The university is among 118 colleges and universities who signed onto an amicus brief filed Nov. 25 in support of a program that allows international students to remain in the U.S. following graduation to obtain additional training.
Elon University has joined more than 100 colleges and universities in signing on to an amicus brief filed Nov. 25 in support of the federal Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT programs that are being challenged in federal court.
The OPT and STEM OPT programs offer the opportunity for international students and scholars to gain valuable experiential learning that complements and expands upon their academic studies at institutions like Elon. OPT is part of the F-1 visa program for international students, and allows those students to work in the U.S. for up to a year after graduation so they can gain practical training in their field of study. The program was expanded in 2008 to allow graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields to obtain a two-year extension to gain additional training in their chosen fields.
A lawsuit filed more than a decade ago by the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers claims the U.S. Department of Homeland Security lacked the authority to extend the stay of international students through the OPT programs. If the legal challenge is successful, these long-standing programs could end.
Elon has joined this “friend of the court” brief to demonstrate its support for international students and the contributions and diversity they bring to campuses across the country. Hundreds of thousands of students and graduates, including Elon students and alumni participate in OPT each year. They contribute billions annually to the U.S. economy and add significantly to a wide variety of industries by applying the skills and knowledge they have learned in the classroom to their professions.
This amicus brief was coordinated by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.