Running Head: TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE CAPSTONE

Transformational Change Capstone Project

Comprehensive Internationalization Plan for Ferris State University

Louis Arokiasamy

IDSL 830— Leading Organizational Transformation and Cultural Change

Ferris State University

7 December 2019
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Introduction: Why Globalize the Campus?

As educators today, we want to prepare students for the world of tomorrow. Almost 30 years ago, some

forward-thinking leaders in higher education began sounding the call for globalizing the campus to prepare

students for the globally interconnected economy. They could see around the corner long before the term

“globalization” entered the American lexicon. Today, the effects of globalization confront us; we can’t be blind

to this reality.

The Definition of Globalizing the Campus

In the literature, the terms “internationalization” and “globalization” are used interchangeably; hence, in

this paper as well. Furthermore, the term globalization refers to a range of campus programs, initiatives,

activities, and events that are designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding or cultural competence. Brennan

and Dellow (2013) credit Jane Knight as the person who popularized the term “internationalization” in higher

education. “Her seminal work in the 1990s established internationalization not as a state to be achieved, but as an

ongoing process by which colleges could strive to increase the global learning of students” (2013, p. 27). The

American Council on Education (ACE) took a step further in promoting the understanding of internationalization:

a series of working papers that fostered dialogue on internationalizing higher education in the U.S. culminated in

the publication of A Handbook for Advancing Comprehensive Internationalization (Engleberg & Green, 2002).

The handbook, in helping frame “comprehensive internationalization,” defined global learning as the “knowledge,

skills, and attitudes that enable students to understand world cultures and events; analyze global systems;

appreciate cultural differences; and apply this knowledge and appreciation to their lives as citizens and workers”

(Engleberg & Green, p.v). NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisers), another organization that

has been in the forefront in the development of international education, says “internationalization requires more

than enrolling international students, sending a few students abroad, or organizing the occasional international

cultural event. It requires that everyone involved in the education of students work to build a learning

environment that prepares students for a global society” (www.nafsa.org). In its lofty goals, NAFSA believes
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international education is key to developing globally competent individuals who can respect diverse cultural

perspectives. Furthermore, it calls for institutions of higher education to incorporate international perspectives

across curriculums, which it aspires will result in “enlightened international relations” and “a globally engaged

citizenry” (www.nafsa.org).

Global Initiatives at Ferris

Ten years ago, a small group of Ferris faculty members realized Ferris was behind in globalizing the

campus compared to other universities. Concerned about the impact of globalization on higher education, they

started the Globalization Initiatives for Ferris State University. They advocated for international engagement,

including forming partnership with universities abroad. Their work was recognized by the Provost then, and under

his supervision, the Office of International Education (OIE, also referred as the “Office” in the rest of the paper)

was formed in 2010, bringing under its purview several units: International Admission, International Recruiting,

International Student Service, Study Abroad, Immigration Service, the Intensive English Program, and Global

Initiatives. The OIE has been at the forefront in the globalizing efforts on campus ever since.

Needs, Goals, Barriers & Solutions

Needs

Like 120 years ago when the social and economic forces gave birth to the community college to prepare

workers with necessary skills for the industrial economy, the 21st century is demanding for the addition of other

skills. Business leaders are realizing workers in this inter-connected world need more than technical skills; they

also need some understanding of other cultures. Caligiuri (2013) found that “over 1,000 CEOs in more than 50

countries named ‘managing diverse cultures’ as one of the top concerns threatening the competitive success of

their organizations” (p. 175). This need for culturally competent workers and managers isn’t just a concern of

multi-national corporations; this concern has even trickled down even to small companies in small towns. “Thus,

it has become imperative that employees and employers be able to manage situations and interactions in a diverse

cultural mindset” (Morgan, 2017 p.5). Reade et al. (2013) stated that, “people who lack relevant global

competences will be at a disadvantage in competitive job markets and incapable of making sense of the world
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around them, let alone be in a position to take on leadership roles and contribute effectively to improving the

planet” (p.103). If American institutions of higher education don’t adequately prepare graduates for the globalized

economy, it will hurt their potential for thriving in the global job market (Morgan, 2017).

Goals/Benefits

It is a well-known fact that major universities in the U.S. depend on tuition revenue from international

students as an important revenue stream. At Arizona State University, the largest public university in student

population, also has the largest number of international students, 10,678 students, or about 14% of the total

student population (Redden, 2018). In the 2016-2017 academic year, the in-state undergraduates paid an average

of $10,370 in tuition; whereas, the international undergraduates paid $28,270 in tuition and fees (Redden, 2018).

The math is obvious; international tuition can be a cash cow for any institution of higher education.

The presence of international students on a campus not only enrich the coffers of the institution but also

enrich the institution culturally. As Morgan (2017) pointed out earlier, international students at colleges and

universities can be a resource for intercultural education for local students who don’t have the luxury of spending

a semester abroad (p.6). This can be a win-win situation. On the one hand, local students can gain cultural

competence by engaging international students; on the other, international students desire the engagement with

local students in order to improve their English and learn about American culture.

“Today, many job markets involve, in some way, interaction with people of different cultural

backgrounds. Being able to communicate effectively with people of various cultural backgrounds is becoming a

desirable skill for job market players” (Morgan 11). More and more hiring managers are looking for individuals

with a “global mindset” (Oddou, Mendenhall, & Ritchie, 2000, p. 159). It is difficult for companies to devise

cultural competency programs for its workers; hence, they naturally gravitate to hiring those who already possess

some of the cultural competencies (Oddou, Mendenhall, & Ritchie, 2000, p. 159). Furthermore, Caligiuri (2013)

found companies preferred supervisors who possess demonstrated “ability to effectively work with colleagues

from different cultures” (p. 175). Hudzik (2013) added that “nearly everything today has local and global

connections including economic wellbeing, public health, environmental sustainability, food safety, peace and
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security and access to cutting-edge knowledge and applications” (p.48). These findings further suggest that global

leadership skills are important for the modern graduate (cited in Morgan, p.11).

Barriers

As the global village becomes ever more real, mutual understanding among peoples takes on an

increasing importance. Like any change, this shrinking of the world is making some people uncomfortable,

especially in the developed world. To remain the world leader economically and politically, the U.S. cannot

afford “the bane of xenophobia and other manifestations of international ignorance” (Chen, 2008, p.83). In our

increasingly global and mobile world, one of the most important skills is cultural competence. More than ever

before, people are likely to work daily with people from other cultures. The aim of cultural competency is not to

be an expert in every culture, but to be aware of the dynamics of culture—of how it shapes our thinking and

behavior. As the OIE has been endeavoring to globalize the campus, it has encountered resistance to its efforts by

various stakeholders. For instance, some faculty member or some housing staff have been unwilling to bend to

accommodate international students, making the campus a little less welcoming.

Solutions

Future Globalization at Ferris

The Globalization Initiatives going on at Ferris thus far is not enough. Ferris has to go beyond co-

curricular initiatives, study abroad programs, and the few international partnerships. By collaborating with

faculty, staff, external partners, and students, the Office is striving to create an ecosystem for growth. Both

domestic and international enrollments at Ferris are in the doldrums. So are many academic programs. The OIE

sees international engagement as a key engine to take us forward. With the prospect of domestic enrollment

continuing to be bleak, reinvigorating international enrollment could stanch the fiscal hemorrhage. However,

Ferris cannot afford the scatter-shot approach of the past. It must develop a strategic plan—a comprehensive

internationalization plan to ensure that our students and the institution will succeed in the 21st century.

A flourishing ecosystem needs resources, infrastructure, expertise, and the capacity to learn from the best. The

OIE regularly benchmarks its practices against best practices in the field for establishing frameworks for decision-
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making and implementation of processes to sustain international efforts. In these times of belt-tightening, the OIE

is conscious of reining in scatter-shot programs and seeking programs that deliver more bang for the buck. The

following two initiatives highlight how the Office attempts to operate efficiently within the constraints at Ferris

(such as lack of top-down administrative and fiscal support) and yet be innovative and move forward for greater

campus globalization.

The COIN Approach

After reviewing close to 80 different international efforts carried on by various faculty members in 2015,

the Office found most of them were inefficient and unsustainable. The review revealed a need for an effective

tool to evaluate the quality of each program and the potential for internationalization opportunities. This led to the

development of an in-house approach called the COIN model. The COIN approach is based on six key areas that

impact the campus and students as outlined below:

With the six key areas in mind, the COIN analytical tool can be used to determine if an initiative has the

potential multiplier effect to benefit Ferris. Hence, when making decisions on initiatives, these points have to be

considered:

1. Capacity for student success

2. Opportunity for academic program development
3. Interests of faculty & staff
4. Needs of the University

When the four COIN factors are in alignment with the academic success criteria, international initiatives have

a higher chance of success.

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Lighthouse Symposiums

Eight years ago, the OIE started the Lighthouse Symposium series not only as a means for cost-effective

professional development, but also as a platform for international collaboration. The symposium, first aimed at

TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) in 2013, is now a model for other programs at

Ferris. The Lighthouse model is predicated on three key pillars:

1. The symposiums should have a workshop focus (not a place for expounding esoteric theories) to

showcase our strength as a hands-on, practical institution.

2. The symposiums are designed to have a small and intimate setting, which allows participants to build a

close and meaningful network and keep the cost down.

3. The symposiums have an international focus that can provide opportunities for program development,

benchmarking, branding, and recruiting depending on the needs of programs.

Comprehensive Internationalization Plan

Like other universities in Michigan, Ferris has been facing declining enrollment for more than 10 years,

but, oddly, only this year, the board’s alarmed reaction trickled down the grapevine. The university’s Strategic

Planning process got underway at the beginning of 2019. “The head count for traditional main campus students

has dropped by 17.5% since Fall 2008 and is at its lowest in 10 years, challenging our ability to maintain a vibrant

residential campus. In the changing landscape of higher education, we need a common understanding of the

magnitude of challenges we face as an institution today and in the future. We also need a common understanding

of how campus internationalization can be a transformative engine in preparing our Ferris State University

community to thrive in a dynamic global society. With that common understanding, we can achieve consensus

and a strategic commitment to move forward” (Vonreichbauer, 2018, p.2).

The Office of International Education has been seeking the university’s leadership to make a clear

commitment to campus internationalization for five years, or at least clarify its position on international, ever

since the last Provost (who created the OIE) left to take another position. It had been a Sisyphean effort. Finally,

this year the University’s Strategic Plan included an endorsement to develop a Comprehensive
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Internationalization Plan (CIP) to be completed by the fall of 2020. The development of the CIP would take place

in three phases:

1. Gathering data and analysis.

2. Seeking a common understanding of internationalization through university-wide Deliberative dialogs.

3. Developing metrics for CIP success and requesting a five-year University commitment for resources

CIP & Deliberative Dialogues

“Deliberative dialogue is a form of discussion aimed at finding the best course of action. Deliberative

questions take the form ‘What should we do?’ The purpose is not so much to solve a problem or resolve an issue

as to explore the most promising avenues for action. Following a usage that traces back to the ancient Greeks,

deliberation can be defined as the process of establishing intent and resolve, where a person or group explores

different solutions before settling on a specific course of action” (London, n.d.).

The OIE has adopted this model to facilitate campus discussion. These dialogues (which are still on-going)

are providing the office an opportunity to discover what various stakeholders think of internationalization, and to

achieve a common understanding of what comprehensive internationalization means. The office facilitates these

dialogues on core aspects of international education as they relate to the strategic areas of the university. The

dialogues will intentionally include key stakeholders that are responsible for planning, funding, executing,

supporting, and receiving the actions that will be discussed, and they will focus on these vital issues:

1. International student enrollment and retention

2. Education abroad and global experiential learning

3. Inclusion and student support services

4. Curricular collaborations and academic program development

5. International benchmarking and branding

6. Faculty and staff professional development.

The Comprehensive Internationalization Plan (CIP) center around five key pillars:
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1. Benchmarking academic programs is tied to our core value of excellence.

2. Infusing international perspectives is tied to our core value of collaboration.

3. Aligning policies, procedures and practices is tied to our core value of learning.

4. Creating a welcoming environment for international students and scholars is tied to our core value of
opportunity.

5. Connecting institutional commitment to the understanding that internationalization is an administrative/

leadership initiative. This is tied to the core value of Ethical Community.

The first phase of the CIP involved collecting data and interviewing institutional administrative leaders

including the President, Provost, the Associate Provosts, the Deans and the Vice Presidents. This phase also

invited close to 275 individuals across the University to take a survey in order to provide input on the direction,

goals, priorities, and challenges of the University. They also provided their input on how International Education

might fit within this context. More than 90 individuals responded to the survey, and the input has provided a

clearer understanding of our current institutional challenges. The majority of respondents endorse the

internationalization efforts at Ferris, but they also pointed out the need for clear communication from the top

echelons of the university on internationalization.

During International Education Week (November 18-22), Ferris President David Eisler formally

recognized the work of the CIP: “The development of a Comprehensive Internationalization Plan (CIP) is

currently underway. This is led by a steering committee co-chaired by Olukemi Fadayomi, Piram Prakasam

and Christine Vonder Haar. Their intent is to engage nearly 450 members of the campus community throughout

the planning process. In this, they are partnering with the Staff Center for Training and Development to offer a

CIP certificate to Ferris faculty and staff who engage in the process” (President’s Weekly Message, November 22,

2019).

Comparative Analysis

Though OIE’s Comprehensive Internationalization Plan does not map on to Four Oaks NGBS themes one

hundred percent, there are many comparable themes. Professional development is a common Needs theme in

both NGBS analyses. The OIE has been using Lighthouse Symposium as not only a vehicle for professional
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development but also as a platform for collaboration (Needs/Goals themes) with our regional colleagues and

international partners. Resource (Needs/Goals themes) is another in common. When the CIP is completed, the

plan will call on the leadership to commit the resources. Common ground can also be found with Four Oaks’

External Knowledge and Connections theme. In CIP’s case, this theme falls in two thematic areas: collaboration

and professional development. Four Oaks wants tangible evidence for improvement; so does the CIP. This could

manifest in several ways: chief among them more collaborations with international partners, increase in

international enrollment, and more local students going on Study Abroad trips. While Four Oaks wants to

reconnect academic Programs to Student Services, etc., the CIP aspires for internalization goals to permeate all

areas of the university, from academic programs to food service.

The barriers in both analyses have several similarities. Resistance to change is endemic to all

organizations, including Ferris. As mentioned earlier, even though a small but growing cohort of faculty and staff

are on board with the CIP, the office still has a high mountain to scale. Lack of understanding is also a common

theme. Still a large segment of the university stakeholder does not understand what the OIE does for the

university. Along with the lack of understanding goes the Awareness/Knowledge/ Training theme. While the CIP

is being developed in the next six to eight months, the six subcommittees that will be helping to develop the plan

will be engaging about 450 stakeholders for their input through deliberative dialogues. The dialogues will also be

an avenue for transmitting a deeper understanding of the OIE’s work. Of all the barriers OIE has faced in the last

five years, the office has felt a lack of strong commitment to international from the leadership has been the biggest

barrier. Now, that is being gradually removed with President Eisler formal recognition of the CIP development.

The grapevine says the president was moved by one or two board members to take this action. Knowing that

board members are also supporting the CIP bolsters the OIE’s confidence in the CIP being successful.

Conclusion

As the global village is becoming ever more real, it strikes terror in some hearts. We are seeing this fear

manifested in the political arena in the U.S. and Europe; ultra-nationalism is once again rearing its head. The

phenomenon of President Trump’s politics and the Brexit debacle are just two salient examples. Jonathan Haidt,
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a social psychologist and the author of The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and

Religion, provides some insights into the growing divide in western societies among the “nationalists” and the

“globalists.” He purports it comes down to which moral values each group chooses to emphasize (Haidt does not

advocate for one over the other). By understanding this dichotomy, college leaders can better enlighten their

students, faculty and campus leaders on the dynamics of what is going on in the world. World affairs these days

do have real local implications; college leaders have to be cognizant of this reality.

An old adage says change is inevitable. Human history is not about the past; it is about change—the past,

present, and the future. Understandably, most people are resistant to change. Change produces fear—fear of

losing one’s identity, fear of being pried out of one’s comfort zone. A couple of decades ago, the slogan “Think

globally, Act locally” appeared on many car bumpers calling for environmental consciousness. Surprisingly, the

slogan has been around for over a hundred years. The original phrase "Think global, act local" has been attributed

to a Scottish town planner and social activist Patrick Geddes circa 1915 (Wikipedia, n.d.). In our times, the

slogan has been appropriated by various interest groups, but chiefly by the environmentalists. In our globalizing

world today, the slogan seems so fitting for the academic environment as well.
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