KU foreign student numbers on the rise From 89 nations they come to study in America but find 'acculturation' difficult
Bu ROSE MARIE LEE
By ROSE MARIE LEE
In 1870, KU had one foreign student—a Canadian.
By 1956, KU had 190 foreign students from 52 countries. In fact, one out of every 45 students in 1956 was a foreign student.
And in the fall of 1966, KU had 618 students from 89 countries. One out of every 25 students—or nearly four per cent—of KU's total enrollment of 15,763 is a foreign student.
OF THE TOTAL, 498 are men and 120 are women. There are 331 graduate students and 207 undergraduate foreign students. Their average age is 24.5 years.
Foreign graduate students are concentrated in the fields of physical and natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The most popular fields among the undergraduates, however, are engineering, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and humanities.
Included in the total of 618 are 80 students enrolled in the Intensive English Center and 10 students enrolled in academic fields at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City.
STUDENTS COME here from Hungary, Sierra Leone, Iceland, Haiti, and Burma; but the countries with the greatest number are China, 78; India, 54; Venezuela, 40; Saudi Arabia, 29; Germany, 24; Irán, 24; Korea, 19; Thailand, 18; Philippines, 17; Japan, 16; Costa Rica, 16; Hong Kong, 15; France, 13; Peru, 12; Canada, 10; Pakistan, 10; and Turkey, 10.
There are two main reasons why foreign students come to KU, Clark Coan, Dean of Foreign Students, said.
Many come because friends and former teachers have told them about KU.
"THE FOREIGN student grape vine is the best one there is," Coan said.
Some select KU for professional reasons and others are placed here by scholarship sponsors.
Ada Kadelbach, Germany graduate student, said she chose KU out of ten other schools because "the fact that it is situated in the middle of the nation appealed to me and because friends recommended the music department."
NANI HIRA KANSAKAR, Nepal graduate student, said she came to the United States on a Fulbright travel grant and was "supposed to go to Buffalo" but
was placed by the International Institute of Education at KU instead.
Coan said a national survey shows that 37 per cent of foreign students are sponsored, but "well over half of KU's foreign students are on their own.
"KU doesn't have many who transfer but of those who do, the main reason is academic," Coan said.
"In some cases, at the graduate level, the student may find that his speciality area is lacking, but this is not very common. A few transfer with the hope of getting into schools that are cheaper.
"SOME FEEL THAT it would be easier to make the adjustment to university life at a smaller school with a less rigorous academic schedule.
"Smaller schools don't necessarily give more attention," Coan said.
He picked up a recent national survey entitled "Foreign Students in the United States" and read, "Students at very large universities (more than 16,000 students) are as likely to visit American homes, as likely to know professors and discuss personal problems with them as are students at smaller colleges."
COAN SAID, "FOREIGN students participate in more nonacademic activities and make more friends in larger schools than in smaller ones.
"Of course, larger schools offer more extracurricular programs," he added.
There are many adjustments to be made by the foreign student.
Rosemary Angove, Brazil graduate student, said "I didn't know anyone when I first came to KU but everything was just wonderful.
"THEN AFTER THE first couple of weeks I became homesick and depressed. I knew more or less what to expect because I've always been involved with Americans, but there are still adjustments to be made.
"I had a new country, new language, and a different university system to adjust to."
John Gidudu, Uganda senior said, "I went through a cultural shock.
"Life is more relaxed and things are done more slowly at home but here everything is planned according to the clock.
"THINGS ARE DONE in such a rush—you rush through meals, other, rush to write as much as
rush to get from one class to any you can in an exam—it took me about six months to get used to it and to acclimatate into the system."
Ada Kadelbach, Germany graduate student, said she misses time to think about things.
"One day we're assigned a book to read and in a day or two we have an exam on it—you just don't have time to think things through," she said.
WHERE DO FOREIGN students live?
Coan sent questionnaires to 529 foreign students on non-immigrant visas enrolled during the 1965 fall semester. One hundred and eighty-seven of the students returned the questionnaires. Seventy responded that they resided in off-campus apartments; 44 in off-campus single rooms; 36 in university resident halls; 11 designated "other"; eight in University married student apartments; seven in University scholarship halls; six in fraternities or sororities; and five in off-campus double rooms.
"AMERICAN STUDENTS lived in the same housing unit of 78.4 per cent of the respondents, and 24.5 per cent of the foreign students had an American roommate. Only 26.4 per cent lived with students from their own country." Coan wrote.
Coan said foreign students, except those under the Kansas plan (students assigned to certain houses as part of their scholarship) and freshman women are free to choose their own housing.
THE MAJORITY of students living in off-campus apartments and single-rooms are graduate students.
Swaebou Conateh, Gambia senior, said undergraduate students have a housing problem.
"It is not that they do not have a place to live, but they do not have a place to live part of the year—Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break.
"AT THESE TIMES several of the dorms close and the student has to pay extra for rent and food. To avoid this expense, many foreign students prefer to live in off-campus housing and then they lose contact with the great body of American students living in dormitories."
Joe Kao, Taiwan graduate student, said the fact that some dorms close during Thanksgiving is "psychologically bad."
Angel Flight initiates announced
Twenty-six Angel Flight pledges were initiated into the Flight at ceremonies held Jan. 10. The new initiates include:
Eileen Ireland, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore; Charlotte Bardtelsmeyer, Fort Smith junior; Lorenda Powell, Foxtelly junior; Jude Youse, Poeville Village junior; Jinny Howe, Salina sophomore; Judy Sauls, Bartlesville, Okla., sophomore.
Diane Seaver, Prairie Village junior; Mary Edmonds, East Moulton, IL.; Kristin Kroger, New York; Valerie Carroll, Prairie Village junior; Joyce Tinkler, Gypseum village; Jillian McCullough, Leavenworth, sophomore; Margie Ogilve, Kansas City sophomore.
Judy Etherington, Salina sophomore; Jacki Settles, Garden City junior; Kristen Patterson, Sheila Beamman, Independence, Miss. junior; Nicole Wisslem, Parsons jumpers; Mary McCarthy, Leewood sophomore; Mary Dowell, Haviland sophomore.
Marsha Kregee, Salina junior; Diana Walter, Shawnee Mission junior; Nancy Stuver, Leawood junior; Susan Kasper, Wilson junior; Kathy Honig, Kansas City, Mo., junior; and Janice Whelan, Topeka junior.
Honorary membership was granted to the wives of the detachment officers. They were Mrs. Joyce Brown, Mrs. Pearl Lefevers, Mrs. Donna Meyers and Mrs. Caryl Forbes.
new initiates-Lynne Pray, for serving as pledge class president; and Eileen Ireland, for serving as drill team commander. She was promoted from her rank of 2nd Lt. to 1st Lt. Lorenda Powell was announced as this year's honor initiate.
During the ceremony special recognition went to two of the
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"The student probably feels homesick as it is when everybody is going home. When he has to pack up and go to a strange hotel or room, it doesn't make the situation any better."
BASANT CHAWLA, India graduate student, said, "It's easier to get to know American students when you're living in the dorm.
"When you live off-campus you tend to meet in groups from your own country and then you don't have time to meet American students."
Several students said they experienced discrimination but the situation, in general, seems to be improving.
ONE STUDENT said the "housing office does a lot to cut down on discrimination if situations are reported."
Another student said he "doesn't bother to report instances but just ignores them."
Are American students interested in foreign students?
John Gidudu says his over-all impression of American students is that they are "not interested in associating with foreign students."
"BUT," HE ADDED, "quite a number make very good friends. I've formed some very close friendships both from classroom contacts and in extracurricular activities like People-to-People, Le Circle Francais, African Club, and various other campus organizations."
Joe Kao said, "Most Americans don't seem to care about foreigners. Why should they care? After studying and having fun, they don't have time to think about things so far away."
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"We're directly affected by the political and economic moves of other countries so naturally we're more aware of what other countries are doing."
Maria Vanengelsdorp, Groningen, Holland, sophomore, said, "People here seem to like the easy way of living. Even in conversation, they seem to like more superficial than serious discussion.
"It seems there should be a bridge to pass from the more superficial to the more involved conversations but it isn't there."
SHE ADDED, "I've had such pleasant contacts within the sorority and with other foreign students that perhaps I haven't tried as hard as I might to make new friends."
Ada Kadelbach said, "It seems to me that a person would have to be very poor at making contact to be lonely here when we have the orientation program, International Club, People-to-People, etc.
"Americans are very kind but when they offer their friendship the foreign student has to encourage it."
4
Daily Kansan Monday, January 16, 1967
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