Publications
Five States Make Progress on International Education Resolutions
March 25, 2008
In the past month, three states have successfully passed international education resolutions while two others have made significant progress in getting their resolutions adopted.
On February 14, 2008, the Massachusetts General Court passed a concurrent resolution signed by President of the Senate Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Salvatore F. DiMasi. The resolution urges the governor to establish an international education policy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. NAFSA members Jane Howard of Mount Ida College and Doris Breay and David Elwell from Brandeis are commended for their perseverance in getting the resolution passed.
NAFSA Wisconsinites, lead by Sam Dunlop of St. Norbert College, were also successful in securing their State Resolution on March 5, 2008. The resolution recognizes that international education is an essential component of Wisconsin's future. It supports and encourages students and faculty to promote international education at the state's colleges and universities to ensure that students, as future leaders, are prepared to meet the challenges of a global society.
The West Virginia Legislature passed a joint resolution on March 7, 2008 with 12 cosponsors. The resolution, which was spearheaded by Clark Egnor of Marshall University, James Natsis of West Virginia State University, and Daniel Weiner of West Virginia University, contains several recommendations, including encouraging all colleges and universities in West Virginia to develop courses of study in as many fields as possible to increase students' understanding of global issues and cultural differences and further to develop courses in foreign languages to prepare students to seek careers in a global marketplace and enhance their understanding of other nations' values.
Two other states have also made significant progress by having a resolution passed in one chamber of their state legislature.
The Illinois Senate adopted SJR0075 on February 21 the Illinois State Resolution cosponsored by Senators Edward Maloney and M. Maggie Crotty and House Representative Kevin A. McCarthy. The Resolution was then sent to the House where it currently is on the calendar order for resolutions. Symon Ogeto of the University of Chicago along with Julie Maddox of the Illinois Institute of Technology, Diane Viverito of Moraine Valley Community College, and Sarah Gleisner of the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign continue to work toward having a joint resolution before NAFSA's 2008 Annual Conference in May.
On March 12, 2008, the Georgia Senate adopted SR 1141, a resolution recognizing the importance of promoting international education and urging Georgia's colleges and universities to place a high priority on international education. Sheila Schulte of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Dana Tottenham of Emory University are working toward getting the Senate-passed version adopted as a joint resolution with the House prior to the end of the Georgia session in April of 2008.
