| Theme
1: Becoming a Teaching and Learning Community
Reflective Essay on Theme I, Issue No. 4: International
Programs and Internationalizing the Curriculum
In the past five years, international programs and efforts
to internationalize the curriculum at CSUSB have increased
in number, risen in visibility, and acquired sharper focus.
Although the campus does not have a foreign language requirement,
there a category in the General Education program requires
student to enroll in study of a foreign language or foreign
literature in translation. Given the fact that most CSUSB
students have not spent much time outside the Inland Empire,
programs that help broaden their horizons and expand their
world-view acquire a critical importance. In this regard,
the campus has accomplished a great deal in the past five
years.
In 2003, CSUSB was given an honorable mention for the very
prestigious Andrew Heiskell Award given by the Institute for
International Education (http://www.iienetwork.org).
CSUSB's Professors Across Borders was recognized in the category
of best practices in international faculty programs. During
the past five years, more than 75 CSUSB professors have identified
themselves as having professional international experiences
that they have begun to infuse into their classes (as listed
in http://ii.csusb.edu).
In compliance with the international and multicultural mandate
of the university's strategic plan, CSUSB's International
Institute, International Student Services, and Teaching Resource
Center have collaborated in providing support for faculty
development and travel that has led to internationalized curriculum
and study abroad opportunities for students. Professors in
all five colleges of the campus have taken part in "internationalizing
the curriculum" workshops, travel grants, and campus
programming for Professors Across Borders as part of a five-year,
university-wide emphasis on internationalization. Starting
in 2003-04, the International Institute will administer seven
faculty travel grants of $2,500 each that will be funded annually
through the Faculty Senate's Faculty Professional Development
Coordinating Committee. Through the efforts of the International
Institute, CSUSB was selected in 2003 to become part of the
American Council on Education's Internationalization Collaborative.
Internationalizing the curriculum
Even before the events of September 2001 focused attention
on the Middle East, the campus understood the need to incorporate
study of the area and of Islamic culture into its curriculum.
In academic year 2000-2001, the Department of Foreign Languages
and Literatures proposed and received approval for an Arabic
language course sequence, which has been taught since fall
2001. In a similar vein, the College of Arts and Letters proposed
an upper division general education humanities capstone course
on Islamic culture entitled "The World of Islam."
It was approved in Winter 2003 and will be taught for first
time in both Summer and Fall 2003.
A larger initiative launched a few years ago by the College
of Social and Behavioral Sciences to establish Middle Eastern/Islamic
Studies at this university is moving forward. MOUs have been
signed with eight Middle Eastern institutions of higher education,
which resulted in exchanges of faculty, administrators, and
students. Two new tenure track faculty have been hired this
year with specialties in Middle East studies to expand course
offerings in History and in Anthropology. Recently, CSUSB
received federal funding along with the University of Redlands
to enhance understanding of Islam and the cultures of the
Middle East through joint programs such as symposia, guest
lectures, and independent development of academic programs.
The CSUSB College of Arts and Letters is collaborating with
the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences on the overall
expansion of the curriculum.
Another important achievement in this category has been the
new, interdisciplinary Latin American Studies program that was launched as a minor in 2000. It pulls together existing
courses across the university and incorporates two newly developed
courses (see more on LAS below).
These more recent curricular efforts are built on long-standing
commitments to internationalize the curriculum at CSUSB, two
of particular note being the Toluca Summer Language Program and the Model United Nations/Model League of Arab States
Competition. In the latter case, some two dozen students
over the last twelve-plus years have earned credit in a Political
Science course that involves intensive preparation for these
competitive events. They conduct research on their countries,
prepare research and position papers, develop skills in the
preparation of resolutions to be presented to the various
committees, practice their oral presentation skills, learn
parliamentary procedures, and learn about the effective use
of diplomacy. Under the tutelage of Professor Ralph Salmi,
the teams have won numerous honors and awards, including recognition
as an "Outstanding Delegation" at both the Model
Arab League (13th consecutive year) and Model U.N. (8th consecutive
year).
Another long-standing and successful program is one sponsored
by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in Toluca, Mexico. Now in its tenth year, this is a summer
program of approximately four weeks in July and August. Students
are housed with local families and take classes in Spanish
language and culture taught by accompanying faculty from the
department. The department recently launched another, similar
program in Peru, to be implemented as a pilot program
this spring. Students enrolled in Spanish 400, 514, and 575
will spend four weeks in May at San Marcos University, again
staying with local host families and being instructed by two
CSUSB faculty. (Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://flan.csusb.edu/)
Efforts to incorporate international study into the curriculum
may be found in other colleges as well. In the past three
years, nine student teachers in the College of Education have
been placed at the Instituto Mexicano Americano de Relaciones
Culturales (IMARC), a bilingual elementary school in Hermosillo,
Mexico dedicated to developing competencies in both Spanish
and English. The credential candidates live with local families
while they complete the ten-week experience. They are enrolled
in student teaching and the student teaching seminar, which
are taken on site through visits by CSUSB faculty. (http://soe.csusb.edu/rosalie)
Since 2000, the Center for Global Management in the
College of Business and Public Administration has sponsored
a number of study abroad opportunities for CSUSB students.
During the summer, they join students from other area universities
in a 3-week visit to France. They earn 4 units for receiving
training in the field of European Stock Exchanges and are
awarded certificates from École Superiéure de
Commerce Marseille. Another group visits the École
Superiéure de Commerce Troyes near Paris for three
weeks, earning university credit for studying how to do business
in Europe. CGM has also sponsored exchange visits of French
students from Marseilles and Troyes. (Center for Global Management: http://www.sbpa.csusb.edu/cgm/)
Finally, CSUSB participates in the CSU systemwide Office
of International Programs, which provides opportunities
for students to enjoy a year abroad in one of 17 countries
while earning credit toward their degrees. Through an endowment
from a former CSSUB faculty member, the Switzer Scholarship
provides $22,000-$30,000 in scholarships yearly to students
accepted to the IP program in France or Quebec. Since 1999,
the International Institute and Office of International Student
Services (see below) have served as CSUSB's administrators
for this program and have overseen increases the number of
students participating from this campus. Twenty-one were accepted
for 2000-01, and thirty-two for 2001-02. Twelve students actually
participated in 2002-03, and this year twenty were accepted
for 2003-04. (CSU International Programs: http://www.gateway.calstate.edu/csuienet/)
Efforts to incorporate the study of Asia into the CSUSB curriculum
are still in their infancy, except for opportunities afforded
students to study in China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan through
the CSU International Programs. While faculty have made initial
and promising visits to universities in Korea and China, more
progress can be made. One recent exception is work in Indonesia
by a professor in the Communication Studies Department who
took three students there in summer 2002 to study environmental
communication in the national park areas of Kalimantan on
Borneo. Otherwise, at present, there is only the usual scattering
of courses on Asia in various departments such as anthropology,
art, English, history, political science, theater. These are
occasionally supplemented by lectures and cultural events
sponsored by various Asian student organizations and the Asian
Faculty, Staff, and Students Association. (Asian Faculty,
Staff and Students Association http://asian.csusb.edu/,
Chinese Student Association http://china.csusb.edu,
Indonesian Student Association http://indonesia.csusb.edu,
Japanese Student Association http://japan.csusb.edu,
Korean Student Association http://korea.csusb.edu,
Taiwanese Student Association http://taiwan.csusb.edu and http://twsa.no-ip.org/,
Thai Student Association http://thai.csusb.edu.)
International Programs
The 1999 establishment of the International Institute in
collaboration with the Office of International Student Services
provided a catalyst and "organizational umbrella"
for much of the recent activity in international programs,
many already detailed above. The Institute "serves as
the central clearinghouse for all international and global
activities at CSUSB" as well as "change agent for
campus and community" in matters international. The Institute
has launched its own programs and initiatives, while also
working in partnership with separate, established programs.
In the few years of its operation, the Institute has had a
positive impact on many aspects of internationalization at
CSUSB. (International Institute: http://ii.csusb.edu)
An important focus of the Institute since its inception has
been Latin America. Among its many Latin America related activities
have been:
- a Cuba study/exchange program including extensive cultural
activities in collaboration with two other CSU campuses
and involving more than 200 CSUSB students and 7 faculty
across 6 departments;
- hosting 8 visiting scholars and professors from Argentina
and Cuba and a Cuban scholar-in-residence (Spring quarter
2001);
- a yearly Latin American Roundtable featuring six to eleven
presenters and 100 to 250 participants.
The Institute's major accomplishment in this area was the
2001 grant of $158,709 from Title VI to support a Latin
American Studies program. During the two-year grant period,
the Institute has supported the formation of a faculty advisory
group headed by a Coordinator and the successful launch of
an interdisciplinary Latin American Studies minor housed in
the College of Arts and Letters. So far, twenty-six students
have declared the minor, with many more seeking advisement
and information. Under the auspices of the grant, the LAS
program has also supported faculty travel to Latin America
(nine faculty) and the first CSUSB Latin American Conference
with featured speakers Henry Cisneros, Nancy Morejón,
and Raymond Williams. (Latin American Studies: http://ii.csusb.edu/LAS/)
Other notable activities of the International Institute have
been:
- Establishing and maintaining a website relating to all
aspects of the internationalization process at CSUSB, including
a database of CSUSB faculty members' international experiences
and ongoing programs;
- Publication of the first volume of CSUSB's journal International
Perspectives: Focus on Cuba;
- Establishing and organizing internationalizing the curriculum
workshops (with the Teaching Resource Center);
- Establishing and administering international faculty development
travel grants (with the Faculty Senate's Professional Development
Coordinating Committee);
- Maintaining effective contacts with administrators and
professors in all colleges related to international projects
and plans.
In collaboration with International Student Services, the
International Institute has also been responsible for the
following:
- Establishing and organizing the annual Study/Work Abroad
Fair;
- Establishing and maintaining the Cultural Ambassadors
Program (sending international students to local schools;
- Establishing and organizing International Education Week/Month
events at CSUSB;
- Hosting scholars and visitors from around the world;
- Conducting outreach to community organizations including
local International Councils, Sister Cities Programs, service
clubs, chambers of commerce, and consulates.
Since its inception, the International Institute (along with
the Office of International Student Services, see below) also
has cooperated or collaborated with other programs and groups,
helping to raise their profiles and levels of activity. One
such group is the campus chapter of the international honor
society Phi Beta Delta, founded as the Gamma Lambda chapter
in 1995 to increase awareness of international scholarship
and education on campus and in the local community. Each year,
the organization recognizes international and domestic students
for their academic achievement through scholarships, as well
as distinguished faculty, staff, and visiting scholars for
their international endeavors. Phi Beta Delta also sponsors
a quarterly luncheon meeting at which new members are inducted,
scholarships awarded, and faculty make presentations on their
international research. Its current membership is 90 faculty,
staff, and students. (Gamma Lambda chapter: http://gamma.csci.csusb.edu/newIndex/;
Phi Beta Delta: http://www.phibetadelta.org/)
The Center for Global Management in the College of
Business and Public Administration was created about four
years ago to "facilitate developing programs in international
business and public administration for the benefit of the
faculty, students, and the community." In addition to
the study and exchange programs with institutions of higher
education in Marseilles and Troyes, France already mentioned,
the Center has initiated a new venture called Business to
Business Access. Its aim is to promote international trade
between the Inland Empire and Europe, and more than 32 businesses
in our service area have been contacted and analyzed for possible
connection with their counterparts in Europe. Mutual executive
level visits to business communities in Marseilles and the
Inland Empire are being planned for September 2003 and January
2004. (Center for Global Management: http://www.cbpa.csusb.edu/cgm)
Also in the College of Business, collaboration with the New
Bulgarian University (NBU) of Sofia, Bulgaria, has entered
its second year under the leadership of Professor Guenther
G. Kress (Department of Public Administration). This quarter,
two Bulgarian graduate students are studying here, while two
CSUSB professors are teaching and conducting research there.
The International Institute is closely affiliated with the Office of International Student Services, sharing an
office, staff, and co-director (who is also founding co-director
of the International Institute). In addition to the activities
described under the International Institute, it is the primary
responsibility of this Office to serve the needs of the international
or "visa" students at CSUSB. The Office conducts
international student orientation every quarter, a special
graduation and recognition ceremony in June, and is the first
point of contact with the campus for international students
and their families. The staff of the Office also assists and
advises visiting scholars and their academic hosts in the
myriad issues surrounding immigration and remuneration. While
the events of September 11, 2001 caused many international
students and their families to postpone or cancel their plans
to come to the U.S. for study, the number of visa students
at CSUSB have held fairly steady, at 645 in 2001 and 636 in
2002.
In addition to supporting visa students, the Office of International
Student Services works with the International Institute to
form a seamless "International Center" on campus
(see the collaborative activities described under International
Institute). The shared office, staff, and co-director assure
that all internationally-related processes run smoothly. Many
ongoing ISS activities predated the Institute and have contributed
significantly to the campus' internationalization. Examples
of these activities are:
- Publication of CSUSB's International Newsletter to disseminate
international information
- Sponsorship of quarterly International Lectures
- Organization of faculty/student social, cultural, and
academic events
This Office also coordinates the CSU International Programs
and other study abroad programs, the Fulbright program, and
the Gamma Lambda chapter of Phi Beta Delta. (Office of International
Student Services: http://iss.csusb.edu/)
In addition to international students enrolled in degree
programs, CSUSB hosts a number of students yearly who enroll
in the American Culture and Language Program (ACLP) housed in the College of Extended Learning. This is a program
"designed for international students, visitors and professionals
who seek an intensive English experience focusing on reading,
writing and speaking English, as well as an introduction to
American culture." Most of these students are preparing
to enter an American college or university, and, indeed, many
eventually matriculate to degree programs at CSUSB. Home stays
are arranged for students who wish it.
Specially-designed ACLP programs are also available. Of particular
note are three designed for students from Yasuda Women's University
in Hiroshima, Japan. For the past sixteen years, CSUSB, through
the International Extension Programs of the College of Extended
Learning, has had a sister school relationship with this private
Japanese university. Students in the Yasuda English department
may enroll in the "STAYS Program" for a six-month
program of curriculum prescribed by the Japanese Ministry
of Education. Shorter 4-month programs in American Culture
and Language are also conducted in the Spring and Summer quarters.
All Yasuda students live with local host families during their
stay.
The College of Extended Learning also has short term customized
group programs of varying duration in American Culture and
Language, as well as in workplace-related training. These
groups are mostly from Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand,
and Taiwan. (See ACLP: http://iep.csusb.edu/programs.html)
Other International Activities
In the past five years, four CSUSB faculty members have been
awarded Fulbright Fellowships to study, teach, and conduct
research abroad.
- 2000-01 Robin Larsen (Communication Studies), Poland
- 2001-02 Jerrold Pritchard (Music and AVP Academic Programs),
Germany
- 2002-03 Victoria Seitz (Marketing), Romania and Sue Greenfeld
(Management), Turkey
At present, CSUSB has Memorandums of Understanding with twenty-two
institutions of higher education in twelve countries. This
is in addition to the agreements between the CSU International
Program and 70 universities in 17 countries.
CSUSB professors have been selected to become Resident Directors
of two CSU International Programs abroad. In 2003-04, Rosalie
Giacchino-Baker will be Resident Director in Florence, Italy;
in 2004-05, Mirta Gonzalez will direct the program in Madrid.
Conclusion
Efforts to internationalize the curriculum at CSUSB, launched
from a solid existing base, have accelerated and borne fruit
in the past five years, particularly with respect to coursework
and programs related to Latin America and the Middle East.
Both these areas are of critical importance to our students
and the economic and socio-political interests of the region
as well as the nation. Yet, a great deal more needs to be
done-in many respects, we have only just begun. In Middle
Eastern/Islamic Studies, we are currently building the foundation
for the development of a minor that will, in turn, lead to
a major program as well as an interdisciplinary center for
Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. The two new faculty hires
in history and anthropology will certainly help to institutionalize
the Middle East curriculum, and the federal grant will enable
us to expand course offerings in Arabic language and literature.
The federal grant will also enable us to sponsor community
outreach events designed to foster greater public awareness
and understanding of the Islamic world: speakers, workshops,
and cultural events. There is a symposium being planned for
Fall with participants from this campus and from Gazi University
in Turkey. This is the second such symposium; the first was
held in Turkey in October 2002 with five CSUSB faculty members
participating. In Latin American Studies, we need to monitor
the minor program carefully and plan very thoughtfully the
development of a major program. And as mentioned in the report,
there is a great deal still to be done to develop an Asian
Studies curriculum.
The establishment of the International Institute in 1999-2000
created an institutional "umbrella" organization
to coordinate various existing international programs, provided
the impetus to develop new programs, and served to raise their
visibility on campus and in the community. The Institute has
been very successful so far and is committed to continuing
its efforts on many fronts. Critical among its priorities
will be the grant writing that has yielded resources to develop
curriculum in international studies, to institutionalize such
courses/programs, and to provide opportunities for students
and faculty to study and teach abroad.
Appendix of Supporting Material and Links for Theme I,
Issue No. 4
American Culture and Language Program: http://iep.csusb.edu/programs.html
Center for Global Management: http://www.sbpa.csusb.edu/cgm/
CSU International Programs: http://www.gateway.calstate.edu/csuienet/
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://flan.csusb.edu/
Gamma Lambda chapter of Phi Beta Delta: http://gamma.csci.csusb.edu/newIndex/
Office of International Student Services: http://iss.csusb.edu/
International Institute: http://ii.csusb.edu
Asian Faculty, Staff and Students Association http://asian.csusb.edu/
Chinese Student Association: http://china.csusb.edu
Indonesian Student Association: http://indonesia.csusb.edu
Japanese Student Association: http://japan.csusb.edu
Korean Student Association: http://korea.csusb.edu
Taiwanese Student Association: http://taiwan.csusb.edu and http://twsa.no-ip.org/
Thai Student Association: http://thai.csusb.edu
Latin American Studies: http://ii.csusb.edu/LAS/
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