哈佛校长：请加快外国学生和研究员的签证进度

要不然：哈佛校长站队留学生：请加快外国学生和研究员的签证进度！

还有一个月左右许多学校就要开学了，然而在特殊局势和紧收的政策下，到目前为止还有很多同学没有拿到自己的签证，真的是很焦虑！

前段时间，我们听到过很多关于美国签证“六亲不认”的传闻，不论是科研人员、学者、教授或是学生，美国政府对于签证发放的谨慎态度我们可以说有目共睹。因此，针对这些“国籍歧视”，耶鲁大学、斯坦福大学、麻省理工学院等多所美国名校校长纷纷发声，表达对包括中国学生在内的国际生和学者的欢迎，并批评和抵制某些打压措施。

近日，哈佛大学校长 Larry Bacow向美国国务卿 Michael Pompeo、国土安全部秘书 Kevin McAleenan 致函，呼吁他们加快外国学生和研究人员的签证和移民程序。

Larry Bacow 在信里表示，美国政府围绕移民实施的一系列政策让哈佛大学里来自世界各地的教师和学生“焦虑”。获签困难、签证延期等让学者们出勤或参与大学事务变得不确定起来。

学术本应是开放和协作的，虽然我们支持适当的措施来保护知识产权、国防和敏感新兴技术，但是挑剔一个国家和它的公民与高等教育的文化和使命和我们的国家理想是不相容的。

图片源于公众号“留学杂志”

Larry Bacow 还表示，哈佛以及其他大学所做的工作推动了“创新”，这有助于塑造经济，培育新产业，改善美国和全世界的健康和福祉。

呼吁函中文节选

“一直以来，相信国务院和国土安全部和我们一样，都非常关注并支持美国高等教育工作。最近，在关于国际学生和学者的问题上，不确定性和焦虑在不断增长。我希望通过这封信向你们分享我对该问题的深切关注和思考。

美国学术体系（特别是研究型大学的学术体系）的成功，是建立在一个充满活力、自由和开放社区的基础上，这样的社区培养人才和领导者并创造新的知识。正是这些大学的产出，共同推动了创新，这种创新发展了经济，创造了新的产业，并帮助美国和世界各地国家人们改善了健康情况，提升了幸福水平。我承认并支持贵部门的根本作用，即确保来美国的人是带着符合我国法律的目标和真诚的意图来到美国。然而，政府系统在做这方面工作的时候，也同时增加了不确定性。焦虑和恐惧在我们的校园中应运而生，这些不确定性正在破坏我们一些关键性工作带来的影响。”

“与许多顶尖研究型大学一样，哈佛大学吸引了来自全球各地的学生、教师和研究人员。他们不仅仅是大学生活的参与者，也是大学生活的重要组成部分。他们多样化的才能，经验和见解促进了新的发现，也给我们的工作提供了动力。目前，越来越多的签证延迟情况，让国际学者们无法确定他们是否能够按时参与大学活动，他们对此也充满了焦虑和不安。学生们也告诉我们，他们在初次申请签证时遇到了困难 - 延迟和拒签。学者们在办理一些常规的移民程序（包括家人的签证、更新移民身份或获得国际旅行许可等）过程中遇到延期和中断的情况。今年，哈佛大学的毕业生们在申请OPT的过程中也遇到了大量的延误。这给他们毕业后的工作和医生实习带来了极大的阻力。”

“同时，学生和教师们的焦虑也部分源于我们对少数特定国家在科学和安全方面的考虑。我理解有关这些安全问题，我们国家有一个更广泛、优先度更高的边境政策——包括拨款需求、知识产权保护以及机构捐赠支持报告。然而，签证政策要求对来自某些国家的外国学生和学者（有时是已经拥有美国国籍的公民）进行更严格的审查，这大大增加了人们的担忧。学术科学具有开放性和协作性，虽然我们支持采取适当的措施来保护知识产权，国防和敏感的新兴技术，但在签证政策上特别针对某个国家及其公民的做法，与高等教育的文化、使命以及我们国家的理念背道而驰。

也许在当前不确定的环境面前，没有一个群体比怀揣梦想的年轻人更容易受到伤害。这些年轻人深深扎根于我们的邻里、城镇和社区。来到美国不是他们的错误。他们在这里成长，现在也正在努力工作、提供服务并回馈他们社区和他们的家园（美国）。我有机会在哈佛大学见到过许这样的年轻人，他们的决心、才能和追求卓越的精神使我印象深刻。同样，许多有着临时保护身份的人们在融入到我们的社区生活、努力工作并做出有意义的贡献之后，发现自己却处于危险之中。”

“我理解，目前移民政策引发不确定性的责任不仅在于国务院和国土安全部这两个部门。即便如此，签证和移民过程越来越难以预测并充满了不确定性。这个问题所带来的风险不仅涉及到深陷其中的个人，也涉及到整个学术事业。

当你们调查和评估如何以最有效的方法解决我国安全问题时，我希望你们考虑以上这些问题。同时，我也希望你们能继续支持对我们国家学术和经济做出突出贡献的、充满活力的教育机构。如果我或哈佛可以提供帮助，请随时与我们联系。”

从哈佛大学校长这封信中，我们可以看出，为了更好地帮助国际学生及学者在美国学习和生活，哈佛大学以及很多美国顶尖大学都不遗余力地与美国政府进行沟通，并呼吁尽快出台相关的法律法规。所以，申请者和家长们也不必过度担心，只有提早进行各项留学规划，并不断完善学术成绩、申请文书、课外活动等申请必备条件，才有机会进入最理想的大学！

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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