MCGE Meeting
Location: Lodge of the Four Seasons, Lake Ozarks
Date: 25 Feb 2010
Time: 11 p.m.
Attending: Dr. James Kellerman, Dr. Kent Farnsworth, Cindy Epperson, Loren Lundstrom, Rihab Sawah, Chris Sulincevski, Laird
Okie, Eric Parsons, Janice Meyer and Lisa Hollander.
Item
Study Missouri Update
Discussion
Loren led discussion. OTC is member.
Chris has also become involved with
STLCC. Discussed input options for
Study MO Newsletter: will have
community college section so MCGE can
provide regular input. Loren recommends
MCGE participation to keep community
colleges in the loop, as Study MO
members are mostly 4-year institutions.
Cost is $500 annually. Benefit includes
presence as Study MO member on their
website (exposure to international
students) and at their booth at the NAFSA
Annual Conference in KC in May.
Action
Loren will provide some input for
Newsletter: Results of Africa in MO; info
telling Study MO members what MCGE
is; need global certificate update to include
(can everyone send Loren information for
your campus?); Need info from Rihab
about the Fulbright Scholar to include as
well. For future input recommend we
input stories from MCGE international
students from each campus.
Center for Global Advancement of
Community Colleges (CGACC)
Dr. Farnsworth led discussion about
changes with AACC and new organization
championing international programs in the
community college. Judy Erwin left
AACC. CGACC (not-for-profit) formed,
wants to do what it thought AACC wasn’t
doing. MCGE has opportunity to connect
with CGACC; MCGE can serve as a
national model for state community
college organizations.
MCGE needs to stay alert and consider
future work with CGACC.
Item
Discussion
Action
Midwest Institute for International and
Intercultural Education (MIIIE)
Cindy led discussion. Upcoming
conference in Springfield, IL March 25-27.
Cost is $300 per year. Provides access to
grants for instructors, summer workshops,
conferences, etc.
If interested in joining, check out
www.miiie.org
Title VI-A Grant and Future of MCGE
Cindy began by reminding all that
MCGE’s Title VI-A Grant ends June 30th,
2010. We’re in a transition period for
MCCA. Others in the group brought up
ideas of how MCGE could remain
relevant: a means of sharing resources
among institutions for international
programs; consortium for study abroad,
online languages; sharing best practices,
etc. Dr. Farnsworth recommended
focusing on Fulbright-Hayes grant in the
future, as well as a focus on our current
MCCA MOA’s with Vietnam and
Thailand.
Early in the meeting Loren recommended
setting up a Blackboard site as more
flexible for members than the current use
of the JeffCo website. Cindy quietly called
back to STLCC and by the time the
meeting was over, a new Blackboard site
for MCGE was already being developed!
Lisa shared MCGE’s success with this VIA Grant. MCGE represents the largest ever
consortium to win a VI-A grant; we had
over 100 instructors create global
education modules.
Next stage of the grant, even after June
30th will be to “get the word out”. Lisa and
Lisa plan to do this by writing articles
(Chronicle of Higher Ed, CCID), apply for
awards (Simon, NAFSA, etc.) Everyone
keep your eyes open for any type of award
MCGE might be eligible for as a result of
this grant.
Success of the VI-A Grant
Dr. Kellerman mentioned that MCGE has
an account as part of the MCCA budget.
We need to somehow document that so it
doesn’t disappear in the transition.
Item
DHE Global Competency Development
Discussion
Dr. Tim Gallimore has asked MCGE to
help DHE by creating a Task Force to
develop a “global competency” and tool
that could be used to measure such for
students entering college, and students
existing college/university for the state of
Missouri.
Action
A group of MCGE members met with Dr.
Gallimore at 4:00 that afternoon. A task
force was created to prepare a preliminary
draft. Lisa Spaulding is coordinating that
effort, the early efforts of which involve
mostly MCC personnel. More to come.
Around the Schoolyard
Flo Valley (Rihab): Global gathering this
semester has Eastern Europe as a theme.
Global Ed certificate program has slowed
as they attempt to create a “global
education” program, the pilot of which is
based on the Honors Program. STLCC
(Chris): Chinese faculty visit will take
place March through May, contact Chris if
you want to participate. Visiting professor
can speak on Mass Communications.
French Ambassador to US is in St. Louis
to sign a MOU with the MO DHE for
exchanges of faculty. OTC (Loren): two
new on-line language programs will start
in the Fall – Chinese and French. East
Central (Janice): International Day
postponed.
MCC (Eric): Study abroad
trip to Kenya & Uganda likely to be
cancelled this year due to low student
interest. Several members chimed in that
the economy is really limiting student
interest this year in study abroad. Moberly
Area (Laird): Took students to Jeff City
for International Day. Good event.
Dr. Farnsworth brought up the idea that we
consider asking MCCA to set up a fund so
that our community college program
doctoral candidates can continue to work
with UMSL’s current community college
contacts in Thailand.
Cindy Epperson reminded all that
International Education Week is in
November, and suggested we try to have a
special event on every MCGE campus.
Idea is to promote international awareness
to our communities through cultural
events, etc. (Note: it’s not too early to start
planning, especially since most of us are in
the budget planning process right now!)
Adjournment
Moberly Area (continued): Also
considering hosting an International Day
with cultural activities and guest speakers.
Respectfully Submitted,
Loren Lundstrom
Meeting is Happily Adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Next meeting will be April 30th at the
MCCA office in Jefferson City.