For the first time in recent memory, a sizable number of Brandeis students who had applied to study abroad had their petitions rejected by the University. The rejections were handed down last Monday, but due to student and professor complaints, 36 out of 38 rejections were recanted by Thursday. Class of '06 Dean Michele Rosenthal personally notified these students of their newfound acceptance status on Friday. The most oft-cited explanation for the students' petition rejections by the review committee was that a compelling enough academic reason to study abroad was not listed on the application form.

Most applicants had thought that being approved by Brandeis was a given if they had fulfilled all of the requirements that were listed on their application and were accepted into the program to which they had applied.

Samantha Joseph '04, a student who was originally rejected, said, "We were told that it was a formality by people who were going abroad in the past. I was not aware that if you were in good academic standing that you had potential of being denied," Joseph said. "I am extremely disappointed with Brandeis."

"One of the reasons I came here is because they have a study abroad program. I gave up a job this year, in order to go abroad," she added.

Joseph said she does admit she wrote her essay at the last minute, but did not believe her application was any worse than ones submitted by students initially accepted.

After being informed that their initial petition had been denied by Brandeis, students quickly organized. By Tuesday, Joseph had organized a meeting of students who applied to study abroad, wishing to build a consensus on their course of action. Along with Union President Benjamin Brandzel '03 and both of the Class of 2004 senators, Professor Jacob Cohen (AMST) attended the meeting.

"I showed up primarily because one of my students whom I advise, who took a lot of time thinking of what she should study and how it fit into our department needs, was rejected," Cohen said.

At the meeting, held Wednesday, students discussed many strategies they used to force administrators to overturn the rejections. One primary concern that students had was the fact after rejecting them, Brandeis staff called and e-mailed the international universities and domestic intermediary programs and withdrew their applications.

Study Abroad Coordinator J. Scott Van Der Meid is in charge of reviewing the petitions and is ultimately responsible for notifying the programs of Brandeis' in-house rejections. He said he is obligated to call the programs to tell them that students were not approved. Van Der Meid explained that his signature on the petition form constitutes provisional approval of the student's application by the University. However, if ultimately the student is rejected, his signature is no longer valid and thus he must notify the program that the University is no longer sanctioning the student's plans to go abroad.

Some programs have their own policy of not allowing students to participate who are not sanctioned by their University, he added. As a result, the host university or domestic intermediary program then withdraws the student's application.

"In every semester that I have been here we have instituted new things that make the program a little bit more solid from an academic perspective," Van Der Meid said.

Rumors have been circulating among the student body that the University chose to reject students due to financial considerations. Every administrator the Justice spoke with, however, denied this allegation.

Dr. John Hose, Executive Assistant to President Jehuda Reinharz, denied that his office was involved with the rejections.

Cohen and the formerly rejected students, however, claimed they were unaware of new, stricter qualifications for studying abroad.

"If there were new rules I should have been informed," Cohen said. "This policy (which led to the rejection of students) was put in play without informing and consulting with faculty advisers ... I certainly was not informed of this and therefore I could not properly advise my student who is a very capable student."

"I think what it was is over the last several years there have been a number of changes in evaluating the whole study abroad program. There has been a grade point average put in, there was an attempt to better understand a connection between the student's experience and the study abroad experience," said Provost Mel Bernstein.

Cohen said that he does not recall hearing of a Brandeis student's study abroad petition being rejected by the University.

"This year we were reading the applications with a keen eye of how students were connecting their academic goals at Brandeis with the program that they have selected," Rosenthal said. "I think that in our information session we try to make sure that students understand that there needs to be a certain academic connection. In all fairness students generally do a wonderful job in making sure the connections are clear. However in some cases it might not have been as clear as we have hoped."

"In the future our guidelines will be much better articulated than they have been in the past. Students will be clear about what we are looking for so we don't find ourselves in this position again," Rosenthal added. "Those guidelines will be in the workbook and will be on the website."

Cohen said he is concerned that even though he and a student had picked a program both agreed was academically appropriate for the individual, the student was still rejected. Joseph said she believes a faculty adviser is a better judge of what constitutes a suitable program for a particular student, as they are more aware of the individual's needs than the petition review committee.

"I can understand the faculty's concern, and of course their role is critical, but its part of a larger picture. That's why you have experienced professionals who understand study abroad from different aspects . its not just one person or decision that leads to a final evaluation," Bernstein said.

Bernstein explained why so many of the students were accepted after the applications were reevaluated. "We were looking at ... whether there was a breakdown in communication in informing students in a timely enough way and that many students had already made plans and commitments and plans," he said. "There was a sense because of the timeliness issue that it was felt to be best in certain student's interest to allow those eligible students who believed that they were able to go abroad should."

Faculty Senate Chairperson, Professor Wellington Nyangoni (AAAS), said approximately 40 professors sent him a letter, expressing support for the students. He said he believes studying abroad is a valuable academic experience.

"I, as an individual, encourage students to study different cultures. Going abroad broadens not only their horizons, but ours," Nyangoni said. "I was pleased to hear that there was a reversal ... Students will now be able to fulfill their dreams (of studying abroad).