The Washington, D.C., Foreign Study Program, cancelled last January by the Committee on Off-Campus Activities, has been revamped and re-instated for Spring term 2008.
COCA cancelled the Washington FSP last year, citing an inconsistency between the program's focus on an internship component and the College's policy against awarding academic credit for internships.
"They thought there wasn't enough in-class experience," government professor Joseph Bafumi, who will lead the trip, said. "The belief was that the schedule was not academically rigorous enough. There was too much stress on the internship."
Chris Tao '08, who participated in the Washington FSP over Spring term of 2006, believes that the program's cancelation was misguided.
"I felt that the program was really worthwhile, and the reason for canceling it wasn't a good one," he said. "At a liberal arts institution like Dartmouth, we don't have to stress the classroom as the only venue for a learning experience. It wasn't like we didn't have classes at all. However, the internship was the focus -- and that was how it should be."
The new structure of the FSP recognizes the importance of the internship, but also increases class time. The program will now entail an internship of four days a week rather than five, and two seminar classes per week instead of one. Students will be awarded three class credits, one for each seminar and one for the internship, the grade for which is based on a daily log the student keeps and submits to a Dartmouth professor.
Many people said that they believe this to be an acceptable compromise.
"I think the internship is very valuable as a learning experience, which is why we kept it as four days a week," Bafumi said. "The students can get real-world experience rather than theoretical and philosophical. They can see how things actually work."
Tao said he approved of the revamped program.
"If the internship were only a two- or three-day thing, that's not quite what I would have wanted for the other students," he said. "Four days is still very good. Any less and it wouldn't be the same experience."
Owen Roberts '09, who will be going on the London Government FSP in the Fall, said that he still considers the Washington program a good opportunity.
"Everyone who wants to do a Government FSP right now has to go to London, even those who would rather have done the D.C. program, so I think it's great that they're bringing it back," he said. "Although I was more interested in the London program, the current D.C. one would have still interested me. The internship component is a great opportunity that's really unique to the government department and doesn't get enough credit."
David Imamura '10 said he's not so sure that he approves of the program's new format.
"I really like that they're bringing it back -- that's a great idea. But, when you go to Washington, you go to work in Washington, not to take classes there," he said. "It's a great program, but I want to immerse myself in the government, and I'm afraid I won't be able do that to the same extent if I'm taking two seminar classes and interning only four days a week. I might take an off term and go instead," he said.
Members of the government department are still unsure about how this program measures up to the original.
"I think it is still an open question," Bafumi said. "Perhaps reducing the internship takes away too much, perhaps not. We're going to do it for a year and see how it works. I just don't know how to feel about it yet, to see how it compares to other experiences. We'll just have to see," he said.
