Modifications to the international student and scholar entry process into the United States has caused a mix of concern and relief among universities. According to David Elwell, the director of international students and scholars at Brandeis,adapting to new regulations has been a difficult challenge . After discovering that two of the hijackers involved in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were on vocational-student visas, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) took measures to increase security by more closely monitoring international students and scholars.

Since Sept. 11, 2001 rapidly changing regulations have caused controversy over the benefits of a new system.

One major change is that the INS no longer exists.

As of March 1, its functions were absorbed into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Now, the U.S. Department of State is independent of DHS, overseeing all of the functions of U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.

"The State Department also oversees the ... Exchange Visitor Visa Program,though DHS oversees immigration regulations; confusing still to everyone involved," Elwell said.

On Jan. 30, DHS activated an online Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to track each international student and scholar in the United States.

Via SEVIS, every college, school and university sends the federal government the names, addresses, and departmental majors of international students, as well as any information on any disciplinary action against them.

The DHS and other government agencies say that better reviewing applications before issuing visas will prevent further potential terrorist attacks.

With three trained workers, Elwell created SEVIS documents for approximately 1,200 international students, scholars, and graduates on special work permits.

This task was completed before the Aug. 1 deadline, when DHS institutions could no longer register aliens onto SEVIS.

According to Elwell, while glitches in SEVIS continued to occur less frequently, he did encounter some problems.

"The implications that an error can have on a life is frightening," Elwell said. "It is especially hard if you are supposed to use the system for visa processing."

Elwell recalls entering a scholar's information onto SEVIS. After reviewing the information online, the DHS e-mailed the incorrect visa document to Elwell.

The identification number - a unique pin assigned by the DHS to monitor individuals- matched with another scholar, from another university, on the other side of the country. And the Brandeis scholar was from Italy, not Morocco.

Elwell encountered other technological drawbacks.

"There were a couple of times when the system went down," Elwell said. "The DHS had

a directive that we use (SEVIS) after 5:30 p.m. or on the weekends. We (said) we already work on weekends, but thank you for telling us that we need to work on weekends to meet your deadline."

Next year, Elwell said, meeting the deadline will be easier.

Since SEVIS's inception, Elwell has been entering the international population onto PeopleSoft, a separate program connected with SEVIS that sends numerous, or batch visas to the DHS for verification and background review.

This is unlike the old process, where Elwell waited to discover if the DHS approved just one person for a visa.

"Next year, most students will already be in PeopleSoft and SEVIS," Elwell said. "You will only have to enter new students and scholars."

Eventually, all students will be able to access grades, financial data and visa status through PeopleSoft.

For now, however, Elwell is only utilizing the batch transmissions application featured on the new software.

"The University and (Information Technology Services) have been so helpful in implementing PeopleSoft," Elwell said. "Things would have been even more difficult without their assistance and I value their partnership."

Other updated DHS regulations are hindering the visa issuing process.

A majority of people seeking U.S. visas must now have face-to-face interviews with DHS officers at U.S. embassies in their home countries.

Before Sept. 11, 2001, the INS skipped over people without an obscure or criminal background.

Elwell said he worries that some international students and scholars will not arrive at school before the fall semester begins.

"We have a few students who have been contacting us indicating that they are working to get interview appointments, but may arrive late on campus. Understandably, these students are concerned and we will work with them to make any accommodations we can make if they arrive late."

At another local college, Amri Reza, manager of International Students and Scholars at Babson College in Wellesley, said he has seen this fear turn into a reality.

"We have now seen our visiting scholars face delays," Reza said. "We have four scholars beginning a program at Babson coming from Switzerland and Germany, Their interview date is July 28, but their programs begin July 12."

"My concern is if the same thing is going to happen to our students," Reza added. "What if they don't get an early interview? The (DHS) is interviewing thousands and thousands more people."

Similar to Reza, Elwell said it was encouraging the Department of State, the branch under the Department of Homeland Security which conducts the interviews, is giving priority to students and scholars coming for academic reasons to the United States.

"One scholar was able to push up his interview date," Elwell said. "He was going to be late for his class and the consulate issued the visa right away. So this is a positive and hopefully everybody will be able to get here before the fall semester begins."

Reza is not as optimistic.

"I hope this is backed up by some real action and resources, where everybody can get here before the fall semester, " Reza said. "International students and scholars are assets to our schools. It is critical to make sure they get here on time."

Elwell said that students and scholars planning to study science, especially physics, are having the most difficulty obtaining visas.

"You have to prove that the person is not doing something that could create a weapon," Elwell said. "You will probably not get a visa to study here if you plan on studying nuclear physics. And although most of the people here are theoretical physicists, one person was unable to get a visa last year to study at Brandeis.

"This system was implemented before it was really sufficiently tested,"Elwell said. "As a result, changes are being made along the way. In the long run, when everything is worked out, I think things should be easier.