About Us

Mission

The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) contributes to Central Michigan University’s mission to “prepare students for productive careers, meaningful lives and responsible citizenship in a global society” by providing centralized support for many of CMU’s international initiatives. OGE fosters intercultural understanding and global perspectives among the CMU community.

We provide the following core services:

Ensure regulatory compliance for CMU’s international students, scholars, and faculty.
Support CMU international student success from pre-arrival through graduation.
Facilitate student participation in Study Abroad programs.
Administer faculty-led Study Abroad programs.
Assist in establishing international partnerships and the drafting and review of international agreements.

We promote greater internationalization in collaboration with academic units and campus partners such as International Recruitment and Outreach; English Language Institute; Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and National Scholarship Program; among many others.

OGE staff are actively involved in national organizations focused on the delivery of international education programs and services to ensure we are constantly adapting our work to be consistent with global and national trends, changes in regulations and policies, and industry guidelines.

Our statement on racial injustice and inclusion

The Office of Global Engagement stands in solidarity with our Black students, staff, faculty, and alumni. As international educators, our core mission is to foster intercultural understanding at home and in a larger global context. We are committed to combatting systemic racism through listening to the experiences of our Black community members and examining our own practices, policies, programs, and attitudes to uncover ways we can contribute to a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.

OGE goals for AY20-21

Respond and adapt as needed to student international mobility during COVID-19; monitor related worldwide health, safety, and policy developments; update internal policies, procedures, and processes as needed to ensure we are positioned to resume student mobility.
Conduct an audit of Study Abroad to ensure we are meeting national industry standards, and engage the campus community to enact any necessary changes.
Ascertain the experience of international students at CMU.
Ensure we foster inclusivity through our practices and programming, including engaging diverse students and advocating for international students’ needs.
Transition team to new structure and roles while identifying areas of strength and opportunities to refine and reduce services.
Establish a campus committee on international education including charge, composition, and reporting structure.

Study Abroad Services

For students:

Assist in selecting an appropriate program based on academic interests and personal goals, finances, disability accommodations, personal considerations (identity, learning, and health concerns), language ability, and other factors.
Manage the internal application process for Study Abroad, and collect and send applications to the partner institutions.
Provide guidance on courses offered abroad and the faculty advisor approval process, and report courses completed to the Registrar’s Office.
Provide information about campus and national scholarships for Study Abroad.
Provide thorough pre-departure information on matters related to international travel, communications, insurance, health and safety, and cultural adaptation.
Provide general guidance on the process to apply for a passport and visa. Students are expected to research and secure a passport and visa within recommended time frames prior to departure.
Monitor health and safety abroad, and manage the response to incidents and emergencies abroad.

For faculty and staff:

Provide a framework for faculty-led Study Abroad programs that is based on national standards for education abroad. Partner with faculty to create a coherent proposal that incorporates financial, health and safety, and intercultural/experiential learning factors into their academic goals for their program abroad.
Provide guidance on travel logistics, itinerary development, budgeting, intercultural experiences, and risk management considerations as faculty develop their programs.
Administer the proposal and review/approval process, program leader orientations, program budgeting, and finances, student applications, and overseas insurance.
Monitor health and safety considerations that impact our international programs, and respond to student emergencies abroad.
Conduct general recruitment and marketing for Study Abroad (e.g. social media, admissions events, brochures, student testimonials) and coordinate an annual Study Abroad fair that program leaders are invited to attend to promote their program. OGE does not recruit for individual faculty-led programs abroad but provides a list of recommendations for program leaders to recruit for and market their programs.

International Students and Scholar Services

OGE support for international students and scholars:

Responsible for ensuring that CMU is compliant with federal regulations governing the enrollment of nonimmigrant students.
Advise international students on F and J immigration status issues, including enrollment requirements and on-campus employment.
Provide pre-arrival information and orientation for new students, and coordinate with campus partners to facilitate the arrival of new students.
Sponsor programming that supports international student success and cultural integration.
Advise students on practical training (Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training).
Respond to international student emergencies as needed.

Advising Resources:

Students should seek to advise on issues related to financial aid, scholarships, housing, degree progress, registration and course selection, tutoring, campus involvement activities, etc., from the appropriate campus office. Students are expected to understand the regulations they must follow to maintain their status and are welcome to ask OGE for clarification at any time if they are unsure about appropriate actions following conversations with campus partners. The ISSS section of our website has extensive information online to assist students through their programs of study.

OGE Support for Faculty and Staff

Translation services:

A list of translation services available across Michigan can be downloaded here. (Note that OGE does not endorse any particular agency.) We do not have official translation services onsite.

Resources to Support International Students:

We have tips and resources specifically to address some common questions faculty and staff often have about supporting international students.

International travel advice:

OGE closely monitors health and safety factors that impact our international programs, including U.S. State Department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerts, and contributes to institutional decisions on high-risk travel. We do not provide general travel advice to the campus community. Study Abroad students receive advising and orientations that provide general guidance on international travel, including applying for a passport, basic guidance on student visas, and international insurance as it relates to their Study Abroad experience. Incoming international students receive advising on obtaining their U.S. student visa and information that aids their arrival and settling into Mount Pleasant.

Support for international faculty and staff:

OGE facilitates the immigration process by which international scholars (e.g. short-term researchers or instructors) and international faculty and staff can be employed by CMU. As part of our compliance obligations, we provide guidance on J-1-related matters. However, we are unable to provide support on the settling-in process (finding housing, setting up a bank account, buying a car, etc.). A list of campus resources available to international faculty and staff is available on our website. Hiring departments also may provide assistance with these matters.

Faculty interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award:

OGE has introductory information about Fulbright opportunities for faculty on our website, and we can provide institutional information that may be needed for an application (data on international activities, internationalization goals, etc.). However, our capacity is limited to assist with the application itself. The Office of Research and Graduate Studies can be contacted as the CMU liaison for faculty who plan to submit an application for a Fulbright Scholar Award.

Faculty seeking to establish or renew an international agreement:

All international partnerships and agreements should be developed in conjunction with the executive director of the Office of Global Engagement. Overseas partners and activities will be vetted for academic and financial viability, mutual interest and outcomes, risk management, and legal considerations prior to agreements being signed. OGE takes the lead on drafting agreements and consulting with relevant stakeholders as needed. Ultimately, international agreements must be approved by the relevant chair; dean; OGE; and the Office of Licensure, Regulatory Services and Human Capital prior to being signed by the provost and/or president. Please see the Partnerships section of the OGE website for additional information. Allow 6-8 weeks for drafting and review of agreements.

Given reductions in staffing and budget, OGE will strategically consolidate and/or limit our services to maximize our resources while still pursuing our core mission and activities. We will accomplish this in 2020-21 by:

Limiting our programming to focus on meeting the needs of our international students/scholars and our Study Abroad students.
Discontinuing airport pickup services for newly arriving international students; however, we will provide information on transportation options.
Streamlining Study Abroad administrative processes to ensure efficiency, including:

Adhering to firm deadlines for proposals, applications, cancellations, and payments.
Applying consistent processes for transfer credit approvals and financial reconciliations.

Focusing our efforts on a fall 2020 virtual Study Abroad fair. We will not offer a spring 2021 Study Abroad Fair.
Allowing 6-8 weeks for the drafting and institutional review of international agreements and longer wait times for international activity data requests.
Suspending international program development grants for faculty.
Issuing the OGE faculty/staff e-newsletter once per semester rather than once per month.