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Text 2

Plight of Russian Scholars in Weak Economy Prompts New U.S. Efforts to Support Them

By KIM A. McDONALD

Concern over the survival of Russian scholars in their country's deteriorating economy has prompted some American foundations and scholarly organizations to explore new ways to help.

Among the ideas being considered are competitive grants to Russian scholars or institutes, subcontracts to Russian researchers, and a system of "sister institutions" linking American universities with Russian institutes in cooperative research.

Most of the proposals have been crafted in recent weeks in response to reports of deteriorating working conditions for Russian scholars and the threat of a massive emigration of Russian scientists and intellectuals.

While the ideas for the new programs have grown out of a concern for the academics' welfare, the assistance is intended to be much more than a humanitarian gesture. In disciplines in which Russians are acknowledged leaders, such us mathematics and theoretical physics many American scholars say they fear the inability of key individuals to conduct research or the demise of certain institutes would eliminate important resources used by the rest of the world.

"Everybody feels there's a treasure of Soviet intellectual activity that needs help. needs to be saved before it goes down the drain," says Joel Orlen, executive officer if the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which has held several meetings on he subject in recent weeks.

Foundation Considers Options

Victor Rabinowilch, vice-president for programs at the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation says: "What we are concerned about is that practically a whole generation of scholars and creative individuals who have all of a sudden been given the opportunity to think and write as hey wish, may be lost."

Mr. Rabinowilch was in Russia last week to lay the groundwork for a number of assistance programs that his foundation was considering.

He could not be more specific about the proposals, except to say the foundation was concerned about the plight of younger Russian scholars, nuclearweapons conversion, and the maintenance of unique resources in their country— such as archives and botanical collections— that are now threatened by cuts in government support.

At the American Association for the Advancement of Science Sandra Burns, associate director of international programs, says her office is conducting a survey of members who are actively collaborating with Russia’s scientists to determine how the association could best use its resources to help before it makes any specific proposals.

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The American Physical Society is examining such possibilities as paying for foreign journal subscriptions that are being canceled in Russia because of the lack of funds, developing a program in which U. S. institutions can donate equipment to Russian laboratories, and bringing together Russian and American research institutes to work on common problems.

“0ne of the things we're working on is to promote the concept in which universities or national laboratories are paired with well-known facilities in the Soviet Union," explains Irving A. Lerch. a professor of medical physics at New York University and director of international scientific affairs for the physical society. Such a relationship could lead not only to cooperative research. but to long-term exchanges of faculty members and graduate students”jjjjjhhhhhhhhhhhhnjjjjjjmnmnnmm,’;lop, he says.

At the Federation of American Scientists, officials are working on a plan that would bring the directors of dozens of Russian institutes to the Untied Stales to solicit subcontracts for specific types of research.

Jeremy J. Stone, president of the federation, says he is hopeful the plan can promote long-term relationships between the two sides that would provide important additional resources to some Russian research teams by diverting relatively small amount of money from U.S. science projects.

"Very little money would be required." he says. adding that his plan would not divert support from U.S. projects and may allow American researchers to do more with limited funds. "If they didn'1 hire a research intern, it would free up $15.000. That could fund a whole Russian project."

Bewildering Array of Institutes

For officials of American science societies and foundations, who are now confronted with the complexities of the Russian bureaucracy and a bewildering array of Russian research institutes of varying quality, determining who and what to support and making certain that the assistance ends up where it is supposed to, - are no simple tasks.

Mr. Lerch of the physical society notes

Efforts to Aid Russia's Scholars Are More Than a Humanitarian Gesture

that the former Soviet Academy of Sciences, which recently transferred its assets to the newly formed Russian Academy of Sciences. supported many institutes that did first-rate work. But he adds, "some institutes were supported by the academy structure simply because they were politically correct. They were of no value scientifically."

"Divining which is which is going to be difficult" for foundations and societies looking to funnel resources to specific institutions, Mr. Lerch says. "The former Soviet Union as a whole is a sinkhole."

Mr. Stone says his plan to provide modest subcontracts to Russian research institutes could avoid that problem, since institutes that do not return work of the highest quality would not be given additional support.

'Someone Specific'

“Let's put this on a capitalist basis," he says. "Let the American scientists figure out who's who."

Joseph McGhee, director of exchanges at the U.S. State Department's Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs—until recently called the Office of Soviet Union Affairs—says that because funds can .be easily entangled or lost

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within the Russian bureaucracy, groups sending money to help scholars there should "have someone specific in mind."

Donations of equipment, he adds. can run into additional problems with customs regulations in Russia, U.S. export-control regulations. and other legal impediments.

"Unless there's a competent consignee on the other end. God knows where it's going to end up," he says.

Loren R. Graham, a professor of the history of science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. says that because the "organization of Russian science and culture is presently in turmoil, direct assistance to major institutions should probably be avoided."

"We easily could support the wrong organizations in the power struggles going on." he adds.

Mr. Graham and others are also concerned that a Russian tax of as much as 60 per cent on foreign donations of funds and equipment and an official exchange rate that can significantly reduce the value of financial contributions could inhibit support from U.S. foundations and other non-profit organizations.

Favorable Exchange Rate

Eugene B. Skolnikoff. a political-science professor at MIT. says foundations that intend to send money should demand that their currency be exchanged at the more favorable tourist rate of 100 rubles to the dollar, rather than the official rate of 1.5 rubles to the dollar.

He and Mr. Graham emphasize that American groups should also try to negotiate an end to the Russian tax on foreign contributions. Mr. Graham says that when he and Mr. Skolnikoff visited Russia last month, many scientists they spoke to expressed the fear that the tax would be an obstacle to foreign contributions. "Very often, they mentioned that tax." says Mr. Graham.

In a letter that the two MIT professors have been distributing to foundations around the country. two officials of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Victor M. Sergeev and Artyom Mnatsakanyan. urge Western groups considering ways of helping Russian science to meet with Russian officials to negotiate an end to the tax and to institute procedures through which funds can easily be sent to specific Russian scientists and institutions.

Mr. Rabinowitch of the MacArthur Foundation agrees with the recommendations of the Russian scientists, noting that foundations and other nonprofit institutions

cannot agree to pay such taxes under U.S. Internal Revenue Service regulations. "These taxes have got to be a matter for negotiation, as do the exchange rates," he says.

Mr. Skolnikoff of MIT says that because they can respond quickly and provide financial assistance with less red tape and political controversy than the U.S. government. foundations and other non-profit institutions offer the best nope to Russian scholars, at least for the near future.

"Whatever can be done should be done quickly," he says. "And the largest hope of moving fast is with the foundations."

Other, more pressing problems—such as starvation, bolstering the Russian economy, and keeping Russian nuclear scientists from selling information about nuclear-weapons technology to other countries—are likely to get the most attention and help from the U.S. government. Mr. Skolnikoff and Mr. Graham say. Thus. they add, it would he appropriate for foundations to focus on such areas as preserving the best aspects of Russian fundamental science.

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"It's not at the top of everyone's agenda in terms of relief." says Mr. Skolnikoff. "But it’s one of those areas where a little money can go a long way."

'Flood of Applications

Mr. Graham says organizations considering programs to support scholars In Russia should work together to establish a joint U.S. Russian committee that could impartially review proposals for assistance. "For ii foundation y American organization simply to declare itself open to applications for support to young and talented Russian scientists and artists would result in a flood of applications that would be difficult to evaluate." he says.

He and Mr. Skolnikoff say the programs should also encourage Russian scholars to remain in their country to avoid exacerbating the brain drain. They say program also should emphasize support for younger scholar* who are not as politically well connected, or insulated from cuts, as the older scholars.

Vocabulary

plight - бедственное, тяжелое положение; scholar - ученый;

to prompt - плбкждать, подталкивать, подсказывать; effort - усилие;

to support - поддерживать; concern - беспокойство, тревога; survival - выживание;

to deteriorate - ухудшать(ся); foundation - фонд;

to explore - исследовать; among - среди;

to consider - полагать, считать, рассматривать; competitive - соревнующий, конкурирующий;

grant - грант; деньги, выделяемые фондом на проект, на стажировку или обучение;

researcher - исследователь; to link - соединять; cooperative - совместный;

proposal - предложение, заявка; to craft - здесь: создавать; recent - недавний;

in response to - в ответ на; threat - угроза;

academic - здесь: ученый; welfare - благосостояние; intended - предназначенный; to fear - бояться, опасаться; key - ключевой;

individuals - отдельные, частные лица; to conduct - проводить;

acknowledged - признанный; demise - сдача в аренду;

certain - некоторый, определенный;

to eliminate - уничтожать, упразднять, ликвидировать; the rest of - отсальной;

treasure - сокровище, клад;

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to save - спасать, сохранять, экономить; drain - истощение, утечка;

executive - исполнительны;

officer - должностное лицо, госслужащий; option - выбор, вариант;

whole - весь, целый; generation - поколение; creative - творческий; sudden - внезапный;

to lay the groundwork - заложить основы; specific - конкретный;

nuclear weapons - ядерное оружие;

maintenance - поддержание, содержание, обслуживание; cuts - сокращения;

support - поддержка;

advancement - продвижение; прогресс, успех; survey - исследование;

to determine - определять;

subscription - подписка (на журнал, газету); to examine - рассматривать;

possibility - возможность;

foreign - зарубежный, иностранный; to cancel - отменять, ликвидировать;

lack of funds - отсутствие/нехватка финансов; to develop - равивать, разрабатывать;

to donate - дарить, жертвовать; equipment - оборудование;

to bring together - соединять, объединять; наладить контакты между; common - общий;

to promote - продвигать, способствовать;

to pair with - работать в парах, объединяться по два; facilities - мн.ч. возможности, оборудование;

to explain - объяснять; affairs - дела, вопросы; to lead to - вести к; cooperative - совместный; long-term - долгосрочный; exchange - обмен;

faculty - профессорско-преподавательский состав, преподаватели; graduate - выпускной, выпускник;

dozen - дюжина;

to provide - обеспечивать, предоставлять; additional - дополнительный;

team - команда;

to divert - отвлекать; relatively - сравнительно; amount - количество, сумма; to require - требовать(ся);

to hire - принимать на работу; intern - стажер;

to free up - высвободить;

to bewilder - смущать, ставить в тупик, сбивать с толку;

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array - множество;

to confront with - сталкиваться с, противостоять; complexity - сложность;

to determine - определять; to make certain - убедиться;

to suppose - предполагать, полагать; to note - примечать, замечать, отмечать; former - бывший;

to transfer - переводить; assets - мн.ч. фин.активы;

first-rate - первоначальный, превосходный; value - ценность;

to divine - предсказывать, пророчить, (пред)угадывать; to funnel - направлять;

as a whole - как единое целое; sinkhole - сточная труба; modest - скромный; умеренный; to avoid - избегать;

since - поскольку; additional - дополнительный; support - поддержка;

to figure out - выяснить, обнаружить; commonwealth - содружество; affairs - дела;

recently - недавно;

to entangle - запутывать, впутывать; попасть в ловушку; specific - конкретный;

donation - дар, пожертвование; customs - таможня;

regulations - правила, предписания, инструкции; legal - юридический;

impediment - помеха, препятствие; unless - до тех пор, пока не; consignee - получатель;

turmoil - смятение, суматоха, беспорядок; wrong - не тот, неверный;

to concern - тревожиться, беспокоиться; exchange rate - обменный курс; significantly - значительно, очень;

to reduce - сокращать;

to inhibit - сдерживать, тормозить; non-profit - некоммерческий; favourable - благоприятный;

to intend - намереваться, собираться; to demand - требовать;

currency - валюта;

to emphasize - подчеркивать, выделять; to negotiate - вести переговоры;

tax - налог;

сontribution - вклад; fear - страх, боязнь; obstacle - препятствие;

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to mention - упоминать;

to distribute - распределять;

to urge - побуждать, настоятельно требовать, настаивать; way - путь, способ;

to institute procedures - ввести/учредить процедуры; to agree - соглашаться;

internal - внутренний;

revenue - (годовой) доход; Департамент налогов и сборов; matter - вопрос, дело;

to respond - отвечать;

to provide - обеспечивать;

red tape - волокита, бюрократизм, формализм; controversy - противоречие;

to move - двигаться;

starvation - голод, голодная смерть; bolstering - поддержка;

nuclear - ядерный;

appropriate - подходящий, соответстствующий;

to focus (on) - сконцентрироваться на, уделить основное внимание (чему-то); agenda - повестка дня;

in terms of - с точки зрения; relief - облегчение, помощь; to establish - учредить, открыть; joint - совместный;

impartially - беспристрастно; to review - рассматривать;

to declare - объявлять, заявлять; application - заявка, заявление; flood - поток;

to evaluate - оценивать;

to encourage - подбадривать, поощрять; to remain - оставаться;

to avoid - избегать; exacerbating - обострение; brain drain - утечка мозгов; to connect – соединять

Answer the following questions.

1.What has prompted American foundations and scholarly organizations to explore the new ways to help Russian scholars?

2.What ideas are being considered?

3.What kind of threat made them hurry in providing assistance?

4.Is thi help supported to be just a humanitarian gesture?

5.What do American scholars fear?

6.What is work position of Victor Rabinowich?

7.What does he say about the current situation in Russia?

8.What is Sandra Burns' position?

9.What kind of survey is her office considering?

10.What possibilities is the American Physical Society examining?

11.What concept are they going to promote?

12.What kind of plan does Jeremy J.Stone say about?

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13.What are American officers confronted with in Russia?

14.What does he say about subscriptions to Russian research institutes?

15.What is the position of Joseph McGhee?

16.What is his opinion about Russian bureaucracy? about donations of equipment?

17.What does the American side fear in the whole?

18.What do American non-profit organizations demand concerning taxes?

19.What are the American foundations going to focus on?

20.What for is a joint U.S.-Russian Committee to be established?

Text 3

"INVISIBLE COLLEGE" WINS PRIZE FOR REFORM.

The Invisible (невидимый) College, a non-traditional institution (учреждение) in Budapest offering individual tutoring (наставничество, руководство) and academic support (поддержка) to a limited number of "gifted" (одаренный) university students, has won this year's Hannah Arendt

Prize.

The prize, first awarded (врученный) in 1995, is given annually by the Vienna-based Institute for Human Sciences in recognition (в знак признания) of "outstanding, self-initiated reform efforts in higher education and

research (научное исследование)" in the formerly (бывший) Communist countries of Eastern Europe. It carries a cash (наличные деньги) grant from the Korber Foundation of Hamburg, Germany, of 300,000 DM, or about $176,000.

Founded (основанный) in 1992, the college took its name because it has no facilities (оборудование). It provides (обеспечивать) intensive academic support to undergraduates, graduate students, and doctoral candidates (докторанты) at a variety (ряд) of Budapest institutions. This year, it has 73 students. They were selected in a competitive (конкурсный,

состязательный) process and are considered among the most promising (обещающий) social-science students in Hungary. Each one is assigned

(назначен) tutors (наставник) and is offered special classes. The students also are given stipends, so that they can devote (посвящать) themselves exclusively (исключительно, только) to their studies. The program is financed by grants from Hungarian businesses.

Educators (педагоги) in the region say that programs similar (подобный) to the Invisible College have been established (открыты) in

Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Comprehension Check.

Ex. Answer the following questions:

1.What institutions awards Hannah Arendt Prize?

2.When was this prize first awarded?

3.Waht is it given for?

4.What is the source of money for this grants?

5.How many persons does it support this year?

6.In what sphere do the prize-winners make their researches?