Comprehensive Internationalization Committee Campus Culture and Engagement with

Comprehensive Internationalization Committee Campus Culture and Engagement with Local and Global Communities Subcommittee Mary Churchill, Ronnette Wongus, Rebecca Comage, Julie Whitlow, Kim Daly, & Billy Dunn Strengths • Over half of faculty and staff reported on the campus-wide survey that they attended on-campus events with an international or intercultural theme at least once per year or more. • Our cultural/ identity based student organizations reported a significant amount of programming that is already occurring on campus. • Civic engagement committee, new director, and office. • Specific centers and institutes that engage in co-curricular work and community engagement. Weaknesses • Only 13% of student respondents claimed that they were active members of campus organizations that have an international or intercultural focus. • Poor communication of events and educational/ cultural opportunities offered on campus. • No set process for community engagement with an international component – need a central location and information and process. • No set process for identifying service learning courses with international service learning components. Opportunities • Increase student-to-student communication around campus internationalization to enhance student interest and engagement. • Provide training or cultural development to frontline employees in hopes of creating a more welcoming environment for our international students. • Provide language training for faculty. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012 www. Poster. Presentations. com • Reach out to previously identified local immigrant and heritage organizations to create partnerships. • Hold forums or workshops to share immigrant and heritage student experiences Threats • Lack of effective dissemination of information about international and/or intercultural events. • Processes, databases, etc. are built without consideration of the international community engagement component • Lack of commitment to the work and ongoing process of engaging in and tracking international community engagement. • Lack of time and financial resources to support international community engagement processes Action Items • Provide year-round housing for international students. • Create on-campus housing which promotes cross-cultural learning opportunities. • Provide information and support for international internships and job placement. • Increase student-to-student communication around campus internationalization to enhance student interest and engagement. • Secure opportunities for international students to work on campus. • Make internationalization a key part of our identity and "brand, " including making our website and our public relations materials reflect our identity as a global teaching university. • Raise awareness of SSU’s international activities. • Gather data about international research interests, travel experience, and language capabilities at the time of hiring. • Create a high-level category for international activities on the annual report. • Create a plan for training staff, administrators, and faculty on the basics of supporting CI (international communications, travel requirements, language, global awareness). • Redesign policies and procedures to incorporate international activities. • Create intentional onboarding program for international faculty and staff. • Incorporate internationalization and global learning into HR training and onboarding of new employees. • Identify international experience and fluency in multiple languages as a plus in position postings, position descriptions, hiring, and advancement of staff and faculty. • Create professional development opportunities for staff and faculty to have international experience, including language training. • Become an international resource for the local community - provide context for current world events. • Make more effective use of local heritage and immigrant communities to diversify institutional expertise and offerings. • Bring international perspectives to the community through performances, lectures, workshops, conferences. • Create a language and translation center. • Work with the city of Salem to create a community-wide “year of” initiative (India, China, Mexico, etc. ) Questions 1. How can our campus culture be enhanced by "branding" existing international programs while tapping into the diversity of the rich heritage and local cultures of our extended community? 2. How can we best inform and engage all SSU students, faculty, visiting scholars, and employees toward an awareness of and participation in campus and community events designed to facilitate cultural engagement and advancement? Ideas and Suggestions