This means that right now the international students and scholars at MSU who need a driver’s license or state ID cannot get the identifications until the legislation passed. Your first thought might be “it is not a big deal.” Let’s look at the statistics reported by the MSU Office for International Students and Scholars, or OISS: “The fall 2007 total of 3,869 international students is the highest in MSU’s history.”

Also from OISS: “According to the Institute of International Education’s formula, the total of 4,972 international students and scholars at MSU contributed more than $92 million to the local economy.”

One might think the international population could not contribute a lot to the entire Michigan community. The census figure published by the Detroit Free Press on Dec. 27 indicated that “Michigan shrinks by 30,500 since ’06, 48 other states show growth” – one year of international students and scholars here at MSU alone could made up 16 percent of that loss.

In addition, there are more international students at other schools across the whole state plus nonstudent working forces. Furthermore, each one of them would contribute economically, since they all have purchasing power from overseas money. This law would intimidate those who are considering coming to MSU and other parts of Michigan. I would urge you, those who have voting rights in Michigan, to voice for us since we have no voting rights, by contacting your representative and senators to stop this unfriendly law.

No-Ya Nora Hung

biochemistry senior