Comments on: Best places to work in the government ‘09 http://workingworldcareers.com/2009/05/22/best-places-to-work-in-the-government-09/ Careers in International Education, Exchange, and Development Sun, 02 Nov 2014 14:17:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Equal benefits for same-sex partners of American diplomats | Working World http://workingworldcareers.com/2009/05/22/best-places-to-work-in-the-government-09/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Equal benefits for same-sex partners of American diplomats | Working World Sun, 24 May 2009 16:01:40 +0000 http://workingworldcareers.com/?p=991#comment-132 [...] noted on Friday that, while the State Department ranked a high fifth in the ‘09 rankings of best places to [...] [...] noted on Friday that, while the State Department ranked a high fifth in the ‘09 rankings of best places to [...]

]]> By: Mark Overmann http://workingworldcareers.com/2009/05/22/best-places-to-work-in-the-government-09/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Mark Overmann Fri, 22 May 2009 19:49:58 +0000 http://workingworldcareers.com/?p=991#comment-131 As far as I can tell, Rachel, while the USAID administrator does report to the Secretary of State, USAID is operationally independent of the State Department. From the USAID website (http://www.usaid.gov/about_usaid/): “The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency that receives general direction and overall foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State.” Also, from State's Department Organization fact sheet (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/436.htm): “Although the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) remains an independent agency following the reorganization of the foreign affairs agencies in 1999 in which the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the United States Information Agency (USIA) were merged into the Department of State, USAID receives general direction and overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary.” I appreciate your position that the authors of a blog like ours should try to be “right” all the time—I’m doubtful, though, that this is possible, even for the most well-informed. Sherry and I don’t pretend that we know all there is to know about careers in international education, exchange, and development. Rather, our goal is to lead an ongoing discussion and examination of what it means to start and chart a career in these fields, including the gray areas. As far as I can tell, Rachel, while the USAID administrator does report to the Secretary of State, USAID is operationally independent of the State Department. From the USAID website (http://www.usaid.gov/about_usaid/):

“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency that receives general direction and overall foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State.”

Also, from State’s Department Organization fact sheet (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/436.htm):

“Although the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) remains an independent agency following the reorganization of the foreign affairs agencies in 1999 in which the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the United States Information Agency (USIA) were merged into the Department of State, USAID receives general direction and overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary.”

I appreciate your position that the authors of a blog like ours should try to be “right” all the time—I’m doubtful, though, that this is possible, even for the most well-informed. Sherry and I don’t pretend that we know all there is to know about careers in international education, exchange, and development. Rather, our goal is to lead an ongoing discussion and examination of what it means to start and chart a career in these fields, including the gray areas.

]]> By: Rachel http://workingworldcareers.com/2009/05/22/best-places-to-work-in-the-government-09/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Rachel Fri, 22 May 2009 17:11:33 +0000 http://workingworldcareers.com/?p=991#comment-129 "Maybe I’m naive (or more likely uninformed) but I always envisioned USAID as on par in size and scope with the State Department. Apparently not." USAID is part of the State Department. Isn't it a bit irresponsible for you to present yourself as an expert on "careers in international education, exchange, and development" and not know this? “Maybe I’m naive (or more likely uninformed) but I always envisioned USAID as on par in size and scope with the State Department. Apparently not.”

USAID is part of the State Department. Isn’t it a bit irresponsible for you to present yourself as an expert on “careers in international education, exchange, and development” and not know this?

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