Terrorism: What’s Next in the War on Terrorism? Location: University of Washington, Kane Hall Room 110 Co-Sponsors: University Bookstore Cost: WAC Members: FREE! Non-Members: $10 Students: $5 For details: http://www.world-affairs.org/calendar.cfm

January 28, 2004: 10:30-12:30 pm - Amy Gutmann lecture at UW Kane Hall.
Unity and Diversity in Democratic Multicultural Education: Creative and Destructive Tensions. Please RSVP to centerme@u.washington.edu.

February 10, 2004 3:30-5:00 pm, Parrington Hall Forum. Speaker: George F. Russel Jr., Chairman Emeritus, Russell Investment Group. Russia's Forecast: Transformation in the 21st Century Lecture Series. Sponsored by the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation and the Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies Center. Info: 543-4852 or http://fraec.org.

February 27, 2004: 7th World Languages Day at University of Washington
High School Students and Teachers learn about world languages and world cultures. Please see: http://www.outreach.washington.edu/k12/wld.asp.

March 27, 2004: 9 am - 12 pm International/Multicultural Strategy Games Workshop
Make and learn to play 6-8 strategy games from different cultures around the world: Native America, Indigenous Groups, Africa, South and Central America, Asia and the Middle East. Make and take games for your students in grades 3-6 to learn, make and play with their friends and families. Develop thinking skills and learning activities tied to state frameworks, EALRs and the WASL! For more information, contact wsame@mindspring.com.

From the News Bulletin

WSU to offer online graduate level course on Foreign Language Pedagogy for the Spring 2004
As part of a proposed "Graduate Certificate in Contextualized Foreign Language Instruction" recently submitted for approval, the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Washington State University will begin offering graduate level courses in different aspects of FL pedagogy. The certificate, if approved, will require completion of three courses, all to be offered online. Read more...

2004 WORLD CITIZEN ESSAY CONTEST For Washington State Students in Grades 2-12
According to Refugees International, there are 30 million refugees and internally displaced people worldwide. Washington State is home to the fifth largest refugee population in the United States. Tell us the story of one group of people on the move: Describe what caused them to leave their home & propose a solution that might return them there. Tell us in 1,000 words or less. Your entry could win you cash and a special honor at the World Affairs Council's Consular Association Reception in the spring! The World Affairs Council, in partnership with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, sponsors the World Citizen Essay Contest to promote discussion among students, teachers, families, and community members about the ways that individuals can effect positive change in the global community. Deadline is March 1, 2004. The contest rules and cover form can be found at our website: http://www.world-affairs.org/class_worldcitizen.html.

Submit News

If you have links to interesting news articles about International Education or events that you'd like to publicize, send the information to action@internationaledwa.org. We'll add them to the News page on the website: http://internationaledwa.org/news.htm and send it out with this periodic e-newsletter.

Please feel free to forward this E-Newsletter to colleagues interested in International Education. To subscribe to the listserv, they can complete the Get Involved Form: http://internationaledwa.org/forms/get_involved.htm.