Dear Graduate Students,

I write with another communication from the Graduate School, as Princeton and higher education continue to face unsettling times. As I wrote in my last message to you all, “The University prides itself on being a global community of scholars, and the ability to recruit and welcome students from all walks of life is a strength of our school.” 

This is especially true for the Graduate School. Our community includes students from over ninety countries, and international students represent a sizeable portion of the graduate student body. International students not only develop and share their talents at Princeton (and other institutions of higher education), but their presence is essential and enriches the essence of what makes our campus special.    

Since I last wrote to you all, the federal government has increased the use of its ability to revoke a student’s visa and/or terminate their SEVIS record. These actions have rightly caused considerable anxiety on our campus, especially among our international students. At the Graduate School, we recognize our students’ concerns, and we are engaged with campus partners to address them and respond with appropriate support as needed. The situation is top of mind for the University’s most senior leadership.

The challenges facing our community, especially those that intersect with immigration law, are complex and nuanced. I remind you that the University has developed a set of FAQs, which have been recently updated. The Davis International Center is also hosting regular information sessions with immigration attorneys, which I encourage you to attend. I also encourage all international graduate students to meet with their Davis IC advisor to understand the risks associated with travel. 

Over the past several weeks, representatives from the Graduate School, Davis IC, and the Provost’s Office have visited 25+ academic departments to hear directly from graduate students and discuss their concerns. We will continue to visit departments to speak with graduate students and address their questions. 

Recent federal actions may not only reduce our long-standing partnership with the federal government to support graduate student training in advanced research, but also, specific federal actions may hamper the ability of some students to make academic progress toward their degree. We are aware of this and deeply concerned about it, and we are considering appropriate courses of action. As I wrote to the directors of graduate studies earlier this month, we will work in close collaboration with the Policy Subcommittee of the Graduate School in addressing concerns.

The University, the Graduate School, and I will continue to communicate and provide guidance and information. I remind you of the one-stop resource for Princeton information related to federal government executive orders and policy announcements. Please reach out to those contacts with questions. I encourage you to reach out to our Graduate School teams for support and guidance. You can also contact us with your questions and concerns through [email protected]. 

As we approach the end of the academic year, I wish each of you continued success in your academic and career pursuits. Despite the current headwinds, I encourage you to continue to think expansively about your goals and not let the current moment reduce your ambitions, but expand them. 

Warmly,

Rodney Priestley