Developing International Living Centers on U.S. Campuses

Developing International Living Centers on U.S. Campuses is a resource manual for directors of International Living Centers (ILCs) or for those interested in establishing one. It will offer practical advice for planning an ILC, including goals, structure and procedures for managing the ILC. It will present ideas for influencing cultural change within an institution and will provide information on the administrative details of managing an ILC such as selecting and training student staff, selecting residents, programming and budgeting. The manual was designed in response to a need for written materials recognized by the leadership of the 1994 ILC Special Interest Group (SIG). Content was determined in part by a survey of participants in the 1994 NAFSA: Association of International Educators Conference workshop, Creating Balance in a Multicultural World: International Living/Learning Centers. It is based on a compilation of materials and interviews from ILC directors involved with the ILCSIG. The examples, suggestions and models presented originate from the program materials from the nine ILCs involved with the national NAFSA conferences on International Living/Learning Centers (University of Miami, Indiana University/Purdue University, International House London, American University, University of California at Berkeley, Illinois State University, University of California at San Diego, San Jose State University and Washington State University). In addition, this manual is designed to raise awareness of the major issues and challenges faced by those developing plans for an International Living/Learning Center, especially an ILC on a university campus which involves many departments in its operation. Developing the philosophical understanding of an ILC, planning the structure for it and implementing the project takes a great degree cooperation from and coordination of many university departments such as Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services, International Programs, Foreign Languages and Student Affairs. As groups with varying philosophies, goals and investment in an ILC begin to work together; issues of transition, cultural change and internationalization of the campus may surface. Washington State University\u27s ILC will serve as a case study for the types of challenges that can occur as an ILC is established on a campus