September 22, 2004

FThe quest for the student visa may soon become easier for foreign citizens according to a new piece of senate legislation released this summer.

Proposed by Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, the new bill seeks to overturn restrictions on student visas, making them easier to obtain.

The proposal, if passed, will create better communication between all federal agencies for a faster visa process and increase the amount of international students in U.S. universities.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, it has become harder for foreign students to obtain visas to study in the United States. The event put a great deal of pressure on the Immigration and Naturalization Service to safeguard against abuses of the system.

International student Melody Fayomi, a senior in electrical engineering, came from Nigeria to the U.S. to experience a new culture.

"America was the first choice for me," Fayomi said. "I was more than happy to come to America where it's bigger and more diverse. I am more likely to expand my horizons here and meet new people."

Fayomi, who received a student visa post-Sept. 11, said that the process of getting a visa was very time consuming and difficult.

Experts such as Roland Stephen, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Political Economy says that the benefits of international students coming to the U.S. far outweigh any possible disadvantages.

"We gain [international students'] expertise and, in particular, they supply a crucial pool of talent for science and engineering fields," Stephen said. "They enrich our student body with a wide range of perspectives."

Stephen also said that the danger perceived to come from admitting more students into the country is not realistic.

"The danger would come from restricting the flow of foreign students, so starving our own knowledge base," Stephen said.

Michael Bustle, Director of International Scholar and Student Services is another supporter of the proposed legislation.

According to Bustle, the almost 2,000 international students from 100 different countries on N.C. State's campus are a valuable asset to any university.

"International students bring a plethora of diversity to the campus," Bustle said. "The very fact that they live and work with American students helps the North Carolina resident students become more competitive upon graduation."

According to findings from the U.S. Congress, international students and their families contribute close to $12 billion to the economy annually.

This contribution is no exception in North Carolina, says Bustle.

"International students provide millions of dollars into the state economy, they're renting apartments, they're buying food at Harris Teeter, they're paying tuition," Bustle said. "They're giving back financially and academically."

Bustle said that he and the ISSS at NCSU intend to lobby for this new legislation.

"[ISSS] will encourage our chancellor to write a letter of advocacy to our elected representatives to vote and push for this bill," Bustle said. "It will be a huge asset to our university if we can get the students we need and want."

Bustle said that the ISSS often pushes for legislation that lessen restrictions on student visas.

"We've seen a lot of legislation since Sept. 11 and not all of it has made it through Congress, but many changes have been made within the past few years," Bustle said.

Bustle added that the admission of international students is important to all countries and that it is an issue that will not go away.

"Like it or not," Bustle said, "the world's getting smaller and those who are conversant with other cultures are those who are more likely to succeed."

Source - http://www.technicianonline.com/