Dear UB Graduate Students,
As many of you know, escalations in the Middle East, as well as threats by the US government to revoke student visas from those with ties to certain countries or studying certain fields, have left many of our students feeling anxious, isolated, and uncertain. International graduate students at UB have worked incredibly hard for the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to our university community, and we fully support their ability to do so. We stand with our international students as they’re forced to navigate not only the everyday challenges inherent in academic pursuits, but also the stress of working during violent conflicts abroad and amid domestic policy changes that may impact their ability to work and study at UB.
As we welcome a new group of students, many of them international, we would like to remind everyone about the following resources and encourage you to use them freely:
- International Student Services– A message of support from ISS, with links to additional resources.
- FAQs and Guidance on Federal Policies– A comprehensive page from the University providing information and guidance.
- SUNY Protocols for Interacting with Outside Law Enforcement– How to respond to requests by law enforcement officials (these guidelines apply to professors, staff, and students).
- S. Laws and Your Rights– Information from International Student Services.
- UB Counseling Services– For mental health counseling.
- Red Cards– Portable information about your Constitutional rights in a variety of languages. Printed cards in a few different languages can be picked up in the GSA North Campus office at 310 Student Union.
- CEAC Visa Status Check– For student visa status checks.
Additionally, we encourage everyone to review the UB Discrimination and Harassment Policy. If you experience or witness harassment on UB’s campus, we strongly encourage you to report it to the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Information about their policies and procedures, including the investigative process, can be found here.
Beginning in Fall, we will be creating an ad hoc International Student Committee. This committee will be helpful in relaying concerns from international students to the GSA, which will in turn use that information to better advocate on behalf of those populations in meetings with upper administration, as well as shape GSA programming for the upcoming year. In the meantime, we welcome any feedback that would be helpful in hitting the ground running once the semester starts.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to anyone in the Graduate Student Association if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
The GSA Executive Committee
Sarah MacDougall, President – gsa-president@buffalo.edu
Sevda Mirkoohi, Vice-Presidet – gsa-vicepresident@buffalo.edu
Isaac Kolding, Treasurer – gsa-treasurer@buffalo.edu