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SEVIS

Letter to President George W. Bush Regarding the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)

October 12, 2001

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of the higher education associations listed below, I write to urge you to designate $36.8 million of the Emergency Supplemental appropriations package (P.L. 107-38) to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). These funds would be used to implement the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), as proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

The higher education community regards the prompt development and implementation of SEVIS as the single most critical step that could be taken toward a functional and efficient federal system for monitoring the status of international students in the United States. As a real-time electronic tracking system, SEVIS will enable colleges to notify the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) whenever there is a change of status that may affect a student's visa. The system also will create a much-needed protocol for sharing information on international students between the INS and the State Department.

In the past, attempts to operationalize this electronic database have been hampered by administrative difficulties and intramural disputes. After the tragic events of September 11, there is widespread recognition of the need to move swiftly to implement an effective international student tracking system. Providing the INS with sufficient funding to launch SEVIS will be a fast, smooth, and effective way to improve the tracking of these students.

The nationís colleges and universities recognize their obligation to work cooperatively with the federal government in keeping track of international students when they are enrolled on our campuses. We are more than willing to do so, while relying on the federal government to protect the safety and security of the United States by deciding who should receive a student or exchange visa.

Our colleges are also strongly committed to international exchanges and believe that student exchanges have paid great dividends for the United States. Many foreign students leave the U.S. at the conclusion of their studies to become leaders in government and industry in their home countries, but all leave with a deep appreciation of the benefits of personal freedom and democracy. In this respect, international education can only foster greater cultural understanding — the antithesis of terrorism.

My colleagues and I are grateful for your interest in this issue, and we urge you to designate the necessary funds to speed the implementation of the SEVIS program.

Sincerely,

David Ward
President, American Council on Education

On behalf of: