USC Student Affairs Assessment Symposium Dr. Sonja G. Daniels June 16, 2011

1. USC Student Affairs Assessment SymposiumDr. Sonja G. DanielsJune 16, 2011

2. Who are our International students? Review of study on International students from China and Hong KongImplications for our programs and services supporting International students and their student experiences

3. International Student Data Institute of International Education Open Doors Report 2010 • Total Number of International Students • 690,923 • Top Countries • China – 18.5 percent • India – 15.2 percent • South Korea – 10.4 percent • Canada – 4.1 percent • Taiwan – 3.9 percent • Top States • California – 94,279 • New York – 76,146 • Texas – 58, 934 • Massachusetts – 35, 313 • Illinois – 31,093

4. Top U.S. Institutions University of Southern California – 7,987 University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign – 7,287 New York University – 7,276 Purdue University Main Campus – 6,903 Columbia University – 6,833 IIE Open Doors Report 2010

5. International Student Data IIE Open Doors Report 2010 • Top Fields of Study • Business and Management – 21.1 percent • Engineering – 18.4 percent • Physical and Life Sciences – 8.9 percent • Math and Computer Science – 8.8 percent • Social Sciences – 8.7 percent • Primary Source of Funding • Personal and Family – 61.9 percent • U.S. College or University – 24.1 percent • Home Government or University – 4.6 percent

6. Record high number of International students in the U.S.Chinese student enrollment increased 30 percent from 2009 reportGraduate enrollment up 4 percent and Undergraduate enrollment up 2 percentSix percent increase of students in non-degree programs (certificate and exchanges, less for English language)International students contribute 20 billion to U.S. economyIEE Open Doors 2010

7. International Student Population China – 28.1 % India – 21.6 % South Korea – 10.4 % Taiwan – 6.8 % Canada – 4.3% Hong Kong – 2.8 % University of Southern California International Student Data USC at a Glance

8. The Diversity Course Project Faculty: Dr. Darnell Cole, Dr. Melora Sundt, Dr. Patricia Tobey Researchers: Emily Caviglia, Sonja Daniels, Mark Pearson, Matthew Nelson, Wendy Stewart, Karen Ravago and Kevin Bolen

9. Diversity Course Project Purpose Is the diversity requirement meeting its intended goals? Is what we could count what we ought to count? How do we parse out “learning outcomes” in diversity courses?

10. Diversity Course Project Project Components: Diversity Course Syllabi Diversity Courses Typology Instructor and Course Ratings Faculty Interviews Student Focus Group Interviews Individual Student Interviews Institutional Surveys: Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), College Student Experience Questionnaire (CSEQ), Senior Survey Transcript and Admissions Data Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA): Online & In the Classroom Diversity Survey

11. Study Site 14 % 45 % 49 % 51 % 6 % Western University (WU) 33,500 students, 16,500 undergraduate, 17,000 graduate Tier one institution founded in the 1800s 7 % 25 %

12. Five requirements of a diversity course: • Dimensions of human diversity • 1/3 of the course addresses diversity • Personal reflection on students’ attitudes • Syllabi reflect contemporary issues • Analytical thinking about diversity Diversity Course Typology

13. The Effect of Diversity Courses on International Students from China and Hong Kong: A Focus on Intergroup Peer Relationships

14. Importance of the Study U.S. is the top destination for international students. China represents the largest population of international students. Contribute to the literature beyond transitional issues. Understand how international students experience U.S. diversity. Outcomes of diversity courses for international students. Understand how diversity courses support intergroup peer relationship.

15. Research questions How do student perceptions of diversity courses contribute to students’ intergroup peer relationships? How do student perceptions of intergroup peer relationships vary by students’ level of acculturation

16. Conceptual Framework • Diversity Typology – Cole and Sundt (2008) • Introductory • Basic • Intermediate • Advanced • Bennett’s (2001) Genres of Research in Multicultural Education • Classroom climate • Cultural styles in teaching and learning • Intergroup Contact Hypothesis – Allport (1954) • Conditions of: equal status interactions, common goals, intergroup cooperation & support of authorities • Friendship Potential (Pettigrew, 1998) • Gurin, Dey, Hurtado and Gurin (2002) • Informal Interactional and Classroom Diversity • Acculturation Framework (Berry, 1980) • Integration, separation, assimilation and marginalization

17. Data Source 12 Student Participants Years in School Majors Diversity Courses Diversity & the Classical Western Tradition, Los Angeles & the American Dream, Social Problems, Minority Mental Health, Social Issues in Gender, Changing Family Forms, Social Inequity: Class, Status & Power and Sociology of Childhood Acculturation Scale for Asian International Students (ASAIS) – Gu, Han and Hu, 2006

18. Influence of media • What I know of the ethnicity of people in the U.S. would be from movies because that was my sole connection to the states not being here… and TV shows also. • -Brittany, Senior Psychology major from Hong Kong • 2. Changing attitudes • He is very nice, and he changed my ideas to black people…With women I am ok but with Black guys I feel scared… but the guy from my discussion is very nice and before discussion I don’t talk to Black people… he just changed my mind about Blacks. • -Lisa, Senior Business major from China • Defining diversity • Prior U.S. diversity knowledge • Diversity course understanding • Intergroup peer relationships: Classroom related • Intergroup peer relationships: Intra/inter personal related Key Themes from Student Interviews

19. Key Themes from Student Interviews

20. Findings – Acculturation Scale • Separated Group - China Students (4) changed to: • Assimilation, 35.75 M; 12.84 SD • Integration, 29.75 M; 2.99 SD • Separation, 25.5 M; 11.09 SD • Marginalization, 22.25; 5.85 SD

21. Discussion • Influence of the media on students prior knowledge and significant knowledge about diversity provided by the courses • (Cheung, 2001; Cheung, 1998) • Positive effects of diversity courses on students: Openness to cultural awareness, interest in racial understanding and reducing prejudice • (Astin, 1993; Hurtado, 1996; Chang, 1999) • Significant peer interactions facilitated by group projects and assignments and the positive role of the TA • (Allport 1954; Gurin, et al. 2002; Saenz, Ngai, & Hurtado, 2006) • Students more open to racial/ethnic groups, gays and lesbians, gender, religion and U.S. society diversity. Change in beliefs and stereotypes held prior from interactions with diverse peers: • Diversity courses provide supportive environment to challenge values and attitudes (Laird, Engberg, & Hurtado, 2005) • Diversity courses support sociopolitical views and new ways of thinking about human differences (Henderson-King & Stewart, 1999) • Intergroup contact decreases intergroup bias (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2000)

22. Discussion • General friendships - Some with domestics students; more with Asian and Asian international students: • Friendship potential and stages of time (Pettigrew, 1998) • Interracial friendships occur in a close interpersonal environment (Antonio, 2001) • International students prefer friends who are from their own country or region of the world (Furnham & Alibhai, 1985) • Acculturation level supported student responses: • Depends on degree of adaptation with host and home country (Berry, 2003) • Depends on contact with domestic students (Frey & Roysicar, 2004) • For short duration, integration and marginalization not identified in international students (Chataway & Berry, 1989; Sodowsky & Plake, 1992) • Caution on Integration due to low Cronbach Alpha score

23. Implications • Support for international students taking diversity courses; choosing courses and advising • Changes to the classroom environment; smaller class sizes • Hands-on delivery of materials and teaching styles; training faculty on effective pedagogy to support students in diversity courses • Continued support for class projects and activities; use of media and popular culture to educate students • Challenge remains for international students to make friends with domestic students; preference for friends from own country or region • Future research on international student experiences such as leadership, involvement and service-learning to broaden scope of literature

24. Limitations Focus on students only from China and Hong Kong – Broad diversity of International students Small sample size of 12 students Gender composition; only one male student Western University’s campus environment, number of international students and domestic student racial/ethnic diversity Specific Diversity requirement of Western University and Diversity Typology categorization ASAIS: new instrument and small sample size

25. Implications for Student Affairs Practice Diversity education does not simply occur within the classroom. How can student affairs departments implement diversity interventions outside the classroom to benefit students? (i.e. training sessions, diversity retreats, crisis response to campus conflicts…) How do we involve international students in these experiences? How do we encourage international students to engage in co-curricular experiences to support adjustment and building of peer relationships? How might this differ for an increasing number of graduate students? Leadership opportunities, civic engagement, student organizations, mentoring, etc.

26. Open Question and Discussion Period