Dear members of the Dartmouth Community,
We know this is a time of worry and uncertainty—especially for the international members of our community. We value your contributions immensely and are doing everything in our power to support and advocate for the most vulnerable among us. As you know, in an April 7 message we informed the campus that several international community members at Dartmouth had their records terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) by the federal government. This was not unique to Dartmouth, but happened to thousands of students across the country.
We are pleased by recent media reports that the federal government has reportedly reversed course on these actions. We are already starting to see records reinstated for our community members and will continue to support and advocate for those affected. We know that so many have feared for their ability to work and study in this country. We hope this news brings a bit of relief to everyone.
Earlier today, we informed the Office of Visa and Immigration Services (OVIS) that Dartmouth will provide affected students and employees up to $2,000 toward the cost of consulting with an outside immigration attorney. Beyond that amount, we will always try to address special circumstances. Details will be made available on the OVIS website in the coming days.
While we do not know the precise reason for the apparent reversal, we have been actively in meetings in Washington, D.C., arguing for this exact outcome. Lawsuits filed by several international students, including one at Dartmouth, may also have been helpful in obtaining this result.
This week, I will travel to D.C. again with members of my team for multiple meetings, including the Association of American University’s meeting of presidents. It will be an opportunity for the leaders of our nation’s top research universities to discuss new and ongoing joint legal and advocacy work to support higher education. While in Washington, I will also meet with elected officials and members of the administration to advocate on behalf of higher education, Dartmouth, our community, and the principles of academic freedom (which enables faculty to carry out their teaching and research without outside interference), free expression, and shared governance that are necessary for American higher education to succeed.
We recognize how stressful it is to be a member of an academic community at this moment. As leaders of this institution, we are keenly aware of the impact our current situation is having on all of you. We want you to know that we are engaged in both public and private ways to advocate on your behalf so you can continue to pursue your studies, your research, and your work.
Sincerely,
Sian Leah Beilock
President
David Kotz '86
Provost