The International Student Association (ISA) is a representative group for international students, but is open to Americans with an interest in international culture.- The Dartmouth, 9/1/2005
Having been in Dartmouth for almost two years, I am constantly pestered to join different organizations on campus, most of them claim to provide a comfortable place for a group of student to be them'selves', a home away from home. Indeed, involving in student organizations is a good way to meet people and form tight-knit communities.
Seeking a comfort zone in Dartmouth is not just a task for international students; most Americans find themselves in similar situations where they have to navigate their social groups based on their interest, skin color, or where they come from in USA.Therefore, all of us, in my opinion, is searching for an organization that resonates with our 'identities' and personalities.
However, unlike many cultural organizations, ISA seems to fail in capturing its members' interest to stay in this "home away from home". Over the two years, not only have I experienced major changes within the organization in terms of leadership, I also felt the absence and the need to find out how do the international students form a community here on campus. Instability of ISA may be caused by the rapid shift of leadership thus the regular elections,but is ISA doing too much here?
ISA wants to be a community for international students, advocate for international students with the administration, at the same time educate the Americans about international culture. Its objective allows extremely easy membership for anyone who is interested to join the organization. Easy access to membership also means easy "ownership". Doors open, anyone can come into your 'home' (sometimes become the head of the household). Relate to the previous post, if I find it hard to own hip-hop, I probably do not associate with the "image" of hip-hop entirely. However if everybody could easily own ISA, does it mean that ISA's image is easy to relate? Then how do we explain the disloyalty of membership? Is ISA facing a problem of dual(or none) images (identities)?
Many organizations require one to prove their eligibility to join them. With easy membership, we often hear whispering about " how international are you?". Many international students felt uncomfortable to join the organization simply because they are not understood, felt it does not resonate with their expectation. It is already established that international students are the minorities on campus , not because of their exotic culture ( which many colored American students share), but the unique experience in terms of adapting in a foreign land with foreign language and dietary. Some already came with stable career goals and most of us are probably financially independent from our parents. Not many spend time figuring themselves out through a typical college party scene.Thus, We all need some sort of support network that we could talk about all these difficult transitions. Assuming ISA realizes all of that, why is it so difficult for ISA to focus prioritize such platform without bearing the burden to 'promote' our culture to the larger community? Why is it so hard exclusively serve the international students and just deal with our own problems? Is it because international students have received a large portion of financial aid, therefore bearing more responsibilities in shaping the campus' diversity?
Without question, money is always a cause for how things work. For years, ISA 'struggles' to abide by rules set by COSO, a student organization that funds the running of ISA and hundred other student organizations on campus. COSO has categorized ISA as a cultural organization, limiting its power as a liaison between international students and administration, nor offers a safe and comfortable platform for international students dealing non-cultural transition issues even though they are stated in ISA's mission statement.
Nonetheless, ISA is still the formal representative of international students in Dartmouth regardless of its underrepresented members. Three years ago, ISA negotiated the need-blind admission for international students; every year, ISA members aid the popular international orientation program; and just last week, ISA met with President Kim to talk about issues pertaining international students' life on campus. More are expected from ISA to perform well as a united international voice, but before that, ISA needs to better manage its image to its audience in order to have that true voice reflected by its roughly 600 members. Right now, I can claim, ISA holds only 'big' voice decided by 9-10 people and a confusing image; At the mean time, the scattered international students find their own ways to form smaller pockets of community-- the classrooms, interesting international programs offered by Tuckers, Dickey Foundation and Rocky, the international newspaper, or in the limited rooms available in the international residential clusters--while keeping their commonly shared concerns remain unknown to ISA.
This is an interesting dilemma -- what role should ISA in the lives of international students, and shouldn't it focus on that role first, before worrying about representing itself to the rest of the student body? If ISA doesn't actually provide a home to students from other countries, and doesn't give its 600 members enough say in the decisions it makes, perhaps it's time for a new organization that is ready to step into that role.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered why certain groups on campus are asked to "represent themselves" to the majority groups on campus. As if their only reason for being here is to better educate the wealthy, white Americans. I've had several international students complain to me that they feel obligated to represent the African view (as if there were a single view shared by for instance, Kenyans and South Africans). I think that the ISA should focus first and foremost on the problems of the international students. (And, of course, I think that they should continue to host the fantastic winter ball!)
ReplyDeleteWe are steering the ISA towards a more political role, as we feel that it should be first and foremost a forum that looks at the problems faced by the International Students and takes them up with the Administration. At the same time, we wish to keep our cultural role intact and receive funding from COSO and provide a platform for cultural learning. And of course host the Winter Ball!
ReplyDeleteI've been part of many organizations on campus and never had I been asked by the College, nor the organizations that I've been part of been asked by the College, to represent themselves. It is a bit disturbing. But at the same time, since the ISA wants to be an organization under the banner of Dartmouth, I think they have to give back to Dartmouth as well. We are Dartmouth are a pluralistic society. The College encourages pluralism. However, if all organizations concentrate on themselves, like you would like, we would not be living in a pluralistic campus. It would seem as if each organization is its own little silo.
ReplyDeleteI have never joined ISA simply because I did not want to emphasize even more the "international student" label that has partially defined my Dartmouth experience. I often wished that ISA had more to do with the majority community of American students. Unfortunately, I get the feeling of "individualism" among many similar organizations at Dartmouth. I don't find the integration of diversity very successful at Dartmouth. ISA definitely needs to change their image, and not just among the international community. The main question being: what is the purpose of ISA? Is it supposed to be a comfortable space for international students or something more within the Dartmouth community? The image matters.
ReplyDeletePeople still see others as "different" based on their socio-economic background or skin colour. ISA cultural events on campus are attended primarily by international students. Non-Black students don't always feel comfortable at events sponsored by the Afro-American Society. Gender studies classes contain a disproportionate number of LGBTQA students, in the same way that a disproportionate number of AAAS majors are Black students.
ReplyDeleteWe need ISA, because some people who come here from all over the world need a community to support them. I can't imagine how the beginning of my Dartmouth career would be had I not been welcomed to campus by the International Students Mentors. I met many of my best friends at the events they hosted. We need the African American Society because some Black students here feel that mainstream Dartmouth doesn't cater to their needs. Frats are open to everyone, but their music often caters to a particular demographic, for example.
We need to stop fooling ourselves about why international students are here. It's ridiculous how racially/ethically fragmented this school is. If I came here to enrich people's understanding of the world, then I must not have received the memo. This is perhaps pluralism at its best. I hope I live to see a world where we desire more than pluralism.
As an international student, I think the ISA's primarily role should be acting as a liaison between international students and the administration. There are sooo many issues that need to be resolved. It wont ever be easy to pull us under the same umbrella to the extent that the Latino and Black communities can for their own populations (and even then there are issues). As you said in the post, we are all scattered in small groups all over campus... what we need is an organization that seeks to address the broader issues, not necessarily create and maintain a "community".