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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 19 November 2019
U.S. draws fewer new foreign students for 3rd straight year

By COLLIN BINKLEY promote academic ex-
AP Education Writer change, and U.S. Ambas-
The number of foreign stu- sador Terry Branstad re-
dents coming to U.S. col- cently wrote an op-ed in a
leges and universities con- Chinese youth publication
tinued to fall last year, ac- inviting students to study at
cording to a new report, U.S. schools.
but the Trump administra- “The State Department
tion says the drop should has been working hard
be blamed on high tuition to make sure Chinese stu-
costs and not students’ dents know they’re wel-
concerns over the nation’s come in the United States,”
political atmosphere. Casagrande said. “We
An annual report from the want these Chinese stu-
Institute of International dents here.”
Education found that the The report also found that
number of newly enrolled far fewer students are
international students coming from Saudi Ara-
dipped by 1% in fall 2018 bia, a shift that began in
compared to the year be- 2017 after the Gulf nation
fore. It follows decreases of scaled back a scholarship
7% and 3% in the previous program for global study.
two years, which were the There were also dips in stu-
first downturns in more than dents coming from South
a decade. Korea, Japan and Mexico.
The downturn is a worry In this June 16, 2019 file photo, the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower at the Malone Hood Plaza stands Meanwhile, the U.S. at-
for universities that have in front of Foster Auditorium on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, Ala. tracted growing numbers
come to rely on tuition from Associated Press of students from Asia, Latin
foreign students, who are pear to be rebounding un- more students than any Declines from China have America and Africa. Num-
typically charged higher der Trump. other country, followed by been attributed to several bers from Brazil and Ban-
rates. Some schools have “What we’ve seen today India and South Korea and factors. gladesh jumped 10% last
blamed President Donald is a dramatically better Saudi Arabia. But booming Chinese students have re- year, the report found,
Trump’s rhetoric against picture compared to last years of growth from China ported difficulty getting while Nigeria ticked up 6%.
immigrants for driving stu- year’s declines,” Casa- have leveled off. The num- U.S. visas amid a trade war Many universities have shift-
dents away, but officials grande said during a call ber of overall Chinese stu- between the two nations. ed their recruiting efforts to
at the State Department, with reporters. “The Trump dents in the country ticked Universities in Australia and those areas in recent years
which pays for the annual administration has dedi- up by less than 2%, and Canada have worked as they look to offset losses
report, dismissed the idea. cated more resources than some campuses have seen harder to attract Chinese from China.
Caroline Casagrande, ever to international stu- major decreases in Chinese students. The academic subjects stu-
deputy assistant secretary dent mobility.” enrollment. And some scholars say dents come to study are
for academic programs at While fewer new students The number of Chinese stu- concerns over academic also starting to shift. The
the department’s Bureau are coming, the study dents at the University of espionage have fueled an- number of students study-
of Educational and Cul- found that more are stay- Alabama has decreased ti-China sentiment on U.S. ing business, an area that
tural Affairs, said students ing for professional training by 43% over the past two campuses. has long been a draw for
are deterred by the high after they graduate. More years, to 266, according State Department officials Chinese students, fell by 7%
cost to attend U.S. schools. than 220,000 were granted to the university’s annual said that they’re working last year, the report found.
She said the downturn is permission to stay for tem- enrollment report. At the to ease tensions and en- Meanwhile, math and
tied to students who were porary work through a fed- University of Iowa and at courage Chinese students computer science saw a
applying to college during eral program, an increase Kansas State University, to study in the U.S. The 9% increase and surpassed
the Obama administration, of about 10% over fall 2017. Chinese enrollment fell by department recently sent business as the No. 2 sub-
and that the numbers ap- China continued to send about a third in that span. a delegation to China to ject behind engineering.q

U.S. group says 803 unbelted

rear-seat passengers died in 2018

DETROIT (AP) — More than belted. The group, which found that rear-seat safety
800 rear-seat passengers represents state highway belt use dropped from 78%
who weren’t wearing seat safety offices, says 20 states in 2013 to 76% last year.
belts were killed last year still don’t have laws requir- The federal government is
in U.S. traffic crashes, and ing rear belt use. Of the 30 seeking public comment
a highway safety group states with laws, it’s not a on a rule requiring auto-
says states aren’t making primary offense in 11 states, makers to warn drivers if
enough progress in getting meaning that police can’t rear passengers aren’t belt-
people to buckle up. stop a car if rear-seat pas- ed. The comment period
The Governors Highway sengers are unbelted. expires on Nov. 26.
Safety Association says in According to the associa- A law requiring the Nation-
a report released Monday tion, the number of rear- al Highway Traffic Safety
that more than 400 of the seat passengers killed in Administration to enact the
803 people who died would crashes dropped from 883 rule was passed by Con- In this May 15, 2008, file photo, motorists sit in a Chicago traffic
have survived if they were in 2013. But surveys have gress in 2012.q jam. Associated Press