Memorandum

From: John D. Wiley, Chancellor
Peter D. Spear, Provost

Re: New and Continuing Challenges for International Students and Scholars

As you all are aware, our initial efforts to comply with post-September 11 federal security mandates - in particular, the SEVIS program - have provoked significant consternation among students, staff and faculty. Unfortunately, as a major research institution, we are caught in an intense social and political debate that obscures a continuing and fundamental challenge: the need to make certain that international students and scholars, who have made such vital contributions to UW-Madison over the years, continue to find a home here, strengthening our community and our mission.

We want to share with you some of the measures that have been adopted in an effort to meet this challenge, and to forewarn you that, despite our best efforts as a community, we all should expect more difficulties and frustrations to materialize.

In particular, we must caution that the overall impact of these new federal mandates - and revisions or additions to them that are being contemplated - remains impossible to predict. We can expect, however, that there will be entry delays for international students and scholars, and potentially abrupt notices of visa termination with corresponding directives to leave the United States on short notice. Like the proverbial stone dropped into the pond, events like this will have ripple effects that will be felt at local levels throughout the university, including such diverse considerations as housing contracts, class instruction, registration, and allocation of scholarship and program funding. We need to be prepared for the disruptive and emotional consequences that will accompany these effects, and to support staff efforts to mitigate them. But we also must remember the bottom line: We have not authored these mandates, but we are not at liberty to ignore them, either - not if we want to continue to experience the vibrant contributions of international students and scholars to our university community.

SEVIS

The Office of International Student Services (ISS), under the leadership of Judy Brodd, and the Office of International Faculty and Staff Services, under the direction of Deborah Ahlstedt, are working very hard to accomplish the data entry required by the new SEVIS system. This federally mandated system purports to regulate the status of F and J student scholars, and requires the assistance of the university to maintain accurate, up-to-date visa and academic/professional status information. We have geared our efforts toward advising affected students and scholars about how to remain in compliance, because any person failing to do so will likely experience an immediate and potentially immutable visa revocation.

The data entry required is expensive, both in time and material costs. We have constituted a committee of students, faculty and staff to evaluate these costs and recommend how the institution can best handle them on a long-term basis.

Visa Interviews

The U.S. Department of State has amended its process for issuing visas to include a panoply of additional security checks and background clearances. In addition, it appears that all visas will be issued only after personal interviews with U.S. embassy personnel. Given the limited personnel available to fulfill this requirement, and probable need to "evaluate" the content of the interview, we should expect significant new delays in the issuance of visas.

Sensitive Specialties

A Technology Alert List (TAL) system has been instituted to allow for special review of visa applicants who express interest in subject areas considered "sensitive" to national security. All individuals and programs affected by this additional level of scrutiny may experience new disclosures required for approval and delays in visa issuance.

Questions and Efforts to Assist

It is imperative that our faculty and staff understand the importance of supporting visa applications by prospective students and scholars. See below for TAL information, which contains tips for crafting effective support letters, and information from ISS, which outlines information that often can help in assisting students or scholars who are experiencing visa-related difficulties. Contact names and numbers are also listed below.

To help the university community prepare as well as possible for the challenges ahead, Provost Spear has convened a task force, chaired by Associate Vice Chancellor Virginia Sapiro, to develop principles and guidelines for answering the broad variety of questions that are expected to arise. (Such questions include: How long should a department hold a teaching assistant position open for an individual who is temporarily prevented from entering the country? What should departments be communicating now to all international graduate students to whom teaching assistantships or other funded roles have been promised? How do schools, colleges and departments arrange for instructional coverage in situations where the assigned instructor is temporarily unable to enter the country, or, conversely, has been asked to leave the country?) In addition, a Web site will be developed that will contain daily updates on all information relevant to questions of visa status for international students and scholars.

We urge all members of the university community to exercise patience and compassion as we move into what almost certainly will be, at times, a frustrating and emotionally challenging period.

THE TECHNOLOGY ALERT LIST

Students, scholars, department chairs and principal investigators need to be aware of the Technology Alert List. This information is critical for assisting students and scholars who are having difficulty obtaining a visa, or who may be planning overseas travel in the future.

Regulated by the U.S. Department of State, TAL describes which fields are considered to be "sensitive" by the U.S. government and outlines procedures consuls must follow in issuing entry visas to prospective students and scholars whose areas of study or research coincide with fields on the list.

UW-Madison international students and scholars who are studying majors that are included on the "Critical Fields List" (CFL) or who are from countries designated as engaged in "state-sponsored terrorism" could benefit greatly from the assistance provided by their academic departments.

For a complete list of fields and countries, visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/ReciprocityWeb/Technology_Alert_List_Update.htm

Department chairs or principal investigators should write a letter on departmental or UW-Madison letterhead. The letter, directed to "To Whom it May Concern" and signed by the chair or P.I., should include the following information, if known:

• What are the applicant's research or business interests?
• What is his/her current position and where does he/she work?
• What is the address and phone number of the department/research center?
• Who is his/her point of contact?
• What are the specifics of his/her advanced (doctoral, postdoctoral or research scholar) research or studies in the U.S.?
• Who is funding the education and/or travel?
• Will he/she be returning to work in a country that sponsors terrorism?
• How and where does the applicant plan to use the knowledge required?
• Project descriptions, annual reports, etc.

The letter should be mailed to the student or scholar having visa difficulty or personally given to the student or scholar before he or she leaves Madison, so that it may be included as part of the visa application or presented at the port of entry. This information may be extremely valuable in assisting students and scholars to avoid having a "Security Advisory Opinion" (SAO) sent to the Department of State. Such a ruling automatically delays the issuance of a visa.

To help further, a student or scholar should be encouraged to take a complete resume, a complete list of publications, information about dependent(s) (if accompanying the applicant), letters of recommendation or references from a U.S. source, and financial documentation, as well as a passport and SEVIS I-20, I-797 or DS-2019.

INFORMATION REQUIRED TO ASSIST VISA APPLICANTS

International Student Services already anticipates that there may be entry delays for international students and scholars as a result of new visa regulations.

ISS may not be able to speed up the visa application process, but the office will report visa delays to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, so that a national list can be compiled of visa problems and the practices of particular consular posts. To do this, ISS requires the following information from the applicant or his or her department:

• Applicant's name
• Date of visa application
• Visa type (F, J, H, O)
• Place (consulate city and country) of application
• Field of study or research
• Reason for delay or denial, if any, provided by the consular official to the student/scholar
• Designation of the visa application for a new (initial entry) or returning (reentering) student or scholar

WHERE TO GET HELP

In all cases, International Student Services, under the leadership of Judy Brodd, will serve as a clearinghouse for all problems related to the above issues. Although ISS does not have answers to all questions and much of the process is out of UW-Madison's control, ISS can discuss specific cases and offer the best possible advice.

If you learn of a student or scholar who is having any difficulties with TAL or a visa, please immediately contact ISS at (608) 262-2044, intstudents@redgym.wisc.edu. International Faculty and Staff Services, at (608) 265-4000, Ischolars@bascom.wisc.edu, is also available to take questions.