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In
the past, residence life has sometimes turned into residence strife for
some international students. Missouri
Southern hosts 101 of these students from 36 different countries. The
international mission aims to assist the international students, but
rarely has anything been done on campus to help them with housing during
breaks. Over
breaks such as Thanksgiving, winter, spring and summer, these students
have been forced to find places to stay because the residence halls
close. Their options have been finding friends with which to stay or
staying with host families in the area. Some
other international students fly home, but many others cannot afford to
do so. Other
Missouri colleges such as Pittsburg State University, Southwest Missouri
State University and Central Missouri State University provide housing
plans for international students during these times. Southern, however,
has yet to do so. Kimberly S. Gray, international student adviser, said,
We have really been lagging behind our peer institutions. Thankfully,
Doug Carnahan, dean of students, is trying to create a year-round
housing plan for international students beginning next year. If
the plan works out, international students will be allowed to stay on
campus during all breaks. Although
they will have to bear the burden of the cost of staying, it would
probably be worth it. The students would have less worry about finding
and paying for another place to stay. The Chart encourages all members of the College to support this housing plan. Most of us have places to go over the holidays, but put yourself in the shoes of the international students. They are already far away enough from home. Why should things be any tougher for them? |
