A Student Group Brought Back to Life

The International Student Union is Back on Campus
By: Alea Rahim
Online Editor

According to the International Student Service (ISS) Office of Long Island University C.W. Post, there are over 750 international students on campus. However, with a large number still on the rise, the international scene on campus doesn’t seem to match its increase in admissions. This year, this statistic motivated a group of students to re-instate a student led organization that will change the international student scene: The ISU.

The International Student Union was originally created in 2006. However, due to its inactivity on campus, the organization was removed. Four years later, the union has finally been revived and is making ample changes. During their first meeting last Thursday, the ISU provided a list of events they would be holding this semester. Their schedule included a variety of functions from trips to the city to on campus parties.  All of which, they stressed, should be attended by both international and domestic students. The members of the ISU constantly emphasized on uniting all students on campus together in order to teach and learn from one another. According to Vice President Trista Lu, it is crucial for the ISU to better educate students of the world and its cultures.  As there are 53 different countries being represented here at CW Post, it would be ideal to explore the traditions of each nation.

The most important addition to the ISU is the structure of the club. Instead of the general meetings and the usual 4 e-board members, the organization is hoping to replicate and act like the Student Government Association (SGA). “We have committees,” said ISU President Jae Won Cheong. “We’ll be allocating budgets for other organizations under us, and we’re hoping that sometime in the new future, we’ll make it mandatory for all international students to take part in it.” There will be a total of five committees and the union is saving 53 positions for one representative from each country as sub-committees. The ultimate goal is to have ISU be the center of all things International on campus.

The union is still in process of finalizing its structure and events but is hoping to gather more supporters at this Wednesday’s club fair. “I know we’re new,” said Trista Lu. “But we’re ambitious and anxious for the year to come. With the international students united, we’ll help better our campus life.”