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Because of the rapidly changing, increasingly interdependent
world and global market place, Texas Tech University must maximize
educational opportunities for all persons it serves to be more
knowledgeable of other countries and peoples and appreciative
of cultural diversity. They must be provided with the intellectual
tools to function successfully as internationally competent individuals.
The Office of International Affairs and the International Cultural
Center serve Texas Tech University and its various communities. In addition to the main office, International Affairs also consists of several divisions: the International Cultural Center, the International Center for Arid and Semiarid Land Studies (ICASALS) and the Division of Public Education. The Executive Director of the Office of International Affairs is Ambassador Nagy. Ambassador Nagy and the staff serve as the umbrella organization with a director for each division. The Office of International Affairs is funded through formula funds generated by the University and by various grants and private donations. The Executive Director of the Office of International Affairs is also the Director of the International Cultural Center. The International Cultural Center (ICC) was created and funded by Legislative initiative. An operational and programming budget is provided as a line item. The category is listed as public service and the purpose is to maximize and synergize international dimensions of education for TTU students, faculty, and for the multiple and diverse communities served by the University in its outreach programs, with special emphasis on those for K- 1 2 students. Staff of the building includes a facility manager; a special projects director; a full-time security guard; a librarian; library assistants; a computer network specialist; and a receptionist secretary. The library is a major element of the International Cultural Center. While the 1ibrary is funded through the ICC’s programming funds, it is also a part of the University’s Library System. The ICC Library does not attempt to duplicate printed materials that can be found elsewhere on the campus, but is in the process of assembling one of the finest CD-ROM and video collections of documentaries, geographic films, etc. in the United States. Acquisitions have been made with the advice of faculty from various departments and the Area Studies Programs of the University, as well as the public school outreach program and its advisory group. The CNN World Report Archive is housed in the International Cultural Center through a cooperative arrangement with the School of Mass Communications. The CNN Archive is fully externally funded, and operates current programming daily, in addition to a storage and retrieval data base. This Archive’s presence in-the ICC enhances educational experiences for all persons serviced by the ICC. The International Cultural Center is affiliated with the Area Studies Programs of the University, including: Asian Studies, Russian Language Area Studies, Latin American and Iberian Studies, the Southwest Center for German Studies. The International Cultural Center hosts their various conferences, symposia, special lectures, etc. Programming money born the International Cultural Center line item is provided to these special programs provided that the events are open to all faculty, students, and the public and that they are held in the building. Efforts are made to coordinate events with programming for the outreach program for K-12 students. The ICC hosts many of the activities of the University’s International Week. Many University departments and units and public organizations also utilize the ICC through special arrangements. Various university and other events are scheduled in the ICC and since 1997 several thousand have taken place. The Office of International Affairs provides special services for the almost 1,300 international students from more than 100 countries at Texas Tech University and for all international faculty, including immigration counseling, full orientation for students each semester, and a variety of other services. This office also works with Texas Tech University’s formal affiliations around the world; administers the host families program, the International Friends of more than 100 families; and provides guidance to and sponsorship of the 14 international student organizations. Additionally, the Overseas Resource Center is a unit of this division. The counselors meet with Texas Tech students who wish to study abroad and receive language training or academic work directly related to the achievement of their degrees tom Texas Tech University. Interest in the study abroad programs is increasing at TTU and the number of students requesting information has continued to grow steadily; There are over 1,000 inquiries per year and several hundred 1TU students study abroad annually with an anticipated increase each academic year. Through this division the University can place students at scores of institutions throughout the world. The Office of International Affairs also assists various academic colleges and departmental programs abroad, such as the six in Mexico from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Business Administration, the School of Law, and the College of Human Sciences; the College of Engineering program in Germany; the College of Arts and Sciences programs in Spain; the College of Arts and Sciences program in Russia; the College of Architecture’s program in Italy; and the program of the College of Business Administration in England. As all students visiting this division for counseling and services must sign in, there is an accurate record that the office has approximately 7,000 visitations per year, both international and V.S. citizens. The International Center for Arid and Semiarid Land Studies (ICASALS) is known internationally. ICASALS was created in 1966 to promote the University’s special mission of the interdisciplinary study of arid and semiarid environments and the human relationship to those environments from an international perspective, and with a special focus on Texas. ICASALS stimulates, coordinates, and implements teaching, research, and public service activities concerning all aspects of the world’s arid and semiarid areas, their peoples and problems. ICASALS, in conjunction with the Graduate School, administers a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies-arid lands. It also has conducted, for years, an international management workshop during the interim between the spring and summer semesters. This workshop usually services 40-60 students per year and can be taken for either undergraduate or graduate credit, depending on the student’s status and requirements. Now that ICASALS is housed in the International Cultural Center those classes are conducted in the building. ICASALS sponsors major conferences and special symposia and coordinates and plans activities for its 150 Faculty Associates of the University and their students. ICASALS received State line item funding in 1974. However, ICASALS also receives funding &am a support account from the University’s formula funding as well as from monies generated from an endowment created over the years and Rom various grants. ICASALS has a highly, well-respected reputation in the state and internationally and has been the host of a number of important international conferences, such as the International Conference on Desert Development in August 1996. With persons attending Rom across the United States and from over 40 countries, it has been estimated that the impact of this conference in the Lubbock area economy was over $500,000 and the “multiplier” effect would be much larger than that amount. ICASALS is one of the two campus units implementing Texas Tech’s involvement in the Texas Agritech Corridor Partnership and represents the University in the Consortium for International Development. The Division of Public Education (DPE) was established in September 1997 to provide programs that enhance the international educational experiences available to K-12 students on the South Plains. The programs are available to all area public and private schools and registered home-school students, and are usually held in the International Cultural Center of Texas Tech, although outreach into the more remote areas is achieved through “DPE on the Road” tours. Schools in Region 17, which consists of 59 school districts, are DPE’s primary focus. However, schools from Region 16, in the Texas panhandle, Region 18, centered on Midland –Odessa and Eastern New Mexico also attend programs. DPE’s program offerings have grown exponentially from 26 during 1997-98 to 175 in 2002. 4,600 students and teachers were served in the first years and over 24,000 were served during the past academic year. The number of campuses taking advantage of DPE programs has increased from 30 during the first year to over 250 during 2002. The DPE also provides professional development programs for teachers during the summer months. To summarize, the Office of International Affairs and the International Cultural Center provide an educational function for Texas Tech students, major services for its international students, an outreach program for an ever-increasing number of K-12 students, services for faculty and staff and external groups and a building to present special international awareness programs for the citizens of Texas. The building is unique and the State of Texas can be proud of the types of activities that are occurring in this structure representing Texas Tech University’s commitment to internationalizing the campus.
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