Spring Break
OSU considers outsourcing ELI department
Goal of improving services, reducing costs brings talks with British development company
Daniel Acee
Issue date: 6/4/08 Section: News
The English Language Institute at OSU is currently under negotiation of whether it will continue its 43 years of self-sustenance or outsource the institute to a company outside the U.S.
OSU's Provost Dr. Sabah Randhawa has been in contact with Andrew Colin, the CEO of INTO, a British property development company recently. They are negotiating a joint venture in which both parties will benefit from an ELI program that is run by INTO and will deliver a greater amount of foreign exchange students to OSU. INTO claims the students they bring will be undergraduates paying full tuition.
With an international marketing setup, which includes regionally specific people from INTO to help bring in students from many areas around the world, they are expecting their recruiting techniques to build long term relationships with different countries. In turn, this would create an ongoing supply of international students.
There has also been talk about INTO constructing additional instructional facilities to potentially house international students and more room for ELI specific classes.
INTO plans on recruiting heavily from China because it is currently the location drawing the largest number of exchange students. With OSU's decrease in budget each year, the program could provide an increase in profit for OSU.
If OSU signs over the ELI, they will be under the management of INTO.
The current mission of faculty and staff in the ELI is to assist foreign language students with classes and help them become comfortable with the American culture in order to have a positive experience here.
"This just seems a little weird to me," said Steven Lentz, a senior majoring in pre-medicine.
"You would think that it would be important to OSU to keep their own program and staff instead of outsource to a private foreign company."
Lentz was not the only one that found the situation curious. Many other students and ELI faculty are confused with the issue at hand.
OSU's Provost Dr. Sabah Randhawa has been in contact with Andrew Colin, the CEO of INTO, a British property development company recently. They are negotiating a joint venture in which both parties will benefit from an ELI program that is run by INTO and will deliver a greater amount of foreign exchange students to OSU. INTO claims the students they bring will be undergraduates paying full tuition.
With an international marketing setup, which includes regionally specific people from INTO to help bring in students from many areas around the world, they are expecting their recruiting techniques to build long term relationships with different countries. In turn, this would create an ongoing supply of international students.
There has also been talk about INTO constructing additional instructional facilities to potentially house international students and more room for ELI specific classes.
INTO plans on recruiting heavily from China because it is currently the location drawing the largest number of exchange students. With OSU's decrease in budget each year, the program could provide an increase in profit for OSU.
If OSU signs over the ELI, they will be under the management of INTO.
The current mission of faculty and staff in the ELI is to assist foreign language students with classes and help them become comfortable with the American culture in order to have a positive experience here.
"This just seems a little weird to me," said Steven Lentz, a senior majoring in pre-medicine.
"You would think that it would be important to OSU to keep their own program and staff instead of outsource to a private foreign company."
Lentz was not the only one that found the situation curious. Many other students and ELI faculty are confused with the issue at hand.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Burke Elliot
posted 6/04/08 @ 9:59 AM PST
There is a tremendous amount of misinformation in here. I really encourage the Barometer to talk with Sabah Randhawa or Becky Johnson to clarify the conversations that are underway. (Continued…)
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