Dear Penn State community,
Here at Penn State, we have more than 11,500 international faculty, staff and students — vital members of our community. Their unique perspectives, expertise and experiences enrich our learning environment and cultural life.
As you likely are aware, the Department of Homeland Security has terminated the immigration records of individual international students on F1 visas at institutions across the country, including a number of students at Penn State. According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, there is no clear pattern or trend in terms of nationality — students from all regions of the world are being impacted. This is causing great anxiety and distress for each individual affected, and for our broader community.
As someone who came to the United States on a postdoc visa, I personally understand the value of an international experience and how uncertain this time can feel. Please know, our commitment to our international community and appreciation for their important contributions made at Penn State have not faltered.
Penn State is providing individualized support for every student we know to be impacted by this action. In every case, Penn State Global reaches out directly to the impacted student to discuss their situation and connect them with appropriate resources, whether these be legal support, academic support or counseling and mental health support. We are working with each student to provide them with tailored care to meet their needs and to honor their privacy. Sabine Klahr, interim vice provost for Penn State Global, shared a message directly with our international community at the start of April. Since then, our team has been supporting our students in all the ways that it can.
Thanks to many of you who have reached out and to many who have asked how they can support our international community. I recognize that many want to know how they can advise and support the international students and scholars with whom they interact. Given the complexity and nuance of each situation and the implications of available options, we ask that you refrain from providing advice and instead direct students and colleagues to information and FAQs available under on our Community Updates page under International students/immigration-related guidance. For more specific support, they can contact International Student and Scholar Advising at 814-865-7681. Please know we are doing all we can to understand the latest legal developments together with our higher education membership organizations like AAU and APLU.
For our international community, Penn State Global has resources available. Additionally, this reference guide provides information on interacting with federal law enforcement authorities as well as travel guidance for noncitizens. Please register all university-affiliated international travel with Penn State’s Global Safety Network to ensure you receive the latest guidance available for your planned travel.
I also want to note that, despite rumors, we are not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on our campuses in connection with these actions at this time.
I continue to be proud and humbled to be part of the Penn State family that cares so deeply for one another. And it’s especially important in times like these that we continue to show compassion and empathy to those around us. Thank you for caring and for supporting one another.
Sincerely,
Tracy Langkilde
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost