The Unwanted International

80 hopeful students have taken the seats of classroom 1180 in the Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) library. Even though the audience's attention was wandering off for a few minutes during the opening of the orientation, everybody's focus is now on Christine Hamel. She laughs and says, with a French accent, "Americans are stupid."

Hamel is an exchange student from France. She does not think American's are stupid. The office manager of CSUMB International Programs, Holly White, asked Hamel to help out preparing Monterey students interested in studying abroad for their future international endeavors. While on a panel describing how Americans are perceived internationally. Hamel said California is seen as paradise to many people outside of the state. However, to many international students the stay in the Golden State is not cheap.

Facing growing financial debacles Californian universities are trying to save every penny. Currently International students pay roughly $7,000 for 12 units at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB), an amount that almost equals the combined tuition of three Californian students. Even though it may be economically beneficial for the CSU-system to accept as many non-residents as possible, spots are reserved for Californians to guarantee the intellectual growth of the state.

Many universities within the CSU-system are reducing their student enrollment and naturally, not to deprive its inhabitants of their educational rights, schools are doing what they can to save classroom seats for its inhabitants.

In contrast to what one may think, the out-of-state tuition rates have nothing to do with the economic crisis the CSU-system is currently in. "The differential has existed as long as I've been here," said International programs Manager Holly White.

In comparison to the $7,000/semester out-of-state tuition at CSUMB, international students are charged $36,786 for the academic year at educational neighbor UC Santa Cruz (UCSC). Some students questions if there is a relation between academic quality and prize. "I'm not saying CSU is cheap because it is not; others are significantly pricier. But you get what you pay for," said Oskar Nystrom, Kinesiology, senior, from Sweden.

Most universities find it positive with international students as they bring attention to the schools they attend and get the institution's name out on the international arena. However, both CSUMB and UCSC seem to have difficulties attracting internationals with their undergraduate programs. At the Santa Cruz university only 0.5 percent of the undergrad students are from outside the state. However, 13.7 percent of the students enrolled in UCSC graduate programs are international students. In Santa Cruz the total enrollment is slightly over 18,000 students. The international students in Santa Cruz bring roughly $75 million to the school per year.

The CSU-system is balancing the line of whether they should try to approach international and out-of-state students in order to bounce back financially or if they should focus on the intellectual growth of Californians. After all there is an obligation to fulfill.

Hamel has done her deed; the future travelers gained a new perspective of what they may face in their coming journey. "I learned a lot, but it stressed me out," said Kasey Scolavino, Global Studies, sophomore who is going to Germany.