For the first time in at least 18 years, no University faculty were named Fulbright Scholars for the academic year.
The number of recipients at the University has declined during that period; from 1990 to 1998 an average of 4 faculty members received awards each year, while the average number of Fulbright recipients declined to 2.5 annually from 2000 to 2008.
There are no records available to the public prior to the 1990-91 academic year indicating which faculty were Fulbright scholars.
The Fulbright Scholar Program is designed to promote cultural understanding between the United States and other nations. There are six different exchange programs within the Fulbright Scholar Program, but the main one – the traditional Fulbright Program – sends approximately 800 scholars and professionals abroad annually and brings about the same number to the U.S. from other nations.
Fulbright Scholars lecture or conduct research, and those who go abroad can visit one of more than 140 countries.

International studies professor Anita Weiss is a member of the Fulbright Commission, the group charged with choosing Fulbright recipients. She attributed the lack of scholars this year to a widening variety of scholarships and grants – other than the Fulbright – for which faculty can apply. Also, the Fulbright is a much stricter program than it used to be, she said.
Weiss referred specifically to the rule President George W. Bush enacted preventing any scholars from going on more than one trip, a program alteration of which she is critical. Weiss has been a Fulbright Scholar twice – she won early enough to be exempt from the rule.
The one-Fulbright-per-scholar rule is complicated, Weiss said, because the Fulbright offers some short programs in addition to the traditional long one.
“I think that we’re going to have a much smaller pool of prospective scholars applying for the short-term one now,” Weiss said. “Why use up your one shot on a Fulbright?”
Biology professor Richard Emlet spent his 2006-07 Fulbright award researching in Sri Lanka. He wasn’t particularly surprised to hear there were no scholars this year, primarily because the research experience is so unpredictable. Emlet emphasized that with the Fulbright, while scholars must submit a plan for research, it is absolutely critical to have a Plan B and Plan C close at hand because there’s no guarantee Plan A will work.
“You just sort of have to improvise once you get over there and try to make the most of your experience. We’re supposed to be citizen ambassadors and go over there with a very open mind and learn about Sri Lanka and let people learn about you as an American,” Emlet said. “When you go to another country and it’s a brand new experience … in some respects the whole notion of going abroad on a Fulbright is so daunting and maybe many faculty choose not to do it.”
Emlet said, though, with the knowledge he has now, he would repeat the program.
The Fulbright Scholar Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State, also offers approximately 800 fellowships to pre-doctoral students. University students Ian Edwards, Aaron Frank, Laura Frantz and Alexander Kashirin won the 2007-08 U.S. Student Program Fulbright awards. Approximately 1,300 students nationally are chosen for the program, which is awarded annually.
The Office of International Programs is a source for students interested in studying abroad.
Interested students can contact Kathy Poole, the Fulbright campus representative for students.
[email protected]