New SEVIS act cuts student enrollment
By Nicole LaPrade
The number of incoming students with F-1 visas has fallen from 121 last year to 100 this year according to the Santa Clara International Student Services office.
"Twenty-one less than last year is a significant drop for us," said International Student Services Coordinator Gillian August-Thorp, "but it is not specific to us." She says this is a trend that has hit many universities across the country.
This drop, according to International Student Services Coordinator Gillian August-Thorp, is the result of the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) program, a tracking system that is part of the USA PATRIOT Act that went into effect after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Under the SEVIS system, schools are mandated to report information about their international students to the government.
Programs like SEVIS have made it more difficult for international students to get cleared by the American embassies for their visas. Long delays and additional fees are some of the problems they experience.
There are about 350 students at Santa Clara studying to receive their undergraduate and graduate degrees and about 800 non-immigrant visa holders. Most of these students come from Asian countries -- predominantly India, China, Japan and Singapore. Santa Clara does not actively recruit international students, so many of the international students who do attend the university hear about it by word of mouth. Many have friends or relatives who live in the Bay Area, providing them with an easier transition to an otherwise foreign country.
Eva Blanco of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions says Santa Clara's international students make up an integral part of the university's community.
"(There is) great value in having an international student population," Blanco said.
Some students feel apprehensive about coming to the United States because the USA PATRIOT Act and its regulations make this country appear unwelcome.
Despite obstacles like SEVIS, many students have still managed to find their way to Santa Clara.
Uxua Astigarraga-Lopez and Maider Izeta-Andres are both Communication majors who are here for the fall as exchange students from Deusto University in San Sebastian, Spain.
"Everyone has been very welcoming," Astigarraga-Lopez said.
Both miss their family and friends, but communicate with them daily. Izeta-Andres even uses a web-cam to keep in touch.
"It's like a dream for me, coming here," said Izeta-Andres.
T.K. King, a sophomore marketing major from San Juan, Philippines, misses traditional Filipino dishes such as seafood paella, and the traditional Filipino pork dish kare-kare, but he said that the Healthy Harvest Deli on the corner of Scott and Homestead and other Filipino supermarkets and restaurants nearby make it seem like "home is getting closer."
Ruthika Kumar is a freshman business student who is originally from India. However, she spent most of her adolescence in the US and identifies well with American culture. At the same time, Ruthika misses watching cricket as she did in India -- especially the ICC Cup quarterfinal match between India and Pakistan.
"I guess I have two homes," said Kumar, "when I'm in India, I want to go to the U.S., and when I'm in the U.S., I want to go to India." Most students bring pictures as well as books, music and posters from home.
Despite the SEVIS process and the patience required for their travel, these students have made it to the Santa Clara campus, making this their home away from home.
*Ã Ã Contact Nicole LaPrade at (408) 554-4546 or nlaprade@scu.edu.