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February, 2004
International Studies in Higher Education Act, H.R.3077
As concern
increases about anti-Israel attitudes on campuses across the
country, it is clear that an anti-Israel and anti-West ideology
pervades Middle East Centers funded under Title VI of the Higher
Education Act. This distressing phenomenon undermines support of
American foreign policy and security interests.
Title VI of the Higher Education Act provides federal funds to
selected international studies in foreign language centers in
universities across the country. This was enacted by Congress to
help meet vital national needs including training experts for
national security and other government service. Unfortunately, far
too many Title VI centers fail to serve the basic objectives of
the program and many centers commonly exclude scholars who hold
other viewpoints. As a result, an anti-American perspective
dominates our federally funded centers. Many Title VI centers
discourage students from entering US government service or
supporting American policy.
The problem is most acute in Middle East studies. Rather than
encouraging academic objectivity, Title VI centers have a
political agenda. Before September 11th, for example, scholars
characterized radical Islamism as a movement for democratic
reform. Few focused on Islamist terrorism because that was
considered to “reinforce negative stereotypes.” These centers do
not produce the kind of realistic depiction and analysis that
students, the public, and the government need in order to properly
assess the situation in the Middle East. The large influx of Saudi
and other politically motivated funds to some of the Title VI
Middle East centers casts further doubt on their independence and
objectivity.
H.R.3077 is meant to address the flaws in the Title VI funding
program. This bill provides that international study centers
selected to receive Title VI funds would have to demonstrate that
their activities advance US national interests and foster debate
from diverse perspectives. An independent advisory board would be
established to make recommendations to the Secretary of Education
and the Congress for improving the Title VI program to ensure that
it meets its objectives. H.R.3077 would make sure that those
purposes for which Title VI tax dollars are provided are served,
namely instructing, educating, and training experts for national
security and other government service and educating the public on
international affairs.
Urgent Action Necessary
We urge all our members to contact their Senators and ask them to
support H.R.3077, the International Studies in Higher Education
Act. This would help ensure that Title VI centers would help the
US government meet national security and foreign policy needs.
Senators can be contacted at (202)-224-3121.
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