Some university officials may be packing their bags for free trips or accepting other undisclosed benefits while planning study abroad programs.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has widened his ongoing investigation of study abroad practices to include 15 colleges and universities.

The probe, which began with several private program providers in August, seemed to be on hold until Jan. 15 when the office of the attorney general issued subpoenas and document requests to the added schools.

The schools in question include Columbia University, Harvard University and Cornell University. Syracuse University was not included.

The information requested includes how a home university and college select programs abroad, and whether the institution has received any benefits from the program provider.

The inquiry seeks to develop a code of conduct between schools’ abroad programs and the program providers, according to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education on Jan. 28.

The investigation aims to ensure that ‘programs are chosen because they’re best or right for the students placed into them,’ rather than for financial perks, said John T. Milgrim, a spokesman for Cuomo, to The Chronicle.

Lisa Eade, a sophomore business management major at SU, said the schools ‘have a responsibility to reevaluate their priorities.’

Hoping to study abroad in Madrid, Eade is upset that she must be ‘wary of corruption within the academic program,’ she said.

‘I understand educational centers operating as businesses, however, when financial benefits take priority over the education of the students we begin to lose the essence of learning,’ Eade said.

SUAbroad strives to put the student first, said Daeya Malboeuf, associate director of marketing and communications for SUAbroad.

SU is ‘at much less risk of facing controversial business agreements’ because it creates its own abroad programs, rather than sending students to other schools, Malboeuf said.

‘We do have several things in place to make sure that we are always working with student interest in mind,’ she said.

To select its abroad programs, SU considers a combination of factors such as the quality of the partner institution and academic pertinence, she said.

As one of the oldest programs in the country, such practices have maintained SUAbroad’s reputation.

‘Every year we are ranked among the top quality study abroad programs by U.S. News & World Report,’ Malboeuf said.

Approximately 50 percent of those studying in SUAbroad centers are not SU students, according to the SUAbroad Web site.

If other schools’ programs receive bad publicity, even more parents and students may be drawn to the reputable abroad program at SU, said Ashley Sy, a senior public relations and policy studies major.

Sy said that she has noticed the number of non-Syracuse students abroad and expects it to increase. Sy studied in London last spring, where she shared an apartment with two University of Maryland students. Sy said students from other schools recognize ‘how strong of an abroad program Syracuse has and want to take advantage of that.’

‘So long as SU’s program is not one that is found to have engaged in the unfair business deals, the program will only grow,’ she said.

As one of the subpoenaed schools, Cornell University will face the possible outcome of unfavorable exposure.

One Cornell student, currently studying abroad, is not doing so through Cornell’s abroad program.

Junior Marisa Bailey chose to study in London through a Boston University program.

Though Cornell does not offer instruction in London, Bailey would take a school’s reputation into consideration.

‘If I knew that one had a particularly bad reputation I could simply choose one of the others,’ she said.

Another Cornell student, sophomore Sarah Perosio, plans to study abroad, but does not feel affected by the investigation.

‘If Cornell was found guilty of unfair business practices, I really do not think it would deter me from going abroad,’ she said.

But she said it may greatly influence other students’ decisions.

‘In the long run, fraud like this could have serious negative effects on a university,’ Perosio said.

More interest means more applications for SUAbroad. But it remains uncertain whether more student interest will result in program expansion or just competition among applicants.

Carrie Abbott, assistant director of SU abroad, would welcome an increased interest in the university’s program. She has not heard any parent concern regarding the investigations thus far, and she said it is too early to tell how SUAbroad will be affected.

Abbott said the abroad staff is always looking to increase enrollment.

‘We will make accommodations if the number of students grows,’ she said.

SU senior advertising major Max Hendren is currently studying overseas in London. With a roommate from California State University and friends from George Washington University in his program, Hendren has noticed the draw SU Abroad has on students from other schools.

More applications from non-Syracuse students would make the process more competitive, he said.

‘I feel like it would cause more competition, which would lead to less kids from other schools being able to go abroad on SU programs, because they would have to step up the preferential treatment for SU kids,’ Hendren said.

More applications may make admissions more difficult. According to its Web site, SUAbroad currently makes admissions decisions based on academic recommendation, a personal statement from the student and any disciplinary sanctions.

‘Although our admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis, we may give priority consideration to applicants with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher,’ according to the Web site.

mepassui@syr.edu

Published on February 7, 2008 at 12:00 pm