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Iraqi students may come to Madison
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by Pedro Oliveira Jr.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Members of the University of Wisconsin’s Campus Antiwar Network are hoping to bring Iraqi students to the UW campus.
The group is working to establish the Iraqi Student Project, in which one or more young Iraqi citizens would be brought to America to continue or begin their college studies.
The students would have tuition waived, and according to CAN, the project has successfully been implemented at other U.S. universities.
In a sit-down interview with The Badger Herald, five CAN members detailed the project and said they plan on having one to three students on campus as early as fall 2008.
"Once Iraq did have a very prestigious educational system — the University of Baghdad was very respected," UW senior Paul Pryse said. "Now the U.S. government has failed to do anything to meliorate the situation. If the U.S. fails to do anything about what they've caused to their educational system, we're going to reach out our hands."
Pryse said ISP has two main organizers, one located in the U.S. and another in Iraq, and they work simultaneously in recruiting students.
"They will be working to screen students [who are] academically prepared, who have taken the same kind of English foreign language test as other students have, and also screening for people who are emotionally capable of relocating to the United States," Pryse said.
The CAN members said they are currently trying to schedule meetings with Dean of Students Lori Berquam to talk about how to develop the project.
UW spokesperson John Lucas said the ISP is "definitely a worthy cause," but details on how to fund it would have to be more thoroughly explained.
"It sounds like an intriguing idea, but we would need to know much more of the program before we could commit to anything," Lucas said.
UW sophomore Sam Finesurrey said there are millions of Iraqi refugees who have been forced to flee the country at several levels of schooling.
"Some have had a college education, but if that hasn't happened yet, we'd like the UW System to provide it," he added.
The project also requires that a support group be set up for the Iraqi students.
"This support is more or less responsible for providing a home away from home [and] moral support," UW freshman Jenny Wustmann said.
Finesurrey said it is important that UW accepts more than one student in order to provide enough emotional support.
CAN is holding an informational session today to raise support for the cause, the students said.
"[The meeting] is to see if people have interest on the project, for them to have a common knowledge of what's going on," Wustmann said. "We'll tell them about the ISP, organize ourselves, give them a way to help. It's obvious that in order for the administration to help this, there is going to have to be a lot of support."
Lucas said CAN members have a meeting scheduled with Berquam, and the dean will not provide comment until she knows further details.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 2:37am):
If they are already educated enough to know English, it's highly HIGHLY unlikely that they don't already have a college education.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 8:05am):
Which deserving American students will have to be bumped off the admissions role to make room for these foreigners?
Who's budget will make up for the campus budget deficit caused by these tuition waivers?
If CAN members want this, then let them raise funds themselves-- rather than insisting Wisconsin taxpayers and students foot the bill for their self-congratulation fetishism.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 10:07am):
awesome. bring sharia law to uw. just what we need.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 11:24am):
"If they are already educated enough to know English, it's highly HIGHLY unlikely that they don't already have a college education."
There's 14 year old Mexicans that speak almost flawless English, but I suppose they must have college educations too.
If we're going to destroy their cities and bomb their schools, this is the least we can do. It's like dismantling their government and leaving it up to corrupt officials and regional warlords to rebuild political society. Oh wait...
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 2:35pm):
Right, because 2 or 3 Iraqi refugees will subject the University of Wisconsin to Sharia law.
These students, 5 years ago, had the ability to get educated in their own country, however the U.S. invasion, which paved the way for a civil war in Iraq, has created a situation where this is no longer possible. If you agree with this occupation or not, these college students cannot get educated in their own country as a direct result of the U.S. invasion. This is the right thing to do.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 2:50pm):
This is the most retarded program ever. CAN needs to stop fetishizing Iraqis-- treat them like people. Instead of pushing to have them shipped to the United States, how about commit to rebuilding the education system of their own country? An open and functioning Baghdad University is a hell of a lot more helpful than importing a few wealthy bourgeoise to relieve our liberal guilt.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 3:21pm):
WOW Annon @ 10:27. THe reason these students need a place to study is because sectarian violence has made it nearly impossible for them to attend college in their own country. The Council for Assisting Refugee Academimcs is recieving 40 requests a week for relocation and have nowhere to put these peopole. Professors watch their colleagues being killed in the streets by terrorits because college professors have become a main target of such attacks. They are kidnapped and assassinated. How are students supposed to go to school when there's no one to teach them? When there are bombs going off at their school? They can't. How can a country rebuild itself if the vast majority of the educated population has fled or has been killed? It can't. Before the students can come here there's a screening process. The students have to obtain visas. I feel safe to say that your worries are nothing more than fairytales.
To 8:05 - yeah, raising funds is something we're definitely going to have to do. and we definitely have to talk to the Dean and investigate this a little further. As far as students getting bumped off the admission roles? Kids in America have the option to attend ANY school they want within US borders without worry or concern about not being able to attend class because a school bus blew up outside, or becasue their professors have been killed. American kids do not have to sit and watch their class rooms become smaller by the day because their peers were victims of an attack or because their family feels its safer to try to go to the refugee camp. We don't have to live through these horrors. Our options are not limited. Our options are not dwindling by the day. I'm sure that if these students were going to get into UW Madison they were definitely accepted elsewhere and their options are not far and few and definitely do not include potentially dying just for attending school elsewhere.
This is a humanitarian project. It is geared by goodwill. Come down tonight and actually learn about it, give us suggestions, state your concerns. We're extending our hands, we're breaking down barriers. We're being compassionate to some of the people who need to witness compassion the most. If you don't want to come tonight, or if you can't check out
www.iraqistudentproject.org
and also
http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=t60fms7pmyhdbkklqcbnhqxk6l0jw93q
the second is an article in the chronicle of higher education detailing the state of the higher education system in iraq. maybe after reading that you might understand a little more why we want to help these students.
peace.
Anonymous (December 10, 2007 @ 9:50pm):
you see ANON @ 2:50 the thing is you can't exactly rebuild the higher education system in Iraq when its being targeted day after day by sectarian violence - killing professors, bombing the school, demanding classes be taught according to their standards, etc. It is no longer safe for students to attend class. The Iraqi Student Project isn't something CAN created. Its something we're signing up with, working in alliance with. And the ISP staffers aren't just plucking up any college kid in Iraq and saying "you're going to school in the U.S." Students come with requests of seeking education elsewhere and we are just trying to provide them with a place to further their education as they would have been able to 5 years ago. This isn't ideal for either party, but its one of the few, few things we can actually try to do.
Along the lines of fetishizing with Iraqis - when you learn the truth that there are 2 million Iraqis displaced outside the borders of the country and 1.7 displaced within the country and that less than 500 visas have been given out by the U.S. government, you kind of want to do something about it. That's almost 4 million refugees, and the country that is supposedly over there to help them won't even open up their borders to them.
I really don't understand how some Americans can't have the heart to see that the Iraqi people need help. Our guns and missles aren't working, our presence isn't working. Something needs to be done. When you feel that you are at risk simply because you corresponded with an American or accepted supplies from them, something isn't working. But rather than take notice we all sit idlely by and blame it on someone else. Its not my problem, its someone else's problem. Its not fault, its his fault. It doesn't matter who's to blame or to whom you think the problem belongs, what matters is that there is something YOU can do about it. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? Believe your censored media? Believe there isn't a problem? Believe things are getting better? Be critical. Look at the "facts." Look at the source. Do something, because if we don't, who will?
Jenny Wustmann (December 11, 2007 @ 12:34am):
To Anonymous @ 2:50 PM :
Agreed. The higher education system of Iraq needs to be rebuilt in Iraq. Immediately if not sooner.
To clarify, the Iraqi Student Project's goal IS for the higher education of Iraq to be rebuilt in their own country. However, things like the US occupation are making that impossible at the moment. Some estimates report that not only are there 2 million Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries (1 million in Syria alone), but also 2 million more Iraqis displaced from their own homes living in refugee camps in Iraq.
Currently, Iraqis are in no position to rebuild their education system. When students and professors are terrified to go to class because death is a possible consequence, it's difficult to imagine that their system can be reinstated.
After the occupation is over (assuming that at some point it will be over), the higher education system will have to be rebuilt.
What about now? What about college students like yourself whose education has come to an indefinite standstill? What are they supposed to do? Put their futures on hold and hope the violence subsides?
Individuals who gain admission into this project are not simply "shipped" over here; there is an extensive application process. The application is available on the Iraqi Student Project website (http://www.iraqistudentproject.org) should you care to view it.
The students coming to this university are those who express a desire to come here to continue their education. With the extensive amount of screening they go through, I think it's safe to assume that they must be very serious in their intent. Economic need
is one of the factors used to determine those students most qualified for the program, so I'm not sure the "wealthy bourgeoise" will be represented.
It's two or three people out of potentially four million refugees.
It's a very temporary solution to a huge problem.
But it's a start.
Anonymous (December 12, 2007 @ 4:48pm):
Y'all are racist as ever.
Anonymous (October 6, 2008 @ 2:43pm):
i think that would be really helpful for iraqi students because nobody really knows what is it like in iraq right now, and what a disaster is !
i think that would be a great chance for iraqi students to rebuild their future and also the future of their country . i really do put hopes into this project .
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