Caltech welcomes the world

Government bureaucracies have long suffered a bad reputation, and in many cases that reputation is deserved. Pick a government agency, and the path to the documents it guards may be exceedingly tortuous, littered with roadblocks, and seemingly designed to discourage the applicant.

For citizens of other countries accepted to Caltech, the application process was probably the easy part; wrestling the U.S. government for a visa to study at the Institute can be daunting.

Prospective international studentsand postdocs at Caltech rely on the International Offices—International Student Programs and International Scholar Services—to navigate this sea of red tape. These offices, which fall under the Human Resources banner, have become even more vital for international students now that national security is at the forefront of the U.S. government’s priorities.

“We do all the paperwork that enables international students and scholars to get their visas,” says Marjory Gooding, director of both of Caltech’s international offices. “We are dealing with more than once piece of the U.S. government. These are huge bureaucracies, and knowing how to navigate them is key.”

The agencies in question are the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the INS); the Department of Labor, involved with work issues; and the Department of State, which issues visas.

At an institute as well regarded as Caltech, where Gooding says 65 percent of the postdocs and about a quarter of the student population hail from other countries, the services that the international offices provide have to be first rate.

“Caltech is more international than many other universities,” she says. The chill that has recently descended over the entire visa application process has significantly affected the Institute. The government now requires extensive background checks of all those who seek an American visa, and Gooding reports that some Caltech students and scholars have suffered from long delays and rude treatment at the hands of government representatives.

“I don’t blame the individuals in the bureaucracies, and we certainly want to cooperate with them because we care about security as much as anyone,” Gooding says. “But we see instances where people are delayed or denied or insulted.”

Invariably, she says, international students who desire to study at Caltech are the brightest young people in their respective countries. “They are likely to become leaders in their own countries, who will lead important government ministries and scientific establishments. We certainly hope that they will not look back at their U.S. experience with bitterness.”

Once international students enroll at Caltech, they find that the International Student Programs office provides and encourages activities designed to enhance a sense of belonging, and Gooding says many students become deeply involved in them.

The premier cultural event that the International Student Programs office sponsors is the annual International Week, held in April. This is when all the international student clubs get to shine by demonstrating the cuisine, dance, music, and art of their native lands. Many of the students are members of clubs that hold film festivals or cultural events throughout the year.

“The international students at Caltech are intent on their studies, but they also understand the importance of a real community,” Gooding says. “They are willing to work hard to foster that ideal. They are absolutely amazing in how much time they are willing to devote to Caltech, particularly during new international student orientation.”
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