Unjust Rule Changes and The Potential Adverse Implications

When given the acronym SEVP, I believe it can be reasonably assumed that most individuals have no clue what it stands for. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulates what the same suggests, schooling for nonimmigrant students. As a student attending a diverse university, I was surprised to not have known about this program, nor to have known the rules in which they have in place. I came to find out that they are rather demanding in regards to how many online classes visiting students are permitted to take, and they recently updated the demand as a response to the many online classes due to COVID-19. A couple changes being that at a fully online school, they may not take a full online course load and stay in the United States, at schools that are fully in person students are not allowed more than 3 credit hours online, and for hybrid schools students can take the “minimum number of online classes required to make normal progressions…”. I, as well as any student, understand that online classes are sometimes unavoidable, as some degree requirements are only offered online, or to stay on pace and avoid schedule conflicts some classes must be taken online. In other words, these rules are unjust now and still were before. The rules will steer students off track and force schooling to take longer, prolonging their wait before making any type of real money, or forcing them to attend at a different country. It is an opportunity for serious disadvantage, and I believe this group knew exactly what they were doing when it occurred.

These biased rules could have unexpected negative implications on the US, as we could lose many brilliant student minds due to forcing individuals out for a year at a minimum. Not only do these students account for a lot of money (~$41 billion per year), but their potential to benefit the US could be lost in the process. Forcing them out may lead them to never return, and who knows what these students could have provided for the country in terms of science and economics. This instance reminds me of how many scientists fled Germany as a result of the concentration camps and war. The countries in which they arrived in, such as the US, benefitted greatly by their minds, and some of which ultimately helped to defeat Germany in the war. The result was unexpected, and the scientists were almost forced out due to unjust change occuring in the country. Now, I’m not suggesting that these modern changes will have such an effect (though they could), but just that there are parallels and the US could indirectly suffer due to their own unfair rules.