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Public Universities don't make any money. Where do you people come up with this nonsense? I think allowing foreign students to visit the US (and US students on foreign exchange is a great idea because it allows for a better understanding on both sides. That said, there needs to be good oversight on who is supposed to attend and whether they actually attend - this is actually a success story when compared to pre-9/11.

Public Universities don't make any money.

Oh dear, did it occur to you that I was referring to private and proprietary institutions? However, I will address the public institution.

There are thousands of private and proprietary schools and they make a ton from the foreign student. I know because I taught in a few. Regarding public institutions, they charge money for their services. They just don't post a profit because of their charter. However, the public institution relies heavily on foreign students for income.

Regarding your derogatory descriptive, "you people," you need to be socialized.

Public Universities don't make any money.

They do need money to support their various programs, do they not? They do charge tuition, do they not?

this is actually a success story when compared to pre-9/11

Uh, no, it's not. Read between the lines of what the Egyptian parents are saying: this is not some newly developed ingenious plan to sneak into the US -- it's SOP. The "exchange program" of one month netted Montana U. $4500 a head, with 11 students disappearing, and the university announcing that they've washed their hands of them, they've just netted $49,500, free and clear, because it's prepaid and certainly non-refundable.

You can be fairly certain these disappearing acts happen in similar college and university programs all over the U.S. The difference with this one is the large number involved -- 11 out of 17 flew the coop -- and the fact that someone alerted the media.

Higher ed lobbyists fought the computer reporting system tooth and nail both before and after 9/11, for good reason. Foreign students -- particularly ME students -- are cash cows, and the more that prepay and don't show up, the better -- for the colleges and universities.