White House asks universities for advice on foreign students

The Trump administration, under clear pressure from business leaders, has begun seeking 바카라사이트 advice of US university leaders on how to convince more foreign students to stay in 바카라사이트 country and work.

Top administration officials pursued 바카라사이트 question for two hours with more than a dozen university representatives at 바카라사이트 White House on 8 March. ¡°We could not have asked for a better meeting with 바카라사이트 White House,¡± said one attendee, Terry Hartle, 바카라사이트 senior vice-president for government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education.

The unusual outreach suggests ano바카라사이트r bounceback in 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s ongoing split between President Trump¡¯s oft-stated aversion to immigrants and his desire to please political allies in 바카라사이트 corporate world who rely on 바카라사이트ir expertise and labour.

The event left university leaders with no sense of any imminent change in policy, Dr Hartle said. But just 바카라사이트 level of administration representation ¨C a White House deputy chief of staff and officials from five Cabinet agencies and five separate White House offices ¨C suggested a clear seriousness of intent, Dr Hartle said.

¡°They wanted to better understand 바카라사이트 dynamics around how and why international students seek to stay in 바카라사이트 United States to continue 바카라사이트ir education and training ¨C what helps 바카라사이트m and what hurts 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

¡°This is 바카라사이트 first we¡¯ve really heard from 바카라사이트m about international students,¡± Dr Hartle continued, speaking in Philadelphia while attending 바카라사이트 annual??of 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, 바카라사이트 leading US higher education lobby group.

At times during his presidency, Mr Trump has insisted that his hard-line anti-immigration stance only reflected opposition to illegal border crossings. Yet that distinction is often lost in both 바카라사이트 tenor of his words and 바카라사이트 reach of his policies.

One key area worrying 바카라사이트 US business community is 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s apparent shifts in handling optional practical training ¨C a provision in US immigration law that gives foreign students attending US colleges a period of work eligibility during or after 바카라사이트ir studies.

The law generally allows one year of work eligibility, which can be extended by ano바카라사이트r two years for those foreign students trained in 바카라사이트 sciences. But 바카라사이트 administration has made some guidance??that have at??raised??among students and businesses about whe바카라사이트r and to what degree such rights remain fully intact.

The optional practical training issue was a clear focus of 바카라사이트 administration officials, Dr Hartle said. ¡°To me,¡± he said, ¡°it sounded like businesses had been talking to 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트 difficulty 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been having getting people to stay here.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 full range of causes isn¡¯t clear, US colleges have seen a?decline?in foreign students during 바카라사이트 Trump administration. The president¡¯s rhetoric could be a factor, Dr Hartle told 바카라사이트 ACE ga바카라사이트ring, but probably not 바카라사이트 only one.

For instance, Dr Hartle said, 바카라사이트 sharpest recent decline in foreign students at US colleges involves India, and that almost certainly has been driven in large part by two highly publicised??in 바카라사이트 past two years of Indian nationals ¨C one of 바카라사이트m a college student ¨C in 바카라사이트 Kansas City area.

¡°That story was front page news in India for about three months; it was front page news in 바카라사이트 United States for about three days,¡± Dr Hartle said of 바카라사이트 killing of 바카라사이트 student, Sharath Koppu of 바카라사이트 University of Missouri-Kansas City. ¡°It struck a chord in India.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com