JOINT AFT-GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY/ RUTGERS UNIV SABBATICAL & TEACHER EXCHANGE CREDIT & DEGREE PROGRAM

The AFT has long recognized the value of continuing education for teachers and the school systems they serve. The union has encouraged its locals and the school systems to contemplate and actually provide teachers with new educational opportunities. Under AFT contract provisions these could be or have been incorporated into sabbatical leaves, in-service credit programs, teacher exchange programs, and so forth.

The AFT has also encouraged its members to undertake educational programs that benefit the union and the community as participants in the educational process. Hence, a number of courses have been set up with Georgetown University's International Labor Program (ILP) to provide credit and non-credit programs on international affairs, particularly on the international concerns of interest to the AFT and its members.

The program can now be extended to include an international affairs graduate credit sabbatical leave and teacher exchange program.

The program would enable teachers to obtain graduate credits which cumulatively will lead to a degree in international affairs, deriving from their sabbatical programs and/or their work abroad in teacher exchange programs.

Specifically, teachers planning sabbaticals or work abroad would apply, through the AFT's Department of International Education, to Georgetown's ILP for graduate credit. In consultation with the ILP, individual credit or individual credit through group arrangements, would be drawn up. Some of the program could involve study in Washington, D.C.

Similarly, teachers spending the summer or any other time of the year working abroad would negotiate credit arrangements through the ILP Georgetown University. Studies on social, economic, political, and labor trends abroad could be considered for credit.

Those teachers wishing to obtain a degree in international affairs could apply their sabbatical program directly to Georgetown University. Those desirous of obtaining a degree in international affairs from a local university, or using the credits obtained from their sabbatical program or work abroad could, with the permission of their local university, transfer the credits. Those wishing to obtain a degree in labor studies with an international affairs component will be able to do the same thing. Rutgers University's Labor Studies Program has agreed to collaborate with Georgetown and the AFT in facilitating such degree arrangements.