Statement from President Joel Seligman, Provost and Senior Vice President for Research Robert L. Clark, and CEO of the Medical Center and UR Medicine, and Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Mark Taubman
January 30, 2017
We support our international students and scholars and we stand with our peer institutions in the Association of American Universities, which recently issued this statement.
Our international faculty, students, and staff contribute in innumerable ways to the academic and cultural life of our campus. Our University is stronger because of their presence here. Our community and our world are made ever better because of their contributions. We will continue to provide support in every lawful way we can.
We are a University where all are welcome—regardless of country of origin, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, veterans’ status, or disability. We are members of the Rochester family and will be respected and valued.
In recent days, President Donald Trump has issued executive orders pertaining to immigration, most notably setting limits on individuals from seven specific countries. Some of the provisions of these orders have the potential to adversely affect our students, staff, faculty, graduates, and patients.
This is a fast moving and unsettled situation: the full consequences of these executive orders remain unclear. The White House has issued clarifying statements on some aspects of these orders, including the important qualification on Sunday that the orders do not apply to individuals from any named country who have a valid green card. Let us assure you that we are closely monitoring events and will continue to review how they may affect members of our community. We have reached out to every member of our community directly affected by these executive orders and believe all are safe.
Vice Provost for Global Engagement Jane Gatewood released a statement this weekend outlining the University of Rochester’s position. A number of points bear repeating:
- The University of Rochester will continue to support our international collaborations and honor our commitment to global engagement;
- The University will continue to support our international students, scholars, employees, and patients;
- The University will do everything within its legal powers to support our community and keep the members of our community safe;
- The University will not provide lists or other information based on an individual’s immigration or citizenship status to external parties or authorities, except as required by the visa-sponsorship programs in which we participate or otherwise by law;
- The University’s Department of Public Safety will not detain, seek out, or assist in deporting a University community member solely on the basis of immigration status.
Those among our community who would like to learn more about the recent immigration changes are encouraged to attend an information session on Wednesday, February 1 at 3:30 p.m. in the Interfaith Chapel. Individuals with questions or concerns about their immigration status should contact the University’s International Services Office and those with more general questions are encouraged to contact the Office for Global Engagement.