July 8, 2020
Dear Members of Our Campus Community,
I write today to share our profound concern about this week’s announcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding international students and requirements for fall instruction. This announcement creates uncertainty and anxiety for our students and their families, and for our entire UC Santa Barbara community; it works in opposition to our values as an inclusive and welcoming community.
We stand in strong support of our international students, and recognize their important contributions to our university. Our international students enrich the academic community for us all.
UC President Janet Napolitano has shared a statement regarding the announcement. We are working closely with all of the other UC campuses and the UC Office of the President and consulting with colleagues across the country to review the details of the announcement and to engage with congressional and other government offices. Efforts are already underway to explore all options to assist our international students in achieving their academic goals without interruption.
Our campus is home to the UC Education Abroad Program, and has a rich tradition of welcoming students and scholars from around the world for study and research collaborations. We want to ensure that our students can continue as part of our campus community without fear.
Knowing that time is of the essence, we will provide you with additional information and details as soon as we receive them. If you have questions, please contact our Office of International Students & Scholars at oiss@sa.ucsb.edu, and of course my office as well.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor