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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1981)
Office helps foreigners with culture shock By DANE CLAUSSEN Of ttie Emerald Editor’s note The stories on this page are the first in a series about foreign students Despite rumors to the con trary, the Office of International Services will continue to provide advice and help for the University's approximately 1,000 foreign students Recent budget cuts have af fected exchange programs with universities in West Germany, France, Japan, and Mexico, but have not affected the office's ability to serve students already here, says office director Tom Mills The office will continue to Help foreign students fill out their U S. Immigration Service papers, or deal with financial, academic and personal prob lems, Mills says ■'Someone's got to sign the papers and help with housing when they arrive on campus," he says In fact, the immigration ser vice requires that the University provide "adequate advising and services," he adds Besides providing paperwork and counseling services, the office also sponsors cultural exchange programs, speaking engagements for foreign students and annual bus tours of Oregon It also publishes quarterly newsletters and finds host families for foreign students Mills notes that not every for eign student takes advantage of the office's services Some “Most other cultures are more private about personal prob lems." Problems are “kept in the family. ” The office keeps in contact with other organizations that sponsor foreign studies pro grams, assist foreign students or help American students who plan to study abroad, Mills says Budget drop to limit worldwide exchange By AWN PORTAL Wh«n University Pres Paul Olum an nounced a $146,000 cut in the international Studies program, some foreign students and faculty thought he had eliminated the office altogether. People keep coming up to me and saying Hey, sorry you lost your job.’ " says Paul Primak, foreign studies advisor Actually, both Primak and office director Tom MHis will keep their jobs, and the office will continue to counsel and coordinate student and faculty foreign exchanges, Mills says The funds Olum proposed to suspend for one year pay for the international education program, a study abroad program coordinated by Oregon State University The program sends students to France. Germany, Mexico and Japan for a year of study The $146,000 cut is the University's share of the co-operative program's budget for next year Western Oregon State College also pays a small amount tor the program. John Van de Water, director of the interna tional education program at Oregon State University, says the cut means the program can no longer operate the way it has in the past The University's funds are at least half of the entire program’s budget, he says The two schools usually send about the same number of students abroad Currently 60 University students and 55 OSU students at tend universities in the four countries OSU's part of the budget was cut a "fair share" by reductions announced Thursday by OSU Pres Robert MacVicar, but nothing like the amount cut at the University, Van de Water says ”1 don't know, frankly, what it will do,” he says But Van de Water does rule out the pos sibility of OSU providing more funds so University students still could enroll in the program. Mills says he realizes the predicament caused by the withdrawal of University money, which he points out has not yet happened and must be approved by the State Board of Higher Education and Chancellor Roy Lieuallen. "Practically speaking, OSU cannot continue to run the same type of program without our assistance," Mills says However, the University participates in other, less-expensive study abroad programs and may, somehow, continue to send a small number of students overseas, he says Part of the $146,000 payed for resident directors, housing coordinators and student entitlements in each of the countries. The elimination of those aspects may make the program unavailable or unattractive to some students. Mills says In addition, the University will no longer be able to waive out-of-state tuition for foreign exchange students "Maybe a few will come, but not very many without that tuition assistance," he says. Primak says he is concerned the one-year suspension of the program may damage delicate relations with the foreign universities. "We don't know, but we suspect it’s going to take some years to recover." "I think (administrators) recognize it’s not something you switch on and off like a light switch " students don’t like to discuss problems with an outside party, while most others simply don't have problems to discuss, he says “I think overall foreign students do very well," Mills says "Very few are up for academic disqualification.” Recently, only 18 foreign students showed up for an orientation session dealing with lr culture shock. But Mills wasn't surprised "Most other cultures are more private about personal prob lems,'' he says, adding that problems are "kept in the fami ly." Americans are much more willing to talk to an adviser, counselor, or minister, Mills says A phrase such as "culture shock" could make foreign students feel like there’s something wrong with them, he adds Mills, who has been with the office for 10 years and in his present position for the past five, says his job is "enjoyable and interesting." It is inspiring to work with siuaems wno are rrom “developing countries, often have little support, take jobs, and carry full loads in a second language,” he says 1 Serving these fine Automobiles: ALFA DATSUN HONDA TOYOTA VOLVO VW* (Water cooled only) “We care about your car’’ 782 E. Broadway (Between Htlyard & Alder) 485-2252 Recycle this paper! A WEEK AT HOOKERS! MONDAY: BULLDAWG night entitles you to a glass of Bull " and a hot dog for only 75. Enjoy Monday night football on a large screen T V. -*-■ From 7-9 pm buy a 32-ounce glass for $3 00 1 ■ ■ and we keep filling it for two hours. WEDNESDAY: Lacl'es night with 25 beer ..50 wine. 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