International students add a great deal of cultural and intellectual diversity to college campuses, but they also bring racial stereotypes and socio-economic status hierarchies that can affect campus climate. Forty-seven interviews with Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean international students were conducted. Results indicated that a majority of students had racial and status hierarchies and harbored prejudices toward African-Americans and Southeast Asians. Perceptions of Asian-Americans were mixed. Negative perceptions of Latinos were learned in the U.S., however positive perceptions of Latinos were held by South Korean students who had lived in the U.S. longer. This status hierarchy correlated closely with a racial hierarchy. A lack of opportunities to interact with diverse students led to stereotype proliferation. More policies and programs must be created that reduce misunderstandings between international and domestic students.

International students bring racial attitudes and group preferences that affect campus climates. Forty-seven Chinese, Japanese, and Korean college international students were interviewed, regarding their perceptions of race/ethnicity and nationality, when it comes to dating and romantic relationships on college campuses. Thirty-five out of forty-seven students interviewed said they would ideally want to date someone from their own cultural background, so that communication gaps would not occur, but when probed beyond language barriers, international students appeared to have a racial hierarchy when it came to dating. Students were not only influenced by parental approval of dating partners, but also US media images that helped create a racial hierarchy of dating and cultural capital. White Americans were the most desirable dating partner for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean international students; Asian-Americans were slightly below white Americans, while African-American, Latino, and Southeast Asian students were the least desirous.

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This chapter identifies current issues and methods for enhancing organizational climate by and through practices that embrace, promote and accommodate diversity and cross-cultural collaboration. We identify ongoing areas of insensitivity and focus on practices that individuals and organizations need to develop in order to accommodate diversity, and to cultivate cross-cultural collaboration and leadership development. Future leaders must possess skills that are just and respectful of increasing difference in organizations. We believe higher education is the logical site for developing these skills and practices but before we can fully enjoy the benefits of diverse organizations and communities, we must develop and practice these skills at colleges and universities – organizations whose ongoing social relevance may very well depend on their efforts and abilities to prepare culturally-competent graduates for work in the globalizing workplace.

International higher education literature often extols a great deal of intellectual diversity, cross-cultural learning opportunities, and revenue that international students from China, Japan, and Korea bring to the U.S. every year. However, little attention is paid to the racial stereotypes international students bring to the U.S., how this affects campus climate, and what can be done to encourage cross-cultural understanding. Forty-seven interviews with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean graduate and undergraduate international students were conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, regarding these students' racial stereotypes and how contact with diverse others challenged or reinforced these stereotypes over time. Results indicated that a majority of students had racial hierarchies, which affected with whom they roomed, befriended, and dated. This research shows that there is a need for policy and programmatic changes at the college level that promote international and domestic student interaction.