Resolution 0304-SP-024
A Resolution Urging Visa Reform
Sponsors: The Diversity and International Concerns and Executive Committees
Approved 28 May 2004.
WHEREAS potential graduate students from abroad have been opting not to attend U.S. universities this year after the introduction of tougher government-issued requirements for visas; and
WHEREAS the number of international graduate school applications has dropped 32% nationally since last year, and OSU has been hit even harder by a drop of 50% this year; and
WHEREAS a group of national higher-education, scientific, and engineering organizations has issued a list of six proposed changes in how the United States processes visas, warning that existing procedures are hindering international academic exchange and collaboration; and
WHEREAS these organizations, claiming to represent 95% of the U.S. research community, say that urgent reform is needed if their institutions are to remain a favored destination for the world's brightest international students and researchers; and
WHEREAS international students find it difficult to visit family at home and have family members visit here, leading to long periods of separation from parents, spouses, and children; and
WHEREAS international students also face unnecessary obstacles in traveling abroad to engage in research or attend conferences that bear directly on their academic work; and
WHEREAS international students are estimated to contribute $13 billion to the US economy each year,
LET IT THEREFORE BE RESOLVED that the Council of Graduate Students calls upon the Office of Government Relations to urge the U.S. government to support the document entitled "Statement and Recommendations on Visa Problems Harming America's Scientific, Economic, and Security Interests"; and
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Council calls upon the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of International Education to work with international students, post-doctoral scholars, and other academics to manage the additional costs incurred as a result of extended security checks and travel difficulties; and
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Council urges the OSU faculty and administration to support University efforts on behalf of their international graduate student population and to support the international graduate student population by taking visa issues into account when students are completing their graduate degrees.
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Council directs the CGS President to report the administration's response to this resolution at the October 2004 Council meeting.
Warning: Unknown(): Unable to access 3;/usr/local/webs/SESSION/cgs in Unknown on line 0
[an error occurred while processing this directive]