Dear Graduate Students, 

As interim vice provost and dean of the graduate school, I want to acknowledge the anxiety, uncertainty, and perhaps confusion that many of you may be feeling in light of numerous federal executive orders and actions related to higher education. I am particularly aware of concern  throughout the sector about both short- and long-term impacts on higher education’s ability to pursue its educational and research missions. 

Today, I write to acknowledge your concerns and express my support, and also to highlight some information and resources available to you. You likely have seen numerous messages to the community related to the changes coming out of Washington, but it’s worth referencing a few that are especially relevant to our graduate student community. 

Most recently, Karl V. Steiner, our vice president for research and creative achievement, sent a campus message regarding UMBC’s response to a stop-work order received from a federal agency. That message includes helpful information, as well as links to further resources, about how the university is responding to such orders. Importantly, in this case, the university’s position is that the research in question should continue at UMBC. 

Tanyka M. Barber, UMBC’s vice president for institutional equity and chief diversity officer, communicated to campus recently as well, responding to the most recent of many efforts by the federal government to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts—the latest being a “Dear Colleague Letter” from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Vice President Barber’s message was clear that the Dear Colleague Letter does not carry the force of law and that UMBC continues to abide by existing law. The Department of Education has since shared additional guidance.

I would also point you to the message earlier in February from David Di Maria, senior international officer and associate vice provost for international education, which provided resources for international students and shared a link to a new website that the Center for Global Engagement has created to provide the latest updates on immigration policies, including those related to visa renewals. 

The pace of news is so rapid that it can be overwhelming just to stay informed. I hope you will bookmark and visit often the university’s central hub for updates and information regarding federal orders and actions. All related campus messaging, as well as a helpful collection of internal and external resources, can be found there. 

Should you have specific questions or concerns related to your work or experience as a graduate student at UMBC, please be in touch with your principal investigators and department chairs, and please continue to avail yourself of the support of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and of my office. The core team that is meeting frequently to consider the many issues and potential impacts of the activity in Washington is consulting with us and keeping us informed of its work. 

To all of our graduate students:  We are honored to have you as part of our community. You belong here; you are woven into the fabric of our research, creative activities, the pursuit of knowledge, and the academic life of this community. You and your contributions to our mission are deeply valued, and we will continue to do all in our power to support you and your work. 

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Halverson
Interim Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School
Professor, Geography and Environmental Science

UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement wishes to remind all international employees and visiting scholars planning international travel during Spring Break to review their travel documents ahead of their departure.

J-1 Exchange Visitors

Individuals holding J-1 Exchange Visitor status (including J-1 Professors, Research Scholars, and Short-Term Scholars) must check the validity of the travel validation (signature) on the front of their Form DS-2019. Travel validations remain valid for one year for most J-1 categories, but are only valid for six months for Short-Term Scholars. Additionally, travelers must ensure that their J-1 visa remains valid through the date that they plan to return to the U.S. and passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.

H-1B Employees

Employees holding H-1B status must confirm that their H-1B visa will be valid on the date of their planned reentry into the U.S. If employees obtained H-1B status by changing from another nonimmigrant status from within the U.S., then it is important to remember that an H-1B visa is required for reentry to the U.S. after international travel. Additionally, travelers must ensure that their passports are valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.

In-person Interviews for Visa Applicants

As we have shared on our Immigration Policy Updates page, the U.S. Department of State recently made changes to its in-person interview policy. The Department’s new policy makes the requirement for an in-person interview a discretionary decision by consular officers; travelers should not assume that their in-person interview will be waived.The in-person interview may add to the time to process a visa renewal. Additionally, visa appointment wait times can fluctuate drastically without warning.

For these reasons, anyone whose visa has expired should carefully consider these factors in planning any potential international travel. Before departing the U.S., travelers without valid visas should work with the U.S. embassy or consulate in their travel destination to determine if they are required to appear for an in-person interview. If an in-person interview is required, travelers should secure an appointment before departing the U.S. We strongly recommend that travelers seek an appointment during the early part of their trip, since there can be unexpected delays in the visa renewal process. Anyone who departs the U.S. with an expired visa will not be able to return until they are issued a new visa.

Future Communications

International employees and scholars should monitor their UMBC email account closely for important messages from the Center for Global Engagement as this is how we will send alerts of any changes in U.S. immigration policy.

Anyone who has questions about their individual travel plans should contact me prior to travel. We wish a safe journey to those choosing to travel during Spring Break, and we hope that all members of our community enjoy the break and come back refreshed and ready to finish out the semester. 

Diane Zeenny Ghorayeb
International Scholar Coordinator
Center for Global Engagement

UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement wishes to remind all international students planning international travel during Spring Break to review the travel reminders that apply to their specific immigration status.

F-1 Status Students

Please see the travel reminders that apply to enrolled F-1 students and to students pursuing post-graduation OPT or STEM OPT. Specifically, students should check that they have a travel endorsement on Page 2 of their Form I-20 that will still be valid on the date they will return to the U.S. Students should also check the expiration date of their F-1 visa to be sure it will be valid on the date they plan to return to the U.S. Passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.

J-1 Status Students

Students in J-1 status should make sure there is a valid travel endorsement on page 1 of their Form DS-2019. J-1 students should also check the expiration date of their J-1 visa to be sure it will be valid on the date they plan to return. Passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.

In-person Interviews for Visa Applicants

As we have shared on our Immigration Policy Updates page, the U.S. Department of State recently made changes to its in-person interview policy. The Department’s new policy makes the requirement for an in-person interview a discretionary decision by consular officers, and students should not assume that their in-person interview will be waived. The in-person interview may add to the time required to process a visa renewal. Additionally, visa appointment wait times can fluctuate drastically without warning.

For these reasons, anyone whose visa has expired should carefully consider these factors when planning international travel. Before departing the U.S., travelers without valid visas should work with the U.S. embassy or consulate at their travel destination to determine if they are required to appear for an in-person interview. If an in-person interview is required, travelers should secure an appointment before departing the U.S. We strongly recommend that travelers seek an appointment during the early part of their trip, since there can be unexpected delays in the visa renewal process. Anyone who departs the U.S. with an expired visa will not be able to re-enter the country until they are issued a new visa.

Future Communications

Students should monitor their UMBC email account closely for important messages from the Center for Global Engagement, as this is how we send alerts of any changes in U.S. immigration policy.

Students who have questions about their individual travel plans should contact our advising staff prior to travel. 

We wish a safe journey to those choosing to travel during Spring Break, and we hope that all members of our community enjoy the break and come back refreshed and ready to finish out the semester. 

Dave Anguish
Director, Office of International Students and Scholars
Center for Global Engagement