Worcester, MA - President Thomas R. Plough of Assumption College will be a part of a delegation of college presidents and administrators to Cuba this week. U.S. Representatives James P. McGovern and J. Joseph Moakley will lead a trip to further understanding between the United States and Cuba. Plough is one of several college presidents from the Central Massachusetts area to attend the April 15-19, 2000 trip.
Plough said the trip will be especially relevant for Assumption.
The College's Faculty Senate recently approved a major in Latin
American studies, which should soon be approved by the school's
trustees and offered in the fall, In light of this new major,
President Plough will be joined on the trip by Professor Magda
C. deMoor, chairperson of the new Latin America Studies major.
The trip is to encourage better academic and faculty exchanges
between the United States and Cuba. Dr. Plough noted that he hopes
to develop limited short-term and immersion student and faculty
exchanges, inviting Cuban artists, academic and business leaders
to Assumption, and eventually recruiting student degrees.
Plough said that he also hopes to meet with members from Caritas,
a Catholic relief organization, as well as local clergy and members
of the Assumptionists, who are doing pastoral work in Cuba.
"For me, the trip is primarily academic, not political," Plough said. "While you can embargo products and impede travel, you can't block the penetration of ideas between countries."