Journal of Student Affairs in Africa

The latest Journal of Student Affairs in Africa is focused on student activism and its impact in higher education. Activism is an issue that ebbs and flows throughout higher education's history and takes different forms in different cultures but, rest assured, it is there. The question for student affairs educators is what role should we play when activism is on the rise? Should we stand away from it, engage it, or encourage it?

Some student affairs and other administrators would determine their stance based on politics. Student affairs educators will balance the politics with the educational outcome. Activism can be a very catalytic moment for learning and student affairs educators can help make it positive by carefully engaging in educationally purposeful ways.

Outcomes of dialogue for diversity

Eboo Patel, author and founder of an organization to foster inter-faith dialogue, offered perspective on what those who engage in dialogue across difference should be able to do as a result of their experience. One of the points that he makes relates to how "oppressed people" should be involved in dialogues across difference. He said that "there are students from challenging backgrounds and minority identities in every field and practice" and that they should be involved. In a follow up article, Elin Johnson indicated that the authors (including Patel) "remind college leaders that friendship can't be socially engineered, and that as they craft programs, they should think about what they're doing to nurture and create these relationships that go beyond just contact and conversations."

In a follow-up essay, Patel addressed why creating dialogue of all sorts matters. In relation to civic engagement he opined, "Here is how I define the civic: spaces where people from different backgrounds come together in shared activities that promote the general well-being and that guide cooperative relationships." He went on to say that the civic spaces that we need to benefit all citizens requires leadership that engages across difference.

While Patel's essay didn't develop the point of including diverse students in dialogues across difference, I'm struck by two primary issues: 1) learning to be more aware and welcoming of diversity shouldn't be the burden of students from diverse backgrounds, and 2) how can students that represent diverse voices be expected to speak up in the context of significant power and privilege differences that they will encounter? I agree with Patel that students from diverse backgrounds must be included in dialogues across difference but those who frame these conversations should make the two above points clear at the outset of any conversation.

Specific to international students who study in the U.S.A. or other western countries, any dialogue across difference should explicitly state that international students experience stereotyping, discrimination, and marginalization on a regular basis; they should be recognized, shown appreciation for participation, and not be expected to take the burden of informing others who are naive or worse when it comes to international dynamics. Secondly, any facilitator of dialogues across difference that include international students should strive to make space in these dialogues for the cultural differences that they bring to these groups, cultural differences that are often shaped by the vestiges of colonialism and western hegemony that discourages their candor in a variety of interactions.

Sensitive course/topics for IBCs

Yale-NUS (National University of Singapore) cancelled a course on dissent and resistance only 2 weeks before the course was to be offered. The cancellation called into question the degree to which an IBC (International Branch Campus) can offer courses that may be controversial in the local international context. Yale's President, Peter Salovey, raised concern about the cancellation and indicated that the dissent experience was a one-week out-of-class experience to allow students to actually meet with those who have been involved in democratic dissent in Asia.

The president of Yale later issued a statement that the decision to cancel the controversial course was internal to Yale-NUS and reflected critical judgment about the course design. He also asserted that there is a strong commitment to academic freedom at Yale-NUS and that it is "a model of innovation in liberal arts education in Asia."

Mira Seo, an associate professor of humanities and head of literature studies at Yale-NUS, indicated that the investigation into why the course was cancelled confirmed that no Singaporean governmental control was exercised. Seo asserted a essential point for international educators by saying that academic freedom, "works within an ecology of the larger political society, but does that mean if you do not have an identical political society with the same rights and protections as in the U.S., you can't have academic freedom? I think there are so many points along the spectrum. There's not one answer for that."

The instructor for the proposed Yale-NUS course, Alfian Sa'at, subsequently indicated that he made multiple revisions of the course and believed that cancellation based on risk concerns (among others) was the easiest way out of the difficult academic freedom question involved with the course content. Unfortunately, keeping the topic alive, Singapore's Minster of Education, Ong Ye Kung, delivered a speech during which he indicated that the government had concerns about the Yale-NUS course. He was reported as saying, "academic freedom cannot be carte blanche for anyone to misuse an academic institution for political advocacy."

Stay tuned, the comments by Singapore's Minister of Education is bound to elicit more reactions from Yale.

U.K. reinstates 2-year work opportunities

One of the things that international students often value is pursuing work experience after graduation. The U.K. recently reinstated a policy allowing internationals to remain in the country for two years after graduation, a move that will surely be attractive and is likely to improve recruitment of international students to study in the U.K.

When students exclude each other

Student government at Monash University's Caulfield campus (Australia) recently passed a rule disallowing international students to run for office. With international students representing 62% of the total student population, the purpose of the rule is obvious - denial of representation and a message that international students don't matter. The election was quickly cancelled and the student government claimed to have introduced the rule to clarify how much time it takes to be involved in student government.

Helping students understand their role in creating a welcoming campus environment, especially for international students, is essential if situations like the Monash University example are to be avoided. The exclusion rule raises questions about how much time/effort student government participation should require as well as what role student governments have in representing and embracing all their constituents.

Images of respectful cultures

Different images have been offered for cultures that include and embrace multiple cultures - melting pot and salad bowl are two of the more popular. Eboo Patel, prominent advocate for inter-faith dialogue recently offered the potluck as another model. He says, "Potlucks respect diverse identities by enthusiastically welcoming the gifts of the people who gather. They facilitate relationships between people by creating a space for eating and socializing and surprise connections. And they cultivate in people the importance of not just the individual parts and the connections between them, but the health of the whole. Everybody benefits from a clean kitchen, enough dishes and cutlery, and a safe and open place to eat and socialize. When it comes to a potluck, these are the structures of the common good. Everybody plays a role in the upkeep."

The potluck image captures the essence of the holding place, the mutual contributions, and the actions that create and sustain respect and affirmation. Wouldn't it be incredible if our institutions could cultivate this kind of active commitment among our students, staff, and faculty?

Returning ASU students from China detained

Nine Chinese students who were returning for study at Arizona State University were detailed when they tried to enter the U.S.A. ASU officials have not been able to determine the cause for Custom and Border Protection officials' action. The students returned to China and are continuing their ASU studies on line.