New security procedures impact international students

By Jaime Ciavarra

Sept. 11 sparked change throughout America, prompting the government to keep a closer eye on visitors and visa holders. Universities and colleges across the nation are now requested to do the same with new technology and stringent measures.

International students from certain countries have had to undergo security procedures recently put into effect, and some have even had problems getting visas. Late last year, Congress mandated that males from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya and Sudan had to register with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) by Dec. 16. Males from United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Morocco, Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon and seven other countries had to register by Jan. 10.

To help Ohio University students meet the required dates, the Department of International Students rented a van and took several trips to the Columbus Airport. The students had to be fingerprinted and photographed, as well as complete a 5-page questionnaire about travels and reasons for being in the country, said Alan Boyd, director of International Student and Faculty Services.

"The students who went seemed to be very accepting of the procedures," he added.

In addition, delayed visas affected a particular group of international students at Ohio University. About 100 students from Saudi Arabia normally attend the University, but this fall quarter there were only half as many. Because of tighter U.S. security measures, nearly 50 students were delayed in receiving their visas for the start of the school year, Boyd said. Many of those were doctoral students who continued work on their dissertations while at home, he added.

Ohio University, like all other institutions of higher learning across the nation, is now required to post international student records on a Web-based, federally-mandated tracking system called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Although the University always kept records of its international students, SEVIS allows the government to find the information without contacting the University, Boyd said. "Now the government can pull up the information in seconds, instead of having to call our offices," he added.

Universities and colleges must comply with the system by updating individuals' status with quarterly reports. Address changes, crime convictions and other pertinent data must be entered in SEVIS when the University is notified, and student visas may only be issued through this system, which was developed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services. INS visited Ohio University's Communication Network Services for a site check and information is in order and on track to meet the Jan. 30 deadline, Boyd said.

Jaime Ciavarra is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.