The Foreign Service Journal, October 2004

This example of progress stands in contrast to other areas in which the department failed to take advantage of much of the creativity and innova- tion that existed in USIA. Nor does it help that five years on, many State employees still know so little about the two bureaus — Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs — that the department absorbed. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs knows the exchange business better than anyone else. More imaginative departmental thinking might have made this bureau an entrepreneurial zone incu- bating new exchanges to face chang- ing world problems. It might have freed ECA to develop its own meth- ods for grants, given it easier authori- ty to accept outside funding for addi- tional ECA programs, and insulated the bureau from pressures to execute “tactical programs.” The Bureau of International Information Programs was reorga- nized a decade ago to reduce middle management and encourage team- work in line with prevailing corporate practices. Despite many changes since, this bureau’s flat structure remains a notable contrast to tradi- tionally top-heavy State Department bureaus, while IIP’s telecommuting record and ability to produce work from home during emergencies rank well above the rest of the depart- ment. Nevertheless, because IIP’s technological expertise, support for embassy Web sites, and information management resources are focused almost exclusively on field use, the bureau’s contributions fall under the radar of many in the department, who continue to reinvent the wheel. Although Secretary Albright pledged to USIA employees that “you will be central to American foreign policy,” public diplomacy today usual- ly seems to be an afterthought, the last refuge when all else fails. 14 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 4 S P E A K I N G O U T 2400 Virginia Ave., N.W Washington, D.C., 20037 Tel: (202) 293-2000 E-mail: leasingoffice@columbiaplaza.net Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00 AM-5:30 PM Sat 10:00 AM-4:00 PM 24 Hour Front Desk Garage Parking Avaliable Controlled Access Potomac River Views Minutes to Fine Dining Newly Renovated Kitchens Directly across the street from Main State, minutes to Kennedy Center and Georgetown Beautiful and Spacious: Efficiency$1,100 - $1,250 1 Bedroom 1,400 - 1,700 2 Bedroom 2,100 - 2,700 Utilities Included Complimentary Voice Mail Courtyard Style Plaza Polished Hardwood Floors Private Balconies Huge Walk-in Closets Capital Living With Comfort and Convenience 24 Hour Fitness Center columbia plaza apartments