University Daily Kansan
Thursday, August 23, 1973
3
Saving Face
Few Foreign Students Will Admit Being Unhappy, Frustrated
Foreign Languages May Belong on Shelves, But Can Same Thing Be Done with People?
From Page One
this liberal column has urged a person to something approaching cabellacy. It is strange that in the case of a foreigner, he should advise a letter writer to so frock himself.
This, admittedly, is one problem that the university authorities can do nothing about, and would probably be totally out of their death if they attempted to do so.
BUT THE other problems remain, and it would be appropriate if the university or the foreign students' office did something about them.
the persons chosen for my interviews were mainly picked at random from the pages of the student directory, although completing the course would likely out of fit for foreign students.
THE PREDOMINANT thought expressed was one of fear and distrust of that office, which may be responsible for the fact that the president would try to tie the office only when it was unavoidable.
Comments about the staff ranged from one extreme to the other, based on each student's personal experiences. Most students said they visited the office once a
Students found the mimeographed newsletter put out by the office their only tangible link with it. The newsletter, put out on Friday, is shared about events at KU and other information of interest to the students. Interspersed are bits of humor such as "The hula-hula is described as a woman." As they looked forward to this issue of the international newsletter.
It was from the initial interviews, however, that I found widespread dissatisfaction among the foreign students with the Foreign Students' Office, which is
Yet many said they thought that Clark Coan, dean of foreign students, was a friendly person "who seems interested in us." And there were others who said they had gone to the office for guidance, been given advice on how to go there again with personal problems.
Although the office is designed to provide counseling and assistance of every type, none of the students felt they could take their personal problems there, or visit the dean of foreign students for anything but a signature.
Criticism of the foreign students' office seems to stem from the fear that students have of the immigration authorities, with the most of the students don't always agree.
"The dean is a watchdog for the immigration people," said one student.
"If you had no problems and you visited the dean you would come away with a picture."
Coan spread out his hands helplessly when I suggested to him that students might have been scared of a spider.
HE EXPLAINED that in the three hours since he had come to office that day he had already seen four students who had various problems, and that he was trying to do the best he could with the staff he had—an assistant and a secretary.
"There are 835 students from 88 countries. Places with fewer students have as many as 600."
Coan said he understood why students spoke of foreign student offices at other colleges.
*For the size of the foreign student population, this office is the most efficient office in the institution.*
THE FOREIGN students agreed that the dean would be more accessible and helpful if he had a larger staff, and that the office would be closer to the foreign student community.
"But they won't do it," one student insisted. "Before we got her the university
Do foreign students find nothing here that pleases them? Are they by nature, or as the result of culture shock, given only to complaining about everything? Fortunately not . . .
was very sweet and the catalogs said many nice things. But now we are here, they have a lot of things to sell.
Coan said he was not sure of the amount of revenue brought in by foreign students, but pointed out that about 130 had parttime work on his own and were financed by their governments, by personal funds, by firms, or in some cases by scholarships from U.S. government
"BUT WHEN a school accepts foreign students it also commits itself to the creation of special facilities and programs for them," he said, and expressed sympathy for the foreign students and the problems they were facing.
Coan said he was in no way connected with any branch of government that might be keeping tabs in foreign students' activities on campus. He admitted that there were students near among foreign students that they were constantly being watched by the FBI or CIA.
"I have no idea if there is day-by-day surveillance," he said. "There is, of course, reason for certain organizations to be informed." He said they'd be doing they're dong they're not about to tell me."
COAAN SAID that if he were directly approached for information on students, he would give only that information that was readily accessible to any person.
Referring to the panic among the students last fall when the Arab students altered
harassment by the FBI, Coan said that none of the people deported had been in custody.
He went on to say that he was working on a code of rights for foreign students that would safeguard them, and would be put to use nationally.
Asked to comment on the alleged non-representative character of the International Club and the lack of confidence most of my interviewees had in it, Coan said he did not wish to take sinks in the controversy.
HE SAID that until 1970 the International Club had been the most active campus organization, with weekly coffee-doughnuts and lunches for students and foreign students and Americans had enjoyed.
Comments made by students, including persons present involved with the In-
"If it were not for my teachers and the useful things I am learning, I would have packed long ago."
-Foreign student
international Club, indicate they would favor,
accept a partial return to such informal
communication.
A few acknowledged allegations that the club was too politically oriented, and said that although they would like to see this issue addressed, it is totally divorced from its planned activities.
I FACED Abdulla Al-Adawi, then president of the International Club, with charges some students had made about the country's anti-capitalist policies in countries with common political ideologies.
"All lies," said Al-Adwani. "Any group can be a member of the club if it is approved by the vice-chancellor. Also, anyone can contest the elections. If they never come, how can they expect their countries to be represented?"
ONE STUDENT said the last International Night had left him feeling ashamed he was a foreign student, particularly after an American friend told him it was "a sneaky thing to spring political activism into your life" and had gone there for a cultural program."
But representatives of other countries do not appear to be even interested in making a bid.
There may be difference of opinion regarding the International Club and whether it is being exploited by a few people for political purposes, but as the officers of the club say, the students making the statement are much of an effort to make it "representative."
THERE Is at least one thing almost all students seem agreed upon and that is their condensation of the Intensive English Center, an off-campus organization many foreign students have to go through before being allowed to join KU.
It was not possible to obtain an interview from E. T. Erazum, director of the Intensive English Center (I.E.C.) although he made no contact and conversed with me for some time.
It is linked somewhat under uncertainty with the university, but is almost totally self-supporting—depending, as far as 1 could gather, on fees from about 150
Erazum refused to comment on the serious charges made by some students about alleged manipulation of grades in order to fail students and keep them here for longer periods. Other charges were that outdated teaching methods were used at the I. E. C. and that some of the teaching assistants were poor teachers.
"I HAVE nothing to say to the Kansan," he announced. "The last year you did a story on us that was really damaging and was inaccurate." He went on to headline and print what you like about us.
One university professor I spoke to confirmed that the teaching methods were fairly obsolete and that the teaching students used not always be the best.
"The virtue of books cannot be measured by their age," he said, indicating that although texts used at the center were not the latest, they were still good for teaching purposes. He would not comment on books and reading, and said I should consult the director.
"But I doubt if the center has a conscious
powers of failing people just to make them
think that they are not as intelligent."
O. DEAN GREGORY, assistant director of
motion making made limited comment on the points I raise.
In the course of my interviews, I found that the most vemelit criticism of the center came from persons with a fairly good command of English—in many cases,
students who were no longer studying at the center.
On the other hand, a few who are now enrolled and barely manage to speak English, do not find as much wrong with the I.E.C.
Gregory admitted students of various calibers had been lumped together, though he said an attempt had been made at the upper levels to senarate them.
HE STATED that students who abstained themselves from too many classes were
DO FOREIGN students find nothing here that pleases them? Are they by nature, or as the result of culture shock, given only to complaining about everything?
Fortunately not. A foreign student feels more strongly about many things, perhaps, and may be more emotional than his American counterpart. Criticism voiced, when he drops his guard, may sound all too bitter.
But there are many things about America
"Before we got here the University was very sweet and the catalogs said many nice things. But now we are here, they have our money—what do they care about us?"
automatically given an "F" grade, even though they might have got a "B" on the examination. He said it was not easy to teach if students missed classes.
-Foreign student
I tried to find out if students had generally been tardy and were themselves to blame
"No," said one student, "I think everyone works very hard. They can't afford to fool me."
"IT'S CRAZY," said another. "Guys who are much better than me kept failing and I appealed to them."
some sources said the center might shift onto campus from its present shabby housing if the university chose to take it into its fold. At present, as an independent, ancillary enterprise, it appears to be limi-ing despite severe financial handicaps.
Its future seems linked to the completion of Wescoe Hall and to the disposition of the vice-chancellor for academic affairs. Hopefully, Wescoe will be able to take some of some sort would be taken in the summer.
THE ONLY information I was able to obtain from Erazmus was that certain faults in the program might be ironed out in the organization of organizational changes had taken place.
In the meantime, the main body of foreign students continues to live in a less than 10% rented housing. Such things as poor housing, neglect of premises by landlords, restrictions placed on them by the immigration authorities, the lack of free housing leaves from the rest of the student community.
Kansas Offers POW-MIA Scholarships
Kansan Staff Writer
Bv DAGMAR PADEN
In academic year 1972-73, the University of Kansas had its first student on the Kansas POW-MIA scholarships, according to Ronald C. Hamilton, comptroller.
Kansas is one of 31 states that has provided for the education of children of POWs and MIAs, according to the American Lezion magazine.
A Kansas law, which took effect on April 1, 1972, provides that the state will pay for the tuition and fees of such children at any post high school institution that receives financial aid from the state. A maximum of $500 is allowed for each high school is provided for by the law.
The definition of a Kansas POW or MIA is a broad one, as expressed in the 1972 law. These terms include any serviceman who entered the service while living in Kansas and was subsequently declared a POW or a Warrior to the Secretary of Defense after Jan. 1, 1980.
THESE TERMS can also apply to any serviceman declared a POW or a MIA by
According to the Kansas legislature, "Once a person qualifies as a dependent person, he may be granted terms and provision of this act, no occurrence, such as the return of the dependant's father or his reported death, shall disqualify the dependent from the jurisdiction."
the Secretary of Defense after Jan. 1, 1960, if he had children living in Kansas as of April 1, 1972. This interpretation of the law was given by Charles H. Oldfather, University of Kansas attorney and professor of law.
Oldfather pointed out, however, that children born after a POW or MIA returned would not qualify for state-financed tuition and fees.
OLDFATHER SAID that a child who resided in Kansas on April 1, 1972, but who later moved to another state would be eligible for Kansas aid if he went to school at a state-supported school in Kansas after high school.
tuition and fees for an in-state student at the University of Kansas were $243 per semester in fall, 1972. Average undergraduate tuition and fees for an out-of-state student at KU were $528 per semester in fall, 1972.
Kansas is generous with the children of POWs and MIAs. Average undergraduate
Another statistic that shows the generosity of the Kansas legislators toward children of POWs and MIAs is that the top KU scholarship award to be given in 1974-2 is $600, according to Jerry Rogers, director of the office of financial aid.
THE AVERAGE KU scholarship is $231 for the academic year, Rogers said. KU scholarships are awarded on a combination of ability and need.
Loans are also available to students. If inflation continues, the pressures upon scholarship and loan funds will probably increase.
The bulk of those qualified for scholarships as dependents of Kansas POWs or MIAs can be expected to enroll in college or vocational school in the future, when infiltration will probably have substantially raised the price of education.
and about this university that evoke admiration from him.
MANY OF the students I spoke to speak highly of various aspects of American life, the great opportunities, the dignity of labor, the great all, the great freedom people enjoyed.
Satisfaction with their courses of study, and particularly with the teachers, was highest among Maths students.
professors helpful, friendly and understanding.
Many had found teachers who were sources of inspiration to them, and enlightened them.
"If it were not for my teachers and the useful things I am learning, I would have had to wait."
OTHERS TOLD me of instances when an advisor or chairman of a department had been contacted.
It may be helpful, in trying to see things through a foreigner's eyes, to visualize
That, according to one student, is for the American community at large to decide.
Are the complaints foreign students voice any more legitimate because of this, and why?
(200 words)
In the meantime, the main body of foreign students continues to live in a less than happy state, complaining to itself about such things as poor housing, neglect of premises by landlords, restrictions placed on them by the immigration authorities, and a general lack of response from the rest of the student community.
For this is how the foreign student is facing up to life at KU—for the most part without audible complaint—an anonymous part of KU's alien minority.
oneself in an alien land, speaking an alien tongue, cut off from friends and rebuffed in attempts to make new ones, homesick for known faces, food and places, living with the hopeless knowledge that none of this will help them. "We came one came to do, and then returned home."
Study is What Matters
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