|
||||
  
 
 |
USU response to story on international students: Working, with limited resources, toward a global community By
Joyce Kinkead,
USU vice provost for undergraduate studies
and research We sympathize with the plight of international students whose expectations for scholarship support are dashed. (Hard News Café, 9/06/01.) In checking with our colleagues in the College of Business (COB) and Enrollment Management, we find that policies about scholarship support do not differentiate between U.S. students and international students. Here, then, are the policies that dictate who receives support. To be considered for a COB scholarship, students must have completed at least 60 credit hours AND also have achieved advanced standing, which means having been admitted to the upper division program as a business major. The COB scholarship committee has traditionally been reluctant to award scholarships to pre-business majors since there is no guarantee they will be admitted to the upper-division or they will not switch to another major. The College of Business is no different from other colleges and departments that tend to focus on junior and senior students. The University's Recruitment and Enrollment Services office offers support to incoming students, awarding one-year and four-year scholarships. Continuation of the one-year awards is contingent on a student's earning a minimum of a 3.75 GPA. The second year scholarship is administered by the Financial Aid office. Transfer students -- Utah residents, non-residents, and international students alike -- are ineligible for these scholarships. Why? Utah State has limited funds to support students, so policies such as these are driven by resources. On the other hand, international graduate students are often the recipients of fellowships and scholarships. Utah State University has a long and distinguished history of international programs, ranging from research to outreach. We cherish the students who come from other countries to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees; they are, in fact, some of our most noteworthy alumni. We heartily endorse efforts of our international alumni groups to develop scholarship funds that support international students. There is, however, always a need to review our programs and strengthen them. To that end, we have just received a report from a special university task force charged with studying all international programs: the International Students & Scholars Office, Study Abroad, International Outreach, the Intensive English Language Institute. A restructuring of our international efforts to provide a more cohesive and coherent collaboration among the units -- now dispersed -- is imminent. A search for a new director of the International Students & Scholars Office is currently underway with candidates soon to be on campus. We anticipate a renewed energy and dedication to international students in this office as it engages in recruitment, support, and outreach efforts. Finally, we are very pleased with an initiative undertaken by the Honors Program, Student Services, and Housing this year to initiate Global Village, a residence hall that houses international students and Honors students. A typical suite includes three Honors students as well as students from Korea, England, and Sweden. Yes, cultural differences abound, but it is only through talking about differences, accepting diversity that we grow as individuals and come to a better understanding of our global community. Global Village, in a very real sense, is about building community. Joyce Kinkead
(435) 797-1706
|
Archived Months:
January
1999 January
2000 January
2001 |
||