— August 24, 2007
Two recent articles on study abroad in the New York Times have attracted considerable attention. An August 13 article on page one, “In Study Abroad, Gifts and Money for Universities,” questions the practices of many colleges and universities whose study abroad offices accept certain benefits — ranging from paid trips to study abroad sites, to stipends or bonuses — from external programs. The article suggests that such “perks” may serve as incentives for representatives to advise students to choose a particular program. It also criticizes the charging of “home fees,” in which students pay the institutional tuition rather than the lower fee charged by the particular program they are attending.
Another article, in the August 16 Times, stating the New York attorney general is opening an inquiry into the subject, makes explicit the implied connection between these issues and recent disclosures about student loan practices that appear to benefit institutions more than students.
As a school that runs its own study abroad programs, operating 30 sites in 12 countries, and that sends 60 percent of its junior class abroad each year, Middlebury takes very seriously the need to send students only to high-quality programs that satisfy individual students’ academic needs. We do not direct students to particular programs based on incentives given by providers, but instead steer students toward programs that meet their specific academic goals and the College’s own high standards. Far from insisting on “preferred providers,” Middlebury last year sent students to 91 different programs and universities. Middlebury does not currently charge its own comprehensive fee rates to Middlebury students who study abroad, either on Middlebury or non-Middlebury programs, and so has no financial interest in encouraging students to choose one program over another.
As a provider of study abroad programs, we have become increasingly popular. There were 137 students from 53 institutions on our programs last year, most from highly selective colleges and universities. We do not provide these sending institutions any financial benefits for sending students on our programs, and select only those applicants to our Schools Abroad who meet our rigorous standards for admission, which involve a higher level of language competence than many programs. We have one full-time staff member dedicated to recruiting those students, who attends study abroad fairs, hosts information sessions, and visits study abroad offices and faculty at our sending institutions.
We also send students on a wide variety of programs, but do not receive any “kickbacks” or “volume discounts” for sending students to any program or university. When a direct enrollment option is available and is appropriate for the individual student, we encourage students to bypass the big providers and enroll themselves, which saves them money. The study abroad approval process is managed by the Programs Abroad Committee, a standing committee of the faculty that also has student representation. The committee approves or rejects each individual student application on the basis of the academic merits of the program or university, the individual student’s preparation for study abroad, and the recommendation of the student’s advisor.
Our previous experience of specific programs may lead us to recommend one above another, and when considering applications for programs that students have not attended before, the staff in the Office of International Programs and Off-Campus Study does research and presents information about the new programs to the committee before a final decision is made. The Programs Abroad Committee’s decisions about whether to approve a particular course of study are based entirely on the academic merits of a program and the student’s academic preparation.
Many colleges and universities have expressed new interest in study abroad over the last few years, and it is not surprising that the explosive growth in study abroad programs has raised some questions. As a college with a long-standing commitment to the value of study abroad, Middlebury is in the fortunate position of having many processes and protocols in place to ensure that our students go on the programs best suited to their academic goals.
— Jeff Cason
Dean of International Programs
Middlebury College