Trachtenberg says restrictions hurt foreign students

University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg said a “suspicion of foreigners” after the September 11 terrorist attacks has hurt international students in America at a Washington International Trade Organization discussion last week.

Trachtenberg was the first speaker at “Accessibility vs. Security: Are We Shutting the Doors on Tomorrow’s Leaders?” He said a 28 percent decline in graduate student applications from overseas college-seekers two years ago is part of a downward spiral that resulted in another 5 percent decrease last year.

“(It’s) doing damage to higher education,” Trachtenberg said.

Due to visa restrictions and security measures, international students miss class because they are stuck at airports and are often not granted necessary security clearance to enter the United States, he said. Trachtenberg called on Congress to lessen regulations on students entering the country to go to school and pointed to his own initiatives to court students from countries in the Middle East and Asia.

“We want international students to feel that they are welcome, rather than feeling that they are being tolerated,” said Trachtenberg, who often meets with government officials and university leaders in other nations.

More than 570,000 foreigners attend American colleges, according to Reuters, and they earn the economy an estimated $13 billion.

Speaking specifically to his experience managing GW, Trachtenberg said it is in America’s interest to attract foreign students since they contribute to diversity and broaden the global understanding of life in the United States.

He said, “I don’t want to lose any of them, even if I could afford to.”

-Cherelle Kantey

New York Times reporter to give job tops

A New York Times investigative reporter will be on campus Wednesday night to give students pointers on how to land her job.

Alumnae Diana Henriques will speak at the event, “How Do I Become a New York Times Investigative Reporter?”

Henriques, who graduated in 1969, has been with The Times for nearly 26 years. Previously, she was a financial reporter for Barron’s National Business and Financial Weekly. She has reported extensively on white-collar crime and fraud, winning three awards for her investigative reporting.

This event is the second in the “How Do I Become A…” series, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Programs and Class Council. The first event in the series, “How Do I Become a Secret Agent?” drew more than 100 students to the Alumni House.

“How Do I Become a New York Times Investigative Reporter?” will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Elliott School of International Affairs building Room B-17. It is free and open to the public.

-Caitlin Carroll