Since Ohio University began requiring international students studying English to live in Scott Quad this year, some residents feel isolated from the larger student population.
Students participating in the Ohio Program of Intensive English ' a ten-week program that includes 280 international students this fall, or 19 percent of total international enrollment ' are required to live in Scott Quad until at least the first room change period.
I think the intention is to kind of have an international dormitory
said Gerard Krzic, director of OPIE. We want to have a mix of American students and international students.
Since most international undergraduate students are Chinese and few domestic students live in Scott Quad, however, students choose to speak in their native language, said Andrea Chen, Student Senate's International Affairs commissioner.
A lot of them have complained to us about wanting to have an American roommate Chen said.
Meng Guo, a Scott Quad resident, said she has limited chances to practice speaking English in class and in the residence hall and plans to move out of Scott Quad by the end of Fall Quarter.
- I don't like living in Scott Quad
Guo said. G? I want to get involved in American life.
Resident Xiangqian Kong said he likes living in Scott Quad because of its proximity to his classes in Gordy Hall.-
said Beverley Wyatt, director of Housing, adding that they still face challenges when integrating students during room changes because students may not always be able to obtain a roommate.
OPIE and Residence Life try to incorporate international students into American culture through residence hall activities and by pairing them with a conversation partner, a domestic student who volunteers to meet at least once a week with the international student, Krzic said.
Scott Quad previously served as temporary housing for international students, who arrive in the summer, Krzic said. Students then moved into their permanent room during orientation, he said.
I know that was a big inconvenience for the students
Krzic said.
Housing will obtain feedback from Scott Quad residents at the end of the year and will talk to Study Abroad and Linguistics about evenly distributing and pairing domestic and international students, Wyatt said.
Student Senate's International Affairs committee also began discussing how to intermingle domestic and international students in the residence halls and classrooms.
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