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Low international-student enrollment attributed to stricter visa requirements

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International-student enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities increased by less than one percent for the 2002-03 school year, which is attributed to stricter student visa rules enacted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Institute of International Education said in its annual report that international enrollment increased by 0.6 percent last year. In the two previous academic years, foreign enrollment had increased by 6.4 percent.

In a separate survey, the IIE said 46 percent of the surveyed U.S. colleges reported a decrease in foreign enrollment in the current year.

Although the University of Wisconsin admitted more freshmen this year than any past year, foreign enrollment declined by one percent.

In the 2002-03 school year, there were 3,614 international students at UW; 3,580 students from 105 countries were enrolled for the fall semester.

The IIE attributed the low enrollment increase rate to tightened visa procedures, which may deter students from trying to attend college in the United States or prevent students from entering the country.

These new procedures require U.S. State Department officials to conduct personal interviews with international students and faculty and staff before they can acquire travel documents to enter the country.

UW took a number of steps to aid its foreign students in entering the country.

In July, a task force was created to address the issue and attempt to ease logistical issues for foreign students. The task force is led by Virginia Shapiro, associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning.

“Our strong, vibrant international community helps make UW-Madison a great university,” Shapiro stated in a press release.

Laura Patrick, treasurer of the Malaysian Student’s Association, pointed out that these visa restrictions can greatly affect a student.

“A lot of students live in fear with the thought of not being able to enter the U.S. again once they leave the country,” Patrick said. “Because of this, many [students], especially the males, are forced to stay here in the U.S. until our graduation to avoid such circumstances.”

Since the stricter visa restrictions requiring personal interviews with State Department officials were put in place in July, some believe next year’s enrollment figures will truly show the impact on colleges and universities.

“The problems a potential international student would have getting into the country probably isn’t a great incentive to study here,” Robert Ray, UW assistant dean and academic and student affairs administrator, said. “But the telling year will be next year.”

Patrick concurred that the difficulties in entering the country are not appealing to international students.

“Those who are willing to take the risk [of re-entering the country] have to go through tedious inspections at their respective entry points, and to be honest, it is rather discouraging to think of the fact that the federal agents actually see you as a potential terrorist,” Patrick said.

Shapiro also said in the press release that it is important for the entire Madison community to understand the issues facing the international community.

“Most of the time, it is the locals who find it hard to become integrated with the international students. A lot of the local students who attend UW have never interacted with people who are different (from them) and therefore choose not to,” Patrick said.