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Dear Colleagues, Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued policy guidance regarding online study for international students during the upcoming fall semester. The new guidelines remove the flexibility that was provided in the winter and spring/summer semesters and impose restrictions that put undue burdens on students and institutions as we continue to deal with uncertainties caused by the pandemic. Of particular concern is the requirement that international students who are in the U.S. must be enrolled in at least one in-person class (which can be a hybrid) to maintain their visa status. We have joined higher education institutions and associations from across the country who are calling for changes to these unfair and impractical policies and are mobilizing to advocate on behalf of our international students. As these efforts continue, we are also reviewing the specifics of these guidelines to identify areas that will require changes in our fall plans to ensure compliance with the new rules. The planned hybrid model (a combination of on-campus and remote/online classes) we were already considering for the fall term should provide some flexibility in that regard. International students are an integral and important part of our WSU community. We are committed to supporting them during this crisis and will do everything we can to ensure that they are safe and able to continue their studies and earn their degrees. We will be sharing more information as it becomes available. You can always contact us with questions by emailing oip@wayne.edu. Sincerely, Ahmad M. Ezzeddine, Ph.D. |
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