Dear Campus Community:
Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) would modify temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 term. The implementation and impact of this modification are not yet clear, but it is cause for concern. UC attorneys are already assessing how this might affect the status of our international students and developing guidance. As soon as additional guidance is available, we will share more details.
The health and safety of our community is a top priority. This change comes during an already stressful time for our students. The order does not alter our commitment to students from other countries who study at UC Riverside. The richness and diversity of UCR’s academic environment is enhanced by the perspectives and life experiences of students and scholars from around the globe. It is a commitment shared across the UC system.
The University of California system is working collectively through California’s Congressional delegation and contacts in the administration to advocate for uninterrupted degree progress for international students. For your reference, President Janet Napolitano has issued a statement, as has the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU).
We will continue to provide updates as they become available. Thank you for supporting and advocating for international students at UCR. If you have any questions, please reach out to internationalstudents@ucr.edu for assistance.
Sincerely,
Thomas M. Smith
Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Marko Princevac
Interim Vice Provost for International Affairs