Constantly changing procedures have complicated the international student and scholar entry process into the United States. According to the Director of International Students and Scholars at Brandeis, David Elwell, adapting to a rapidly changing system remains a difficult challenge.After discovering that two of the hijackers involved in the Sept. 11 attacks were on vocational student visas, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) took measures to more closely monitor international students and scholars.

As of March 1, the functions of the INS were absorbed into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

[New International Students and Scholars Tracking System]

On Jan. 30, the DHS activated an online Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to track each international student and scholar within the United States. Via SEVIS, every university sends the federal government the names, addresses and departmental majors of international students, as well as any disciplinary actions against them.

DHS hopes to better review applications before issuing visas to prevent further potential terrorist attacks. When data is provided, Washington cross-checks students and scholars against other government databases.

Elwell said since SEVIS's inception, the program has encountered fewer delays when processing information. But Elwell said problems still exist.

"My concerns about SEVIS are more about the SEVIS design and structure," Elwell said. "There are still things we should be able to do within the regulations we still can't do. For example, it is difficult to record students on leave of absences. Just other types of actions should be easier."

Since Jan. 30, Elwell has been entering the international population into PeopleSoft, a program connected with SEVIS that sends numerous, or batch, visas to the DHS for verifcation and background review.

Elwell finished placing international student and scholars on PeopleSoft last week and batch-sent the data to DHS.

Each semester, Elwell has to update information onto PeopeSoft.

"This will makes the process easier" Elwell said

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

"The University and (Information Technology Services) was invaluable setting-up PeopleSoft for us," El