Ithaca College today released the following statement in response to guidelines issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stating that more than one million international students who are pursuing degrees in the United States may have to leave the country if their universities switch to online-only courses.
Message of Support for International Students
The recently announced guidelines from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting international students are antithetical to Ithaca College’s vision, mission, and values. The global pandemic has greatly exacerbated the numerous obstacles these students already face in their studies, and prohibiting them from remaining at a college that offers only remote instruction for the fall semester is both unreasonable and unjust.
While Ithaca College does plan to open for in-person instruction this fall, there is uncertainty regarding how our modified academic calendar might impact our international students. Our Office of International Programs has been reaching out to them to provide guidance as well as reassurance.
Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado is a founding member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which has strongly condemned this policy. The college will work with higher education organizations and our federal representatives on behalf of these valued members of our campus community as we oppose the implementation of these guidelines.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20200708182039105