SIOs have for years been understaffed and under resourced. As vetting of international students ratchets up and new policies continue to challenge immigration and inclusion, SIOs wonder: what’s next?
What we know is that our SIO colleagues have been receiving an abundance of well-intended, and often unwanted, emails of concern from their academic peers across the campus. Administrators, deans, and faculty are coming out of the woodwork, asking how the SIO and the institution as a whole is supporting international students. Sidebar comments may also raise concerns about how the institution will meet our future international student enrollment targets.
SIOs often view the sudden and intense interest in all things international as unnecessary and intrusive. As the questions stream into your inbox your knee jerk reaction may be to push them off.
I can spend all day writing substantiative responses to each of your inquiries. Or I can do my job. Frankly, I’d prefer you simply stayed out of it. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.
Meet Intead!
- Find us at AIRC in Atlanta in December, AIEA in DC in February, and ASU+GSV in San Diego in April. Be in touch to share a cup of coffee in person.
eBook Reboot: 88 Ways to Recruit International Students 2025 update. Your tactical toolkit for the year ahead. Covering all the bases in 10 quick-read chapters. Fosters great ideation discussions with your team.
Of course, you have been staying informed about all the policy changes. And no, you won't provide a summary of the policy changes that are coming in weekly with your multi-faceted plan to address each one, giving appropriate weight to the student, department, and institutional priorities.
Still, you know your colleagues are coming from a good place as they express their dismay. It can be gratifying to establish that these colleagues actually know your office and your role exist! We jest (but only a little).
Are you seeing the opportunity?
The SIO’s job is rarely well understood. The international staff swims in different, more complex currents than the larger domestic team. Storm clouds that the domestic team can ignore look entirely different from the SIO's office.
Just one example: A downturn in oil prices, for instance, can disrupt the finances of students from oil-dependent economies. An economic shift like this rarely impacts domestic students. Is the domestic enrollment marketing team even aware of stuff like that? Likewise, any sudden shift in international currency exchange rates can alter student retention realities overnight.
Truth is, you’ve been addressing the new realities each time new policies or statements emerge. And you’ve even informed your internal community about your efforts. Have they been listening?
This really is a golden moment to get leadership across campus in tune to what is going on with international enrollment, international student experience, and overall campus internationalization efforts. It is a golden opportunity to let your colleagues know what their role could and should be.
Deep breath. Therein lies the opportunity. Read on…
Now that international students have everyone’s attention, both on campus and off, use the current state to your advantage.
Step 1. Acknowledge their interest.
Offer up a, “Thank you for your interest.” Tell them how important their observations and concerns are at a time like this. Validate. No need to go into any detail in that initial response. You are likely already doing this.
Step 2. Roll out the 30-minute road show.
Offer up the opportunity for your team to come to their next full department meeting (or a smaller group if that is appropriate). Tell them you’d like to give them an overview of the actions your department and the institution are taking.
And importantly, during that presentation, spend more of your time telling them how:
- Their department can support international recruitment efforts, e.g. streamline your graduate application review process or invigorate your prospective international student webinars;
- Their team can support current international students, e.g. develop stronger welcoming and integration support services or provide assistance to the student academic success programs that focus on the international student population;
- Their team can support efforts to build employer relationships and employer education efforts to understand CPT and OPT programs. They can help international students find internships and jobs off campus to supplement their education.
Of course, you will validate their concerns about all the policy changes going on and how the institution is providing all the support possible to affected students. You'll provide a quick overview of recent regulatory changes that are giving you a sustained headache. And you will also validate that there is sustained international student interest in studying in the US and your team is using all the tools to promote your institution.
Your opportunity and goal: turn well-meaning buttinskies into the internationalization advocates you’ve been seeking for years. Use this moment to raise awareness of how strong your team and your action plans really are. Create the opportunity for collegial support for your team getting the assistance and additional resources that make a world of sense...to you, and the rest of the institution.
Rather than meeting force with force (emails with lengthy explanations that mask your annoyance), use the momentum of the moment to build interest, understanding, and support for your international work.
We’ve seen how a simple, structured “roadshow” can shift the conversation. Use this spotlight moment to control the narrative and channel curiosity and concern into lasting support of internationalization.
Turn their questions into advocacy. Need help framing and supporting the conversation? Be in touch.
