2008 Legislation
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 123<br /> – International education, supported

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 123

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SCR123.........................................................by SCHROEDER
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION - Stating legislative findings and supporting
specified international education.

01/18    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/21    Rpt prt - to Educ

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                                       IN THE SENATE

                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 123

                                        BY SCHROEDER

  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    STATING LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND SUPPORTING SPECIFIED INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION.

  3    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  4        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that international education is a key  cor-
  5    nerstone  to  Idaho's global competitiveness and international education is of
  6    vital  importance  to  Idaho's  economy   by   providing   opportunities   for
  7    transformational  learning, citizenship and leadership, contributing to diver-
  8    sity  both  in  and  outside  the  classroom,  enhancing  both  academic   and
  9    cocurricular  programs,  and  promoting cross-cultural understanding among its
 10    citizens; and
 11        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that Idaho is committed to recruiting  stu-
 12    dents  from  many parts of the world to study in our educational institutions.
 13    Between 2006 and 2007, 1,969 international students and their families studied
 14    and lived in Idaho, contributing $31.6 million in tuition, fees and  expenses.
 15    Many  international  students are engaged in research that results in products
 16    and services that directly benefit Idaho's economy and improves  the  everyday
 17    lives of its citizens; and
 18        WHEREAS,  when  international  students return to their home countries and
 19    gain influential positions in companies and society,  they  are  an  important
 20    asset  to  Idaho. International alumni spread recognition and a positive image
 21    of Idaho and the United states in their home countries and they are also vital
 22    in developing networks and connections for Idaho businesses and higher  educa-
 23    tion throughout the world; and
 24        WHEREAS,  at  the kindergarten through grade 12 levels, international stu-
 25    dents bring diverse perspectives, provide opportunities  for  learning  toler-
 26    ance,  and  enrich  their  peers'  social and political understanding of other
 27    countries and cultures; and
 28        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that Idaho is committed to providing  study
 29    abroad  opportunities  for  its  students.  In 2006, Idaho Senator Larry Craig
 30    cosponsored U.S. Senate Resolution 308, proclaiming 2006 as the Year of  Study
 31    Abroad.  The  world  is full of pressing challenges, including hunger, poverty
 32    and disease; and
 33        WHEREAS, study abroad is a springboard for students to become  engaged  in
 34    real  world  problems,  helping  them  become better communicators and problem
 35    solvers, hone leadership skills and gain empathy for those who  are  suffering
 36    from  economic  hardship, famine or tyranny. Study abroad helps transform stu-
 37    dents into globally informed citizens, unafraid  to  grapple  with  the  tough
 38    questions and obstacles of tomorrow; and
 39        WHEREAS,  to bring multinational companies to Idaho and provide local com-
 40    panies with international expertise, Idaho's workforce must  gain  the  global
 41    competency to address the needs of business; and
 42        WHEREAS,  the best method for our students to achieve global competency is
 43    through direct international experience integrated into their education; and
 44        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that Idaho is committed to bringing  inter-

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  1    national artists, performances, exhibitions, conferences, events and forums to
  2    its  education  institutions  and  communities.  Idaho  festivals, such as the
  3    Lionel Hampton International Jazz  Festival,  recently  awarded  the  nation's
  4    highest honor, the National Medal of Arts, inspire our youth by offering clin-
  5    ics  and  workshops  where  they  can  learn  from  celebrated  musicians  and
  6    performers.  International performances and exhibitions not only entertain us,
  7    they challenge Idahoans to rethink their conceptions about the world. Interna-
  8    tional events and forums provide a platform to explore and generate  open  and
  9    honest debate on important topics such as global warming, the war on terrorism
 10    and genocide; and
 11        WHEREAS,    the   Legislature   finds   that   Idaho   is   committed   to
 12    internationalizing the curriculum at kindergarten through  grade  12  schools,
 13    colleges and universities; and
 14        WHEREAS, course offerings at Idaho education institutions must reflect the
 15    global  aspect in every discipline. For instance, a computer produced in Idaho
 16    may have parts from Mexico, be marketed in Europe, and  have  product  support
 17    from  India.  Research that used to be conducted in relative isolation is much
 18    more likely these days to be facilitated through  collaborative  efforts  with
 19    scientific labs abroad; and
 20        WHEREAS,  in  order  to produce students able to compete successfully in a
 21    global marketplace, Idaho kindergarten through grade 12 schools, colleges  and
 22    universities must prepare them for that experience; and
 23        WHEREAS,  Idahoans  need to be conversant in other languages, learn how to
 24    effectively network with people from other countries, feel at ease working  in
 25    Boise or in Coeur d'Alene as in Shanghai or Nairobi. Idaho educational curric-
 26    ulum  needs  to  prepare Idahoans to be globally engaged citizens and leaders;
 27    and
 28        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that Idaho is committed to expanding inter-
 29    national trade. In 2006, Idaho exports exceeded $3.7 billion and was linked to
 30    nearly 10% of its workforce. Key markets for  Idaho's  goods  included  China,
 31    Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Japan; and
 32        WHEREAS,  Idaho companies and higher education institutions are engaged in
 33    developing new products, technologies and innovative ways to  globally  market
 34    its products; and
 35        WHEREAS,  higher education institutions in Idaho provide foreign language,
 36    area studies and cross-cultural communication  courses.  They  promote  mutual
 37    understanding  between  Idahoans  and people from other parts of the world and
 38    train business executives and personnel in successful strategies to compete in
 39    markets abroad; and
 40        WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that Idaho  recognizes  that  international
 41    students  and  scholars contribute significantly to the cultural, artistic and
 42    social fabric of Idaho's educational institutions and communities; that inter-
 43    national trade, supported through  international  education,  is  critical  to
 44    Idaho's   economy;  that  international  exchange  and  study  abroad  promote
 45    transformational learning and global competency; that international festivals,
 46    events and forums sponsored by Idaho's educational institutions  promote  cul-
 47    tural  awareness  and  appreciation of the arts, and provide an avenue for the
 48    important issues of our time to be examined and that the  internationalization
 49    of  curriculum  at Idaho education institutions and schools is crucial to pre-
 50    paring students for an increasing interconnected world.
 51        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second  Regular  Ses-
 52    sion  of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Repre-
 53    sentatives concurring therein, that Idaho supports:
 54        (1)  Infusing courses with international topics, and  across  disciplines,
 55        to  increase students' understanding of global issues and provide opportu-

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  1        nities to become engaged in those issues;
  2        (2)  Developing more area studies courses, and in particular, courses that
  3        examine Islamic, Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries;
  4        (3)  Promoting the study of foreign languages, and in particular,  develop
  5        and  offer  more  courses in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and other languages
  6        crucial to Idaho's economic growth;
  7        (4)  Providing opportunities for students in all majors to participate  in
  8        programs  to study abroad, volunteer abroad and participate in internships
  9        abroad to enrich  their  academic  and  professional  training,  gain  new
 10        intercultural  perspectives,  hone  their leadership and global competency
 11        skills and become engaged in real-world problems and issues;
 12        (5)  Recruiting more international students to Idaho campuses and  schools
 13        so  that more opportunities exist for Idaho natives and international stu-
 14        dents to interact effectively, gain intercultural skills  and  understand-
 15        ing,  to  share  their views, perceptions and experiences, and to create a
 16        cadre of international business and political allies;
 17        (6)  Developing  innovative  international  events,  forums,  conferences,
 18        exhibitions and festivals to showcase world artists and musicians, perfor-
 19        mances and works of art, and provide venues for Idahoans to explore global
 20        issues and learn about other cultures; and
 21        (7)  Encouraging kindergarten through grade 12 integration  of  materials,
 22        programs  and  partnerships  that  build on the Idaho Content Standard for
 23        Global Perspectives.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 17623

International education impacts Idaho citizens on multiple levels. Idaho's
economy cannot prosper without our graduates gaining the global competency to
build business partnerships across the world.    International education is
essential to developing new and innovative products; expanding trade and
global competitiveness; creating a cadre of political and business allies;
providing opportunities for leadership, transformational learning and cross-
cultural understanding. It contributes to our appreciation of the arts and
offers an avenue for important issues of our time to be openly and honestly
examined and debated.  This concurrent resolution highlights the importance of
international education to improve higher education in Idaho through support
for infusing courses with international topics across disciplines; developing
more area studies courses; promoting the study of foreign languages; providing
opportunities for students to participate in programs to study abroad,
volunteer abroad, and participate in internships abroad; recruiting more
international students and scholars to Idaho campuses and schools; developing
innovative international events, forums, conferences, exhibitions and
festivals to showcase world artists and musicians, performances and works of
art, provide venues for Idahoans to explore global issues and experience other
cultures; and encouraging K-12 integration of materials, programs, and
partnerships that build on the Idaho Content Standard for Global Perspectives.


                         FISCAL NOTE

The fiscal impact is dependent upon which educational improvements the
legislature chooses to pursue.
                                 




Contact
Name: Senator Gary Schroeder
Phone: 208-332-1324
Rep. Tom Trail
Phone: 208-332-1184


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                                    SCR 123