Foreign student advising in college personnel services

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of foreign student advisors towards several aspects of their functions as college personnel workers. The sample was composed of 170 foreign student advisors at selected institutions of higher learning in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa. The results of this investigation included: 1. Institutions of higher learning with over one hundred foreign students enrolled required a full time foreign student advisor. 2. The foreign student advisor usually was located in the Student Services area. 3. More foreign student advisors were part-time than full-time and were administrators rather than faculty with or without administrative responsibilities. 4. Knowledge of immigration rules and regulations and training as a counselor were the two most critical requirements of foreign student advisors. 5. Personal counseling and being a listener plus providing services to foreign students as individuals were problem areas most frequently handled by foreign student advisors. 6. A separate foreign student advisor's office was recommended by most foreign student advisors. 7. As foreign student enrollment at an institution of higher learning increased so did the functions and role of the foreign student advisor and the need for a foreign student office. On the basis of the data in this study, recommendations were made for preparing college personnel workers for interning the field of foreign student advising, continuous education for those already in the field and further research to better determine the role of the foreign student advisor and the individual filling that role. As a partial result from information provided in this study by foreign student advisors a brochure for prospective foreign students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse was developed as well as a revised admission application and pre-arrival information sheet.