April 30, 2008
On April 30, 2008, Pennsylvania became the 18th state to pass an international education resolution. The resolution, SR 311, recognizes the importance of international education and encourages educational institutions in the state to prepare students to meet the challenges of a global society as well as congratulating NAFSA on celebrating its 60th Anniversary. The House of Representatives passed H30 in January 2007.
Florida House of Representatives Passes International Education Resolution
April 28, 2008
On April 28, 2008, the Florida House of Representatives passed HR 9033, a resolution recognizing the importance of international education to Florida's economy, competitiveness, and education system. Currently, 18 states have passed resolutions in both chambers with four others having passed in one chamber.
Illinois Senate Adopts International Education Resolution
April 3, 2008
Illinois is the 17th state to pass an international education resolution, while three others have adopted resolutions in one chamber of the state legislature. The Illinois Senate adopted the resolution on February 21 with House action on April 3, 2008.
Missouri House of Representatives Passes Int'l Education Resolution
April 16, 2008
On April 16, 2008, the Missouri House of Representatives passed HCR 7, an international education resolution. The resolution sponsor Rep. David Pearce (R-Warrensburg), said, "We need to do everything we can to welcome international students to our state. Having international students on our college campuses creates a diverse learning environment and prepares students for life and work in a global economy."
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 at 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.
New Mexico House Passes International Education Resolution
February 19, 2008
On February 11, the New Mexico House passed HM49, a Memorial Bill ‘Recognizing the Importance of International Education,' on a vote of 70-0. Sponsored by Rep. Don Tripp (R-Socorro), the memorial encouragesuniversities and colleges as well as K-12 institutions “to introduce New Mexico students to other cultures, foreign languages and global issues and to provide opportunities to study abroad, which will enrich students' perspectives and personal development."
The measure was championed by a broad coalition of educational, civic, and philanthropic institutions across the state, led by the New Mexico International Education Consortium (NMIEC). Current NMIEC Chairman, Dr. Thomas Bogenschild of the University of New Mexico, praised the Memorial as a “meaningful contribution to the efforts of many in New Mexico to advance international education, at all levels, in the private and public sectors, and along bipartisan as well as rural/urban lines, encompassing all ethnicities and creeds."
NAFSA State Whip Linda Melville, also of the University of New Mexico, added: many international educators in New Mexico have been working for a long time to raise awareness of the importance of international education to the future of the state and to the students that we serve. This memorial celebrates their hard work and is an important step in getting future support and recognition from the state for international education endeavors.
Minnesota Passes Resolution Prior to NAFSA's 2007 Annual Conference in Minneapolis
June 14, 2007
NAFSAns Alexis Akagawa and Mark Schneider
The Minnesota legislature became the 13th in the nation to recognize the importance of international education in late May, when the Speaker of the House and the Secretary of the Senate signed a resolution supporting international education on behalf of the respective bodies. Minnesota's action capped a flurry of state-level activity nationwide on the subject; over the past three months, seven states have passed resolutions highlighting the importance of international education.
Thanks to NAFSAn Alexis Akagawa, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, for working with her state representative and senator on this effort. View Press Release
Oklahoma Resolution Completes NAFSA Region III
On Monday, May 21, 2007, The Oklahoma Legislature passed HCR 1041, a Concurrent Resolution “recognizing the importance of international education at institutions of higher education."
Marco Rodriguez, Dr. Dennis Dunham, Sunny Garner, Oklahoma Representative Shane Jett, Glenn Freeman, Diana Klinghagen & Joshua Matlock
OK Representative Shane Jett and OK Senator Cliff Aldridge sponsored the Resolution. OK State NAFSA Representative Sunny Garner, Oklahoma City Community College, led the Advocacy Committee that was formed at the OK State Meeting in 2006. As a result, a draft resolution was created, a proposal was written, and a legislative sponsor was identified.
Rep. Jett is on the Governor's International Task Force, Co-Chairman of Special Joint Committee on International Development and sponsors International Student Awareness Day at the Capitol. Once Rep. Jett agreed to sponsor the Resolution, he enlisted support from Sen. Cliff Aldridge and the resolution passed a week later to the day. HCR 1041 is now awaiting the signature of OK Governor Brad Henry. Oklahoma's resolution makes NAFSA Region III the second region to have a passed resolution in each state.
Vermont 10th State to Pass International Education Resolution
May 14, 2007
On May 9, 2007, the Vermont legislature adopted JRH30, a resolution recognizing the economic, cultural, and social importance of promoting international education within its institutions of higher education. JRH30 encourages international education programs "in order to meet the challenges of a global society." Vermont is the 10th state to pass a resolution supporting international education and the first in Region XI.
Thanks to NAFSAns David Shallenberger and Sora Friedman and graduate students Janelle Martinez and Sandhya Klein at the School for International Training for successfully advocating their state legislature for this resolution. NAFSA's goal is to have similar resolutions passed in 25 states by the 2008 Annual Conference. Learn how you can get your state to enact an international education resolution.
Two More States Pass International Education Resolutions
May 1, 2007
During the week of April 23, both the Hawaii and Indiana legislatures passed resolutions recognizing the necessity of increasing participation in study abroad and attracting international students in their respective states.
Hawaii
Thanks to the dedicated advocacy efforts of Hawaii NAFSAns, the Hawaii State House and Senate adopted concurrent resolutions HCR315 and SCR173, respectively, on April 25 and 27, 2007. These resolutions recognize the necessity of attracting talented international students to the state and increasing study abroad participation rates for Hawaiian students. The legislature has resolved to encourage international education statewide "to ensure that students and future leaders are prepared to meet the challenges of a global society."
NAFSAns Joel Weaver and Linda Duckworth with State Representative Rida Cabanilla, chair of the House International Affairs committee
The members of the NAFSA Hawaii/Pacific District International Education Resolution Subcommittee who organized this initiative and worked with state legislators to keep it moving over the past academic year are Linda Duckworth, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Lisa Maruyama, formerly of Pacific and Asian Affairs Council; Jenny Samaan, University of Hawaii; Joel Weaver, Intercultural Communications College; and Melinda Wood - University of Hawaii at West Oahu.
In addition to these subcommittee members, NAFSAns around the state supported the many phases of moving this resolution through the house and senate review committees by submitting timely testimony.
The passage of the Hawaii resolution means that Region XII is officially the first region in NAFSA in which all states have successfully passed resolutions supporting international education. The other two states in the region, California and Nevada, passed their resolutions in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
Indiana
February 11, 2008
(from left) Stephen Johnson, Karen DeGrange, Hugh McGuigan, Senator Richard Lugar, Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Marty Bennett, Janice Mulholland, and Sue Namias.
On January 30, NAFSA members from Indiana visited with Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) in Washington, D.C. to present him with a copy of the Indiana State Resolution passed to promote international education in the state. Indiana was the 9th state to pass such a resolution.
May 1, 2007
Two years of persistence recently paid off for a group of Indiana NAFSAns when their state legislature passed a resolution they proposed that recognizes the importance of international education. The concurrent resolution, HCR0085, was adopted by the State House on April 26, 2007 and by the State Senate on April 28, 2007. Similar to the international education resolutions passed in other states, Indiana's HCR0085 recognizes the cultural and economic benefits of retaining their globally competent college graduates and of attracting talented international students.
The NAFSAns who spearheaded the effort to seek the resolutions passage are Karen DeGrange, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Heidi Gregori-Gahan, University of Southern Indiana; Joanna Holvey Bowles, Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University; and Susan Sutton, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Indiana is now the second state in Region VI to pass a resolution. The other state, Kentucky, passed its resolution in 2002.
View HCR0085, as introduced by State Representatives Dennis Avery and Dr. David Orentlicher and State Senator Glenn Howard.
Hawaii and Indiana NAFSAns are excited to have the support of their respective state legislatures and look forward to using this leverage as they promote international education on their campuses.
A group of NAFSA members from Indiana also presented a framed copy of the passed resolution to Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) during a trip to Washington, D.C. to thank him for his dedicated support to international education.
Arkansas Becomes 7th State to Pass International Education Resolution
March 13, 2007
On Wednesday, March 7, 2007, the Arkansas Senate passed HCR 1004, a joint resolution "encouraging students and faculty in the state's colleges and universities to promote international education to ensure that students and future leaders are prepared to meet the challenges of a global society." View photos and read more
