PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Lets the Secretary give grants to colleges or groups of colleges to create, strengthen, and run centers and programs that teach modern foreign languages and related area or international studies for both undergraduates and graduates. These centers must serve as national resources for language teaching, area or country studies, international research and training, and study of world affairs. Grants can pay for things like teaching materials, course planning, links with schools abroad, visiting scholars, staff training, joint projects across regions, summer institutes at home or abroad, student and faculty travel and study abroad, support for teachers of less commonly taught languages, help for STEM students to learn languages, and upkeep of important library collections. Grants can also fund outreach and partnerships with professional schools, 2- and 4-year colleges, K–12 agencies, government agencies, media, businesses, and summer programs that support those connections. The Secretary can also give grants to pay stipends to students getting advanced training in approved centers. Students must be in programs with clear language performance goals plus area or international study. Undergraduates must study intermediate or advanced less commonly taught languages. Graduate students may get support for pre‑dissertation work, dissertation research abroad, or dissertation writing. Federal money for undergraduate travel must follow Secretary rules that ensure it is part of supervised study. Graduate stipends can include dependent and travel allowances. Undergraduate stipends can include support for U.S. or foreign study programs that are closely tied to the student’s course and that promote language fluency and cultural knowledge. Colleges applying for grants must explain how their plans will show diverse viewpoints and debate on world regions and how they will encourage government service and other national‑need careers, as identified by the Secretary.

Title 20, §1122

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)National language and area centers and programs authorized

(1)Centers and programs

(A)In general

The Secretary is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education or consortia of such institutions for the purpose of establishing, strengthening, and operating—

(i)comprehensive foreign language and area or international studies centers and programs; and

(ii)a diverse network of undergraduate foreign language and area or international studies centers and programs.

(B)National resources

The centers and programs referred to in paragraph (1) shall be national resources for— (i)

(ii)instruction in fields needed to provide full understanding of areas, regions, or countries in which such language is commonly used;

(iii)research and training in international studies, and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and

(iv)instruction and research on issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries.

(2)Authorized activities

Any such grant may be used to pay all or part of the cost of establishing or operating a center or program, including the cost of— (A)

(B)curriculum planning and development;

(C)establishing and maintaining linkages with overseas institutions of higher education and other organizations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the center or program;

(D)bringing visiting scholars and faculty to the center to teach or to conduct research;

(E)professional development of the center’s faculty and staff;

(F)projects conducted in cooperation with other centers addressing themes of world regional, cross-regional, international, or global importance;

(G)summer institutes in the United States or abroad designed to provide language and area training in the center’s field or topic;

(H)support for faculty, staff, and student travel in foreign areas, regions, or countries, and for the development and support of educational programs abroad for students;

(I)supporting instructors of the less commonly taught languages; and

(J)projects that support students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to achieve foreign language proficiency.

(3)Grants to maintain library collections

The Secretary may make grants to centers described in paragraph (1) having important library collections, as determined by the Secretary, for the maintenance of such collections.

(4)Outreach grants and summer institutes

The Secretary may make additional grants to centers described in paragraph (1) for any one or more of the following purposes:

(A)Programs of linkage or outreach between foreign language, area studies, or other international fields, and professional schools and colleges.

(B)Programs of linkage or outreach with 2- and 4-year colleges and universities.

(C)Programs of linkage or outreach between or among—

(i)postsecondary programs or departments in foreign language, area studies, or other international fields; and

(ii)State educational agencies or local educational agencies.

(D)Partnerships or programs of linkage and outreach with departments or agencies of Federal and State governments, including Federal or State scholarship programs for students in related areas.

(E)Programs of linkage or outreach with the news media, business, professional, or trade associations.

(F)Summer institutes in area studies, foreign language, and other international fields designed to carry out the programs described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E).

(b)Fellowships for foreign language and area or international studies

(1)In general

The Secretary is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education or combinations of such institutions for the purpose of paying stipends to individuals undergoing advanced training in any center or program approved by the Secretary.

(2)Eligible students

A student receiving a stipend described in paragraph (1) shall be engaged—

(A)in an instructional program with stated performance goals for functional foreign language use or in a program developing such performance goals, in combination with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of a professional studies program; and

(B)(i)in the case of an undergraduate student, in the intermediate or advanced study of a less commonly taught language; or

(ii)in the case of a graduate student, in graduate study in connection with a program described in subparagraph (A), including—

(I)predissertation level study;

(II)preparation for dissertation research;

(III)dissertation research abroad; or

(IV)dissertation writing.

(c)Special rule with respect to travel

No funds may be expended under this part for undergraduate travel except in accordance with rules prescribed by the Secretary setting forth policies and procedures to assure that Federal funds made available for such travel are expended as part of a formal program of supervised study.

(d)Allowances

(1)Graduate level recipients

A stipend awarded to a graduate level recipient may include allowances for dependents and for travel for research and study in the United States and abroad.

(2)Undergraduate level recipients

A stipend awarded to an undergraduate level recipient may include an allowance for educational programs in the United States or educational programs abroad that—

(A)are closely linked to the overall goals of the recipient’s course of study; and

(B)have the purpose of promoting foreign language fluency and knowledge of foreign cultures.

(e)Application

Each institution of higher education or consortium of such institutions desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information and assurances as the Secretary may require. Each such application shall include—

(1)an explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs; and

(2)a description of how the applicant will encourage government service in areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary, as well as in areas of need in the education, business, and nonprofit sectors.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1122, Pub. L. 89–329, title VI, § 602, as added Pub. L. 96–374, title VI, § 601(a), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1465; amended Pub. L. 99–498, title VI, § 602, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1514; Pub. L. 100–50, § 18,

June 3, 1987, 101 Stat. 360; Pub. L. 102–325, title VI, § 601,

July 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 103–208, § 2(j)(10), (11), Dec. 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 2481, authorized grants for graduate and undergraduate language and area centers and programs, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 105–244. Another prior section 1122, Pub. L. 89–329, title VI, § 602, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1261; Pub. L. 95–180, § 1(c), Nov. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 1372, related to the allotment to States of funds under the program of equipment grants to institutions of higher education, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 96–374.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(A), added subpar. (A) and struck out former subpar. (A). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary is authorized— “(i) to make grants to institutions of higher education, or combinations thereof, for the purpose of establishing, strengthening, and operating comprehensive foreign language and area or international studies centers and programs; and “(ii) to make grants to such institutions or combinations for the purpose of establishing, strengthening, and operating a diverse network of undergraduate foreign language and area or international studies centers and programs.” Subsec. (a)(2)(I), (J). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(B), added subpars. (I) and (J). Subsec. (a)(4)(C). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(iv), added subpar. (C). Former subpar. (C) redesignated (D). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(i), substituted “Partnerships or programs of linkage and outreach” for “Programs of linkage or outreach” and inserted “, including Federal or State scholarship programs for students in related areas” before period at end. Subsec. (a)(4)(D). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(iii), redesignated subpar. (C) as (D). Former subpar. (D) redesignated (E). Subsec. (a)(4)(E). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(iii), redesignated subpar. (D) as (E). Former subpar. (E) redesignated (F). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(ii), substituted “area studies” for “foreign area” and “(D), and (E)” for “(C), and (D)” and struck out “of linkage and outreach” after “programs”. Subsec. (a)(4)(F). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(1)(C)(iii), redesignated subpar. (E) as (F). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(2)(A), struck out “Graduate” before “fellowships” in heading. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(2)(B), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Students receiving stipends described in paragraph (1) shall be individuals who are engaged in an instructional program with stated performance goals for functional foreign language use or in a program developing such performance goals, in combination with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of a professional studies program, including predissertation level studies, preparation for dissertation research, dissertation research abroad, and dissertation writing.” Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 110–315, § 602(3), added subsecs. (d) and (e) and struck out former subsec. (d). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Stipends awarded to graduate level recipients may include allowances for dependents and for travel for research and study in the United States and abroad.”

§1122 Graduate and Undergraduate Language and Area Centers and Programs