Yale announces its earlier-foreshadowed move on summer opportunities for students on financial aid:

The International Summer Award Program, a pilot plan to begin this summer, will award grants to students for summer options overseas which will be proportional to the level of term-time financial aid they currently receive. Participating financial aid students will receive a grant of $2,250 to fully cover their expected summer earnings contribution, which will be awarded in addition to a personalized grant to pay for their expenditures abroad as determined by students' individual financial need. Administrators first announced details of the new plan at a meeting with the News on Monday evening. About 125 students -- nearly half of the approximately 300 students who officials estimate will study abroad this summer through Yale-sponsored programs -- are expected to participate in the ISA program this summer. All of the overseas Bulldogs internship programs, summer language study programs and the Seapine Summer Fellowships fall under the new initiative. Today's announcement promises to bring Yale closer to fulfilling its stated goal of removing all financial barriers for students who wish to pursue international opportunities during the summer. "Study abroad and first-hand exposure to foreign cultures are crucial training for those who will live and work in an increasingly global society," Yale President Richard Levin said in a statement released to the News on Monday. "Providing significant grants for students with financial need will make it possible for them to have an invaluable international experience that is an integral part of their education." Until now, Yale has not offered any institutional financial aid for these programs outside of competitive, merit-based fellowships.

This represents a meaningful victory towards achieving the much broader goal of comprehensive reform. Lots more work to do.