Week of July 6 | COVID-19 Updates & FAQs for International Students

From: Center for Global Study and Engagement <global@dickinson.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2020 11:43 AM
Subject: FAQ's for F-1 International Students - 07.10.2020
Importance: High

Hello again from Carlisle –

As promised, this email includes an FAQ addressing most of your immediate questions after Monday’s guidance release from I.C.E. This is a constantly-evolving situation, and here at CGSE and as an institution we are committed to communicating the very best we can to each of you as circumstances evolve. [CLICK HERE for website with all current communications.]

We are in the process of scheduling a live Zoom Webinar for you early next week. Details will be sent to you on Monday with how to register. In the meantime, any questions you have that were not already answered in today’s FAQ, please send them to me at hendricm@dickinson.edu with the subject heading: “CGSE Zoom Webinar.” Several members of the CGSE staff and myself will attempt to answer those questions in next week’s live webinar (or in future communications if you are unable to attend.)

I cannot fully express the outrage, sadness, and deep regret all of us here at CGSE feel about Monday’s I.C.E. guidance. We are hopeful that the advocacy work, lawsuits, and uproar the global community is making about this guidance will affect change. But no matter what happens, we need you to know that we care about you and are working tirelessly to support you in the best ways we can. Hang in there. Stay strong. We will get through this together.

Warmly,

Melodi, on behalf of the entire team at CGSE (Kristine, Keyana, Katie, Sam, Marissa, and Stephanie)

Melodi Hendrickson

Assistant Director, International Student & Scholar Services

Center for Global Study & Engagement

Dickinson College

hendricm@dickinson.edu

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

For F-1 visa questions during COVID-19, please visit THIS WEBSITE.

For J-1 visa questions during COVID-19, please visit THIS WEBSITE.

For Dickinson’s ongoing COVID-19 response, visit THIS WEBSITE.

From: Center for Global Study and Engagement <global@dickinson.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2020 11:24 AM
Subject: A message from CGSE - An FAQ is coming
Importance: High

Good morning, International Students –

We write to you today outraged and saddened but the just released updated Fall 2020 SEVP guidance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We could not agree more with the sentiments in President Ensign's message yesterday that you are a valued and integral part of Dickinson's global community (see attached).

Please know that we in the CGSE have sprung into action in several ways to support and advocate for all of you and that you can also expect regular updates from us over the coming weeks as this all evolves. We will get an updated FAQ out to you in the coming days and ask for your patience as we seek to assure the information we are sharing is accurate and clear.

What you need to understand right now:

We are working through our various international education and governmental networks to get the most clarity as possible on exactly what this new guidance means for our students at Dickinson.
We are working with stakeholders across campus to devise a strategy that would be the least disruptive to those of you on campus this fall, even in the event that we would suspend in-person courses. We are optimistic we can have a good plan in place.
Through our various networks and policy organizations we are protesting this decision and advocating for you. There are also leaders and institutions across the U.S. fighting this and MIT and Harvard are suing the Trump Administration over this.
We have had an outpouring emails from students, faculty, and staff on this campus who want to know how they can help advocate for and support you.

Although we are unable to respond to each and every one of your email inquiries at this time, please keep reaching out to us with your questions and concerns! This will assist us in completing the most thorough FAQ as possible.

We are thinking of all of you at this time and hope to have an additional communication out by week’s end. You are not alone – we are in this with you and will not back down in our support for you.

Hang in there!