Ellen Dussourd is director of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. She has been at UB since June 1999.

	Dussourd

What services does the Office of International Student and Scholar Services provide?

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services serves international students, visiting scholars and international faculty members and researchers. Our services fall into three main areas: immigration, orientation and cultural programming. We help international students and scholars comply with immigration regulations and receive the immigration benefits to which they are entitled. We also file immigration petitions with the Immigration & Naturalization Service so that international faculty members and researchers can work at UB. We offer extensive orientation programs for incoming international students. During the week-long programs, students take mandatory tests and register for classes; take care of initial needs, such as opening bank accounts and getting Social Security cards, and attend sessions on housing, car buying, on-campus employment, health insurance, academic culture, libraries, computing services and so on. During the semester, we offer two series of workshops, one for students and the other for faculty and staff. The workshops for students include such topics as "F-1 Employment Authorization: Curricular and Optional Practical Training," "How to Buy and Maintain your Car," "Tax Workshops" and "Meet your INS Officer." The workshops for faculty and staff include such topics as "H-1B Visas: An Information Session," "Dealing with the INS: Myths and Realities" and "Hiring Scholars: J-1 or H-1B?" We also offer some extracurricular activities to enrich students' lives and help them feel more at home in our community. This year, we organized trips to Niagara Falls, Letchworth State Park and a Sabres hockey game.

How many students and scholars do you serve? What's the breakdown of undergraduate and graduate students, and visiting and tenure-track faculty members?

Our office serves 2,868 students, including 724 undergraduates, 1,852 graduate students and 292 students on Optional Practical Training-an off-campus work experience for students on F-1 visas that complements their studies. In addition, we serve 427 scholars, including 253 visiting scholars and 174 faculty members and researchers.

Do many bring their families with them? Do your services extend to family members?

A number of students and international scholars bring their families with them. Our office does the immigration paperwork for the accompanying family members and provides information about schooling, day care and so on. Family members also are welcome to attend any of our workshops and extracurricular activities.

What countries are most represented?

India, the People's Republic of China and Korea are best represented at UB. There currently are 462 Chinese students, 383 Indian students and 336 Korean students at UB. Countries best represented among the visiting scholars and international faculty and researchers at UB include the People's Republic of China (153), India (59), Korea (32) and Japan (29).

Any plans to reinstitute the popular host family program that was cut several years ago due to lack of funding?

Last year, we reached a special arrangement with WorldConnect-formerly the Council for International Visitors and Buffalo Council on World Affairs-as a way of meeting this need. WorldConnect offers a special discounted membership to UB international students. Through this program, students can be matched with a host family.

What's your biggest challenge in helping these international students and scholars adapt to life in the U.S.?

The two greatest challenges we face are the large numbers of students and scholars whom we serve and the delays in processing at the Immigration & Naturalization Service. In May 2000, 1,258 students came to our office for walk-in service; the number was 1,584 in August 2000. This compels us to seek efficiencies wherever we can in providing the information and services that students need. INS processing times fluctuate greatly and can increase dramatically in a short period-I've observed processing times increase by 400 percent in a two-month period for a particular type of application. These processing delays affect students, faculty and researchers whose studies, careers and continued stay in the U.S. often depend on INS approval.

What's the most rewarding part of your job?

Conducting a successful orientation program, workshop or cultural activity always is immensely gratifying. However, an unexpected email message thanking us for something we did or complimenting us on a program or activity is equally rewarding.

How can UB faculty, staff and students help make these students and scholars feel they are part of the community?

The first step to making international students and scholars feel welcome is to greet them in a friendly manner and to treat them politely and respectfully. Beyond that, I think it's important not to assume that they have the same information, ideas or assumptions and to provide the necessary background information. Making an effort to explain one's intentions a little more fully also can go a long way in preventing misunderstandings and miscommunication.

Are you an international traveler?

I'm very lucky in that I had the opportunity to live overseas for eight years. I spent my junior year abroad in France, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, worked in Japan and was an exchange teacher in the former Soviet Union and a Fulbright lecturer in Mauritania. While based in those countries, I was able to travel to Thailand, Burma, Mali, Senegal and Chad.

What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?