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International Students Study Abroad Faculty Annual Report International Studies
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Annual Report June 2003-August 2004 Annual Report June 2002-July 2003 Annual Report May 2001-June 2002 Annual Report June 2000-July 2001
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Annual Report MACALESTER
COLLEGE Summary
Report of Activities and Programs
I. International Center Mission, Programs and Staff The mission of the International Center is to strengthen Liberal Arts education by engaging students and faculty in international and intercultural learning. This mission is accomplished primarily through six programs and their related activities and services:
The International Center professional staff includes the following individuals and positions:
During this academic year 4.5 FTE student employees also assisted the International Center, with responsibilities in the areas of mentoring, peer advising, data management, receptionist, administrative assistance, and clerical support. A. Mission Study abroad at Macalester College means both high academic performance and an acute awareness of diversity that is uniquely fostered by international experience. It enhances education in the liberal arts by engaging well-prepared students in rigorous and stimulating learning experiences in a variety of countries outside the United States. Study abroad enables students to encounter foreign cultures through contact with faculty, students, and the general public of the host country, and, in societies where the native language is not English, provides them with useful and consciousness-expanding proficiency in a second language. Through study abroad, and, upon returning home, participation in international courses and out-of-class forums, Macalester students are expected to reflect on and evaluate their learning about foreign countries. They are encouraged to develop a sense of global citizenship and to gain knowledge required for transnational understanding and leadership. The College can realize these purposes of study abroad through thoughtful program development, active monitoring of programs, careful preparation of student participants, able management of financial resources, and purposeful integration of academic experiences abroad with courses and programs on the home campus. We face a time of exceptional promise for Macalester College and its students. Carried out with renewed commitment and vigor, study abroad will help us realize that promise. B. Operationalizing the Study Abroad Program Mission The Study Abroad Program carries out its mission by assisting Macalester students interested in study abroad or study on selected off-campus programs in the United States. It maintains a resource library on programs; provides group and individual advising; conducts cross-cultural, country-specific, and program-specific orientation and re-entry sessions; and helps students select and apply to programs which will build upon and strengthen their study towards a degree at Macalester College. The Study Abroad Program administers or collaborates in a variety of linkages, reciprocal exchanges, and consortia with U.S. and overseas institutions; works with program sponsors to maintain and strengthen the academic, cross-cultural and language acquisition components of study away programs in which Macalester students participate; assists faculty and staff in evaluating student applications to study away; and helps students to integrate off-campus study into the Macalester curriculum and to become life-long international learners. Among the many activities undertaken by the Study Abroad Program during this academic year are the following: Program
Evaluation. Selected off-campus programs were evaluated
through curricular review, program representative meetings at Macalester,
and consortia collaboration. Student evaluations of programs are
available for review in the International Center Library.
In addition, the International Center this year provided support for program reviews by Macalester faculty as follows:
Student Advising. Advising materials for off-campus study have been revised, expanded, and made available on-line. These now includes annotated program recommendations for all Macalester majors and interdisciplinary programs, as well as information on the student application/proposal process and appropriate program selection. Pre-departure orientation now includes new materials on learning styles, interpersonal skills, and culture-based value systems in order to maximize language and intercultural learning during study abroad. Student interest in short-term study abroad, particularly as preparation for a semester abroad, continues to grow. The Macalester Spanish Department enrolled 20 students in its inaugural "Spanish in the Field" program, during January 2003. This intensive 3-week program, operated in cooperation with HECUA, allows students to complete a full semester of Spanish language in Ecuador. Health
and Safety . A protocol on Safety and
Study Abroad has been formally adopted by Macalester and an off-campus
Crisis Team has been appointed by the Provost. Both the war in Iraq
and health concerns related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) in Asia were monitored by this team during the Spring 2003
semester.
Coordination of Procedures and New Policy on Study Away Fees. As part of a larger structural review and re-design of International Center administrative procedures, study away cost estimates and financial aid awards have been further standardized to bring them more closely in line with on-campus financial guidelines. Beginning with in-coming students in the Fall of 2003, study away fees will reflect Macalester’s on-campus fees, re-linking these to Macalester tuition, with all eligible financial aid and scholarships remaining portable on approved study away. C. Study Away Statistics Enrollment in off-campus study during the summer of 2002 and academic year 2002-2003 involved 283 students on 143 programs in 46 countries and 6 programs in the United States. Using the national statistical methodology recommended by the Institute of International Exchange (IIE) for comparative purposes in determining level of study abroad across U.S. colleges and universities (the number of study abroad participants divided by the number of students who received degrees in May 2003), the Macalester College study abroad participation rate was 68.7% (283/412) for 2002-03. Participation by duration of study was as follows:
The geographical breakdown by regions remained highly diverse: Africa (9.2%), Asia (6.7%), Europe (37.5%), Latin America/Caribbean (30.7%), Middle East (0.4%), Multi-Region (0.7%), North America (0.7%), Oceania (5.3%), and the United States (8.8%). The most popular academic majors among students who studied away for a semester or academic year were: International Studies (9.5%), Psychology (7.0%), Political Science (6.6%), and History (5.9%). A full statistical report of off-campus study, including details on countries of destination and academic major, is available from the International Center. D. Program Sponsor Meetings The International Center again hosted a significant number of study away review meetings and information sessions with representatives from selected sponsoring organizations and universities. As part of a continued effort toward quality control and creation of better matches between the Macalester curriculum, students’ educational goals, and specific study abroad offerings, meetings were held at Macalester this year with representatives from:
III. The International Student Program A. Mission The International Student Program serves the educational and personal development needs of Macalester international students. This involves efforts to integrate international students into all aspects of College life, helping them participate in and contribute to Macalester's high-quality liberal arts education, and assisting them to apply their learning to their own lives and cultural contexts. This also means helping create an intellectually and culturally supportive environment among students, faculty and staff, and assisting the College and the community gain from the presence of students from different countries and cultures. The International Student Program carries out the U.S. government-mandated functions that allow Macalester to issue documents for international students to attend the College. This function includes assisting international students maintain their legal status and access to resources and opportunities allowed by U.S. law. The International Student Program promotes the integration and full functioning of international students through a number of activities and services, including: educational and informational programs on intercultural, academic and practical living matters; forums for interaction with U.S. students; individual counseling and advising on cross-cultural adjustment, communication, U.S. cultures and customs, and the use of community and campus resources; and explanations of the nature, goals and expectations of Macalester as a national and international liberal arts college. Among the goals of the International Student Program for students are: excellence in academic achievement; effectiveness in interpersonal relations across cultures; group and task effectiveness across cultures; retention, graduation and continued involvement with Macalester; successful re-integration and application of the Macalester education in home countries and cultures (or application and further adaptation of this education in the United States). B. Operationalizing the International Student Program Mission Among this year's activities supporting the mission of this program were: Orientation. For new international students, emphasis was once again placed on sustaining a high?quality initial International Student Orientation through careful coordination of efforts between the International Center and other Macalester offices. The orientation also addresses the nature of Macalester’s liberal arts education within a comparative context of other countries’ educational systems and cultures. As a result of a successful experiment during last year’s program, a “drop-off” (field exercise) activity was integrated into the orientation as an experiential learning tool to acclimate students to the Twin Cities. Students also attended lectures on government regulations, college policy and cultural adjustment. Seminar. Concerned that new international students may not be as familiar as they should be with the intellectual history and deeper cultural traditions of the United States, the International Center, in cooperation with International Studies and Programming, designed and implemented a new “mini-seminar” entitled “American Intellectual Traditions and Global Concerns” for interested international students. Common readings that were selected and sent to incoming international students several months before their arrival included Andrew Delbanco’s The Real American Dream: A Meditation on Hope and The Last Summer of Reason by Tahar Djaout. In August and September of 2002 these readings were discussed both in a full-group lecture by Dr. Ahmed Samatar, Dean of International Studies and Programming, and in smaller sub-topic sessions lead by IC staff members as follows:
Mentor Program . The international student Mentor Program continued to provide high quality assistance to first-year and transfer international students, including faculty-facilitated discussions on critical issues such as choosing academic fields of concentration and adjustment to studying at a liberal arts college. Twelve returning students (working in pairs) mentored 110 students this year. Additional advising included: orientation to the Twin Cities; time management; issues of sex and drugs on U.S. college campuses; and understanding U.S. government regulations that affect international students. Host Family Program. This program, which focuses on international students learning about U.S. cultures through contact with Twin Cities area families, this year involved 180 international students and 130 hosts. Major events during the year included a welcome reception, international culture night, and a graduation reception. Other social activities aimed at improving Macalester host family relations included a lecture by Minnesota Public Radio meteorologist Mark Seeley; the Macalester theater performance of Pentecost; and a barbecue and football match. The Host Family Program was highlighted in a feature article that appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Macalester Today. Immigration Advising. This continues to be a critical service provided by the International Center. Due to numerous changes in Federal Regulations, academic year 2002-03 proved to be a particularly challenging one for immigration advising. Macalester College was the first institution in the state of Minnesota to enter all students into the Department of Homeland Security’s web-based Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Every Macalester international student met with International Student Program Coordinator Aaron Colhapp to confirm that personal data entered into SEVIS was correct. In addition, this year more than 90 international students were advised and had applications processed for work/internship opportunities, and Aaron Colhapp conducted four workshops on the topic of work authorization. International Student Organizations. International Center staff continued efforts to enhance communication and effectiveness in programming among Macalester student cultural organizations. In addition to the Macalester International Organization (MIO), programs were coordinated with Sunday News, a student organization that sponsors substantive presentations and discussions on current, but less commonly discussed international issues. C. International Student Statistics Macalester’s enrollment of international students – including dual citizens, permanent residents, and non-immigrant visa holders – during the 2002-2003 academic year included 340 students from 88 countries or 18.5% of the total College enrollment of 1840. International students on non-immigrant visas number 271 or 14.7% of the total. The distribution of international students (non-immigrant visas) according to region of citizenship remained highly diverse:
The most popular academic majors among Macalester’s non-immigrant visa international students were: Economics (13.3%), Computer and Information Science (7.4%), and Biology (4.1%). A full statistical report of Macalester international students, including region of citizenship and academic major, is available from the International Center. The
International Center, the Macalester International Organization,
and collaborating faculty, staff and students designed and implemented
this year’s International Week with a thematic focus on “The
Ancient Mediterranean”. This consisted of a four?day
program in which students and faculty examined and discussed the
continuing relationship between the civilizations of the ancient
Mediterranean world and liberal arts education. Presenters were
particularly informed and engaged in the topic this year because
of tremendous participation by the Classics Department faculty and
staff in planning and implementing all events. The week culminated
with a keynote presentation by Dr. Josiah Ober, David Magie Professor
of Classics and Professor in the University Center for Human Values
at Princeton University; and the International Dinner, during which
the 2003 Macalester Internationalism Award was presented to Patrick
D’Silva, ’03. This award is given annually to a graduating
senior who has best demonstrated academic merit and a commitment
to promoting international understanding and cooperation. Cumulatively,
some 300 members of the Macalester College community attended the
International Week activities. V. The Faculty Development International Seminar In January 2003 International Center Director Michael Monahan and International Studies Dean Ahmed Samatar undertook on-site explorations in Turkey and Cyprus for the fifth Macalester College Faculty Development International Seminar. Previous seminars took place in Hungary (1995), Brazil (1997), South Africa (2000) and Malaysia (2002). Michael Monahan returned to Turkey in June 2003 to developed a full plan for a May/June 2004 seminar on “Hybrid Geographies in the Eastern Mediterranean: A View from the Bosphorous” in collaboration with Bogazici (Bosphorous) University in Istanbul. Details are available from the International Center. VI. The Faculty and Staff Exchange Program After many years of a short-term cultural familiarization and faculty exchange program with Miyagi University of Education in Sendai, Japan, funding from the Japanese Ministry of Education that partially supported this exchange was discontinued. The partial funding provided by the International Center was consequently not renewed. The International Center staff is currently exploring other possibilities for short-term faculty exchange to be linked to selected study abroad programs at overseas universities. Following
last year’s successful short-term staff exchange visit to
Macalester by Ms. Hajnalka (Hajni) Vancsik of the Lexia International
Program in Budapest, International Student Program Coordinator Aaron
Colhapp participated in the outbound component of the this staff
exchange program in December of 2002. While Aaron was in Southeast
Asia on personal leave and on assignment for the Macalester Admissions
Office, he spent several days as professional development at Payap
University in Chiang Mai, Thailand and at Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM) in Penang, Malaysia where he examined both study abroad and
international student programs at these two institutions . VII. The Visiting International Faculty Program The International Center staff worked collaboratively with International Studies and Programming and other campus offices on the Visiting International Faculty (VIF) Program, which this year continued to host two professors for their final academic year at Macalester:
The International Center also provided administrative and other support for one Spring Semester 2003 visiting faculty member in the Spanish Department:
With two official VIF positions now successfully transformed into permanent tenure-track positions in International Studies at Macalester, only the Hubert H. Humphrey Visiting Faculty position remains, and this will be filled during academic years 2003-05 by Dr. Mohammed Bamyeh, an Islamic Studies specialist. VIII. International Center Staff: Selected Professional Activities and Professional Development Highlights Aaron Colhapp , International Student Program Coordinator, attended the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) national conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. As professional development and as part of a staff exchange program, he also visited Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand and USM in Penang, Malaysia for a few days while he was on special assignment with the Macalester Admissions Office recruiting Southeast Asian students at the United World College in Singapore and the Amsterdam School in Hanoi, Vietnam. At various times this year Aaron was interviewed about government regulations by Minnesota Public Radio, WCCO Radio, the Christian Science Monitor, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Marilyn Cragoe, Administrative Assistant, continued to lead and coordinate the Host Family Program, which successfully matches Macalester international students with families in the Twin Cities area. She was also re-elected this year as Secretary of Minnesota International Educators, a group of professionals dedicated to international student issues. As professional development Marilyn also attended the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) national conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Michael Monahan, Director, coordinated (with Ahmed Samatar) a series of meetings in Cyprus (north and south) and Turkey to explore the possibility of conducting Macalester’s fifth Faculty Development International Seminar in the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition to other projects this year, Michael conducted study abroad program development and evaluation in the Dominican Republic, Greece, Netherlands; was re-elected to the Academic Consortium Board of the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in New York; was appointed to the Council of Academic Advisors of the Institute of American Universities in France; was appointed to the Project Pericles Advisory Board; worked closely with the Associated Colleges of the Midwest on study abroad programming and the Global Partners Grant; and continued service as an Associate Editor of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. As professional development this year Michael participated in the Center for Teaching and Scholarship reading group on the liberal arts and in the Macalester College workshop on Policies Affecting Immigrants in Minnesota. Paula Paul-Wagner, Assistant to the Director, returned to the International Center in January 2003 after a leave of absence during summer and fall of 2002. She focused upon her areas of responsibility in financial management and analysis of both the International Center budget and the study away program budgets, the planning and execution of International Week in cooperation with the Classics Department, and close collaboration with the IC Director on study away program development. For professional development, Paula attended a conference in April 2003 in Chicago on “Innovative Strategies for Internationalization in Higher Education” sponsored by Indiana University, Michigan State University and the University of Iowa. Alan Yngve, successfully filled a part-time and temporary position as Administrative Coordinator in the International Center during the fall of 2002. Among other tasks, he compiled reports and conducted data analysis on study away and International Center fiscal management, and helped improve the efficiency of IC financial systems. Alan also worked closely with the German and Russian Studies Department to make the annual study away program in Germany and Austria a self-sustaining endeavor. Katherine
Yngve, Study Abroad Coordinator, was appointed to
the National Academic Council for the Butler Institute for Study
Abroad, and served on the national scholarship awards panel for
the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships. In addition,
she represented Macalester as part of a four-college site evaluation
team for the Dickinson in Cameroon Consortium in January 2003, and
was selected as study abroad representative to the Association of
International Educators (NAFSA) committee on distance education
and professional development. On campus, she was a member of the
Committee on Academic Advising, which brought together faculty and
administrators from a wide variety of departments to make suggested
policy and procedural changes that will allow students to better
understand their academic options and deepen the educational experience.
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