Global Trends Shrink International Enrollment at Green River
By: Valentin Dreher
Staff Writer
Green River is facing its lowest international enrollment in eight years; the amount dropping by 12 percent.
Wendy Stewart, vice president of International Programs, regrets this trend. She believes that having international students on campus prepares both domestic and international students for a vast and globalized world. “The lasting impact of what we can do here at Green River is to connect people across borders,” Stewart said. This quarter, only 1,249 international students continued their education at Green River, making up less than an eighth of the student population.
The college has seen far more international students in past years. In Fall 2016, 1,749 international students were enrolled at Green River College. The downward trend in international registration started in early 2017.
Since then, Green River has seen fewer students from all around the world. Stewart pointed out Green River is not alone with this issue.
“This is not uncommon. A lot of community colleges and universities across the US have seen a drop like this,” she said.
Stewart blames this development on global trends. The trade war between the USA and China has profoundly impacted Green River’s enrollment in recent quarters.
Today, there are over 40 percent fewer applications from China than there were three years ago. “The U.S. slowed down the visa processing in China,” Stewart said.
Following that, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a warning to students that were thinking about studying in the U.S., and that there were visa issues.
Both of these, she continued, made Chinese students hesitant to come to the U.S. William Lau, a Chinese student that came to Green River this quarter, also had a multitude of concerns.
“Before I came here, I was anxious about possible discrimination from people who do not like the Chinese,” said Lau.
Stewart is also worried about the political climate in the U.S. She said that right now, the United States as a whole is not welcoming towards visa holders.
Stewart believes she can empathize with international parents’ concerns, sending their childern so far away from home. “I have a daughter of my own who went off to college this year,” Stewart said. “We have a safe campus. Our Campus Safety staff is available 24/7. Students and their families should feel welcome [at Green River].”
Lau replied that he indeed feels appreciated at Green River. “I hope that I will never have to face discrimination here.”
Still, the rigid visa procedure and the political climate make students look elsewhere. In Canada or Europe, it is a lot easier to get a student visa.
Additionally, competition over international students currently tightens. “Today, universities in a lot of countries are providing classes in English. That is a way to attract students from all over the world to their universities,” Stewart said.
Also, more and more colleges in the US are competing for international students. “We were one of the first community colleges to recruit international students. And now, many colleges and universities are jumping in,” said Stewart.
The drop in international enrollment has also impacted the college’s financial situation. International students pay significantly more in tuition to fund additional services such as International Advising.
Due to the decline in funding, the college did not replace five vacated positions in the International Programs department this year.However, Stewart is optimistic that the college can adapt to the new global realities.
“We experienced downturns before, after 9/11 and the Asian economic crisis,’’ she said. “We bounced back after each of those challenges. We’ll do it again by staying student-focused, responsive, and innovative.”
The International Programs Office has included measures like visa advocacy and enhanced digital marketing into their 2019 Operational Plan.
