INS regulations affect students

There are over 900 international students that attend SCSU every year. This year, many of these international students may be facing some changes.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) proposed new immigration regulations. These regulations call for a computer based reporting system for all international students. Although the regulations have not been officially enacted, the INS is proceeding with the implementation. The deadline for all of higher education to comply with the web-based reporting system is Jan. 30, 2003.

MnSCU will be required to report electronically to the INS:

• Any student who entered the U.S. on SCSU’s I-20 (which states that a student is full-time) but did not attend SCSU.
• Any students who have failed to maintain legal status.
• A change in student’s legal name.
• A change in a dependent’s legal name.
• A change in the student’s and/or dependent’s U.S. address (students must report this to the Center for International Studies within 10 days).
• Any disciplinary action taken by the school against the student as a result of the student being convicted of a crime.
• Concurrent enrollment.
• Any other notification request made by INS to the university with regard to the current status of the student.

Every term, no later than 30 days after the deadline for registering for classes, MnSCU must report the following registration information electronically to INS:

• If the student has enrolled in classes.
• If the student has failed to enroll and why.
• If the student has dropped below a full class load (12 hours undergraduate, eight graduate).
• Current address.
• Start date of the student’s next term.

An F-1 student, or full-time academic student can also work on campus part-time during the school year and full-time when there are vacations and breaks. They may also take a majority of classes at SCSU, but unlike American residents, need special permission to take classes at another college.

For international students, this change is a positive one. Students get the chance at practical training as an undergraduate

“It’s beneficial because it will do several things and attract people,” said Jerry Pasela, assistant director for the Center for International Studies. “This process will speed up benefits and it is going to be electronic. This makes the optional training process faster and easier. It eliminates paperwork that gets lost or doesn’t get done within the government.”

Some students, however, aren’t so fond of the new procedures. An I-94 form is given by the INS to an international student once they enter the U.S. It says how long the student is authorized to stay in the U.S. If a student loses this form, he or she can get sent back to his or her country.

“The regulations give me more restrictions because the visa situation is becoming more severe for people in Asia,” said Mei Zhang, graduate student. “Some people come back to their country because they can’t ever get a visa again.”

As far as benefits, many international students get the opportunity to try work experience within their chosen field through Optional Practical Training. In this scenario, after students finish their degrees, they have the opportunity to work in a specified field for 12 months and later work their way into a career. Students can get paid for this work, but the training must be a class credit.

“This is a positive thing (Optional Practical Training) because students get one chance at practical training,” Pasela said. “The student can then go on to a Master’s level degree and get a second year of Practical Training.”