Although both schools offer some programs and classes taught in Spanish, most international students seek degrees that require they speak English. But offering the choice of a multilingual Web site sends a powerful message, said FIU President Modesto Maidique. It's an extra courtesy, an extra amenity, an extra way of reaching out and telling people that we are a multicultural institution serving a diverse community. UM's international enrollment is 1,509, a third of it from Central and South America. International students are not the only audience for the bilingual Web sites, say local advertising executives.
Hispanic students comprise a huge chunk of the student body at both schools.
At FIU, more than half of its 30,000-plus students are Hispanic. Many assimilate in their business life fairly quickly, but in their personal life, that assimilation may not be as fluid, so it's extremely important to give the target audience the choice of determining how they want to read information.