Proactively Fostering Academic Integrity in International Students

Many of our colleges and universities are seeing changes in campus demographics as an increasing number of foreign students and first-generation Americans respond to recruitment efforts. Students from other cultural backgrounds sometimes have very different bases for the ethical standards by which they live. Some cultures consider pragmatic practices like employing proxies or paying/accepting bribes as a way of life, and do not view them pejoratively. Proactively providing clear and unwavering standards for acceptable academic performance can benefit from helping these students take a fresh look at their own cultural norms and whether living by those norms will allow them to be successful in our academic institutions. This must be done early on in their academic experience and without prejudice or cultural denigration. This presentation will focus on activities and interactions that can facilitate any necessary adjustment in an international student's perspective on academic integrity.