International
students decreasing
By
Mari Shinkai
Daily Forty-Niner
Because
of recent visa regulations, economic declines
and political unrest, the number of international
students attending U.S. colleges in 2002-03
showed only a slight increase over the prior
year after five years of steady growth,
the Institute of International Education
reported.
The
institute also said that foreign enrollment
increased by only 0.6 percent last year,
the lowest rate in seven years while foreign
enrollment had increased by 6.4 percent
in each of the two previous academic years.
"It's
happening here at CSULB as well," said
Donald Delgado, director of International
Student Services at the Center for International
Education.
Foreign
students started experiencing delays entering
the United States in the wake of Sept.11,
as the federal government responded to calls
for tighter domestic security.
The
Immigration and Naturalization Services
revised and changed immigration regulations
for international students holding F or
J visa status effective January 2003.
Under
the revisions, INS requires every institution
to report on all its enrolled international
students through the new online tracking
system known as SEVIS, or Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System. INS has instant
access to information on students' academic
programs and progress.
Delgado
said international student enrollment at
CSULB increased to 1,585 in fall 2001 from
1,484 in previous year, but started to decrease
slightly after Sept.11. The decline continues
today.
However,
both the Center for International Education
and American Language Institute at CSULB
said the new immigration regulations should
not have impacted the denial rate of visa
or decision to study in the United States.
"People
are just scared and worried about the new
regulations," Delgado said. "That's
a reflection of current political situations."
The
Institute of International Education said
in its annual "Open Doors" report
that a record 586,323 international students
came to study in the United States and the
number of students declined in some leading
countries such as Japan, 2 percent; Taiwan,
3 percent; and Turkey, down 4 percent.
"The
number has been down little by a little
in our English language program," said
Debra Jonas, director of American Language
Institute.
Since
majority of the language institute's students
are from Asian countries, particularly Japan
and Korea, the Sept.11 incident did not
really impact the overall decrease, Jonas
said.
The
recent shaky Japanese economy, SARS and
other political situations have affected
many students, she said.
"We
had to cancel short-term programs in summer
because of it," she said.
For
the U.S. economy, international education
is big business. Foreign students now contribute
$12 billion annually to the U.S. economy,
the Institute of International Education
said.
"I'd
hope that we don't have fewer international
students and maintain the same level of
the number of students at CSULB," Delgado
said.
"I
think many foreign students feel that they
have more risk of being in the United States
because of the recent visa regulations,"
said Kana Matsushita, senior marketing major.
"I just want to feel more comfortable
in this country. I feel like I am always
watched by the government."
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