v The Support Services Experience

The findings investigating campus support services found that international students were generally satisfied with the services provided by their institution. While scoring the lowest satisfaction mean score of the four dimensions of experience, support services was found to be significant on overall university experience and institutional recommendation. Aligned with Hanassab and Tidwell’s (2002) study, it is important that support offices constantly assess student needs and adjust services in order to meet the expectations and demands of students,

ranging from pre-arrival to graduation. Institutions must also remain strategic in how they provide services to students.

Knowing that satisfaction with all dimensions of the student experience has a direct impact on overall experience and institutional experience, it is inherent that International Student Services (ISS) develop and host programs and services that support students in their arrival, learning, and living settings. As suggested by Peterson et al. (1999), this must be done

collaboratively with other support units on campus such as Student Affairs, the Accommodation Office, dining services, Career Services, the Counseling Center, Enrollment Management, and academic departments. With Learning as the most influential aspect of the university experience, across the board, it is critical that institutions put a greater emphasis on support services that enhance the academic experience and success of international students.

This study also found several support services variables to be significant on students’

overall experience with support services at their institution. Services provided by the International Office were the most influential, followed by support from student clubs and organizations, eating places and options on campus, student advisory services, and access to and availability of personal tutors. ISS offices can vary in organizational structure and range of services at institutions but most exist to aid international students in their educational and cultural transition to campus. These services often include orientation programs, immigration advising, assistance with academic and employment issues, and social and cultural programming.

Despite the recent changes in immigration policies and compliance standards, recurring safety and security concerns, and increased political instability across nations worldwide, ISS offices have direct access to the international community and can play a vital role in improving the

experience of international students as well as furthering intercultural engagement for all at the university.

However, a point of consideration for administrators is that all too often, staff in ISS offices are forced to devote the majority of their time to administering US government regulations and maintaining compliance with visa requirements (Briggs & Ammigan, 2017).

With limited time, funding and staffing, this unique domain of expertise must remain the top priority or the campus might judge them harshly. University administrators must support the ISS office so that it can show its excellence and build reputation for competence with its unique area of expertise in advising on and interpreting government regulations. Additionally, the ISS office can take an intentional approach at advancing campus internationalization through programming and outreach to explicit international points of contact. These key associations and entities can be educational, transformational, and important to the mission of helping bring global perspectives to students, staff, faculty, and community members.

While significant, campus eating options was rated by students with the lowest satisfaction score of all support services variables in Australia, UK, and US. This is not

surprising since food plays such an important role in the acculturation process of adjusting to a new place but it might also be difficult for campuses to cater to the various individual needs of students. Indeed, findings from a recent study revealed that a majority of international students are usually dissatisfied with the taste, variety, and price of the food served on campus (Mohd-Ali et al., 2016). That said, some institutions have been proactive at “globalizing” their menus with international items throughout the week. Others have provided additional culinary training to their dining services staff so that different cuisines could be represented in their cafeterias for

instance. The ISS office could also work with dining services, local community restaurants, and ethnic stores to publicize their services and increase eating options around campus.

Other findings included high student satisfaction with chaplaincy and multi-faith services, which supports the need for greater collaboration between campus service units and these religious organizations so there is a better understanding of how they serve students in the community. International student experiences with the Finance Department was the most significant support services variable at UK institutions, which is an important factor to consider for staff in that department when they are assisting international students, who may encounter language and cultural barriers in understanding and handling billing and other financial issues.

The Accommodation Office was the most significant variable for international students enrolled at US institutions. Finding appropriate accommodation at a reasonable cost in a new environment can be another stressful factor for international students, as indicated by Arambewela and Hall (2009). Hence, institutions must make sure that they communicate instructions about dormitory contracts and tenant responsibilities clearly to that audience. Having access to translators for students who might need assistance in understanding or communicating complex issues or, for instance, to translate official documents, may be a very helpful resource for support offices to have at their disposal when serving that community.