Recent actions by Congress propose the elimination of Title VI, a major
source of support for international higher education - including Foreign
Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships. If these decisions are not
reversed, the universities in the United States will lose an important
source of funding.
The budget resolution passed by the House of Representatives calls for the
complete elimination of Title VI of the Higher Education Act and the related
Fulbright Hays program. This means the elimination of $59 million in
federal funds that support area studies, foreign languages, overseas
research, and public education on international matters. Many resource
centers will certainly have to close down and universities will be hard
pressed in teaching some of the less-commonly taught African languages.
In the past, defenses of Title VI funding for international education have
rested heavily on national-interest arguments, expressed to key members by
academic experts. In the new political atmosphere, there is widespread
agreement that members of Congress will be most responsive to "grass roots"
voices. Letters will be most effective if, in addition to arguing for
national and state benefits, they can illustrate the importance of Title VI
with personal experience. In reaching Members of Congress and their staff,
anecdotal illustrations are often more effective than lists of factual
information.
Please respond quickly and contact your representatives and urge them to
continue federal support for international education through the Title VI
program. However, because it looks as though the House of Representatives
has submitted its budget we may be better served to start calling and faxing
and e-mailing our Senators. Look up the people from your area and contact
them in support of Title VI, and if you are not a citizen of the United
States please feel free to contact them also to help promote the importance
of international education.
Thank you for your help!
Jared Banks
banks@students.wisc.edu