The Asian financial crisis and declining international enrollment prompted the University to develop focus groups that will investigate problems faced by international students at SIUC, administrators say.

The groups will concentrate on the financial difficulties facing international students. SIUC administrators found a need for the groups after international students voiced their concerns to the SIU Board of Trustees at its March meeting, SIUC Chancellor Donald Beggs said.

This is in response to talking with the students’ leadership, Beggs said. After the board meeting, the students indicated there were other questions and concerns they would like to talk about and address to others.

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International students protested outside the meeting while SIU President Ted Sanders introduced Jo Ann Argersinger as SIUC’s next chancellor. The protest called for recognition of international students by the board and a lowering of out-of-state tuition by fall semester 1998. The board approved lowering out-of-state tuition by one-third beginning fall semester 1999, but transfer students from SIUC Nakajo, Japan, will see the lower tuition this fall, which prompted discontent.

At the request of the international students, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Harvey Welch will head a task force to oversee the discussions. The six or eight groups were scheduled to meet before the end of the semester but now will not meet until fall semester 1998.

Welch could not be reached for comment.

Sanders said addressing international students’ concerns is important for student retention.

[International students] provide an opportunity for American students on our campuses to interact with different cultures much as they will in the global economy, Sanders said.

The details of the discussions have yet to be hammered out, but Beggs said a tentative format has been developed.

What we have talked about is that we need to identify seven or eight questions that would be asked in each focus group, he said. We would have a recorder in each group, and we would have a variety of responses.

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Welch, Beggs and Sanders will serve as co-chairmen of the focus groups.

The focus groups will provide a way for both students and administrators to understand each other’s viewpoints, Beggs said.

This is an opportunity for people to listen to varying opinions, Beggs said.

Anthony Huang, a graduate student in journalism from Taiwan who spoke at the board meeting, said the groups are important for international students to voice their concerns.

Basically, if they have a lot of complaints, they won’t talk to anyone, Huang said. It is a good chance and opportunity to talk.

SIUC’s international community has to be tapped into so declining enrollment can cease, Huang said. To do that, Huang said the University’s own policies toward international student issues should be amended. Argersinger, who begins at SIUC July 1, must be willing to meet with international students outside of her office for progress to be made, he said.

They have to address what kind of unique service is it [they provide] because if they don’t know why international students are here, then what? Huang said. How far can they reach out?

SIU should know what kind of service they should provide.