Abroad office to enforce requirements more strictly

By Gina Belmonte

With the economic crisis sweeping the nation, institutions are forced to make budget cuts, and Santa Clara is no exception.

Two weeks ago, the Office of the Provost announced that will revise study abroad programs in the wake of the current economic situation.

Rather than have its budget slashed, the International Programs Office is being asked to adopt a new model to accommodate students seeking to study abroad, said Provost Lucia Gilbert.

Cost-saving measures of the new model may include strictly enforcing deadlines and eligibility requirements including grade point average, capping the number of students enrolled in specific programs, increasing housing and program fees, deferring participation for some students until the following year, suspending some programs during the 2009-2010 academic year or some combination of the above, Gilbert said in an announcement on the study abroad Web site last month.

In complying with the request to contain expenditures, the International Programs Office will focus more on academic criteria for studying abroad.

Advisors and peer educators will work with students to ensure that the courses offered in the program of their choice are relevant to their academic career, as opposed to choosing a program in a particular country based on its value as a tourist destination.

"We're not in the travel business, we're in the education business," said Dennis Gordon, executive director of international programs.

Senior Samlecia Gaye said the new policies would discourage those people who go abroad for the wrong reasons. Gaye, a psychology and political science double major with a minor in Italian studies, studied in Rome during the fall of 2007.

"'»¿One of the big problems with the Americans in my particular program was that all they wanted to do was party," she said. "Most were in introductory Italian classes, and their experience of being in Italy wasn't about the language or the culture. It was about being in Italy and partying like a rock star."

Gaye took two political science courses, a psychology elective and an intermediate Italian course while in Rome.

The university has experienced a considerable growth in its study abroad programs, with an average growing rate of 20 percent, said Gilbert.

According to Gordon, 550 students studied abroad during the fall of 2008, compared to about 300 a few years ago.

With the new core curriculum promoting a global experience, these programs are expected to keep growing, and in light of the current economic situation, a new model is needed, said Gilbert.

Programs across campus have been asked to be careful about expenditures this year, said Gilbert. The study abroad office received attention because it is a large program with a significant budgetary impact, said Don Dodson, senior vice provost.

"'»¿The simplest way to think about this is that it was asked to figure out how to meet increased student demand within its existing budget," said Dodson in an e-mail.

Students who study abroad essentially pay the same amount they would -- with the exception of the more expensive programs í-- for a quarter of tuition and housing at Santa Clara, approximately $15,000.

However, the real cost is more to the university because there are still campus expenses, such as paying for buildings and paying staff to keep the university going, said Gordon.

"'»¿With the fixed administrative costs on the SCU campus, the university contributes over $1 million above what is covered by student tuition and fees," said Gordon. "This reflects its overall commitment to international engagement."

He said the university wants to cut the amount of money it spends toward students going abroad so that a bigger emphasis can be placed on financial aid.

"It's not really a huge thing to ask to manage some of the study abroad costs to ensure that all students that are eligible can come to Santa Clara," Gordon said. He also said 90 to 95 percent of students who go abroad probably won't notice any change.

The International Programs Office is working with the request to contain expenditures in a "no child left behind" approach that seeks to send every student who is eligible and willing overseas, closing the door on no one, said Gordon.

Students may be referred to different programs that best accommodate their academic needs as well as the eligibility requirements, and not everyone may get their first choice.

Some particularly expensive programs -- where the cost is as much as six to seven thousand more than a quarter at Santa Clara, like in Florence, Italy or Geneva -- will not allow the transfer of Santa Clara financial aid to help cover the costs, said Gordon.

The university will reduce expenditures by directing students to different programs, probably less expensive programs in the city of choice, said Gordon, while keeping the focus on the academic aspect of the journey.

Contact Gina Belmonte at gbelmonte@scu.edu.