International access to American higher education

Academe, Sep/Oct 2003 by Alberts, Bruce, Wulf, William A, Fineberg, Harvey

In the wake of September 11, 2001, and in light of heightened concerns about terrorism and the proliferation of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, the U.S. government has implemented a series of measures to regulate and monitor the flow of international students and scholars into the United States. Some of these measures are designed to filter incoming students and scholars; others, like SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) are designed to keep track of foreign students already within our borders. These new efforts harbor potentially serious consequences for higher education in general and for academic science in particular. Included below are two documents that outline widely shared concerns about restricting access for international students and scholars and, ultimately, about limiting the free flow of knowledge, information, and ideas.

The following statement was issued on December 13, 2002, by Brace Alberts, the president of the National Academy of Sciences; William A. Wulf, the president of the National Academy of Engineering; and Harvey Fineberg, the president of the Institute of Medicine.

To make our nation safer, it is extremely important that our visa policy not only keep out foreigners who intend to do us harm, but also facilitate the acceptance of those who bring us considerable benefit. The professional visits of foreign scientists and engineers and the training of highly qualified foreign students are important for maintaining the vitality and quality of the U.S. research enterprise. This research, in turn, underlies national security and the health and welfare of both our economy and society. But recent efforts by our government to constrain the flow of international visitors in the name of national security are having serious unintended consequences for American science, engineering, and medicine. The evidence we have collected from the U.S. scientific community reveals that ongoing research collaborations have been hampered; that outstanding young scientists, engineers, and health researchers have been prevented from or delayed in entering this country; that important international conferences have been canceled or negatively impacted; and that such conferences will be moved out of the United States in the future if the situation is not corrected. Prompt action is needed.

Under current rules, consular officials send many visa applications back to the United States for sequential security clearances by several agencies, leading to long delays and backlogs. In addition, consular officials in some countries are denying visas by telling applicants-even high-ranking officials from major research institutions-that there is fear that they may try to remain in the United States. Consular officers are subject to criminal penalties if they grant a visa to someone who subsequently commits a terrorist act in the United States. Unfortunately, there are currently no offsetting incentives for consular officers to serve the national interest by facilitating scientific exchanges.

The list of those who have been prevented from entering the United States includes scholars asked to speak at major conferences, distinguished professors invited to teach at our universities, and even foreign associates of our academies. It includes research collaborators for U.S. laboratories whose absence not only halts projects, but also compromises commitments made in longstanding international cooperative agreements. It includes scientists from countries such as Iran and Pakistan whose exclusion from this country blocks our efforts to build allied educational and scientific institutions in those parts of the world. Perhaps most seriously, the list also includes large numbers of outstanding young graduate and postdoctoral students who contribute in many ways to the U.S. research enterprise and our economy.

In order to correct these problems as rapidly as possible, we pledge the help of the U.S. scientific community and urgently call upon the U.S. government to implement an effective and timely visa screening procedure for foreign scientists, engineers, and medical researchers, one that is consistent with the twin goals of maintaining the health of science and technology in the United States and protecting our nation's security. We ask the Department of State and its consular officials to recognize that, in addition to their paramount responsibility to deny visas to potential terrorists, the long-term security of the United States depends on admitting scholars who benefit our nation.

Possible mechanisms for streamlining the process without compromising security might include: reinstating a procedure of presecurity clearance for scientists and engineers with the proper credentials; instituting a special visa category for established scientists, engineers, and health researchers; and involving the U.S. scientific and technical community in determining areas of particular security concern.

The U.S. research community can assist consular officials by providing appropriate documentation for those foreign citizens who are engaged in collaborations with our scientists and engineers.