UW-Madison works to comply with SEVIS regulations

A campus-wide planning team has been working to bring the university into compliance with a new federal visa monitoring system for international students and visiting international faculty.

Under SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) U.S. institutions who admit students on F, J or M visas will be required to report changes in student and visiting faculty (known as scholars) status electronically to the INS. Previously managed by paper, the new system will be based on the Internet. The changes affect UW–Madison’s roughly 5,000 international students and scholars.

Congress and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) created SEVIS in the wake of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Congress provided the funding to support the program. Proposed regulations published in May 2002 indicate a mandatory compliance date of January 30, 2003.

In the interim, the Department of State has implemented a temporary system called the Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System (ISEAS). UW–Madison has taken immediate steps to comply with ISEAS, as well.

An international student and scholar visa system has been in place since 1952, when the federal government first required universities and colleges enrolling international students and hosting international visitors, to provide “visa eligibility certificates” — documents used by these visitors to enter and reside in the United States.

While some parts of the reporting system will remain unchanged from the current rules, there are new requirements. For example, the regulations require that visa extensions, grace periods in order to complete a degree, and address changes will have to be reported as they occur. The promptness of reporting changes will be much more carefully monitored.

UW–Madison will not only comply with the regulations, but also allow for timely advising of students and scholars, says Judy Brodd, interim director of the office of International Student Services (ISS), which has taken the lead in SEVIS implementation.

To bring current systems into compliance, seven campus offices have been meeting for the past year to purchase new software that will link each office and coordinate immigration document preparation, she says.

Because the SEVIS situation is developing quickly, Brodd asks students and scholars to rely on advice only from International Student Services (ISS) or International Faculty and Staff Services office (IFSS), not friends, faculty or academic staff members. As a result of the changes, others who may be experienced in working with the “old” immigration rules may unintentionally give incorrect information, she says.

Additionally, international students or scholars planning travel abroad in the next six months should contact one of the above offices.

“We want to reaffirm our commitment and dedication to welcoming international students and scholars here,” says Brodd. “We value their presence and appreciate the diversity they bring to our campus. It is important to us that we work together on meeting these new requirements with as much preparation and efficiency as possible.”

“Although there may be bumps in the road as we move into this new system,” she adds, “It is important to remember to students and scholars to ask for assistance if they need to discuss any visa or status issue.”

ISS and IFSS, along with undergraduate and graduate admissions, will conduct a series of campus-wide programs and workshops on SEVIS this fall and spring. The sessions will be open to international students and scholars as well as faculty and staff. More information will be announced as the sessions are scheduled.

Resources for international students and scholars:

For Students:
International Student Services
217 Red Gym
Hours: 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
262-2044
instudents@redgym.wisc.edu

For Scholars:
International Faculty Staff Services
174 Bascom Hall
Hours: 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
265-5114
ischolars@bascom.wisc.edu