Spring Break
Study Abroad at CSU
Erik Myers
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: News
While study abroad departments across the country face criticism regarding business practices with program affiliates, CSU's department claims to be kickback-free.
Concern has risen toward the companies and non-profit institutions that offer study abroad programs and the universities they deal with, according to an article in the New York Times. Commissions, cash bonuses and offers of expenses paid for traveling to abroad sites are among offers made by such groups, in exchange for exclusivity in a study abroad department.
Kara Bingham, director for study abroad, said this was far from the case at CSU's department, which offers 29 CSU-sponsored programs at select universities, as well as 15 affiliates.
"Our choice in affiliate is not based whatsoever on any office contribution, and our policy is not to accept any agreement that would give contributions to the study abroad office," Bingham said.
Bingham says that she has had to turn down offers of incentives from affiliates in the past, as accepting such offers would create "a sense of impropriety."
Bingham acknowledged, however, that she and study abroad staff had utilized on-site travels offered by affiliates and other programs, trips that were either paid either in full or in part. Bingham said that such trips were crucial to the office's development.
"I think it would be unprofessional not to have advisors go over," Bingham said. "It's a matter of university accountability to actually have an understanding of the institution that students are going to."
"If a student asks me 'Where in France would you suggest I go to study engineering?' I can have a sense of what it is like on the ground, when I've seen the resident halls in France and I've a much better ability to explain to students what it's like."
According to Bingham, paid on-site travels are a "benefit" to students, in that advisors can better understand the foreign university a student may choose to attend. Benefits passed onto students, Bingham says, are the only kind of benefits the office takes from programs and affiliates: discount rates and available scholarship funds are generally available, depending on the affiliate or sponsored university.
Concern has risen toward the companies and non-profit institutions that offer study abroad programs and the universities they deal with, according to an article in the New York Times. Commissions, cash bonuses and offers of expenses paid for traveling to abroad sites are among offers made by such groups, in exchange for exclusivity in a study abroad department.
Kara Bingham, director for study abroad, said this was far from the case at CSU's department, which offers 29 CSU-sponsored programs at select universities, as well as 15 affiliates.
"Our choice in affiliate is not based whatsoever on any office contribution, and our policy is not to accept any agreement that would give contributions to the study abroad office," Bingham said.
Bingham says that she has had to turn down offers of incentives from affiliates in the past, as accepting such offers would create "a sense of impropriety."
Bingham acknowledged, however, that she and study abroad staff had utilized on-site travels offered by affiliates and other programs, trips that were either paid either in full or in part. Bingham said that such trips were crucial to the office's development.
"I think it would be unprofessional not to have advisors go over," Bingham said. "It's a matter of university accountability to actually have an understanding of the institution that students are going to."
"If a student asks me 'Where in France would you suggest I go to study engineering?' I can have a sense of what it is like on the ground, when I've seen the resident halls in France and I've a much better ability to explain to students what it's like."
According to Bingham, paid on-site travels are a "benefit" to students, in that advisors can better understand the foreign university a student may choose to attend. Benefits passed onto students, Bingham says, are the only kind of benefits the office takes from programs and affiliates: discount rates and available scholarship funds are generally available, depending on the affiliate or sponsored university.
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