Functional Area Overview

Functional Area Overview: International Student Programs and Services Elizabeth Hartig Concordia University Ann Arbor

Functional Area Overview: International Student Programs and Services

The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) has developed a framework of standards and guidelines for the student affairs profession. The CAS Standards are divided up into functional areas that serve specific programs and student groups (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2015). International Student Programs and Services is one functional area that has unique needs and challenges. CAS describes the mission for International Student Programs and Services very clearly. ISPS’s mission is, “to provide support and assistance necessary for international students to achieve their educational goals and ensure institutional compliance with governmental immigration regulations,” (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2015, p. 303). While CAS can summarize the ISPS mission in one sentence, ISPS’s mission involves many complex regulations, student needs, and programs. The ISPS standard on Law, Governance, and Policy is extremely important to understand. Not only is it an ISPS standard, but also ISPS staff have a duty to their students to understand and stay current on immigration laws and regulations that affect international students. ISPS staff cannot effectively serve international students if they do not understand the laws and legal systems that the international students are facing. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement certifies schools that offer programs for international students as Student and Exchange Visitor Programs (SEVP). When schools are certified as SEVP, ISPS staff can use the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS tracks international student’s visa and status process. The SEVIS system is one tool that ISPS staff need to understand in relation to immigration laws and regulations, (SEVIS. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.ice.gov/sevis/dso-requirements).

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Functional Area Overview: International Student Programs and Services

The ISPS standard on Diversity, Equity, and Access is also vital to the mission of ISPS. Working with international students means working with diverse needs and barriers to reaching educational goals. ISPS staff must understand this diversity and how it plays a role in how students access education. For example, someone whose native language is not English may have barriers working within institutional systems. This standard clearly states that ISPS must never discriminate, must advocate for cultural sensitivity and social justice, ensure access to educational services, remove barriers and improve understanding (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2015, p. 307). While this may seem like a daunting task, understanding issues regarding diversity, equity, and access is central to international student services. ISPS also serve as a leader on campus in promoting diversity, equity, and access not only for the benefit of international students but to enrich the institution. There are other standards that also play an important role in ISPS. All of the standards can be met in the form of different programs and services on different campuses. The International Center at the University of Michigan offers many services to international students. The International Center uses SEVIS to help advise international students on their visa status and can process some legal forms for international students. The International Center also conducts international student orientations, workshops and other events (About Our Services. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/about).

Serving international students can be complex, but it is also rewarding to help international students reach their educational goals. Through knowledge and understanding of ISPS standards, an ISPS professional can create programs that are useful and effective for international students. ISPS professionals also can work across functional areas of an institution to collaborate on programs that serve international students. ISPS professionals also have a 3

Functional Area Overview: International Student Programs and Services

unique role as leaders on diversity, equity, and access on campus and can advocate for a culture of understanding that can enrich the institution. CAS has created a great framework of standards for ISPS professionals that can be used across all types of institutions.

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Functional Area Overview: International Student Programs and Services

References

About Our Services. (n.d.) Retrieved September 14, 2017 from https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/about/ Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, Council for the Advancement of Standards for Student Services/Development Programs, & Wells, Jennifer B. (2015). CAS professional standards for higher education (Ninth ed.). Washington, DC: Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. SEVIS. (n.d.) Retrieved September 14, 2017 from https://www.ice.gov/sevis/dso-requirements

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