I’m delighted that NAFSA’s members voted for and the Board of Directors approved a resolution I submitted for consideration at today’s business meeting here at the annual conference in Kansas City. The resolution calls for the immediate repeal of anti-immigrant legislation by the State of Arizona urges other states to refrain from passing similar measures; asks the U.S. Congress to act quickly to enact comprehensive immigration reform; and resolves the association to not hold national and regional meetings in the State of Arizona until the situation is rectified.
In reflecting on the spirit of this resolution over the past few weeks, I recalled NAFSA’s statement of values:
NAFSA’s members share a belief that international education advances learning and scholarship, builds understanding and respect among different peoples, and enhances constructive leadership in the global community. We believe that international education by its nature is fundamental to fostering peace, security, and well-being. I would especially like to highlight the second clause–builds understanding and respect among different peoples.
With its values, mission, and goals firmly in mind, I really felt that NAFSA could not, in good conscience, hold its annual meeting at this time without speaking out on this issue. Our silence would be deafening. Our membership, indeed all our clients around the world, look to us to take leadership on issues of basic justice, fairness, due process. They want to know what NAFSA is saying—and we’re saying “it’s wrong; repeal it.”
Of course there is great meaning in this resolution for me at personal level as well, related to where I live, work, and seek personal satisfaction in my life. New Mexico, one of Arizona’s neighbors, is a majority-Hispanic state. But it’s not only the Hispanics in New Mexico that are hurt and embarrassed by this legislation; the hurt and embarrassment are felt across the entire state. As such, we as New Mexicans are concerned with the burdens of this legislation on our Arizona colleagues. I know this sentiment was strongly present at the meeting yesterday – we know our colleagues in Arizona are deeply distressed by this legislation, and we know how the national and international reaction to the law impacts them. I expect that our Arizona colleagues would very much like, perhaps even expect, that our association, NAFSA, stand up to what we all believe in. Passing this resolution will do this—it will show that we stand in solidarity with our Arizona colleagues, as well as with all others who believe in mutual respect, justice, fairness, and due process.
A long-time NAFSA member, Everett Egginton has served as president of the association and is Dean of International and Border Programs at New Mexico State University.
Join us in taking a stand on Connecting Our World. Visit this campaign page to tell your state not to follow in Arizona’s misguided footsteps, encourage your Senators to support comprehensive immigration reform, and spread the word through social media so others can take a stand too: http://www.connectingourworld.org/?page_id=837
As an international educator for many years in Texas, I too, am so happy that NAFSA: Association of International Educators voted on a resolution at the national conference in June, 2010 that “calls for the immediate repeal of anti-immigrant legislation by the State of Arizona”, urging other states to refrain from doing the same.
In everyday conversation I hear people from all areas of life in Texas who have expressed great worries that this could happen here, also.
Laws such as these do nothing to help a state move forward in our globally-connected world. We encourage international business options and multicultural events throughout the state to come and share in our lives. However, a law such as this is incongruent with the friendliness that we seek and want to be known for here in Texas.
We need to keep talking about how such a law would hurt our image as a welcoming state. What international company or tourists would want to come and invest in Texas, if we were to follow in the footsteps of such a bill that is looming in Arizona?
I support the resolution that discourages negative legislation such as this. I do support immigration reform and believe that international educators have an important role in these discussions. Why? Because I have seen time and time again when international education was the one productive thread that kept countries and peoples communicating when all other communications had broken down.
Adria Baker