Posted on: Sunday, December 19, 2004
COMMENTARY
A study in isolation
By Scott Stensrud
In the 2003 academic year, the United States experienced a decline in the number of international students studying in its colleges and universities.
The institute reports 5,371 international students enrolled in Hawai'i schools for 2003, a drop of 1.2 percent compared to the previous year. Much of this has been blamed on tighter national security and more scrutiny of international students interested in coming to the United States.
Schools support federal agencies tracking the whereabouts of international students studying in the United States but also feel too much attention is being focused on this segment of visitors. International students make up only 2 percent of the estimated 30 million temporary visa holders in the United States.
The association has pointed out that we know a great deal about 2 percent of temporary visa holders and almost nothing about the other 98 percent.
Advertiser library photo • April 12, 2002 While the long waits and technical glitches have for the most part been resolved, students now face a new barrier.
Recently, a new $100 processing fee was implemented. This fee must be paid by a student in order to interview for a student visa. The fee is not refundable and there is no guarantee of receiving the visa.
The fee was initiated to pay for the development and operation of the new student tracking system, which may seem fair, but to the international students, it is further evidence that they are no longer welcome in the United States.
While the new U.S. policies have made it more difficult for students to enter the country, other nations are increasing their support for international students. Britain, Canada, Australia and countries across Europe all have benefited from the United States tightening its restrictions.
Why should anyone other than those of us in higher education be concerned?
First there is the economic impact; the institute estimates that the 5,371 international students enrolled in Hawai'i schools spent $112.8 million during the 2002 academic year.
Given this level of spending, international students would have ranked No. 63 in Hawaii Business magazine's Top 250 list of companies, based on annual sales. This figure is considered conservative and is based on direct spending because no one has been able to determine the multiplier effect for higher education.
Second and more important, there is the intellectual impact these students bring to our campuses and the good will they take home with them along with their education. Consider that United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, King Abdullah of Jordan and British Prime Minister Tony Blair all once studied in the United States. The American Immigration Law Foundation estimates that 46 current and 165 former heads of government are products of U.S. higher education.
Where would we be, as a state or a country, if we did not have the legacy of international students coming to our schools, meeting our people and going home with fond memories and friends who later turn into political allies and business partners?
Locally, Hawai'i Pacific University has the largest international enrollment in the country for private master's-level institutions based on 2003-04 Institute of International Education figures. These international students interact with our students here, sharing their cultures and views on a range of topics, providing an education that goes beyond anything one can learn from a textbook.
This exchange of ideas enriches the education for students from Hawai'i and the Mainland, giving them a leg up in the global marketplace.
In addition, when international students attending Island schools return home, they become politicians, community and business leaders. They leave as better global citizens.
Many will return to Hawai'i on vacation. Others will establish political and business contacts that will ensure Hawai'i remains relevant. We need to be sure that in our rush to protect ourselves and our interests, we don't isolate the people that can help ensure our future.
Scott Stensrud is associate vice president for enrollment management at Hawai'i Pacific University. He wrote this article for The Advertiser.
This is the first decline in international students studying in the United States since the 1970 academic year, based on data from the Institute of International Education. In 2004, more than half of the colleges responding to a survey by the association saw declining enrollment in their international student body. While seeing some declines, Hawai'i schools have done slightly better than the national figures.
With implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a government Internet-based system that colleges and universities are required to use to report current information on international students and exchange visitors, many students saw dramatic delays in student visa processing, causing some to give up on their dream of an American education.
Students from Japan march through downtown Honolulu's streets as part of Hawai'i Pacific University's World Culture Day celebration. The event showcases HPU's internationally diverse student body, with students representing more than 100 nations. Some fear that new security policies on the issuing of international student visas may threaten that diversity — and in the longer run, hurt Hawai'i.
