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CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Vision OHIO
Strategic Goals
5/15/2006
International Studies
Strategic Plan
2
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Vision Statement
The faculty, students and staff of the Center for International Studies are committed to an
intellectual understanding of the world in all its complexity to promote responsible development,
peace, and justice.
Mission Statement
The Center for International Studies fosters an educated, just and prosperous world. Curriculum,
research, outreach and service are the agencies of our interdisciplinary understanding of complex
global problems and the search for solutions. Central to the Center’s mission is the advancement
of diversity among faculty and students, programs and academic activities. The Center is
determined to influence state and national agendas regarding international education and
development, to build bridges between Ohio University and institutions abroad, to lead in the
internationalization of the university and its curriculum, and to advance student and faculty
research on international issues.
The Center for International Studies’ vision extends to processes employed in the administration
of our programs. Our center will operate in a transparent mode, recognizing that our unit is
accountable to its faculty, to the university’s leadership, and to students enrolled in our programs.
We promote this value as one that is important to the institution generally, but also by operating
in this way we intend to serve as role models for our students, many of whom will find work in
agencies here and abroad. We offer this as our contribution to the effort to build more transparent
governance in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
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Strategic Plan
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I. The Center for International Studies contributions to Vision OHIO.
The Center for International Studies (CIS) is a degree-granting unit consisting of six
academic programs: African Studies, Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Communication
and Development Studies, Development Studies, Latin American Studies, and Southeast Asian
Studies programs.
CIS is more than a collection of academic programs; it is a center that reaches across the
university to touch nearly every corner of the institution. As an interdisciplinary program, one
way we do this is by clustering courses and initiatives in interesting and innovative ways,
including courses not only in Arts and Sciences but in every other college as well. In consultation
with advisors, our students devise programs of study that draw on resources from across the
campus to combine regional specialties with applied courses in environmental and health
sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. The center leads the institution in offering
overseas student internships and faculty and student research abroad.
Moreover, students funded by grants within CIS, such as the Foreign Language and Area
Studies awards to Title VI programs, are distributed across the institution. In addition, CIS
student organizations provide core support for many campus cultural events such as ones on
dance, film, music, and even the annual International Street Fair. In short, the Center for
International Studies is Ohio University’s gateway to the world, and the world’s window on Ohio
University. Our students and faculty help make this a distinctive and intellectually engaging,
learning-centered research university.
II. Goals Relating to National and International Prominence.
Each of the CIS programs enjoys qualities that make it special and that contribute to Ohio
University’s national and international prominence. African Studies was awarded recognition as
a National Resource Center, ranked among the top nine universities in this field. Southeast Asian
Studies has received numerous large federal grants and was one of only two universities the US
State Department invited to file a proposal on civic education in Indonesia. Latin American
Studies has a young energetic productive faculty with a growing focus on Ecuadorian studies
where it hosts tropical diseases research projects, TEFL certification, and study abroad programs.
This program offers the only MA in Latin American Studies in the state of Ohio. Both thematic
programs—International Development Studies and Communication and Development Studies—
have curricula based upon applied skills and fieldwork. The Communication and Development
program was a pioneer in this rapidly growing field, and it has served as a prototype for similar
academic programs other parts of the world. The International Development Studies program
presents unique options in the study of gender and health issues in global development. In
addition, all programs offer dual-degree options in other disciplines. The BAIS program has the
most comprehensive undergraduate program in international studies in the state of Ohio. The
program has rigorous requirements including pre-major qualifications, language proficiency, and
a required study abroad.
A key aspect of Center for International Studies’ contribution to institutional prominence
is its ability to attract students who can win nationally competitive awards. For instance, the five
CIS graduate programs accounted for the majority of all the Fulbright fellows who enrolled at
Ohio University between 1999 and 2004 (60 out of a total of 110). Another indication of the
prominence of CIS programs is the large number of returned Peace Corps volunteers to choose
one of its programs for graduate study after returning from their work in the field. Typically,
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former Peace Corps volunteers make up about ten percent of the US students majoring in Center
programs, and in Spring 2006 of 138 total graduate students there were 14 returned Peace Corps
Volunteers enrolled. Programs in CIS are approved to provide “Advanced Civil Schooling” for
United States Army Foreign Area Officers. Such officers are regularly recruited by the three area
studies programs to prepare them for future assignments as defense attaches and security officers
in US embassies around the world.
Thanks to the quality and prominence of CIS academic programs, Ohio University is able
to recruit faculty members who might not otherwise accept a position at the institution.
Individuals affiliated with the Center tend to be exceptionally well qualified and their
productivity substantially above national norms.
1. Continue to build distinctive and innovative programs that attract quality students.
We will continue to develop thematic course groupings and specializations that take
advantage of shared interests among CIS faculty. We encourage students to select clusters of
courses across disciplines that respond to critical international issues. Such course specialties can
be coupled with internships and research projects overseas. For instance, courses on conflict
resolution are of importance to all International Studies programs, and the center has helped
create an informal network of faculty working in this area. This learning-centered initiative has
ultimately produced a special seminar series in History, two national conferences in collaboration
with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a USIP project on peace education in Sudan, and
a large US State Department grant on conflict resolution in Southeast Asia, among other spin-off
benefits. In a similar vein, the faculty board for the Bachelor’s program is investigating a new
specialization in Diaspora Studies, possibly in conjunction with African American Studies.
Curricular strengths are supported by vigorous guest lecture programs, especially the
International Studies Forum series that brings notable international experts to campus.
The establishment of the Institute for the African Child (IAC) in 1999 is the premier
example of the Center for International Studies’ leadership in interdisciplinary innovation,
leadership that has contributed to the university's national prominence. Across the nation, a key
lament from academics working on international development issues—both in teaching and
research—has been the lack of collaboration between social scientists and the natural
sciences/health fields. The African Studies program founded the Institute for the African Child to
serve as a model of cooperation between the applied fields of health, medicine, education, and
communication and the core social science fields that have dominated Africanist scholarship. The
engaging issues of children, their natural future orientation and their ties to every other sector of
society on the most marginalized of the world's continents, has proven to be a successful way to
bridge the medical-social science divide. The Institute for the African Child remains the key
reason that African Studies has been awarded two National Resource Center for African Area and
Language Studies awards (generating over $3 million in federal grants), and remains the only
such academic entity in the world (based on internet searches). The flexibility of the pairing of
the African Studies Program and the Institute for the African Child has meant that the latter is
available for sponsorship of short courses and conferences which attract outside scholars and
students to Ohio University. In order to sustain this successful effort, the Assistant Director of the
Institute for the African Child must be upgraded to a full time position and support funding
provided for it
Resources Needed:
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Enhanced support for visiting lecture series. Upgrade Assistant Institute of the African
Child Director’s position to full-time status. Increase non-personnel funding for IAC and
for new program development. Establish an endowed chair in African Child Studies.
Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of students applying and admitted to CIS programs. GRE scores of enrolled
students. GPA records of enrolled students. Numbers of faculty participating in CIS
programs. Numbers of new curricular specialties within programs. Increased student
retention rates.
2. Increase frequency and raise the profile of national and international conferences hosted by
the Center.
A key means of projecting Ohio University beyond campus borders is to organize events
that attract nationally prominent figures. We have done this successfully in the past, including
events such as the conference jointly sponsored with the United States Institute of Peace
mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The African Studies Program has created a series of
international conferences concerning the African Child and another series of symposia on Sports
in Africa. For the past decade the Latin American Studies program has sponsored yearly
international programs in conjunction with the Department of Modern Languages that highlight
cultural, political, and literary interests of multiple countries. The Center for Southeast Asian
Studies is planning an international conference in 2007 on Malaysian Studies to be held in
Washington, DC at the Malaysian Embassy. The Communication and Development Studies
program has hosted international events on entertainment-education in cooperation with other
leading institutions such as the Johns Hopkins University. Through these events, the Center
provides institution-wide opportunities for the development of intercultural fluency.
Resources Needed:
Creation of a fund to help defray costs of hosting conferences. Enhanced coordination
with Lifelong Learning for administration of conferences and short courses.
Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of national and international conferences and related events hosted. National
exposure in media and other venues.
3. Create an annual publication that will project the Center to prominent international
constituencies.
Major programs in international studies commonly produce publication series that offer
essays and research on major international issues. Through these publications, institutions can
influence discourse on these issues and at the same time establish the prominence of those
institutions. Although this would be a major undertaking and would have to be done with the
greatest possible professionalism, it is an important goal. Some of these publications are
sponsored by foundations, and the Center would seek external funding to cover publication and
distribution costs.
Resources Needed:
Identify external sponsor of publication. Graduate student editorial assistance.
Measures of Achievement:
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Readership surveys on impact of publication. Citations and references in secondary
publications.
4. Enhance relationships with strong academic units in professional programs and colleges.
Some of Ohio University’s strongest and best known academic programs can be found
within professional colleges. A marriage of the unique strengths of CIS programs with those in
professional areas affords the institution even greater prominence. Indeed, it is through these
relationships that programs in the Center have been able to gain an advantage in national grant
competitions. International studies programs at most universities find it difficult to forge good
working relationships with professional programs. An example of our successful partnerships is
one between Latin American Studies, International Development Studies and the College of
Osteopathic Medicine that seeks to study and treat Chagas disease. This insect-borne illness is
endemic in much of Latin America. Although little known outside the region, about 18 million
persons are believed to be infected and more than 20,000 die annually from it. As a result of this
project, Ohio University has become one of the world’s main centers for efforts to eradicate the
disease. This joint project brings faculty and students together to carry out training and research
that is improving prospects for control of the disease and simultaneously developing practical
skills of students.
Resources Needed:
Develop funding needed to attract visiting faculty and to cover costs of part-time teaching
in specialized fields. Development of funding for research projects.
Measures of Achievement:
Number of relationships established. Number of projects undertaken. Numbers of
students engaged in projects in which CIS collaborates with other units.
III. Goals Relating to Campus Diversity.
Our students and faculty are materially different from others on campus. We provide an
ethnic, cultural, and racial diversity that leavens the entire institution. We believe our student
body is the most diverse in cultures, language abilities, global experiences, and personal histories
in the institution. There are 87 CIS students who come from outside the United States, making
our combined programs the largest single grouping of international students, and amounting to
almost ten percent of the entire university population. Among US students, the percentage who
come from underrepresented groups is also well above the campus average. For Fall 2006, 26
percent of those admitted to master’s programs in the Center come from underrepresented groups
and about half of these are African-American/Black/non-Hispanic. In addition, 79 percent of
these new admits are female. Our faculty is equally diverse. For example, six of the most recent
seven persons recruited as faculty affiliated with African Studies have come from under-
represented groups. Among the 25 core faculty in Latin American Studies, there are 8 women and
13 Latinos, and all of the five most recently recruited are from under-represented groups. The CIS
faculty is formed around research-active scholars who individually have earned national and
international recognition. Indeed, we attract faculty members whose quality Ohio University
would find difficult to recruit without the presence of our nationally prominent programs.
1. Develop a more aggressive faculty recruitment program.
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Our programs can only be sustained if we continue to maintain and enhance our diverse
and productive faculty. At present all CIS faculty members have their academic homes in
colleges and departments across campus. Regrettably, departments lack incentives to recruit
individuals who could contribute to our programs; in fact, there can be a disincentive to hire a
person who might devote a portion of their time and energy to an interdisciplinary unit like the
CIS. To address this situation, a system of incentives for hiring of International Studies faculty is
suggested. Solutions could take the form of partial buy-out of positions, split positions, or a
scheme of “bonuses” for International Studies hires.
Resources Needed:
Funding of faculty incentives or faculty buy-out program.
Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of faculty participating in CIS programs. Numbers of new faculty hires
involving CIS programs.
2. Recruit faculty with specialized International Studies qualifications.
Although international studies programs have created strong relationships with
departments that hire individuals who fill roles in CIS programs, recruitment of International
Studies specialists whose main commitment is to the interdisciplinary study of international
development is vital. These persons would be qualified to serve all the programs in the Center,
especially International Development Studies. Faculty members like this who have the proper
qualifications are needed not only to address teaching and advising needs, but also to fill
administrative roles in the Center’s programs. Such positions could be funded in the Center but
tenured in an appropriate department, for example Sociology, Economics, or Geography.
Individuals should be recruited for these positions with a strategic objective of building
leadership capacity in International Studies programs. Ideally, a position would be funded as an
endowed chair.
Resources Needed:
Development of funding needed to create full-time International Study specialist.
Creation of endowed chair.
Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of courses taught. Number of students advised. Numbers of research projects
and grants developed by faculty funded in this way.
3. Sustain and build student recruitment from diverse sectors.
Although we have a record of success in achieving a diverse student body, we are
committed to expand our efforts further. To do this we will recruit into our programs students
from institutions that have high undergraduate student enrollment of underrepresented groups,
such as HBCU. We will also target Ohio University graduates from underrepresented groups for
special attention. We will seek to increase the number and funding of Graduate Associate
stipends to increase the attractiveness of our awards.
Resources Needed:
Increased number and amounts of stipends.
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Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of underrepresented group members enrolled in CIS programs. Increased
retention of students from diverse backgrounds.
IV. Goals Relating to Undergraduate Academic Priorities.
With the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center jointly administers a Bachelor of Arts
in International Studies (BAIS) degree. Generally, Center programs have curricula that stress
application over theory, though both are considered important. This feature distinguishes Ohio
University’s International Studies academic programs from ones in other universities. The Center
maintains close ties to professional programs across campus—especially in the colleges of
Communication, Education, and Health and Human Services—by collaborating in grants, sharing
courses, and joint research activities. Another example of its action-oriented curriculum is the
stress on fieldwork, through which students develop their abilities to work collaboratively.
Following our emphasis on practical skills, the BAIS program requires that students complete at
least one study abroad experience and pass a professional language examination. Although
curricula among the Center’s programs are considered strong and successful, a few improvements
have been identified to maintain our special character and national prominence.
1. Strengthen advising in the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.
The undergraduate program Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (BAIS) is located
within Arts and Sciences, but the program is administered by the Center for International Studies.
This program has potential for expansion both in scope and enrollment. Because the program has
only a half-time administrative coordinator, the advising demands of 80 majors and 30 certificate
students is overwhelming. We believe this academic program has the potential to grow in size
while continuing to attract highly motivated and academically well-qualified students. However,
additional resources will be needed to realize the potential of this program. First, a faculty
program director should be funded, using the same approach employed in funding the five
existing program directors within the Center. The director would contribute to advising and
provide liaison with academic units across campus, but mainly in the College of Arts and
Sciences. Second, the administrative coordinator position should be made full-time. This person
would continue to assist in advising and would handle administrative tasks involved such as
recruitment, record keeping, and student curriculum monitoring.
Resources Needed:
Establishment of a director’s position for Bachelor’s program in International Studies, to
be filled by a faculty member from Arts and Sciences.
Measures of Achievement:
Reduced individual advising load for administrative coordinator and program director.
Enhanced advising procedures for BAIS students.
2. Continue to support and develop language programs.
The Center for International Studies has been a steady supporter of language programs
across campus. All CIS academic programs require demonstrated proficiency in at least one
language other than English. In particular, International Studies programs must have access to
training in the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). These are taught by the Linguistics
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department, but many are actually funded by one or another of the programs in the CIS.
Currently, African Studies funds seven graduate assistants who teach less commonly taught
languages and Southeast Asian Studies funds an additional three. Portuguese is also taught as a
LCTL to high enrollments among Latin American Studies students who wish to be capable of
communicating effectively anywhere in Latin America.
By presenting these courses, Ohio University positions itself as a leader in offering
languages that can be studied in few, if any, other institutions. As BAIS enrollment rises, the
Center hopes to increase the number of students taking these languages, and if possible increase
the range of offerings. A second area of development is to strengthen proficiency testing in
languages. At present, the costs of examinations are borne by CIS programs, but this has only
permitted testing that falls short of official nationally-recognized language certification. Since the
state of Ohio mandates official language testing for teachers, the CIS is also investigating ways of
outsourcing these exams in order to maintain high standards and to award students qualifications
that provide professional certification. Ohio University will be a leader in promoting and
maintaining national standards through these exams.
Resources Needed:
Strengthen faculty supervision of LCTL program. Develop funds and materials for
training of instructors of LCTLs.
Measures of Achievement:
Growth in enrollment of courses for less commonly taught languages. Development of
proficiency testing system. Numbers of students passing proficiency standards testing.
3. Enlarge opportunities for internships, overseas exchange programs, and study abroad
options.
Service learning is a major component of all CIS curricula. Because of this stress on
practical application and skills, students in our program gain field experience, and for us the field
of reference is usually in another country. By offering excellent overseas internships and study
abroad options at the graduate level, CIS programs are able to attract especially qualified students
such as Honors Tutorial graduates, McNair Scholars, and returned Peace Corps volunteers. The
same is doubly true at the undergraduate level where overseas experience is commonly the
highlight of a student’s university experience. Planning overseas fieldwork requires greater effort
and care than in the domestic setting, but it provides an ideal opportunity to develop students’
intercultural fluency. To set the stage for overseas experiences, the Center is working together
with other units to establish an international residential learning community. Students have
expressed a desire that the Center provide more support and assistance in identifying and placing
them in internships that match the skills they acquire as part of their academic studies. We will
redouble efforts to improve the Center’s “Internship Corner” and to promote it to faculty
affiliated with CIS programs. In this resource, we will present a regularly updated catalogue on
successful internship opportunities and information on internship strategies and procedures. The
Center’s programs will continue to organize activities such as field trips, tours, and professional
visits that offer students wider fieldwork opportunities.
Resources Needed:
Increased scholarship funding for students working or studying abroad.
Measures of Achievement:
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Growth of internship options available. Number of participants in internships and
overseas activities.
V. Goals Relating to Graduate Education, Research, and Creative Activities.
The Center for International Studies, established in 1964, is the nexus for global and area
studies at Ohio University. The Center's interdisciplinary teaching, research, publications, and
outreach programs bring together faculty and students from all parts of the university. The Center
offers a Master of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA), an interdisciplinary degree with
specializations in five academic programs: African Studies, Communication and Development
Studies, International Development Studies, Latin American Studies, and Southeast Asian
Studies. All five CIS graduate programs have national prominence.
1. Continue to strengthen curriculum based upon individually designed, skilled programs of
study.
A mix of theory and practice is the key to the success of our graduates, a large portion of
whom work in the fields of education, business or for NGOs. Like other interdisciplinary units,
our programs must ensure that supporting courses in key areas are regularly offered. For
International Studies, disciplines considered central to our curricula include Languages,
Anthropology, Sociology, Classics and World Religions, Political Science, Economics,
Geography, and History, among others. Also, the arts have become a great strength of Ohio
University’s international focus, a fact that sets the institution apart from most in the US. The
arts additionally provide an important source of contact and enrichment for the entire Southeast
Ohio community. However, equally important are skills courses based in professional programs.
In order to continue building the curriculum, strong ties need to be maintained between the Center
and its faculty. This requires attention to team-building among affiliated faculty and setting up
incentives for faculty participation. Some ideas under study include a formal process to
recognize affiliated faculty participation, mechanisms to report faculty contributions to
department heads, and a range of small incentives such as faculty development opportunities,
travel funding, and the like.
Resources Needed:
Develop faculty and financial support for international study in the arts and professional
areas.
Measures of Achievement:
Growth in numbers of core courses available for International Studies graduate programs.
Expansion in numbers of new International Studies courses.
2. Support course development to strengthen distinctiveness of CIS academic programs.
In order to offer nationally competitive programs in International Studies, Ohio
University must devise programs that capitalize on the institution’s comparative advantages and
that provide creative new opportunities to potential students. The establishment of the
Communication and Development Studies program shows how the CIS initiates distinctive
curricula. In September 2006 this program will celebrate its 20th anniversary. “CommDev”
represented a wholly new academic direction, and its curriculum has become a model copied by a
number of other institutions. Each of the programs is working with various departments and
schools on new courses that will provide creative options for students and build on Ohio
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University’s strengths. African Studies is building an international profile around its African
Child projects. Latin American Studies and International Development Studies have jointly
offered research internships and teaching programs in their Ecuadorian projects. The CIS will
engage in ongoing studies to identify areas for future programmatic development that will
strengthen our learning-centered environment. In recent years, the International Development
Studies program has maintained close contact with Chubu University in Japan and recruits two or
more students from Chubu each year, either via regular application procedures or through the
sponsorship of the Charles Ping Foundation at Ohio University. International Development
Studies has also worked closely with affiliated faculty members in Sociology, Anthropology,
Economics, Political Science, Geography, Biological Sciences, Communication, Business
Administration, Women Studies, and Multicultural Studies to offer courses focusing respectively
on gender, health, environment, poverty relief, and community-based development. Some of
these courses have become immensely popular graduate seminars.
Resources Needed:
Existing resources are adequate.
Measures of Achievement:
Growth in numbers of core courses available for International Studies programs.
Expansion in numbers of new International Studies courses.
3. Identify and assist the development of specializations related to center programs and to
market demands.
Changing global conditions produce shifting demands for university graduates having an
international studies degree. The Center for International Studies aims to be flexible in adapting
its curriculum to suit changing market conditions. Currently, there are needs for graduates having
skills in such areas as conflict resolution, international health, HIV/AIDS prevention, economic
analysis and planning, campaign management, community-based development, poverty
alleviation, environmental preservation, grants administration, and the like. In order to achieve
this goal, Program directors need to monitor trends in the job market and academic interests
expressed by majors in their programs. Many CIS master’s graduates wish to continue their
graduate studies at the doctoral level. The Communication and Development Studies program,
for instance, commonly sends as many as half of it graduates on to Ph.D. work. Other graduates
often elect advanced graduate study in languages, health and human services, and business fields.
The CIS will develop strategies to assist graduates to qualify for entry into doctoral programs.
Recently, International Development Studies has been participating in discussions on the
establishment of an interdisciplinary doctoral program on social policy. This program would
involve many relevant academic units across the campus. The rationale behind the proposal is to
strengthen the distinctiveness of CIS as a leader of interdisciplinary studies on campus while
catering to increased market demand for social policy researchers and practitioners.
Resources Needed:
Existing resources are adequate.
Measures of Achievement:
Creation of new program specialties.
4. Expand dual-degree opportunities at the graduate level,
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Many students who pursue International Studies master’s degree programs would like to
couple their regional or thematic training with more specialized discipline-specific master’s
programs. One successful model has been developed in Southeast Asian Studies where the dual
Master’s of Arts degree program in International Studies/Master of Arts in Business
Administration has been very popular. Another popular dual-degree track pairs International
Development Studies and Latin American studies programs with the Economics Department to
provide students with a dual-degree opportunity in both International Affairs and Economics.
Working out articulation arrangements between paired programs in advance makes for a smooth
and well-integrated graduate study experience for students. Once in place, it allows Ohio
University to offer an option that may not be widely available elsewhere.
Resources Needed:
Funds for overload teaching in interdisciplinary courses should be developed. University
should regularize cross-listing of courses and review departmental policies regarding
faculty participation in “out of department” projects and instruction.
Measures of Achievement:
Number of dual-degree arrangements established. Number of students completing dual-
degree programs. Student and faculty satisfaction with dual-degree programs.
5. Explore development of graduate certificate programs.
An alternative to dual master’s degree programs is the certificate program for those
enrolled in graduate programs outside the CIS. This has worked well at the undergraduate level,
and at the graduate level; the Women’s Studies program has demonstrated it can be effective
there too.
Resources Needed:
Existing resources are adequate.
Measures of Achievement:
Establishment of certificate programs.
6. Develop research methods courses, theory, and cross-disciplinary courses specifically
intended for International Studies students.
CIS program directors have pledged to join together to assure that special needs of
research in the international environment are recognized in its curriculum. In the area of
research, as in other subject areas, CIS provides for selection of course offerings built around the
individual student needs. Special attention will be given to the creation of research and theory
offerings pertinent to our programs’ needs. Currently, International Development Studies offers
its first-year students a sequence of proseminars focusing on both general theories of
development and case-based research methods. This sequence is designed to help students build a
knowledge foundation on development which will allow them to complete advanced courses
relevant to their specific research interests. In addition, the course “Field Research in
International Settings” was offered during Winter Quarter as a seminar. Based on this
experience, African Studies intends to create a suitable course for permanent addition to the
curriculum. Once in place, this offering will be available not only to all other programs in CIS,
but to students throughout the university. Similarly, Communication and Development Studies is
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exploring a new specialization in child and adolescent health that would be based on cross-
disciplinary course offerings.
Resources Needed:
Existing resources are adequate.
Measures of Achievement:
Growth in numbers of methods, theory, and cross-disciplinary courses available for
International Studies programs.
VI. Goals Relating to Expanded Base of Support.
The Center for International Studies has enjoyed a remarkable record of achievement in
external grant funded activities, considering its small size and staffing, and the somewhat limited
funding opportunities that exist in the Social Sciences that make up the majority of its academic
activities. For example, a total of twelve grants were awarded to CIS programs during the period
2002-2005, providing a sum of $2,137,915 in funding. These awards not only permit the Center
to engage in more activities, they also lead to increased sponsored research and national
prominence.
1. Maintain and expand external grant-funded activities.
Current efforts to develop programs through grant activities have been successful, but are
self-limiting, due to a staff shortage. Once grants have been obtained, they must be monitored
and managed. When the Center was separated from the Associate Provost’s office, the Budget
Unit Manager moved with the Associate Provost. In order to move our efforts to the next level of
performance, the Center needs assistance in the form of a person who can oversee budgets,
handle reporting, and when possible, aid in identifying additional grant opportunities. The
Interim Director of Center is, for the time being, serving as Budget Unit Manager, but to
accommodate expected grants activities an Assistant Director for this role is needed. Even with
existing active grants the workload at times exceeds our abilities. For Federal grants in particular,
grants monitoring is an exacting requirement, one that has grown over time, due to an increasing
emphasis at the Federal level on impact and assessment. The CIS will also need adequate book
keeping support for the many complex externally funded projects and programs.
Resources Needed:
An Assistant Director for Finance and Grants Programs is needed in the near term. A
person at an intermediate level administrative contract would be suited for the
responsibilities envisioned.
Measures of Achievement:
The impact can be measured in the number of grants or in the actual dollar value of
grants.
VII. Goals Relating to Research and Creative Activities.
Since September 11, 2001, a broad national consensus has emerged on the need to
revitalize international education. The Federal Government has gradually shifted allocations to
make more funds available for research and training in international studies. However, funding
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priorities imposed by the government require the development of inventive approaches to
scholarly inquiry on international issues, and to an emphasis on applied research. The CIS is
poised to take advantage of opportunities presented because of the nature of its programs.
1. Promote and enhance Monograph Series.
The Ohio University Press Monographs for Latin American Studies, African Studies, and
Asian Studies are rated among the top international studies series in the nation. In recent years,
OU Press has published many important books. Two Latin American Studies publications were
winners of the “Choice” award, and a Southeast Asian book was winner of the Okuma Memorial
Academic Prize (Japan).
The Ohio University Press series on Africa is one of only 3 US university presses to
focus seriously on the continent. The Press serves the higher education community by making the
latest African research available in accessible and library formats for teaching and further
research. We also promote the careers of young scholars and provide useful texts for college
teaching, particularly through two new series, “New African Histories” edited by Jean Allman
and Allen Isaacman, and the “Africa in World History,” series edited by David Robinson and
Joseph Miller. In 2004, the series produced a 1,200 page Indonesian dictionary, authored by Alan
M. Stevens and A. Schmidgall-Tellings, a work that has been termed the definitive reference for
the language. Titled A Complete Indonesian-English Dictionary, it became the fastest-selling
reference book on Asia, according to one publications expert at the 2005 Association for Asian
Studies conference.
CIS is jointly responsible for the monograph series and believes an important aspect of
furthering the research and prominence aims of our strategic plans is expansion and development
of the series. The Center for International Studies is a major constituent of the OU Press, and as
such it wants to gain greater support for the Press and for the impact it has on our profession. In
particular, one monograph series, on Development Studies, has become dormant due to lack of
funding. The specific emphases in the series are comparative regional development and rural
development publications. For instance, International Development Studies also contributed to
the monograph series on development, and in 2003, the Ohio University Press published
Communities of Work: Rural Restructuring in Local and Global Contexts, edited by Ann
Tickamyer et al. In the future we intend to revive this series, which will provide service to both
the International Development Studies and Communication and Development Studies programs
of CIS.
Resources Needed:
Funding needed to maintain the Development Studies series. A general increase in
funding to support editorial work.
Measures of Achievement:
Sales of published volumes. Numbers of submitted manuscripts. Numbers of titles
published. External awards for publications.
2. Promote research visibility.
International Development Studies participates actively in developmental projects at
home and abroad. For instance, rural development in Appalachian Ohio is an on-going research
project that has involved both affiliated faculty and students. Another on-going project involves
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an international collaboration with Nurani Dunia, an Indonesian non-government organization, in
an effort to alleviate poverty and rebuild Ache in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami.
Ohio University can benefit from revised national priorities after 9/11, thanks to the
recognition that the CIS has earned for its field-oriented applied research programs. Beginning in
2004, thematic areas of research have been emphasized. These are: 1) social and political
change: participatory research on social and political reform, new social movements, focusing on
civic education, ethno-religious conflict management, decentralization, democratization, the
improvement of women’s status in society, media and other civil society efforts; 2) children and
poverty: promoting analysis of the education, health, and development needs of children in
marginalized regions; 3) bridging cultures through the study of the performing arts, languages
and literature; and 4) non-Arab Muslim communities: broadening understanding of Muslim
societies in non-Arab contexts. 5) global health issues are a major concern that CIS is actively
addressing. This field is crucial to our student recruitment efforts at every level. These topics
present rich possibilities for engaged research—the practical applications of research to real
world problems—and for university-wide collaboration on international issues. To realize these
possibilities we aim to develop funding opportunities through an endowed research fund as
proposed under VII.3. below.
The CIS will also find ways to promote faculty and student research grants funded both
by internal and external sources. Effective ways of raising awareness of grant opportunities will
be identified and an effort will be made to develop greater travel funding specifically intended for
activities that heightens Ohio University international visibility.
Resources Needed:
Identification of a development officer; establishment of a development campaign.
Enhanced funding for international travel.
Measures of Achievement:
Establishment of a grant research fund.
3. Create endowed grant research fund for undergraduate and graduate students, and for
faculty.
For many years the Southeast Asian Studies program has maintained a research fund for
faculty and students. Originally created by a grant from the Luce Foundation, this fund has
underwritten costs of fieldwork for 77 students since 1989. Additional awards have provided
seed money for faculty overseas research work to more than a dozen persons. Using this concept,
the CIS will work with the other five programs to establish their own research endowment to
underwrite the costs of student fieldwork. This will require a fund-raising effort and we plan to
work together with the Associate Provost for International Programs in conceiving and mounting
a campaign to achieve this goal.
Resources Needed:
Identification of a development officer; establishment of a development campaign.
Measures of Achievement:
Establishment of a grant research fund. Numbers of awards made.
VIII. Goals Relating to Environment of Engagement.
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The CIS has an important role to play in establishing a climate of intellectual engagement
among students, faculty, and community members. So many important issues of the day lie
within the global realm, and our center has the capacity to connect the institution with these
concerns. One way it is currently doing this is by means of FLAS fellowship awards by CIS
programs to graduate students who will, as part of their academic programs, acquire proficiency
in nationally strategic languages. Similarly, CIS extends these efforts through the undergraduate
BIAS program, where language proficiency is compulsory. The Institute for the African Child has
taken leadership in the area of bridging the International Studies and Health fields at Ohio
University, and has also branched out to areas such as sports and recreation. The institute is a
natural vehicle for K-12 outreach to the nation, state, and region.
However, to achieve this aim, a range of intermediate goals must be met first.
1. Enhance engagement of CIS programs with the university community.
Programs in the CIS cooperatively mount the International Studies Forum lecture series
that brings at least three major lecturers to campus each quarter. This long-running series has
enjoyed generally good attendance. However, the Center for International Studies will address
itself to the university community more often and more clearly in the future. This would not only
serve to create a stronger sense of community, it could also create a better understanding of the
function and role of CIS within and outside of the University community. To accomplish this
information objective, a comprehensive publicity plan is needed. Such a plan will be built around
the competitive strengths of center programs, i.e., unique programs, special focuses, national
recognition, and so on. As an immediate step toward this goal, CIS Websites are in the process of
being updated and revised to improve accessibility and to improve ease of navigation within and
between programs.
Support and encouragement for student life is a key component in the creation of a sense
of community. CIS cooperation in the creation of an international residential learning community
is one example. However, at this time, there is no BAIS student organization, and steps will be
taken to remedy this. Center-wide student activities will be given priority as students in one
program otherwise have few occasions to become acquainted with those from other programs.
One way of achieving this goal is by expanding the number and frequency of campus-wide
cultural events organized by CIS. Events of the type foreseen here will draw a large cross-section
of the university community, but especially will provide an important social occasion for students
at all levels. One possibility is a yearly event organized in celebration of International Studies
Week.
In a similar manner center-wide collaborative events and activities promote CIS and its
programs widely and at the same time provide opportunities for joint action within the center.
The two national conferences conducted under the auspices of the United States Institute of Peace
provide an example of center-wide collaboration. Students and faculty members attended
presentations from all programs and the conferences inspired community participation and
intensive news coverage.
Resources Needed:
Additional human resources, possibly Graduate Associates, for tasks of organizing events
and as Webmaster.
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Measures of Achievement:
Growth in number of university events. Increased number of participants in university
events. Increased attendance at university events. Student evaluation of their university
experience.
2. Continue initiatives that project the unique strengths of CIS to state, national and
international constituencies.
The CIS will develop a comprehensive outreach plan to extend Center resources to the
university community, region, and state. While this goal is important to all International Studies
programs, it is vital for programs vying for Department of Education Title VI funding. For these
programs—African Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, and the Bachelor’s Program in International
Studies—vigorous outreach is a basic requirement. This plan should include some elements of
other goals related to an environment of engagement. The Institute for the African Child provides
an example of how this goal can be met. This institute serves to lead the university in initiatives
that offer international expertise for Ohio children and provide an opportunity to link global
resources with them. Another prime example is the online training program launched by the
Communication and Development Studies program. This project is providing training to staff of
key NGOs and UN agencies working in international development. The list includes UNICEF,
UNDP, Academy for Educational Development (AED), and Chemonics, among others.
Ohio Valley International Council (OVIC) is the outreach arm of CIS which provides
Cultural Consultants to regional schools and community organizations. Cultural Consultants are
students from any major, not just International Studies, who are recruited and trained to act as
resource persons for classroom teachers and others wishing for information on culture and life
outside the US. In Spring 2006 there was a staff of 25 Cultural Consultants who were slated to
work with over 1,200 primary and secondary students, teachers, and staff.
One essential constituency that must be better served is CIS alumni. Alumni contact will
be improved by a significantly upgraded alumni address database. Work on this is underway and
efforts to build an accurate, up-to-date database are being stepped up now. Among the steps to be
taken is a greater focus on Web presence and more detailed information available on sites
associated with CIS.
Resources Needed:
Funding or restructuring of staff to provide full-time Outreach Coordinator position.
Measures of Achievement:
Numbers of outreach activities. Effectiveness assessment of outreach activities. Numbers
of opportunities for and frequency of alumni contact. Improved Website. Increased use
of Website.
3. Strengthen procedures for internal communication.
The sense of community present within our unit requires development, as well as the
establishment of formal means of information sharing. Of course, implicit in this is the need for
transparency and openness. This aim should ensure that CIS stakeholders have shared
responsibility in the success of all programs.
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This plan calls for the development of better communication with affiliated faculty.
Previously, there has been inadequate contact among international studies faculty and generally
insufficient interaction among the different groups that make up the CIS. The explanation is that
faculty members have limited opportunities to interact, because they tend to be based in
departments that are physically separated.
A physical area within our complex for informal student activities and for faculty and
student interaction would contribute to a sense of community. We are investigating the creation
of a common room for all International Studies students. As we see it, the room would have
computer access and a refreshment bar and would serve as a point of contact for information on
internships, grants, and scholarships.
Individuals who teach and advise in programs will be made to feel that they are a part of
the center’s ongoing mission. Coupled with this is the need to ensure that departments and
colleges are aware of and recognize contributions made by their faculty to CIS and to the
university.
Resources Needed:
Space and facilities for a common room.
Measures of Achievement:
Increase in informational tools available within CIS.
IX. Goals Relating to National and International Partnerships.
CIS programs already have many partnerships, but not all of these are currently active or
are effective in helping fulfill CIS goals. External links, especially ones abroad, have the dual
potential of supporting our teaching mission, but also providing opportunities to connect us with
larger networks of practitioners and scholars. Our partnerships, moreover, have expanded our
financial base through cost savings and through externally funded projects such as ones on
Islamic studies and peacemaking and conflict resolution.
1. Foster stronger partnerships with external organizations, agencies, and institutions.
Partnerships that CIS seeks will need to be based upon priorities established within this
strategic plan. That is to say, partnerships should help advance one or more of the other goals
identified here. Linkages with the world’s universities have been forged already and should be
nurtured and developed in creative ways. For instance, the Communication and Development is
part of the Communication for Social Change University Network. This network was created last
year at a meeting held at the University of Los Banos, The Philippines, and it brings together 15
universities with graduate training in communications and development. Ohio University is the
only US university in the network. Similarly, the Institute for the African Child works with
African institutional partners, such as the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, the
Ghana National Children’s Commission, the Centre for Democratic Research and training in
Nigeria, and the Kenyan Ministry of Health. Collaborative programs include: a vitamin A
deficiency information campaign project in Zambia; nutritional research in Zimbabwe; a project
to investigate children’s knowledge of and uses for plants in the townships outside of Cape Town;
and an education project on the role of traditional leaders in Ghana in girls’ access to schooling.
Latin American Studies is developing partnerships in Ecuador in a variety of areas, including
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language training and health care. In the latter, we are working with the Tropical Disease
Institute in its research on vector-borne diseases.
Resources Needed:
Increased travel funding for management of international partnerships.
Measures of Achievement:
Number of activities developed through partnerships. Increased impact of partnerships.
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