DICAB to disband, roles taken up by ISAP

The Davis International Center Advisory Board will dissolve and its roles will be taken by the International Student Association of Princeton and International Center leaders, previously known as International Orientation leaders, DICAB president Audrey Chebet ’18 said.

Chebet said that DICAB would continue to play its role on campus until February 2016.

Valeria Ibarcena ’17, an intern at the Davis Center, explained that the roles DICAB currently plays are being transferred to IC leaders and ISAP. She noted that these responsibilities included maintaining a presence at the Student Activities Fair, hosting World Wide Welcome and the Bridging Cultures Dinner Series, and organizing the Flag Parade at the Annual Communiversity Festival. The “Taste Of” Series, which exposes Princeton to underrepresented cultures on campus by presenting their music, art, food, costumes and history, will be taken over by ISAP, she said.

The decision was made to eliminate competition between international student organizations that serve the same student population, Chebet said.

She explained that focus groups led by former DICAB social chair Tai Hirose ’15 and assistant leader for International Programs at the Davis Center Lesley Robinson talked for the past six months about restructuring the international organizations on campus. The group realized that DICAB and ISAP both catered to the same student population by organizing events to get international students together and expose American students to the international presence on campus, Chebet said.

Hirose was not available for comment, andRobinson deferred comment to Ibarcena.

Chebet said that the transition would result in increased funding and help organizations to organize and manage events better, noting that the funding DICAB used to receive will be distributed between ISAP and IC leaders. She added that DICAB has only 15 members whereas the IC leaders will likely number about 25, so IC leaders are better equipped to organize and manage events.

Ibarcena added that ISAP would also be advertised on the Davis Center’s Facebook page and in the weekly newsletters, thereby reaching more international students.

Despite increased responsibilities and commitments, many of the IC leaders are willing to take on the additional responsibilities and continue their work, Cydney Kim ’17, an IO leader from Canada, said.

Kim is a member of the Editorial Board of The Daily Princetonian.

“Perhaps the only challenge is with varsity athletes, for whom IO was appealing as it was a one-time commitment at the start of the year. But we are trying to work around that,” Byung Cheol Cho ’18, an IO leader from New Zealand, said.

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Cho added that IO leaders often become the face of international students on campus to incoming international freshmen and that extending events throughout the year would foster better connection.

“It’s great that they will be holding more such events through the year – it’s a good way to stay in touch with the people you meet in your first hours and days at Princeton, and it does take you home a little bit,” Oscar Holmes ’19said.

Sohee Hyung ’16 said that she welcomes the change as it would allow the organizations to hold events for international students more frequently.

“I think that having monthly events is definitely a good initiative to bring internationals together,” Hyung said. “Some people like to share their experiences with other internationals and this will help that happen.”