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About CIEE
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AdvocacyInternational Education Week Click below to learn how CIEE is celebrating International Education Week. CIEE Celebrates International Education Week 2004 Support of International Education and Exchange Dear Friend of International Education, Since 1947, CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange has fulfilled its mission "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world" though the conduct of study, work, volunteer, teach, exchange, and travel programs. These exchanges allow students from the United States to go abroad and overseas visitors to come to the United States. We help almost 50,000 students annually gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop global skills. In the post 9/11 environment, there has been a good deal of discussion and concern particularly about students coming to the United States. Much was made of the fact that a number of the hijackers on 9/11 were here on student visas. CIEE is as concerned about the safety and security of the United States as all sensible people. We have actively supported the many changes to the immigration management system that have taken place in order to close gaps in the system. We applaud the many hard working people at the Department of Homeland Security who have labored with great dedication to meet nearly impossible mandates for performance. And we thank those at the U.S. Department of State who have assisted in this complex transition to new systems, procedures, and regulations. However, we also must recognize that there is a need for balance. There are about one million student visitors to the United States annually, and most of them are young adults, just like our children, who deserve courteous and fair treatment in the adjudication of their visas and inspection upon arrival in the United States. We need to ask whether we've gone overboard in some cases forcing people to travel long distances to secure a U.S. visa via an interview when in fact they could come as a tourist without such intervention. And we need to ask whether charging them for visas that are denied is a reasonable and fair practice. Further, we need to remember that U.S. students also want to travel and learn abroad, and that the policies and procedures we impose upon others will ultimately be imposed upon us. Therefore, the relationship between security and exchange needs to be carefully balanced. As a result, we undertook a campaign encouraging visitors to our website to send e-mails to their Congressperson in support of the balance described above. All the visitor had to do was click either: Send a Message to Capitol Hill to Support International Educational and Cultural Exchanges or U.S. Employers: Send a Message to Your Elected Officials to Support the Summer Work and Travel Program and the system would guide them the rest of the way. In addition, CIEE undertook an extensive ad campaign geared towards readers of local newspapers in areas where international exchange students abound. We advertised in over 15 papers from Sandusky, OH to Myrtle Beach, SC to Cape Cod, MA. The ads grabbed the reader’s attention with a big headline, addressed the issue of international exchange and how not supporting it would “be a big mistake,” and directed supporters to send an e-mail to their elected representatives. We thank you for your support on this important part of our national agenda. Cordially, Dr. Stevan Trooboff 300 Fore Street
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