Twenty of the 21 Kuwaiti students who left West VirginiaUniversity following Sept. 11 have returned to campus for spring semester classes, according to Peter Li, assistant dean for International Students and Scholars.

The students returned to their home country in the weeks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to ease the worries of their parents, who feared their sons and daughters might be targets for revenge.

“Im glad they felt comfortable in returning,”said Li, whose office oversees international programming and student issues. Li said the 21st student, who is enrolled in the WVU School of Dentistry, is delaying his return because the classes he missed last semester are only offered in the fall.

“International students these days can feel pretty vulnerable, even in small friendly towns like Morgantown,”Li said.”But their affection for the campus and the community compelled them to want to return here.”

No official reports of harassment or physical violence against international students have been made since Sept. 11, University officials claim, but thats not to say incidents have not occurred in some form such as inappropriate comments, stares, signs and other ways.

Li said he plans to meet soon with the students for a re-orientation session and answer any questions they may have.