International and Special Programs

In the summer of 1956, largely through the efforts of Charles Howell of the Social Services Department, an Oxford Seminar was initiated with nearly fifty students. During the late 1950s and early 1960s additional departments participated and the range of foreign and special programs at Northern increased dramatically. The International Programs Office was established in the fall of 1969 with Daniel Wit as its first director. The director was authorized to exercise supervisory, coordinating, and develop- mental responsibilities in connection with several programs: foreign study, faculty and student exchange, international technical assistance, and cooperative ventures with foreign governments and universities. The office was expanded in 1970 to include Special Programs, defined as interdisciplinary and inter-college programs which were university-wide in scope. By 1982 the office, under the continued leadership of Dean Wit, was responsible for eleven programs. Wit retained that title until his retirement on January 1, 1992, with the exception of 1985-1986 when he served as acting vice president and provost. By 1992 the International Programs component of the division consisted of an International Student and Faculty Office, an Office for International Training and Consultation, and the Foreign Study Office. The Special Programs units were the Center for Black Studies; the Gerontology Program; the Medieval Studies Concentration Program; the Office of Vocational, Technical, and Career Education; University Resources for Women; and University Resources for Latinos. Soon after Dean Wit retired in 1992, and upon recommendations made by a committee of faculty and administrators that reviewed the Division, its functions and organization, it was decided to reorganize the Division of International and Special Programs. All units perceived not directly international in scope and function were transferred to other academic colleges and to the Provost’s office. It was renamed the Division of International Programs, led by an Executive Director, no longer a Dean. By 1995 the Foreign Study Programs Office was renamed the Study Abroad Office. Since 2004 Anne Seitzinger has been the Assistant Director of the Study Abroad Office [although her working title is Director]. In August 1996 the Office of International Training and Consultation was renamed the Office of International Training and Development, and in 2000 it became the International Training Office with Lina Ong, Director. Thecla Cooler served as the Director of the International Student and Faculty Office until her retirement, and Heesun Majcher currently serves (2012). Manfred Thullen served as Executive Director of International Programs from 1993 until his retirement in 2002. Deborah Pierce now (2012) heads the division.

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