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Foreign Students in US Ask 'Should I Stay or Go?'

International students are asking for direction regarding the upcoming fall semester, in light of many universities' switch to online classes during the coronavirus pandemic.
International students are asking for direction regarding the upcoming fall semester, in light of many universities' switch to online classes during the coronavirus pandemic.

International students in the United States have launched a petition to bring attention to what they are calling a lack of direction from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regarding the upcoming fall semester.

So far, SEVP — a program within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that issues guidelines to international students — has not issued guidance to schools and international students for the fall semester.

Since the coronavirus pandemic caused many universities and colleges to switch to online classes, international students say they worry that they won't be able to return to the United States.

"We understand international students and schools have questions, and SEVP is actively working to issue guidance," ICE stated in a June 4 press release.

When international students on an F-1 visa are not enrolled full time, they are required to take a temporary absence. If this leave of absence is longer than five months, their immigration status is in danger of being jeopardized.

"We understand that this situation is extraordinary, which is why this lack of support for international students is alarming," the petition reads.

Before universities can decide about what action to take to accommodate students on an F-1 visa, they, too, need guidance from SEVP.

"As soon as SEVP finalizes guidance for the fall term, the academic community will be informed and we will update this website," stated the University of Maryland Global Campus website.

When universities transitioned to remote learning, SEVP allowed flexibility for students to continue their courses online. "[Students] can temporarily engage in distance-learning, either from within the U.S. or outside the country, in light of COVID-19," said SEVP in a statement on March 14 to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA).

However, some international students believe they should get the option to take classes remotely, despite universities' plans to reopen in the fall.

"Some international students wish they could be taking the fall semester online and stay with their families back home," the petition reads. "We demand that the option to take the fall semester fully online be also given to international students."

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Analysts say rate of college closures likely to increase 

FILE - The Manor House at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., is seen on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The college's Board of Trustees announced Tuesday, April 9, that the school is closing at the end of the semester after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles.
FILE - The Manor House at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., is seen on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The college's Board of Trustees announced Tuesday, April 9, that the school is closing at the end of the semester after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles.

If current trends continue, the rate of college closures is expected to increase, according to a new study reported in Forbes.

Closures are more likely to affect private institutions, and while the number of closures might seem small on a national level, it could cause serious problems for the smaller and mid-sized communities where those colleges are located. (December 2024)

Judge upholds racial considerations in US Naval Academy admissions 

FILE - U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen participate in a formal parade on the school's campus in 2010. (U.S. Navy photo)
FILE - U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen participate in a formal parade on the school's campus in 2010. (U.S. Navy photo)

Although the U.S. Supreme Court last year decided that civilian colleges and universities could not consider race or ethnicity in admissions, a judge ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy had established a national security interest in a diverse officer corps.

That means the academy – and other military service academies – can continue to consider race. A similar policy at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has also been challenged, but that case has not yet gone to trial, according to a report in Navy Times. (December 2024)

Harvard recommends gap year as a strategic move 

FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo people walk past an entrance to Widener Library, behind, on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.
FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo people walk past an entrance to Widener Library, behind, on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.

While some students and parents see the gap year as a waste of time, others see the break in academic studies as valuable for developing maturity, earning money or focusing goals.

MSN.com explains some of the reasons why Harvard – and other prestigious schools in the United States – are recommending that students take a gap year. (December 2024)

Student dilemma: Financial aid applications can expose undocumented parents

FILE - New graduates line up before the start of the Bergen Community College commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018.
FILE - New graduates line up before the start of the Bergen Community College commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018.

Many students in the U.S. rely on financial aid to attend colleges and universities, but as Julia Barajas reports in LAist.com, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could cause a dilemma for students with an undocumented parent.

If students fill out the application, they will share their parents’ financial information – and potentially raise questions about their immigration status -- with the federal government. If they don’t fill out the application, they won’t get federal financial aid. (December 2024)

FDA: College students using ‘honey packets’ to enhance sex put themselves at risk 

FILE - Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, August 29, 2020.
FILE - Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, August 29, 2020.

With TikTok videos promoting “honey packets,” the supplements marketed as sexual enhancements have become popular on college campuses.

But as Charles Trepany reports in USA Today, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that ingredients in the supplements could be potentially dangerous. (November 2024)

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