International Student

Services
Grace Hymel and Noah Montague
Evolution

● Centered around International Student Experience

● Three main factors that impact change
○ United States’ relationship with foreign countries
○ Number of incoming students
○ Federal regulations
● Late 1900’s to early 2000’s
○ Large influx of International students to the United States caused
departments to grow
Mission Statements

● Purpose
○ Support international students holistically and advocate for their needs

● Common Components of Mission Statements

○ Orient international students and assist with their transition to life in the
United States
○ Promote academic and personal success of international students
○ Ensure that universities and students comply with federal immigration
policies
Common Programs

● Orientation Programs
● Educational or experiential workshops related to U.S. adjustment (Driving in
the U.S., etc).
● Academic advising and support
● University break programming (Thanksgiving Dinner and Winter Staycation)
● Meals
● Spouse or family programming
● Employment programs
● Immigration compliance
● Free legal counseling services
Staffing Models

● Staffing can differ greatly depending on the school

○ Amount of students
○ Resources needed
○ Size of institution
● Designated School Officials (DSOs)
○ Maintain relationship with Federal Government
○ Work with visas
○ Advise students
● Staffing at Miami
○ Seven Staff Members
○ Advising, programming, and administration
Staffing Models Continued

● Tillman (What all ISS offices should do regardless of

staff)
○ Advising
○ Programming
○ Academic Guidance
○ Financial aid
○ Counseling
○ Immigration requirements
Professional Associations

● NAFSA: Association of International

Educators
○ Support practitioners
○ Advance scholarship
○ Engage in advocacy for international higher education

● NASPA Knowledge Community:

International Student Services Institute
Core Competencies

● Advocacy

● Communication with stakeholders

across campus and community

● Comprehensive internationalization

● Crisis management

● Intercultural communication
International Education Professional Competencies. (n.d.).
Retrieved from
https://www.nafsa.org/professional-resources/career-center/intern
ational-education-professional-competencies
Technologies

● Student Record Keeping Software

○ Sunapsis
○ Interacts with University systems as well as the government
○ Record keeping and alert system
○ Aids in making sure students stay at the credit cap
○ Centralized system for students and practitioners
○ Students can make requests through the same system
● SEVIS
○ Federal System run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement
○ Interacts with ISS through their record keeping software
○ Tracks and ensures students maintain visa requirements
Current Challenges

● 1st decline in International students in twelve years in 2016

● Current Administration’s Policies
○ Heightened visa regulations and restrictions
○ Campus climate & US perception
● Effect on Universities
○ Financial cost of decrease of international student population
○ Decreases diversity among student population
● Shifted focus
○ Large focus on immigration than programming
○ Retaining students rather than recruiting new ones
Bibliography
About ISSS. (n.d.). American University. Retrieved from
https://www.american.edu/ocl/isss/about-isss.cfm
Andrade, M. S. (2006, August). International students in english-speaking universities:
Adjustment factors. Journal of Research in International Education. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249630465_International_students_in_english-speaking_universities_A
djustment_factors_Journal_of_Research_in_International_Education_52_131-154
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Hammons, L., Lee, Y.-H., Akins, R., Somasundaram, U. V., Egan, T. M., & Texas A&M University. (2004). An Evaluation Case
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Heidemann, M. (2019, September 19). Personal Interview.
IIE Releases Open Doors 2017 Data. (2017, November 13). The Power of International
Education. Retrieved from https://www.iie.org/Why-IIE/Announcements/2017/11/2017-11-13-Open-Doors-Data
International Education Professional Competencies. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.nafsa.org/professional-resources/career-center/international-education-profe
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International Student and Scholar Services. (n.d.). Miami University. Retrieved from
https://miamioh.edu/global-initiatives/isss/about/
Bibliography
International Student and Scholar Services. (n.d.). University of Iowa. Retrieved from
https://international.uiowa.edu/isss
Mission Statement. (n.d.). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from
http://iss.tamu.edu/ISS-Information/Mission-Statement
Mission Statement. (n.d.). Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/isss/about-isss/mission-statement/
Mission Statement. (n.d.). University of South Florida. Retrieved from
http://global.usf.edu/is/main-mission.php
Mission Statement. (n.d.). University of Maryland. Retrieved from
https://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/international-students-scholar-services/mission-statement
Mission, Vision, Values. NAFSA. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.nafsa.org/about/about-nafsa/mission-vision-values
NASPA International Student Services Institute. (n.d.). NASPA. Retrieved from
https://www.naspa.org/focus-areas/globalism/NISSIknm
Schuh, J. H., Jones, S. R., Torres, V. (Eds.). (2017). Student services: A handbook for the
profession (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Wong, A. (2019, September 6). Colleges Face Growing International Student-Visa Issues. The Atlantic.
Retrieved from
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/09/how-harvard-and-other-colleges-grapple-student-visa-pr
oblems/597409/