University Business - May 2007 - (Page 42)

immersed in their new experience. Not that students calling home is always bad. Griffiths relates that UD had a summer session in London during the July 2005 suicide bombings that killed 52 people. She couldn’t contact a certain faculty member because he was rounding up students, but a parent was able to tell Griffiths that the faculty member was okay. And Schouten’s London students sent her instant messages and e-mails regarding their status. 8. Don’t drink the water. Many overseas incidents are more mundane than terrorist attacks, and health concerns top the list. Some study abroad programs include mandatory health insurance as part of their fees, while others allow students to provide proof of adequate insurance from another source, with a key component being medial evacuation coverage. Tullbane investigated and changed St. Norbert’s insurance plan to include this type of coverage after hearing about a student from another school who was injured in Tokyo. Although immediate medical care was covered, the medevac service flight wasn’t. Some schools rely on the coverage provided by the International Student ID Pitzer College students studying in Kalimpong, India, participate in daily Nepali language classes. Administrators believe the ability to speak the host country language provides a safety margin when students are interacting with the local community. Card from STA Travel, a for-profit, student world travel organization. And tips for maintaining good health are often covered during orientation. These can be as simple as explaining how to maintain a proper diet, how to determine whether food was prepared safely, and whether or not to drink the water. UD programs also include advice about elevation sickness, malaria, and frostbite. Of course, some health emergencies can’t be predicted. Pitzer students were in China studying traditional medicine during the initial SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2003. Developing a proper response was difficult because China wasn’t releasing information and the World Health Organization was developing reports as the situation progressed. Initially surgical masks were distributed to the students. Eventually the decision was made to bring them home mid-semester, Brandt says. “The airports were doing health checks. If you even had a stuffy nose you Why Go? Study Abroad Advocates Speak Out TENSIONS HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE GLOBE, but after the events of September 11, 2001, the perception was that the world had become a more dangerous and less welcoming place for Americans. Study abroad advocates argue that those reasons make it more important than ever for students to participate in exchange programs, in order to dispel the images of Americans perpetuated by the media and to broaden America’s worldview. According to the 2006 “Opendoors” report from the Institute of International Education, participation by U.S. students in study abroad programs has doubled over the past eight years. Still, only 205,983 U.S. students studied abroad during the 2004-2005 school year, whereas 565,039 international students came to the United States to study. A number of initiatives are being taken to increase American participation. Congress declared 2006 The Year of Study Abroad with this goal: “Encourage secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, businesses, and government programs to promote and expand study abroad opportunities.” The Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program was charged with making recommendations to increase study abroad opportunities. The Forum on Education Abroad, meanwhile, is working to develop standards that address everything from academics to health and safety. And in mid-March, a bill (H.R. 1469.IH) was introduced in the House to establish the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation. If it passes, the foundation will award grants to students, institutions of higher ed, and other institutions to increase participation in study abroad. The act has objectives that include: within 10 years, increasing to 1 million the number of undergraduate students studying abroad annually; increasing participation by minority, low-income, first-generation, and nontraditional students; and increasing programs in nontraditional destinations. A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate. 42 | May 2007 universitybusiness.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - May 2007

Contents
College Index
Advisory Board
Company Index
Editor's Note
Behind the News
Viewpoint
Money Matters
Marketing
Human Resources
Financial Aid
Community Colleges
The Innocents Abroad
The Big Business of Research
What’s New in A/V
The Kids Are All Right
Designing a Unified Campus
Business Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - May 2007