IN OPPOSITION TO H.R. 3077

WHEREAS, the House of Representatives has passed H.R. 3077, the International Studies in Higher Education Act, reauthorizing Title VI of the Higher Education Act, which supports international education programs; and

WHEREAS, Section 633 of H.R. 3077 establishes a politically appointed "international advisory board" that grew out of a conservative assertion that Title VI International Studies programs reflect an anti-American bias and discourage students from working for the U.S. government; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 3077 attacks the very nature of academic freedom by creating a board to review whether research and teaching are appropriate; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the board is to "annually review, monitor, apprise, and evaluate the activities of grant recipients [for international studies programs] based on the purposes and objectives of this title," and to advise Congress and the Secretary of Education on the effect of Title VI programs on homeland security, international education, and affairs, and foreign language training; and

WHEREAS, the "monitoring" and "advising" activities of the board could carry dire political and monetary consequences for some programs, setting a dangerous precedent for government oversight and approval of academic content and curriculum in other areas as well; and

WHEREAS, curriculum decisions are a faculty responsibility, and freedom of research is fundamental to the advancement of knowledge:

RESOLVED, that the AFT strongly oppose the creation of the international advisory board and urge Congress to remove Section 633 from H.R. 3077 and from reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT work in coalition with like-minded organizations to defeat this proposal.