INS extends deadline to implement SEVIS
Many colleges naa amicuities
with the Web-based system
tracking international students
Jennifer Bear
Campus/Federal Politics Reporter
The federal government’s Web
based system that monitors interna
tional students is still not fully imple
mented, even though many schools,
such as the University, have been us
ing the system for months.
American universities were sup
posed to start using the Student
and Exchange Visitor Information
System by Jan. 30. But many col
leges had access problems, which
prompted the Immigration and
Naturalization Service to extend
the deadline.
Ginny Stark, director of Interna
tional Student and Scholar Ser
vices, said the University was cer
tified to use SEVIS last fall, but
several factors have slowed the
transition from paper records to
Web-based records. Stark said the
main problem with using SEVIS is
that universities all over the coun
try have been scrambling to input
records into the system, and the
overload of users can create diffi
culties. She added that the Office
of International Programs has had
to schedule their workload in the
afternoons when the volume of ac
tivity on SEVIS is lower.
Ed Sale, spokesman for the Port
land District Office of INS, said SE
VIS is going to greatly streamline
the process of monitoring interna
tional students and scholars. He
argued the Web-based system will
dramatically reduce fraud, cut
down on the amount of university
paperwork and increase security
in the United States.
SEVIS was originally created so
that universities could share infor
mation about international students
and scholars with INS and the State
Department. Universities have been
charged with sharing personal, aca
demic and employment-related
data on international students so
that INS can better track their
whereabouts and activities.
Besides implementing SEVIS,
INS has taken several other steps
to increase nation security, includ
ing a stricter, swifter enforcement
of even the smallest rule viola
tions. One example is the regula
tion requiring international stu
dents to notify INS when they
change addresses. The regulation
has been in effect for many years
but was never strictly enforced.
But now if students fail to comply
with this regulation, they could ei
ther be arrested, fined 8200, jailed
for 30 days or deported. In addition,
before they can reduce their course
load below full-time status or with
draw from the University, interna
tional students must first receive
OIP approval and the academic
change must be entered into SEVIS.
Stark said as far as she knows, no
University international students
have violated any INS regulations,
but there could be problems occur
ring at other universities in Oregon.
Sale said it is difficult to deter
mine how many international stu
dents are facing consequences for
violating INS regulations. He said
INS officers examine problems on a
case-by-case basis and don’t keep
track of student violation figures. He
did say, however, that the majority
of people removed from the country
by INS are criminal aliens.
International students from cer
tain countries are also being required
to register with INS as a part of the
National Security Entry-Exit Regis
tration System. NSEERS is part of a
mandate contained in the USA PA
TRIOT Act, and requires males from
certain countries who are 16 or older
to be photographed, fingerprinted
and interviewed under oath with INS.
The latest round of special registra
tion is directed at nonimmigrants
from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Egypt,
Jordan and Kuwait.
Hope Marston, coordinator for
the Lane County Bill of Rights De
fense Committee, said she is skepti
cal of the USA PATRIOT Act and
other federal government security
measures. She argued they amount
to racial profiling and overlook the
fact that people with white skin
could also be involved with terror
ism. Marston said she is worried
that the government is creating an
oppressive society and hostile rela
tions with other countries.
“My concern is that we treat all
students equally — not based on
color, where in the world they
come from or what their religion
is,” she said.
Contact the senior news reporter
at jenniferbear@dailyemerald.com.
RFC
continued from page 1
four groups, and subsequently
passed new budgets for the groups.
All four dealt exclusively with
budget issues regarding minimum
wage increases.
Shull said recalling groups was
appropriate PFG business, and
added that she did not think recalls
required a two-thirds vote. Earlier
in the day, ASUO accounting coor
dinator Jennifer Creighton-Neiwert
said PFG had the right to do any
number of things during a normal
meeting, including recall budgets.
PFG members emphasized they
were simply interested in complet
ing the budget process as accurate
ly as possible.
“We just want to make sure we
get numbers right,” PFG seat No. 2
Alex Dietrich explained earlier in
the day.
The committee voted 4-2-1 to re
call the Emerald’s budget. PFG at
large member James Tilford joined
Dietrich in casting the two dissent
ing votes. Tilford said he was wor
ried about recalling the student
newspaper before new contract ne*
gotiations took place.
Contract negotiations could be a
central issue in determining a new
Emerald budget. At the Emerald’s
original PFC meeting, the ASUO Ex
ecutive, which usually purchases
10,000 newspapers as a student sub
scription each year, recommended
that the committee fund the Emer
ald’s 169 issues at 10 cents an issue,
and reduce the daily number of pa
pers purchased to 6,500. After more
than 90 minutes of discussion and
several failed attempts to pass re
vised budgets, the Emerald’s budget
passed with a 2.81 percent increase
from the previous year, and the sub
scription stayed at 10,000 papers, al
though ASUO officials said they
planned to reduce the amount dur
ing contract negotiations.
PFG programs appointee Joy
Nair said she was just interested in
seeing how the Emerald and Til
ford, the newspaper’s PFG tag,
came up with their original budget
request of #132,811.
“I just really want to see PFG
have to go through the same stuff
... James did,” Nair said. “If we
could just get a cool subscription or
that rate figured out this year, well,
that’s a really big deal for next
year’s PFC.”
Despite possible subscription
rate adjustments, PFC members
were careful to avoid saying
whether they planned to raise or
cut the Emerald’s budget. During
the past six weeks of budget nego
tiations, the committee has boost
ed student group funding from
#4,294,948 in 2002-03 to
#4,827,013, an increase of 12.39
percent.
The ASUO planned a bench
mark, or allowable increase, of up
to 16.15 percent, which allows
them to add up to #161,587 to
2003-04’s budget if they desire.
However, PFG members added
they were glad they are consider
ably under benchmark.
The Career Center’s budget will
also be discussed Monday night.
PFC senator seat No. 3 Mike Sher
man said he’d been approached by
several student senators who want
ed to hear more discussion on the
career center.
Shull said she planned to contact
both groups Friday, and added that
notice of the recalls would be pub
licly posted outside the ASUO con
troller’s office.
Contact the news editor
atbrookreinhard@dailyemerald.com.
8TH ANNUAL WOMEN OP <OLOR CONFERENCE
s e l f\ - c a t e and emnowezment
r.i
hi i*
015837
Note: A Women’s Center conference information table will be located in
the EMU lobby on the main floor near the Greatful Bread. Programs
available in the ASUO Women’s Center, Suite 3, EMU. 346-4095
C h i I d ca re: Free childcare is provided. Check in at the information table
in the Main Lobby. 19 workshops to choose from! The following provide a
sample of the offerings.
Traditional Healing Methods:
Throughout the years, our healing is in the hands of others. This workshop
will bring each person to recognize their own healing power in self-care and
how these respected and traditional practices connect to the ancient truth of
health and empowerment. Led by Dona Irene Sotelo Alvarez with translation
by Anita Rojas. 10am, Fir Rm. Saturday
Parenting and Activism:
Discuss and learn parenting as activism. We want to support children and
adults in community development. How activist communities can and may
support raising activists as parents. Presented by Pele Smith, mother of
Diallo and Selah, full time student and parent. 4pm, Coquille River Rm.
Friday
Inter-Racial Relationships
This workshop is an exchange of thoughts, questions and values regarding
inter-racial relationships. Whether you are a child of an inter-racial
marriage, in a love relationship or have questions regarding people in your
family, this session aims to build awareness. 2pm, Alsea River Rm.
Saturday
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14TH THROUGH
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 16TH
free a n 9 open to the public
Birth and Midwifery: The Ancient Art of Midwifery
How are women birthing in the year 2003? What choices are being made, and
why. Led by Dona Irene Sotelo Alvarez with translation by Anita Rojas. 2pm,
Metolius River Rm. Saturday
Remedies Caseros (Home Remedy)
Ella nos dice que la buena salud empieza en nuestra casa. Dona Irene Sotelo
Alvarez explica como podemos cuidara: Fortalezer su systema imunologico.
Venga a disfrutar una charla con Dona Irene, medico tradicional. 12pm, Alsea
River Rm. Sunday
Sexuality in the Community of Color
Led by Chicora Martin and Kimi Mojica from the Office of Student Life.
1:30pm, Alsea River Rm. Sunday
Mexican Massage
Release with focused maneuvering of the muscles, relieve stress, alleviate
insomnia, aid conception, align and ease uterine and bladder prolapse, arthritis,
sciatica, support total body function. Led by Dona Irene Sotelo Alvarez with
translation by Anita Rojas. 1:30pm Walnut Rm, Sunday
Sunday Keynote Presentations 5PM Ballroom
Join together in a light complimentary dinner and closing keynote
presentations. Dona Irene Sotelo Alvarez: Oaxaca, Mexicana medicine woman.
Susan Masten: Ms. Masten is the former National Congress of
Native Americans President and currently the Yurko Tribal Chairwoman.