Center for Middle East Studies will benefit UW
I read with some concern yesterday's article (""UW seeks funds for new department,"" Jan. 29). Your report contained several inaccuracies about ongoing efforts to create a federally funded Center for Middle East Studies at the UW-Madison.
Professor Michael Chamberlain will be going to Washington, D.C., next month to participate in a national conference for area studies directors, not to lobby. The intent of this meeting is to give universities guidance in making application for competitive federal grant monies for National Resource Center programs administered under Title VI. The application process for the funds is extensive and rigorous, with awards made solely on the basis of peer review.
If UW-Madison is successful in its application, and we certainly hope it will be, monies would be used for a variety of important initiatives, including:
- instruction in modern foreign languages
- instruction in the designated areas, regions or countries
- resources for training and research
- outreach programs for K-12 teachers, business, media linkages with overseas institutions of higher education
- creation and maintenance of specialized library collections
UW-Madison already is home to seven National Resource Centers covering most parts of the globe. It is a number unmatched by any American university with the exception of the University of California-Berkeley.
