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Sexual Assault Prevention Policies
Fellowships for International Students
Expand access to federal grants for international students. This includes NIH training grants and University fellowships. For example, 6 of the 22 awards listed on Rackham’s website require US citizenship or permanent residency, and only 2 are targeted towards international students.
Equal Hiring Opportunity for International Students
Fund the $500/term international student fee to allow for equal treatment in hiring GSRAs between international students and students who hold a US citizenship or permanent residency. Doctoral students generally receive a five-year commitment of full funding, but there is a greater impact for master’s students who are generally self-funded and compete for GSRA opportunities.
Class Registration for International Students
Allow international students to register for classes at the same time as all students instead of after they arrive on campus. This will give them an equal opportunity to secure a place in heavily-enrolled courses alongside domestic students.
Centralized Document Infrastructure
Create a centralized office to process the paperwork required for visas, optional practical training, and other matters, in order to best serve international students. Better coordination of services and systematic attention to making these processes more efficient and streamlined would relieve international students from having to shuttle across campus in a time-consuming and frustrating circuit.
International Student Career Services
Work to get the Career Center to hire an advisor specialized in international students seeking jobs and internships, create a list of H1B sponsoring employers, and extend the time that university can offer career advice post-graduation.
International Student Legal Services
Work with Student Legal Services to increase assistance with student visa issues (access to immigration lawyers), application for work visas and Optional Practical Training, and other general legal issues.
International Students Mental Health Resources
Hire at least two CAPS counselors who aren’t native to America in order to increase the available mental health resources which specifically support international students, as many of them face unique difficulties compared to domestic students.
International Student Housing
Advocate for the University to increase the availability of university housing specifically for international students and provide affordable summer housing for international students who have no place to stay between when they arrive and when their lease begins.
Arrival and Orientation for International Students
Work with the University to expand online pre-departure orientations, and make in-country pre-departure orientations more widely available. Create a resources guide to provide international students with information in advance regarding arrival and support, including arrangements for getting to campus from DTW, where to buy groceries, and winter weather preparation.
International Student Healthcare Coverage
Work with UHS to ensure that International Students’ healthcare begins before they arrive on campus as international graduate students must arrive before the start of the term, and their health insurance coverage has not yet begun, requiring them to pay for a whole month of insurance coverage even if they arrive within a couple of days before the term begins.
Work With Student Organizations Serving International Students
Work to get the University to send a small portion of the international student fee to GRIN and other International Student groups, similar to how RSG gets a portion of student fees, so that the representatives of international graduate students can create programming that adjusts to the students’ needs year-to-year.