Roles and responsibilities of the administrators of foreign student services in selected colleges and universities in the United States

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to access, through a questionnaire, the perceptions of the administrators of foreign student services in selected colleges and universities with regard to their actual and ideal administrative roles and responsibilities. The population of this study consisted of the administrators selected from the NAFSA membership directory of 1985/86. The sample was made up of 148 systematically selected members of the population. Of the 148 individuals in the sample, 132 returned the questionnaire and 123 provided usable responses to the questionnaire. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using the SPS and SAS computer programs. Descriptive data was analyzed through the use of frequency distributions. A t Test was used to determine the statistical relationship between the actual and ideal status of selected administrative variables. Analysis of variance and Scheffe's Test were used to determine the statistical relationships between and among groups, that is, in regard to enrollment, educational attainments, and years of experience, for selected administrative variables. The perceptions of the respondents revealed that highly significant existed between the actual and the ideal administrative variables tested. Also few significant differences existed among administrators of foreign student services with different levels of enrollments, educational attainments, and years of experiences with regard to their actual and ideal roles and responsibilities. Suggestions for further studies were to access the perceptions of college or university presidents regarding the roles and responsibilities of the administrators of foreign student services. Also, study could be conducted to access the perceptions of foreign students regarding to the roles and responsibilities of the administrators of foreign student services.