Being Lucky: Reminiscences and Reflections

16. The University Looks Abroad

[16] 000 The University Looks Abroad FRO M I 9 4 5 0 N, American universities were increasingly engaged in technical-assistance programs for developing countries funded both by the major foundations, especially Ford, and also by the federal government. Indiana University was deeply involved in this effort for several reasons. First, we recognized that in the early years of its development Indiana University along with other American universities had been greatly assisted by the older, European universities, particularly the German and French. Even as late as my undergraduate days there were men on our faculty who had won their Ph.D.'s abroad prior to the time when most American universities were equipped to offer the doctorate. So the American university, now among the strongest anywhere, had an obligation to repay its debt to the world of scholarship through extending assistance to the new universities in the developing lands. Second, we realized that by our taking an active part in these international projects the benefits would be two-way: while lending whatever help we could to institutions abroad, we would be greatly enriching the store of experience, knowledge, and professional competence of our faculty participants in the assistance programs, who, upon their return, would bring to the campus a comparative view that would stimulate the atmosphere of learning in the university. We were somewhat motivated also by a missionary impulse to spread the American ideals of democratic higher education throughout the world. There is a bit of missionary zeal in all of us to propagate the ideals in which we believe. Pope John Paul I, in one of his few public statements, advocated mutual understanding in international life and social progress to "overcome hunger of body and ignorance of the mind," especially in underdeveloped coun- [236] The University Looks Abroad 237 tries.1 I suppose, in the final analysis, we were imbued with the conviction that our efforts might contribute to such a high purpose. Indiana University's technical-assistance efforts spanned the globe. Through the years we undertook official university projects in Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan East and West, Afghanistan , Ghana, Nigeria, Yugoslavia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Philippines (see Appendix [I]). American universities engaged in technical-assistance contracts were criticized from time to time because of their unwillingness to make a total institutional commitment to the work they had undertaken to perform in their contracts. Some were accused, for instance, of being unwilling to recruit from their own departments for service abroad, hiring instead men from other institutions derisively referred to as "academic mercenaries." From the beginning we adopted the position that, if we undertook these contracts, we should attempt to perform them abroad to the best of our ability and we should commit whatever resources of the university were needed to the work in the field. Another problem had to be met. Faculty in various schools were said to be reluctant to accept foreign assignments lest they be forgotten by the promotions committees and officers of their home institutions and thereby miss the opportunity for advancement. Too, they feared they would have difficulty in reentering the academic community when they returned. We attempted to solve both problems by making a commitment to those who went abroad that they would receive appropriate credit for their accomplishments there and would not be forgotten at home. We undertook to recruit our best rather than those of whom we wished to be rid and soon were able to have an understanding on the part of the university community that service abroad was honored by both the general faculty and the administrative officers. This assurance was necessary for other reasons: persons who went to developing nations frequently worked under very difficult circumstances; there were many problems of a professional nature and hardships in living arrangements, schooling of children, and so on. It was easy for them to begin feeling forlorn and isolated. All the overseas contracts called for periodic review by appropriate individuals from the campus and made financial provision for the trips. Thus it was feasible for the general administrative officers 1. International Herald-Tribune, Paris, August 28, 1978. THE PRESIDENCY (the president, vice presidents, deans, and even occasionally trustees ) to visit the field from time to time to offer encouragement and support to these bootstrap operations, particularly when discouraging developments had occurred. We also visited the field to help in negotiations for new or renewed...