History
Established in 2014, the International Student Advisory Board's goal is to represent the needs and concerns of international students at Tulane and work towards improving the Tulane experience for all international students. ISAB advises OISS on international student needs and concerns, participates in developing new initiatives, interacts with the wider University community to raise the visibility of international students, and develops international student leadership.
Board members provide feedback on programming, including, but not limited to, social programming, orientation programs, information sessions, immigration support, and website improvements. Additionally, board members can comment on the overall experience of being a student at Tulane. International students need to know that their voices and ideas are understood, and OISS is responsible for actively integrating ISAB's feedback, concerns, and ideas into general programming and goals.
Membership
OISS is committed to building a board that mirrors the diversity of Tulane's international student body. The board is designed to be a melting pot of perspectives, with undergraduate and graduate students from various nationalities and groups. Leaders of nationality organizations and groups are encouraged to nominate a member from their association, fostering broad representation and communication among the diverse national communities on campus.
Responsibilities
ISAB members are integral to the board's operations. They are expected to attend meetings, share their questions, concerns, and ideas, and communicate ISAB's role to their fellow students at Tulane. Regular and active participation in the board's activities is encouraged and essential for the board to function effectively.
Members will be expected to serve one-year terms. While some overlap between personal and group concerns may occur, the goal is that ISAB members will not try to push their agendas at the cost of the group's voice.
Board Meetings
OISS staff members will facilitate ISAB meetings, which are held biweekly on Mondays from 6 pm - 8 pm throughout the academic year and include dinner. Other students or representatives from the University may be invited as guests to meetings.
Agendas and minutes will be posted on the ISAB Microsoft Teams, our main form of communication, for all members to view. This includes any presentations or proposals presented to the group. ISAB will decide whether or not to convene at least one open forum per year to discuss international community issues or to seek other venues for community input.
Committees
ISAB establishes three committees annually: Career/Employment Support, Campus Support, and Student Life and Cultural Integration. Participation in each committee is determined through an interest voting system. Below is a more in-depth explanation of each committee, including past and current projects.
Career/Employment Support: The committee strengthens the connection between current international students and Tulane international alumni, providing international students with tailored on-campus employment support. It increases OPT awareness and holds career development workshops, including, but not limited to, networking skills, interview skills, and visa issues.
Campus Support: The committee provides services, such as advising on-campus and off-campus housing and promoting access to health services on campus. It improves communications between OISS and international students, including, but not limited to, keeping immigration policies up to date, addressing administration challenges, and transitioning from admission to OISS before arrival. It focuses on enhancing the University's reputation globally.
Student Life and Cultural Integration (SLACI): This committee helps international students alleviate cultural barriers and better understand the US culture. It brings international students from the same region together and creates a more inclusive environment for international students by offering programs to help international students get involved in campus events. An initiative under this committee is TU Pals. The primary mission of TUPals is to help new international students connect with their peers and the institution to ease their transition to Tulane so that they may succeed personally, socially, and academically.
2024-2025 International Student Advisory Board (ISAB)
Are you interested in advising OISS on international student needs and concerns? Do you want to participate in the development of new initiatives, interact with the wider University community to raise the visibility of international students, and develop your leadership abilities? OISS seeks a board that is highly diverse and broadly representative of Tulane's international student body. Serving on the ISAB provides members with many opportunities to represent the voices and experiences of international students, develop as leaders, shape OISS’ programs and policies, give back to the international student community and the university, work with other international students and OISS staff, and learn more about OISS and Tulane University. The ISAB Board meets on Mondays from 6 to 8 PM every other week on the uptown campus.
2024-2025 ISAB applications are on a rolling basis until December 1, 2024, 11:59 PM
Suggestions
