Meanwhile, students currently in South Africa continued to struggle with their role in a program whose future is now in doubt.,”As the fallout from the decision to cancel the Service Learning Program in Cape Town, South Africa, spilled into this week, university officials shared details of the program's costs and reiterated their commitment to finding permanent funding.
Meanwhile, students currently in South Africa continued to struggle with their role in a program whose future is now in doubt.
In a reply to a letter sent by the program's current students, University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild said the annual cost of the program approaches $225,000. He said the university has underwritten that cost for two years but cannot continue to do so.
He said in the letter that the program was first instituted "with the clear understanding that permanent outside funding would be identified and secured," which has not yet occurred.
In an e-mail to the Tribune, Provost Madeline Wake said she initially allocated $150,000 in funding per year for the program, and that College of Arts & Sciences Dean Michael McKinney added annually to that amount.
Wake said the program differs in nature and in cost from other study abroad programs. She declined to give specific information on how the program's costs break down, but named course faculty, housing, the need for an on-site coordinator and transportation to service sites among the factors that contribute to the price tag.
Wild cited the upcoming addition of a director of international education, who will coordinate all international programs, among initiatives that will help Marquette continue its relationship with Cape Town.
Both Wake and Wild said university efforts to continue the program are ongoing.
"I remain committed to finding permanent funding for international service learning," Wake said in another e-mail.
Wild echoed this sentiment in his letter to the program's current participants.
"As you can imagine, this was a very difficult decision," he wrote. "My colleagues and I in central administration hope that the temporary suspension can be just that: temporary."
Neither Wake nor Wild specifically addressed whether the 2007-'13 strategic plan for the university, adopted Sept. 20, impacted the decision to suspend the program.
The plan states that Marquette "will encourage a greater number of our students and faculty to participate in international experiences and, when feasible, will expand both the study abroad and service learning programs."
The plan also emphasizes the importance of service, stating Marquette "is proud to be known as an institution where leadership and service to the community are core values embraced by students, faculty and staff" and calling service "a critical element" of leadership development.
On Friday, MUSG legislation recommending the program be reinstated passed 24-0 with two abstentions.
The recommendation, authored by senator and College of Arts & Sciences sophomore Jason Rae, pointed out that the announcement of the program's suspension came just a day after the adoption of the strategic plan, and said the move does not mesh well with the plan's stated goals.
In Cape Town, students continued work at their service sites with the knowledge that the days of Marquette's involvement at the sites may be numbered.
Caitlin Madden, a College of Arts & Sciences senior, said in an e-mail that the program's current students still have questions about the way the program is funded.
"Our big, unanswered question is: Why doesn't our tuition money go to this?" she said.A "Where is the financial transparency?"
Madden said as of Friday, on-site coordinator Sarah Cordova, an associate professor of French, had not told the service sites of the program's suspension because she did not want to damage their ties to Marquette before hopes of saving the program had been exhausted.
If the sites view the program as temporary, they may extend fewer opportunities the spring 2007 group, she said.
Cordova could not be reached immediately for comment.
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