conservative morons cancel college's study abroad program due to Spain's war stance
 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ogram_canceled

Troop Withdrawal Affects Study Abroad
Sun Mar 6,10:09 AM ET

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. - Two community colleges have ended their study-abroad program in Spain, citing the country's troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Trustees of the South Orange County Community College District, comprising Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College, voted 5-2 last week to cancel the 14-year-old summer program.

"Spain has abandoned our fighting men and women, withdrawing their support," said trustee Tom Fuentes, a former head of the Republican Party in Orange County. "I see no reason to send students of our colleges to Spain at this moment in history."

Spain pulled its 1,300 troops after the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in March last year.

Fuentes said the bombing also raised concerns about student safety, although students were allowed to visit Spain three months after the bombings.

"Bringing this up now is strange," said trustee Marcia Milchiker, who voted to keep the program.

"I'm still in shock," said Professor Carmenmara Hernandez-Bravo, who runs the study abroad program. "I cannot believe a community college can put this much politics into academics."

A great lost to the academic world. What colleges were they from again?

That is so stupid.

I've studied in Spain before (Barcelona) and loved it. What a wonderful experience....I sure hope that these students can go to Spain through a different program, because it is completely different from Latin or South America.

The study abroad programs are with a limited amount of countries in the world. A college has every right to decide how it wants to ration its programs.

But then again a liberal moron would enjoy cancelling a college's study abroad program in countries other than Spain.

-Rudey

That's true. On the other hand, the people who are "punished" in this case are the students.

This doesn't mean a thing to the Spanish government one way or the other.

I don't think anyone is punished - not the government and not the students. Either way they will get their study abroad experience, right?

When I was in college, our Argentina program was shut down unexpectedly and all students shifted to Barcelona.

Really, I think everyone will be OK here. Liberal morons should refrain from insults and name calling though.

-Rudey

That sucks. They can go through FSU's program, I'm going to Valencia this summer. And it's killing my wallet too.
I can understand if they were pulling out of a summer program to Chechenya, but this is just another one of those things that makes Europeans laugh at the American govt.'s naivete.
Although I did learn in my international conflict class this year that the most terrorist acts happen in Western Europe.

i know a girl from saddleback who was planning on going to this abroad program to spain. she is pretty bummed :(

My thought is that since these are Community Colleges, they may not have as many opportunities for foreign study, so the students may in fact have more significant problems than if they were at a major university with a lot of offerings.

I didn't know community colleges even had study abroad programs.

Chances are, if they really want to go, they can find another college that sponsors a Spain program and go with them as a visiting student.

I agree.

Hopefully, these students who are now not allowed to go will take the money they would have spent on this program and go on their own time.

I was in college when the first Iraq War occurred, and many of the study abroad programs were cancelled or modified. Students and their parents received letters warning them of the possible risks of studying abroad during the war including being bombed, kidnapped, and killed. Their safety could not be guaranteed. I knew a few friends who had to adjust their educational plans as a result. They were able to go abroad the next semester or year.

I think canceling a program due to safety concerns is valid. I don't think it is fair to students to cancel the program because the trustees don't like Spain's withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

It's also a surprise to me that community colleges have study abroad programs.

Fair to whom? Is it fair if they chose Spain over Portgual to begin with (an example)? At some point you make decisions over what countries to support in your program and the list of qualified countries is long.

-Rudey

I do say, Rudith's debate tactic of avoiding the issue at hand is quite fantastic in this thread.

"Spain has abandoned our fighting men and women, withdrawing their support," said trustee Tom Fuentes, a former head of the Republican Party in Orange County. "I see no reason to send students of our colleges to Spain at this moment in history."

Actually, let me repeat since you have trouble reading.

There are many countries to do a study abroad program in. It is fair to choose one country over another if both offer students the same great experience. Get over it. Learn to read and don't make accusations.

-Rudey