Monterey and Midd forge ahead

Author: Derek Schlickeisen

The Monterey Institute of International Studies' (MIIS) Board of Trustees met Oct. 14 on Middlebury's campus amidst a surge in fundraising and joint degree programs taking shape, marking a turning point nearly one year into the two schools' affiliation. With a new MIIS president in place, Monterey and Middlebury have completed many of the administrative changes that will allow for greater academic and financial cooperation.

The affiliation brings Middlebury's financial strength to an institution that had struggled with fundraising in recent years, forcing faculty cutbacks and delays in needed improvements to the Institute's campus.

In addition to raising $60 million in 2005 - it's third straight year of record-breaking fundraising - the College has also received $12 million in separate pledges to directly support the affiliation effort.

Though the schools will maintain separate bank accounts, collaborative fundraising efforts will help Monterey make basic repairs to its buildings, replace aging technological resources, fill vacant professorships and add nearly $700,000 in annual student financial aid.

President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz stressed that he believes the affiliation has also been reflected in the College's own fundraising efforts. Since April, the College has received four pledges totaling $22 million in response to requests that donors support its efforts in international education.

"In all four cases, the Monterey affiliation has figured prominently in the discussion I have had with these donors and their decision to make their pledges," Liebowitz said. "I believe the message about international education and developing graduate programs that will help the next generation of global leaders to address the new challenges of the 21st century is compelling and will lead to great support for the College."

Liebowitz emphasized that completion of administrative changes at Monterey will now allow the two schools to focus on increasing their collaborative academic efforts. The College's trustees have already approved a collaborative Master of Arts degree in Chinese, which students can earn through either four summers at Middlebury's Chinese Language School or two summers at the Language School plus a year of study at Monterey.

Other academic initiatives in the works include a possible five-year B.A./M.A. degree offered jointly by the two schools, a semester or full junior year spent at Monterey for Middlebury undergraduates, and internships for undergraduates at MIIS' respected Center for Non-Proliferation Studies.

"The College has a remarkable array of resources for international education that is unparalleled among liberal arts colleges," Liebowitz said. "The undergraduate college will remain the core and central focus of our efforts, but to be able to add graduate programs that complement our strong foreign language master programs will, in the end, strengthen all components of Middlebury."

Both Liebowitz and newly-appointed MIIS President Clara Yu said they hope the affiliation will also reflect favorably on the two institutions' reputations. Monterey represents only the latest addition to the College's portfolio of programs in foreign languages and international studies - one that already includes nine summer language schools, seven C.V. Starr schools abroad, the undergraduate International Studies and International Politics and Economics majors and Middlebury's service as the headquarters for the United World Colleges Davis Scholars Program.

"[Monterey's] ties to Asia and the Pacific Rim complement our historical European orientation," said Liebowitz, "and its programs in international business, international policy studies and non-proliferation studies will allow us to consider providing new opportunities to our undergraduate students."

Yu, a former vice president for foreign languages at Middlebury, emphasized that the affiliation has also boosted the profile of MIIS, which is already considered a leader in global policy concerns. Since North Korea's announcement on Oct. 9 that it had conducted a nuclear weapons test, commentary from experts at MIIS' Center for Non-Proliferation Studies has been included in coverage by outlets ranging from The Wall Street Journal to BBC News.

"The affiliation with Middlebury increases visibility for the Institute as an important U.S. institution the mission of which is entirely international," Yu said. "This results from the convergence of Middlebury's reputation in languages and international studies and the Institute's unique strengths in global peace and security."

Looking forward, Liebowitz said he believe students will benefit from programs that bring the faculty at the College and Monterey together. The institutions plan to bridge the geographic divide between Vermont and California by arranging guest lectures and hosting each others' faculty as visiting professors on subjects pertaining to international policy.

"Almost every human activity today is affected by the processes of globalization," said Liebowitz, "so further developing Middlebury as a global institution, and providing resources and opportunities to our undergraduates that allow them to learn about and engage the challenges created by globalization makes great sense."