Cash Cows and Enough Cash Cows and Enough “Con” to Go Around:“Con” to Go Around:

Academic Dishonesty among Academic Dishonesty among International Students and International Students and

Institutions of Higher Institutions of Higher EducationEducationDennis SjolieDennis Sjolie

Associate Prof. of EnglishAssociate Prof. of EnglishCoordinator of ESL/TESOLCoordinator of ESL/TESOLUniversity of South Dakota University of South Dakota

What are “cash cows”?What are “cash cows”? To satisfy diversity, globalization goals, To satisfy diversity, globalization goals,

and student numbers, some higher and student numbers, some higher educational institutions from the US to educational institutions from the US to the UK to Australia unethically and the UK to Australia unethically and despicably admit percentages of despicably admit percentages of international students to provide international students to provide revenue, filling university coffers until revenue, filling university coffers until they ultimately fail and are sent home, they ultimately fail and are sent home, leaving space for the next “herd” to leaving space for the next “herd” to enter.enter.

History of international students in US History of international students in US universities: universities:

Older universities “report foreign Older universities “report foreign students among their class rosters since students among their class rosters since the late 1800s.the late 1800s.

From the 1950s onward, numbers of From the 1950s onward, numbers of international students in US colleges and international students in US colleges and universities continued to rise.universities continued to rise.

1971/1972 enrollments dropped 3% to 1971/1972 enrollments dropped 3% to 140,126.140,126.

2.4% decline in 2003/2004 brought the 2.4% decline in 2003/2004 brought the number of international students in the number of international students in the US to a total of 572,509.US to a total of 572,509.

History of international History of international students in US universities students in US universities

International students increased by 3% to International students increased by 3% to a total of 582,984 in the 2006/2007 a total of 582,984 in the 2006/2007 academic year.academic year.

In 2012/2011, the number of In 2012/2011, the number of international students in the US reached international students in the US reached 723,277, a 5% increase from the previous 723,277, a 5% increase from the previous year.--with these “students and their year.--with these “students and their dependents contribut[ing] more than $20 dependents contribut[ing] more than $20 billion to the U.S. economy”(billion to the U.S. economy”(Marklein, Marklein, 2011).2011).

Major challenges faced in Major challenges faced in recruitment of recruitment of

international student in the international student in the US:US:

“ “Wider educational opportunities at Wider educational opportunities at home; stiff competition from other home; stiff competition from other host countries; rising U.S. tuition host countries; rising U.S. tuition costs; and complex process of costs; and complex process of adjustment to tighter screening of visa adjustment to tighter screening of visa applicants” (applicants” (Allan Goodman, president Allan Goodman, president and CEO of the Institute of and CEO of the Institute of International Education (IIE).International Education (IIE).

Leading countries of origin:Leading countries of origin: China, the top country of origin for China, the top country of origin for

international students, sent 157,558 international students, sent 157,558 undergraduate and graduate students to undergraduate and graduate students to the USA, up 23% from the previous year the USA, up 23% from the previous year (2010) ((2010) (Marklein).Marklein).

The next highest-sending countries The next highest-sending countries include South Korea, India, Canada, and include South Korea, India, Canada, and Taiwan; countries that, together with Taiwan; countries that, together with China, have students comprising half of China, have students comprising half of all international students in the US.all international students in the US.

Positive note to Positive note to American studentsAmerican students

the diversity international students the diversity international students provide across the U.S. is vital to those provide across the U.S. is vital to those many American students whose relatively many American students whose relatively isolated campuses offer little or no isolated campuses offer little or no contact with global and multicultural contact with global and multicultural populations.populations.

seeks to counter ignorance and provide a seeks to counter ignorance and provide a model that proves globalization and model that proves globalization and international collaboration actually international collaboration actually works.works.

TheThe downside emerging in the downside emerging in the conversation pertaining to conversation pertaining to international educationinternational education: : FFailure: ailure: the unethical practices the unethical practices

and procedures enacted by and procedures enacted by hosting colleges and universities.hosting colleges and universities.

Failure among international Failure among international students: false expectation.students: false expectation.

College prep agencies College prep agencies ““Some consultants will promise the world…Some consultants will promise the world…

and they’re fundamentally preparing and they’re fundamentally preparing students to fail. …they’re fabricating a whole students to fail. …they’re fabricating a whole life story. Students will start to believe in life story. Students will start to believe in the lie.” the lie.” (quoted from Winn, p. 2). (quoted from Winn, p. 2).

College prep agencies create ghost-written College prep agencies create ghost-written essay in perfect English, manufacture essay in perfect English, manufacture awards, adjust transcripts and, and, for the awards, adjust transcripts and, and, for the right price, hire “ringers” to take SAT right price, hire “ringers” to take SAT exams. exams. (Winn, 2012)(Winn, 2012)

Routine subject of study-Routine subject of study-TOEFLTOEFL

Foreign students focus on studying to Foreign students focus on studying to pass the TOEFL exam.pass the TOEFL exam.

““They think the goal is to pass the test” They think the goal is to pass the test” (Patricia J. Parker).(Patricia J. Parker).

““They’re studying for the test, not They’re studying for the test, not studying English” studying English” (in Bartlett & (in Bartlett & Fischer, p. 5).Fischer, p. 5).

Result is failure to improve actual Result is failure to improve actual English proficiency skills.English proficiency skills.

False expectation-English False expectation-English proficiencyproficiency

Recruiting many low English Recruiting many low English proficient students.proficient students.

Routine subject of study vs. living Routine subject of study vs. living form of communication: victims of form of communication: victims of passive learning attitudes realized in passive learning attitudes realized in lower language proficiencylower language proficiency ( (Lescano, Lescano, 1995; Yang, 1996).1995; Yang, 1996).

Stress for impulsive attempts to Stress for impulsive attempts to translate language 24 hours a day.translate language 24 hours a day.

Motivation Motivation The combination of effort plus desire The combination of effort plus desire

to achieve the goal of learning the to achieve the goal of learning the language plus favorable attitudes language plus favorable attitudes toward learning the language toward learning the language ((Gardner ,1985).Gardner ,1985).

Results in better learning Results in better learning effectiveness and efficiency in a give-effectiveness and efficiency in a give-and-take environment between and-take environment between students and instructors.students and instructors.

Challenges that Challenges that

undermine international undermine international students’ study abroad students’ study abroad

experiencesexperiences Academic Experiences.Academic Experiences. Social Experiences. Social Experiences. Psychological Experiences.Psychological Experiences. Each contributes to overall success or Each contributes to overall success or

failure ratios of students involved in failure ratios of students involved in study abroad programs and study abroad programs and international education in general.international education in general.

Fail to make the gradeFail to make the grade Caused from lack of preparedness of Caused from lack of preparedness of

students.students. Leads to stricter admission Leads to stricter admission

standards from schools, hoping to standards from schools, hoping to decrease failure rates. decrease failure rates.

Results in certain U.S schools Results in certain U.S schools choosing to abandon ESL programs. choosing to abandon ESL programs.

U.K. and Australia U.K. and Australia Falling standards in higher education in Falling standards in higher education in

U.K and Australia due to large intake of U.K and Australia due to large intake of foreign students admitted primarily for foreign students admitted primarily for their financial contributions their financial contributions (“Two Studies (“Two Studies on Academic Performance…” 2005on Academic Performance…” 2005).).

Questionable English ability; over-filled Questionable English ability; over-filled classes; diverse learning styles; and racial classes; diverse learning styles; and racial issues--primarily problematic and issues--primarily problematic and contributing to the alleged falling contributing to the alleged falling international standards. international standards.

DishonestDishonest ““Many academic dishonest students Many academic dishonest students

come from countries where “the come from countries where “the climate for academic integrity is not climate for academic integrity is not strong” strong” (Gary Pavela(Gary Pavela).).

“…“…college application fraud will college application fraud will continue as long as the risks are low continue as long as the risks are low and the rewards are so high” and the rewards are so high” (quoted in Winn, P. 3).(quoted in Winn, P. 3).

Students who arrive Students who arrive unmotivated and unmotivated and

disinteresteddisinterested Flirting with failure, swamped by Flirting with failure, swamped by

obstacles and challenges soon to obstacles and challenges soon to prove insurmountable even for those prove insurmountable even for those students working desperately to students working desperately to succeedsucceed

How many more become so after How many more become so after facing the reality of living abroad? facing the reality of living abroad?

How many simply disappear through How many simply disappear through the cracks of higher education, the cracks of higher education, disregarding visa issues, educational disregarding visa issues, educational stipulations, and so forth? stipulations, and so forth?

Failure need not be a trendFailure need not be a trend Institutions recruiting students need to Institutions recruiting students need to

explain the academic policy and explain the academic policy and “traditions of academic integrity” “traditions of academic integrity” (Gary (Gary Pavela).Pavela).

Some institutions such as the University Some institutions such as the University of Virginia interview international of Virginia interview international applicants “either in the home country or applicants “either in the home country or via Skype” via Skype” (Bartlett & Fischer, p. 10).(Bartlett & Fischer, p. 10).

Other universities have contacted the Other universities have contacted the services of outside evaluators to review services of outside evaluators to review and score applications.and score applications.

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