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President John Sexton announced the possibility of new study abroad sites in Australia, Latin America and Africa, at a University Senate meeting on Thursday at the Kimmel Center.
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President John Sexton discusses his plans for the university’s future study abroad sites at the University Senate meeting at the Kimmel Center yesterday.
Staff members are leaning toward Brazil, Chile or Mexico as sites to accompany Buenos Aires, and South Africa to complement NYU's Ghana site. India was also indicated as a possibility.
"I can't imagine us being a global network without having a lens in Melbourne or Sydney," Sexton said. "I would imagine, if you were making a bet, that would be [a future site.]"
Sexton anticipates the sites will be available in the next five years.
LSP freshman Jeffrey Brice liked the idea.
"I've never spent a lot of time below the Equator," he said. "I think Australia would be a fun and scenic place to visit. I've always wanted to pick up surfing and what's a better cliche than surfing in Australia."
According to Ulrich Baer, vice provost for globalization and multicultural affairs, the university is gauging student and faculty interest for sites in Australia and Africa.
He said NYU will not likely pursue a second site in South America due to safety concerns.
"Right now, we can't do that because there are too many security issues we wouldn't be able to settle," Baer said.
While many countries are open for possibility, Sexton ruled out one section of the world.
"We're not going to do any more sites in Europe," he said.
Sexton also announced that a "study away" site in Washington D.C. will be open in less than two years. Programs in Washington will be aimed at political science students.
"You just have to conceptualize Washington D.C. as a study away site," Sexton said. "We will have a building with our name on it."
The campus will be open to approximately 60 to 100 students and have classrooms and student residences as well as faculty housing for approximately five to six faculty members and their spouses.
According to Sexton, the university recently received at $10 million gift for the D.C. campus.
According to the Washington Business Journal, the site will be a 75,000 square-foot building at 1307 L St. NW. The selected architect firm, Hickok Cole Architects, aims for the building to be eligible for LEED certification, an independent verification of sustainable building practices.
CAS freshman John Boyd said the site would be a great opportunity.
"It would be so much easier to get an internship at The Capitol if you were there," he said. "You would learn so much about our nations history first-hand by all the amazing museums."
However, Boyd is uncertain if he would actually study there.
"It is still not really abroad," Boyd said. "It makes no sense really for NYU to be doing it."
