Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

International Campus Update

February 25, 2005

Headlines

COLEMAN HOSTS DISCUSSION AT U: Sen. Norm Coleman held a panel discussion at the Twin Cities campus on Feb. 11 to discuss the decline in the number of students studying in the U.S. He has proposed legislation to help end the decline. Participants from the University included President Bruininks, who opened the session, and Kay Thomas, director of International Student and Scholar Services, and Steven Crouch, dean of the Institute of Technology, who participated in the panel discussion. Said Sen. Coleman at the event, “Some things must be done in the name of security.…But cutting off student visas is not one of them.”
MORE: http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=552

VISA RESTRICTION EASED: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Feb. 11 that security clearances for international students and scholars in “sensitive” fields (also known as the Visa Mantis program) will be valid for up to four years, rather than having to go through the lengthy process every year. A government study released Feb. 18 reported that the average wait for security clearances has fallen from 67 days to 15 days over the past year.
MORE: http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=VisaMantis

PEACE CORPS: The University of Minnesota has 68 alumni who joined the Peace Corps this year, ranking it ninth among large universities. Since the program began in 1961, 1,076 University alumni have served in the Peace Corps.
MORE: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/programs/wiv/volunteerAbroad.html

Program News

CARLA UPDATE: The winter 2005 edition of the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition’s newsletter “CARLA Update” is now available. Highlights include the Language Teacher Education Conference, Content-Based Language Teaching with Technology Workshop for Teacher Educators, CARLA Summer Institutes 2005, and special opportunities and grants for LCTL Teachers. CARLA Update is a quarterly nationally distributed electronic newsletter designed to give second language teachers and researchers current information on the programs and projects currently operating under the auspices of CARLA.
MORE: http://www.carla.umn.edu/about/carlaupdate.html

COLLEGE OF HUMAN ECOLOGY: College of Human Ecology is undertaking an initiative to develop substantial academic relationships with institutions in Mexico. Mexico is the choice for a college-wide initiative because the state of Minnesota has a fast-growing Hispanic community and CHE has strong community partners at Chicanos Latinos Unidos en Servicio (CLUES). In addition, numerous faculty within CHE are already conducting research and have developed academic and professional relationships in Mexico. In January, a delegation from CHE visited Mexico to explore possibilities of collaboration with institutions in Mexico City and Guadalajara.
MORE: http://www.che.umn.edu/outreach/WorldinMN/mexico_initiative.html

ISSS LEADERSHIP RETREAT: ISSS hosted a leadership retreat for 23 international students from 14 countries on Feb. 11 and 12, facilitated by Thorunn Bjarnadottir. These students, selected from 40 applicants, gathered to discuss their own cross-cultural perspectives on leadership on the University campus, as well as to learn about a personal leadership approach to leading in multicultural environments. The retreat was extremely successful, with students deciding to meet again to continue conversations. The retreat was made possible by a grant written by Bjarnadottir and Barbara Kappler, with funds provided by NAFSA via the COOP grants program sponsored by the Department of State.

TAX WORKSHOPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS: Tax workshops for international students and scholars are available each Tuesday until April 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Carlson School Room L-117. Volunteers will help complete 2004 tax returns for any foreign national with income under about $30,000, including F, J, H, and L visa holders and green card holders. Registration is required by going to http://frontpage.csom.umn.edu/VITASignup. Participants must also complete Federal Form 8843, which can be downloaded at http://www.isss.umn.edu (click on "Tax Info 2004").

UMD MUSICIANS TO BRAZIL: The UMD Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the Percussion Ensemble are taking their talents to Brazil in spring 2005. The conductor of the Brazilian National Wind Orchestra, Dario Sotelo, has invited Director Mark Whitlock and the UMD ensembles to perform and study at the Conservatory of Music in Tatui. Sotelo will visit UMD and conduct a concert on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weber Music Hall.

UMD INTERNATIONAL CLUB: UMD International Club hosted "Feast of Nations," featuring food and entertainment from cultures around the world on Feb. 19.

VOICE AND VISION IN LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION: The fourth International Conference on Language Teacher Education—to be held June 2-4 at the Radisson-Metrodome Hotel—welcomes proposals for papers and symposia on all aspects of the education and professional development of language teachers. The mission of the conference is to address the education of teachers of all languages, at all instructional and institutional levels, and in all the many national and international contexts in which this takes place.
MORE: http://www.carla.umn.edu/conferences/LTE2005/index.html

Study, Work, Intern, Volunteer, and Travel Abroad

SITE VISITS: The Learning Abroad Center sponsored two learning abroad site visits this month. Faculty and advisers visited England and Venezuela to learn about study abroad options there. Both of the visits were successful in communicating the value that learning abroad provides to student academic, career, and personal development.

Funding Opportunities and Announcements

AUSTRIAN STUDIES GRADUATE TRAVEL GRANT: Center for Austrian Studies offers one travel grant up to $2,000 in travel funds to graduate students at the University of Minnesota to do research in Austria or neighboring countries formerly part of the Habsburg Monarchy. Deadline is March 21, 2005.
MORE: Mirjam Marits, 612-624-4825, marit005@umn.edu

BENJAMIN KEAN TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP IN TROPICAL MEDICINE: Benjamin Kean Traveling Fellowship in Tropical Medicine, established by the American Society of Tropical Medicine Hygiene, provides travel expenses for medical students who arrange clinical or research electives in tropical areas. Deadline is May 13.
MORE: http://www.astmh.org/funding.asp

EUROPEAN STUDIES CONSORTIUM: European Studies Consortium offers travel grants to Twin Cities campus faculty and instructors in support of internationalization of the curriculum, international interdisciplinary research linkages, and participation in national or international professional conferences or meetings coupled with additional activities contributing to the internationalization of the university. Preference will be given to activities that are linked to the strategic goals of the European Studies Consortium. Deadline is April 4, 2005, for travel occurring June to December 2005.
APPLICATIONS: http://esc.cla.umn.edu/FacultyTravel.htm

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GRANTS: International Travel Grants for faculty are available from the Office of International Programs and the McKnight Arts and Humanities Fund. Deadline is April 1 for activities beginning May-August.
MORE: http://www.international.umn.edu/travelgrant/

IMER TRAVEL AWARDS: IMER Travel Awards for medical students include the Gault Travel Award, Jacobson (Scandinavia and Bangladesh) Travel Award, Seoul National University Travel Award, Karolinska Institute Travel Award, Spink Research Award, and the Kersey Travel Award. Deadline is April 30.
MORE: http://www.meded.umn.edu/IMER/index.html

INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL STUDIES: Institute for Global Studies offers travel grants to Twin Cities campus faculty and instructors in support of internationalization of the curriculum, international interdisciplinary research linkages, and participation in national or international professional conferences or meetings coupled with additional activities contributing to the internationalization of the university. Preference will be given to activities that are linked to the strategic goals of the Institute for Global Studies. Deadline is April 4, 2005, for travel occurring June to December 2005.
APPLICATIONS: http://igs.cla.umn.edu/academics/facgrants/igstravel.htm

Events

AUSTRIAN STUDIES LECTURE AND SEMINAR SERIES:

CARLA PRESENTATIONS: CARLA Presentations hosted by Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. MORE: 612-626-8600

CEHD INTERNATIONAL PIZZA & TALK: "Fulbright Group to Thailand: Civic Engagement and Social Capital in Thailand: The Lived Experience of an Intensive Intercultural Partnership." March 7, noon-1:30 p.m., 250 Wulling Hall. MORE: http://cehd.umn.edu/IntEduc/pizza03-04.html

FREEMAN FORUM: Freeman Forum, a series of annual lectures, is a public private partnership with the University of Minnesota. Pre-registration is required for all events.
REGISTRATION and MORE INFO: http://www.freemanforum.org or 651-645-9403

GLOBAL DISCUSSION: “Russia and China: Trends in the Former and Future Superpowers and How They Affect the U.S.” with guest speaker Thomas Hanson, program secretary, St. Paul-Minneapolis Committee on Foreign Relations, and former U.S. diplomat. Co-sponsored by ISSS, Culture Corps, and Minnesota International Center. March 1, 12:30-1:45 p.m., 110 Heller Hall.

MINNESOTA INTERNATIONAL CENTER: "The Prospects for Transatlantic Relations at the Beginning of the President’s Second Term," with His Excellency David Manning, British Ambassador to the U.S. March 9, noon-1:30 p.m., Windows on Minnesota, 50th Floor IDS Center. $25 members/students, $40 non-members, $15 program only.
REGISTER: https://www.micglobe.org/secure/registration.cfm?id=545

University of Minnesota
International Campus Update
Vol. 6, No.2

Office of International Programs
Assoc. Vice President: C. Eugene Allen
Editor: Jennifer Schulz

Interested persons may request to receive this newsletter as an e-mail update by contacting the editor at schul160@umn.edu or calling 612-624-0557.

The next issue will be sent in March. International Campus Update welcomes submissions. Please send items to be included to schul160@umn.edu or call 612-624-0557.