哈佛校長：請加快外國學(xué)生和研究員的簽證進(jìn)度

要不然：哈佛校長站隊(duì)留學(xué)生：請加快外國學(xué)生和研究員的簽證進(jìn)度！

還有一個(gè)月左右許多學(xué)校就要開學(xué)了，然而在特殊局勢和緊收的政策下，到目前為止還有很多同學(xué)沒有拿到自己的簽證，真的是很焦慮！

前段時(shí)間，我們聽到過很多關(guān)于美國簽證“六親不認(rèn)”的傳聞，不論是科研人員、學(xué)者、教授或是學(xué)生，美國政府對于簽證發(fā)放的謹(jǐn)慎態(tài)度我們可以說有目共睹。因此，針對這些“國籍歧視”，耶魯大學(xué)、斯坦福大學(xué)、麻省理工學(xué)院等多所美國名校校長紛紛發(fā)聲，表達(dá)對包括中國學(xué)生在內(nèi)的國際生和學(xué)者的歡迎，并批評和抵制某些打壓措施。

近日，哈佛大學(xué)校長 Larry Bacow向美國國務(wù)卿 Michael Pompeo、國土安全部秘書 Kevin McAleenan 致函，呼吁他們加快外國學(xué)生和研究人員的簽證和移民程序。

Larry Bacow 在信里表示，美國政府圍繞移民實(shí)施的一系列政策讓哈佛大學(xué)里來自世界各地的教師和學(xué)生“焦慮”。獲簽困難、簽證延期等讓學(xué)者們出勤或參與大學(xué)事務(wù)變得不確定起來。

學(xué)術(shù)本應(yīng)是開放和協(xié)作的，雖然我們支持適當(dāng)?shù)拇胧﹣肀Ｗo(hù)知識產(chǎn)權(quán)、國防和敏感新興技術(shù)，但是挑剔一個(gè)國家和它的公民與高等教育的文化和使命和我們的國家理想是不相容的。

圖片源于公眾號“留學(xué)雜志”

Larry Bacow 還表示，哈佛以及其他大學(xué)所做的工作推動了“創(chuàng)新”，這有助于塑造經(jīng)濟(jì)，培育新產(chǎn)業(yè)，改善美國和全世界的健康和福祉。

呼吁函中文節(jié)選

“一直以來，相信國務(wù)院和國土安全部和我們一樣，都非常關(guān)注并支持美國高等教育工作。最近，在關(guān)于國際學(xué)生和學(xué)者的問題上，不確定性和焦慮在不斷增長。我希望通過這封信向你們分享我對該問題的深切關(guān)注和思考。

美國學(xué)術(shù)體系（特別是研究型大學(xué)的學(xué)術(shù)體系）的成功，是建立在一個(gè)充滿活力、自由和開放社區(qū)的基礎(chǔ)上，這樣的社區(qū)培養(yǎng)人才和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者并創(chuàng)造新的知識。正是這些大學(xué)的產(chǎn)出，共同推動了創(chuàng)新，這種創(chuàng)新發(fā)展了經(jīng)濟(jì)，創(chuàng)造了新的產(chǎn)業(yè)，并幫助美國和世界各地國家人們改善了健康情況，提升了幸福水平。我承認(rèn)并支持貴部門的根本作用，即確保來美國的人是帶著符合我國法律的目標(biāo)和真誠的意圖來到美國。然而，政府系統(tǒng)在做這方面工作的時(shí)候，也同時(shí)增加了不確定性。焦慮和恐懼在我們的校園中應(yīng)運(yùn)而生，這些不確定性正在破壞我們一些關(guān)鍵性工作帶來的影響。”

“與許多頂尖研究型大學(xué)一樣，哈佛大學(xué)吸引了來自全球各地的學(xué)生、教師和研究人員。他們不僅僅是大學(xué)生活的參與者，也是大學(xué)生活的重要組成部分。他們多樣化的才能，經(jīng)驗(yàn)和見解促進(jìn)了新的發(fā)現(xiàn)，也給我們的工作提供了動力。目前，越來越多的簽證延遲情況，讓國際學(xué)者們無法確定他們是否能夠按時(shí)參與大學(xué)活動，他們對此也充滿了焦慮和不安。學(xué)生們也告訴我們，他們在初次申請簽證時(shí)遇到了困難 - 延遲和拒簽。學(xué)者們在辦理一些常規(guī)的移民程序（包括家人的簽證、更新移民身份或獲得國際旅行許可等）過程中遇到延期和中斷的情況。今年，哈佛大學(xué)的畢業(yè)生們在申請OPT的過程中也遇到了大量的延誤。這給他們畢業(yè)后的工作和醫(yī)生實(shí)習(xí)帶來了極大的阻力。”

“同時(shí)，學(xué)生和教師們的焦慮也部分源于我們對少數(shù)特定國家在科學(xué)和安全方面的考慮。我理解有關(guān)這些安全問題，我們國家有一個(gè)更廣泛、優(yōu)先度更高的邊境政策——包括撥款需求、知識產(chǎn)權(quán)保護(hù)以及機(jī)構(gòu)捐贈支持報(bào)告。然而，簽證政策要求對來自某些國家的外國學(xué)生和學(xué)者（有時(shí)是已經(jīng)擁有美國國籍的公民）進(jìn)行更嚴(yán)格的審查，這大大增加了人們的擔(dān)憂。學(xué)術(shù)科學(xué)具有開放性和協(xié)作性，雖然我們支持采取適當(dāng)?shù)拇胧﹣肀Ｗo(hù)知識產(chǎn)權(quán)，國防和敏感的新興技術(shù)，但在簽證政策上特別針對某個(gè)國家及其公民的做法，與高等教育的文化、使命以及我們國家的理念背道而馳。

也許在當(dāng)前不確定的環(huán)境面前，沒有一個(gè)群體比懷揣夢想的年輕人更容易受到傷害。這些年輕人深深扎根于我們的鄰里、城鎮(zhèn)和社區(qū)。來到美國不是他們的錯(cuò)誤。他們在這里成長，現(xiàn)在也正在努力工作、提供服務(wù)并回饋他們社區(qū)和他們的家園（美國）。我有機(jī)會在哈佛大學(xué)見到過許這樣的年輕人，他們的決心、才能和追求卓越的精神使我印象深刻。同樣，許多有著臨時(shí)保護(hù)身份的人們在融入到我們的社區(qū)生活、努力工作并做出有意義的貢獻(xiàn)之后，發(fā)現(xiàn)自己卻處于危險(xiǎn)之中。”

“我理解，目前移民政策引發(fā)不確定性的責(zé)任不僅在于國務(wù)院和國土安全部這兩個(gè)部門。即便如此，簽證和移民過程越來越難以預(yù)測并充滿了不確定性。這個(gè)問題所帶來的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)不僅涉及到深陷其中的個(gè)人，也涉及到整個(gè)學(xué)術(shù)事業(yè)。

當(dāng)你們調(diào)查和評估如何以最有效的方法解決我國安全問題時(shí)，我希望你們考慮以上這些問題。同時(shí)，我也希望你們能繼續(xù)支持對我們國家學(xué)術(shù)和經(jīng)濟(jì)做出突出貢獻(xiàn)的、充滿活力的教育機(jī)構(gòu)。如果我或哈佛可以提供幫助，請隨時(shí)與我們聯(lián)系。”

從哈佛大學(xué)校長這封信中，我們可以看出，為了更好地幫助國際學(xué)生及學(xué)者在美國學(xué)習(xí)和生活，哈佛大學(xué)以及很多美國頂尖大學(xué)都不遺余力地與美國政府進(jìn)行溝通，并呼吁盡快出臺相關(guān)的法律法規(guī)。所以，申請者和家長們也不必過度擔(dān)心，只有提早進(jìn)行各項(xiàng)留學(xué)規(guī)劃，并不斷完善學(xué)術(shù)成績、申請文書、課外活動等申請必備條件，才有機(jī)會進(jìn)入最理想的大學(xué)！

呼吁函英文全文

Dear Secretary Pompeo and Acting Secretary McAleenan:

With our mutual interest in sustaining America’s premier higher education sector in mind, I write to share my deep concern over growing uncertainty and anxiety around issues involving international students and scholars.

The success of the American academic system, particularly at research universities, is based on a vibrant, free, and open community that develops talent, produces leaders, and creates new knowledge. Together these university outputs drive innovation that has shaped the economy, fostered new industries, and improved health and well-being both in the United States and around the world.

I recognize and support the fundamental role of your agencies in ensuring that those who come to the United States do so with appropriate and honest intentions that meet the goals and requirements of our laws. However, the increasing uncertainty around the systems in place to accomplish this task are driving anxiety and fear on our campuses and undermining the impact of our critical work.

Harvard, like many leading research universities, attracts students, faculty, and researchers from across the globe. They are not just participants in the life of the university; they are essential to it. Their diverse talents, experiences, and insights drive discovery and fuel our work. Increasingly, visa delays are making these scholars’ attendance and engagement in the university unpredictable and anxiety-ridden. Students report difficulties getting initial visas—from delays to denials.

Scholars have experienced postponements and disruptions for what have previously been routine immigra­tion processes such as family visas, renewals of status, or clearance for international travel. This year graduates across Harvard have seen significant delays in receiving Optional Practical Training approvals. This has hindered or endangered their post-graduate work and, in some cases, their medical residencies.

Science and security concerns that focus on a few specific countries also contribute to student and faculty anxieties. I appreciate that there is a broader policy priority with regard to these security concerns—one that includes grant requirements, protection of intellectual property, and reporting on institutional gifts and support. However, visa policies mandating increased scrutiny of foreign students and scholars (and sometimes naturalized US citizens) from certain countries contribute substantially to mounting concern.

Academic science is open and collaborative. While we support appropriate measures to safeguard valuable intellectual property, national defense, and sensitive, emerging technologies, singling out one country and its citizens is incompatible with the culture and mission of higher education and our national ideals.

Perhaps no group is more vulnerable and exposed to the current environment of uncertainty than Dreamers. These young people have deep roots in our neighborhoods, towns, and communities. After being brought here through no fault of their own, they have grown and thrived, and now are looking for a path to work, serve, and contribute back to their communities and the nation they have known as home. I have had the opportunity to meet many of Harvard’s Dreamers, and I have been deeply impressed by them and by their determination, talent, and commitment to excel. Similarly, many of those with Temporary Protected Status find themselves at risk after having built their lives in our communities, working hard and making meaningful contributions.

I understand that the responsibility for the uncertainties in today’s immigration policy rest more broadly than just with your two agencies. That said, the visa and immigration process is in­creasingly unpredictable and uncertain. This poses risks not just to the individuals caught up in it, but also to the entirety of our academic enterprise.

I hope you will consider these issues as your agencies examine and assess the most effective ways to address our nation’s security concerns, while also continuing to foster the vibrant educa­tional community and institutions that have contributed to our nation’s academic and economic excellence. Please feel free to reach out if I or Harvard can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Lawrence S. Bacow

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