Committee to study abroad drafts selection criteria list
by Jillian Wagner
News Editor
News | 3/3/09
Posted online at 6:11 AM EST on 3/3/09
In an attempt to close an $800,000 gap in the operating budget for study abroad programs, the Advisory Committee to Study Abroad discussed various selection criteria for the study abroad application process at its third meeting Feb. 11 including grade-point average, cocurricular activities and whether students have any previous judicial sanctions.
In addition, the Office of Study Abroad is "reviewing some options for students to apply directly to some of our overseas partners rather than going through a third-party program provider, but there is no decision on this at the moment," Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. He also wrote that Study Abroad is evaluating whether there are other programs that can be added to the approved program list that would allow the maximum number of students to study abroad "within the designated study abroad budget."
The committee drafted three proposed selection criteria for study abroad. According to the criteria posted on the committee's myBrandeis Web site, "Primary preference will first be given to students who demonstrate a strong academic interest in selecting their study abroad site. Those for whom study abroad links to a major and who have also completed advanced language study will have the strongest preference for study abroad. GPA and participating in co-curricular activities will also be a factor." The second criterion gives preference to students who wish to study abroad for a minor, and the third gives preference to students "who can demonstrate a compelling academic reason for study abroad," which is "demonstrated through language study and coursework in the region."
"The real question the committee is trying to get at is … how can the committee find out if study abroad actually fits into a student's educational plan," Prof. James Mandrell (ROMS) said.
"I think it's really important that the people who are going abroad have a reason to go," Hanna Rosenthal-Fuller '09, a student member of the committee, said. "If you just had one class in a certain area that got you excited, that's a reason enough to go."
In addition, the Office of Study Abroad is "reviewing some options for students to apply directly to some of our overseas partners rather than going through a third-party program provider, but there is no decision on this at the moment," Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. He also wrote that Study Abroad is evaluating whether there are other programs that can be added to the approved program list that would allow the maximum number of students to study abroad "within the designated study abroad budget."
The committee drafted three proposed selection criteria for study abroad. According to the criteria posted on the committee's myBrandeis Web site, "Primary preference will first be given to students who demonstrate a strong academic interest in selecting their study abroad site. Those for whom study abroad links to a major and who have also completed advanced language study will have the strongest preference for study abroad. GPA and participating in co-curricular activities will also be a factor." The second criterion gives preference to students who wish to study abroad for a minor, and the third gives preference to students "who can demonstrate a compelling academic reason for study abroad," which is "demonstrated through language study and coursework in the region."
"The real question the committee is trying to get at is … how can the committee find out if study abroad actually fits into a student's educational plan," Prof. James Mandrell (ROMS) said.
"I think it's really important that the people who are going abroad have a reason to go," Hanna Rosenthal-Fuller '09, a student member of the committee, said. "If you just had one class in a certain area that got you excited, that's a reason enough to go."
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