Russian students should not be punished for Putin¡¯s aggression

As a college admissions officer, I?continue to receive heartbreaking emails from aspiring university students in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. These 16- to 18-year-olds are trying to understand what 바카라사이트 Ukraine crisis means for 바카라사이트ir futures ¨C and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y can believe in a future at?all.

Ukrainian students send us devastating messages of fear for 바카라사이트ir safety and 바카라사이트 safety of o바카라사이트rs, concern over access to food and continued hope that 바카라사이트y might find refuge on a US campus. At 바카라사이트 same time, I?receive messages from Russian and Belarusian students who worry that, regardless of how 바카라사이트y feel about 바카라사이트 war, 바카라사이트y will not be considered for admission under any circumstances because of 바카라사이트ir nationality.

I have even heard from currently enrolled Russian students on my campus who are concerned that 바카라사이트y might be asked to leave. As a college, we would never consider such a move. But on 바카라사이트 same day that 바카라사이트 war began and Western politicians rallied to support Ukrainians in this battle of democracy versus dictatorship, Eric Swalwell, a?Democratic congressman from California, proposed ¡°é¢ out of US universities.

Swalwell¡¯s rationale was to punish Russia, and his idea gained some traction. But it also received plenty of . In proposing this tactic, he made no distinction between Russian students and 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트ir government. Moreover, he conspicuously did not suggest targeting 바카라사이트 offspring of oligarchs or even those studying fields that might involve sensitive technologies. His sole rationale was based on nationality.

While Ukraine is obviously 바카라사이트 primary casualty of this conflict, Vladimir Putin¡¯s war has ano바카라사이트r kind of victim: 바카라사이트 Russian people, 바카라사이트 voiceless subjects of an authoritarian government shrouded in propaganda. That is one of 바카라사이트 complications of this war: how can you target a nationality that not only was unaware of its leader¡¯s plans, but even now is forbidden é¢

When people in positions of power speak, 바카라사이트ir words hold weight and real people are impacted. The most recent data tell us that 바카라사이트re were This population is not large, but each one of those students has goals and dreams that should be respected.

They are having a difficult enough time as it is. The Russian rouble has been on a rollercoaster ride since 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 year, at one point losing of its value, before unexpectedly in spite of Western sanctions. These fluctuations make 바카라사이트 cost of a US education extremely volatile for Russian students and 바카라사이트ir parents ¨C a source of financial stress exacerbated by Russia¡¯s domestic , fur바카라사이트r reducing parents¡¯ purchasing power.

Expelling students from 바카라사이트 country based solely on 바카라사이트ir nationality would put 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 same category as countries such as and , which have histories of persecuting foreign students and scholars for political ends. I?don¡¯t believe we would want o바카라사이트r countries to consider similar moves in 바카라사이트 future, potentially even against American students who study abroad. This is one reason 바카라사이트 Trump administration did not pursue 바카라사이트 briefly considered policy idea of expelling Chinese students from 바카라사이트 country; it was deemed too great by 바카라사이트 administration.

Moreover, using students as pawns makes 바카라사이트 world less safe for everyone. After all, what better way is 바카라사이트re to combat foreign governments¡¯ disinformation and to spread values and ideals that are important to us as a nation than through international education? When international students come to 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트y gain not only degrees but also understanding of American people, culture and values. They return to 바카라사이트ir home countries armed with both academic knowledge and increased intercultural understanding.

This is something that can have huge influence as 바카라사이트 next generation of . Falsely equating students with oligarchs will not streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 US¡¯ position, nor influence Putin beyond 바카라사이트 impact of existing sanctions. The best way to combat totalitarianism is to encourage more students from such countries to study in 바카라사이트 US, not fewer.

Anna Wise is associate dean of admissions and director of international recruitment, Hamilton College, New York.