About that Rodeo with ICE
An opportunity to rethink International student safety and learning in American Higher Education
“So,” sighed my international student. “Have I just been to an American rodeo? WTF was that whole visa ICE thing about?”
A rodeo indeed, and we should learn from these strangely theatrical, volatile times for universities. First ensued an 8-day long panic for everyone, then today, resolution— for now anyway:
It began July 6, 2020 the feds announced directive denying F-1 visas to international students, who are not taking in-person courses.
Then, July 8 MIT and Harvard sued. Stanford filed an amicus brief in support of MIT and Harvard.
Some Stanford grads thought the brief insufficient and sent me this:
While many in the Stanford community were hoping for more from their institution, the American president demonstrated little uncertainty in his opinion of US higher ed.
On July 10, President Trump responded to the lawsuits by threatening to deny funding and tax-exempt status to universities for their “radical left indoctrination.”
It’s no mystery that this new directive had intended to punish universities for their intellectual and operational status quo, which includes many F-1 visas for international students.
July 13, Stanford joined 19 other colleges and universities in the western United States in a lawsuit in addition to the amicus brief.
Today, July 14, 2020 The Trump administration withdrew that directive.
Now that this short-sighted, punitive ICE directive has been rescinded, we should not miss this opportunity to recognize that we should be doing better by our international students, who help make our universities the great cosmopolitan places they are. We must answer these questions clearly:
What does it mean to study in the United States, if one can’t be in class in person?
What provisions need to be in place to allow students to stay safely and complete their studies?
After securing safety and visa needs, we might also reflect on the educational experiences we provide. American universities could be offering international students—whose one common denominator is that they have come from other countries to study in the United States—a specific opportunity to learn about America, our key texts, history, civics, and culture: the good, the bad, the glorious, and the shameful. Our international undergrads can already attest to benefiting from such opportunities, but STEM graduate students rarely enjoy such experience due to constricting rules in their fields of study and the university.
When I meet 1-1 with international engineering students through Stanford’s Hume Center Writing and Speaking and Technical Communications Program, every one of these students inquires about other learning opportunities on campus. Most of all, they ask for American culture courses. Articulating a strong connection to their own national traditions, they express great curiosity about their current place of study. The conversation often follows a similar pattern to this one I had with a student in 2011:
International student: Who’s your favorite American poet or artist?
Me: um, let me think…
International student: Well, how about reciting some from famous words from something American?
Me: Er. Four-score and Four score and seven years ago… hang on, let me look it up. I teach this all the time, but …
International student: You never had to memorize it? Begins to recite “Thoughts in the Silent Night” written by Tang Dynasty poet 李白 (Lǐbái). Chinese poetry comforts me when I’m lonely, reminding me of home and who I am. Is there material I could learn in English to practice the language and get to know the culture better?
For a whole set of complex reasons, most Americans struggle to recall any American texts whether these be the Declaration of Independence or Toni Morrison novels.
Thus, enabling international students more engagement with great American texts and cultural objects would also benefit domestic students. Imagine opening some American content courses, perhaps also some on western democracy and ethics, to students of all levels. These classes would provide that all too rare contact, intellectual and cultural exchange across academic cohorts and allow a diverse group of students to debate important ideas.
This extraordinary moment gifts universities with the opportunity to think differently about the education we offer our international students.