I strongly disagree with the Daily’s Oct. 29 editorial, “International students’ fee is fair,” regarding the suggestion that fees for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System should be paid by international students.

Several facts should be considered before suggesting international ISU students should support the SEVIS operational costs.

International students also pay taxes to the U.S. government. Tuition increases affect international students just as they affect American students (keep in mind that some international students will have to pay out-of-state tuition).

Moreover, international ISU graduate students are charged for tuition, unlike many other colleges in the United States where graduate students don’t have to pay for tuition. But if this were not enough already, soon the Graduate College won’t support part of the tuition for ISU graduate students (including international students), contributing to another increase in total tuition to be paid. Overall, making international students pay a SEVIS fee of $50 per semester will only make Iowa State a less attractive college for international students.

Due to the increased bureaucracy and problems in getting a visa, many international students are already choosing other countries, such as Canada, Australia and several European countries, over the United States to obtain their education. But even those coming to the United States will seriously wonder if Iowa State will be a good place to study with all the additional costs they will have to pay.

International students bring important growth, both educational and economic, to Ames and Iowa State. Over the years, the United States has collected very important benefits from foreign citizens studying in its colleges. In fact, foreign students have always played a key role in American graduate education.

Remember, international education is part of the solution to terrorism, not part of the problem.

Marcos Ramos

Graduate Student

Animal Science