Title VI

One common criticism of the Title VI program is that the money goes mainly to produce other academics. I've always said that wasn't a problem, as you need those experts to fan out into the world and teach undergraduates. Most academic jobs are at teaching-oriented universities, and students there have international education options often because of the Title VI centers which train these academics. However, while working today's visit of the Senior Program Officer who oversees the Title VI-A program which is our current funding source, it became apparent from conversations that the system is actually intended to work that way. Title VI-A - focused on undergraduate curriculum development and language training - is an integral part of the Title VI apparatus.

An additional point: Here is a rundown of the Title VI NRC funding for the University of Wisconsin. of the $3.9 million, $1.9 million is in FLAS fellowships for those who require language training as part of their training. The regulations governing FLAS fellowships specify that they are only for graduate students. As long-time readers will remember, last year Democrats in the House of Representatives tried to make undergraduates eligible, but the Republicans stood in the way. It seems something of a consensus that the percentage of general undergrauates who will enter government service is higher than that in the graduate student population, so Republicans were standing in the way of a program change that would have helped cure the shortage of expertise in Arabic and Persian afflicting the federal government.

Are you worried about directing government funding in a way that will provide direct short-term benefits to the federal government? If so, help the Democrats take back Congress in 2004.