Trump is right about
foreign online students.
I want to state from
the beginning that I am not a Trump supporter – never was, never will. But I
support the decision of the administration to ban foreign fully online students
from entering the country.
The logic of this
decision is really simple: if you're not taking any on-site classes, if your
education is 100 % remote, why do you have to be in the country?
Especially
considering the risk of bringing in the U.S. covid19 virus from other countries.
The loud outcry of
the top universities like Harvard and MIT against the decision demonstrates one
simple fact, that American top universities have replaced their original goal,
i.e. educating American people, with a new and much simpler, and much more lucrative
goal, and that is making money.
For many foreign
students having education in America is an excuse for spending time in America.
For many foreign
students choosing a University comes down to the number one real estate rule – “location,
location, location.”
Those students have
money and are willing to pay that money to live in America.
Of course, local
economies profit from those students. And that include universities, as well.
But when we
talk about education, money should not be the primary criterion for the success
of the system.
Over the last thirty
years the hunt of American investors for money has led to a significant decrease
in the manufacturing power of the country.
In the system of
higher education, the hunt for money has led to a significant decrease in
producing domestic professionals.
Especially in STEM related fields (why do you think the backlog of foreigners waiting for a Green Card is longer than a million)
The first reason
for such a decrease is that many American firms prefer hiring foreign nationals,
because they are cheaper (they say they search for the best and the brightens, but then they choose from the them the cheapest). And because foreign professionals have been prepared
by the universities of other countries, American firms do not see any reason to
make big investments in American higher education, or in education in general.
The second reason
for such a decrease is the fact that over the past thirty years American population has become poorer. This fact coupled with the poor state of public
education is an important reason why for many Americans a college or a university
has become out of reach.
Money brought by
foreign students help to satisfy the growing appetite of the college and university
administrations for money.
The Trump
administration decision to ban fully online foreign students from entering the
country is the step in the right direction.
This decision
forces college and university administrators to start turning again to American
students (especially from low income communities).
In the long run, this
decision does more good for Americans and America than it does “bad” for some universities.
Universities will survive, they just have to start thinking about educating Americans
more than about making money.
Someone in America has to finally start thinking strategically about the intellectual health of the nation, about saving “strategic intellectual reserve” - e.g. DARPA needs educational unit, until it's too late.
Someone in America has to finally start thinking strategically about the intellectual health of the nation, about saving “strategic intellectual reserve” - e.g. DARPA needs educational unit, until it's too late.
It seems strange that this move comes from the Trump administration; maybe the origin of this move has nothing to do with reforming education, in at its core it is the right move.
That is why I hope
that the Court will uphold the decision.
P.S. This is a good example of a case when a good idea is compromised by its poor implementation. When the goverment sets new emission standards to auto makers, it does not tell them -“you must do it in a month!” It gives them a reasonable time frame. Trump's advisers were so “smart-opposite” that they could not even develop a reasonable procedure for the implementation of his order. Just another gimps at how bad the state of management is - on all levels.
P.P.S. Recently the
President of MIT L. Rafael Reif Expressed his
view on why “America Needs Foreign Students.”
He repeats again
all the same statements on “diverse”, “heterogeneous” society, “attracting best
and brightest” form the world”, “creativity and innovations”.
I addressed those
vies this and previsions publications.
Now I just want to
state again – his view completely undermines the need for advancing American
education and American students and educators.
Plus, he simply
makes a logical mistake:
To keep society “heterogeneous” does NOT mean the “need for foreign students”.
This is the logical
fallacy.
If @LRafaelReif “the
President of @MIT” makes logical
mistakes, what to expect from the president of the #America?
(as I wrote in my Tweet).
And now, let the meaning of his words sink deep in your mind. Essentially he says that America cannot produce on her own enough innovative and creative professionals. That America cannot keep her competitive edge without snitching away the smartest and the most creative people from other countries.
Other countries can, but America can't.
And all other university leaders, business leaders, and the politicians share exactly same views.
Why?
Because they all personally profit from the current state of matters (in one form or another: fame, influence, money).
No wonder for decades the only type of educational reform was FAKING.
“We want to be heterogeneous, but we don't want to spend any resources on advancing Black, Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Indian Americans. No, we want to lure from other countries people who already have developed capabilities.”
And also make a ton of money.
This is an excellent proof of a trivial fact that American system of higher education is an element of American system of white supremacy, white privilege, and suppression of American minorities.
Foreigners can be accepted into this system, but only if first they have been prepared by other countries for their own money, and then became smart enough, educated enough, or (and hopefully) rich enough to support that very system.
NOTE: I sent this piece to several papers. Naturally, it was ignored because neither top liberals/democrats nor top conservative/republicans (who control mass media) will ever willingly kill the goose that lays golden eggs.
No wonder for decades the only type of educational reform was FAKING.
“We want to be heterogeneous, but we don't want to spend any resources on advancing Black, Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Indian Americans. No, we want to lure from other countries people who already have developed capabilities.”
And also make a ton of money.
This is an excellent proof of a trivial fact that American system of higher education is an element of American system of white supremacy, white privilege, and suppression of American minorities.
Foreigners can be accepted into this system, but only if first they have been prepared by other countries for their own money, and then became smart enough, educated enough, or (and hopefully) rich enough to support that very system.
NOTE: I sent this piece to several papers. Naturally, it was ignored because neither top liberals/democrats nor top conservative/republicans (who control mass media) will ever willingly kill the goose that lays golden eggs.
NB: An illustration of a fact that even at top U.S. universities people do not really know how distant education works. They do not know the difference between two forms of distant education - "remote" and "online" (described in this publication). Because if they know, they would shift their focus form online teaching to remote learning. The latter assumes live participation. In that case, even if students are not physically present in a classroom, they still have to be present in the same time zone - hence, should be allowed in the U.S. At least, good lawyers could push for that.
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