It is helpful if departments offer a departmental orientation program for the students, and pay attention to the interaction of people who are different. Social events that center on food are an effective way of getting people together. Departments may adopt rules such as English only in a lab setting. A peer or buddy system can be helpful. Foreign TAs are often criticized for their spoken English, however, it has been shown that TAs with more acceptable American mannerisms but with worse accents were ranked higher than the foreign TAs with better English but more foreign teaching mannerisms.
Undergraduate students seem to have tremendous intolerance of foreign TAs.
It was recommended that the University do a better job of selling the positive cultural experiences undergraduate students can get in classes taught by foreign TAs. The Graduate College will work with Gary Althen to organize a workshop for Directors of Graduate Studies, that will address cultural differences between foreign and American students, plagiarism, what is acceptable when working in groups, issues related to foreign student health insurance, financial support, visas, and lack of work visas for spouses and dependents, etc. The workshop may then be extended to faculty advisors.