Dozens of U.S. colleges are opposing President Donald Trump’s sweeping travel ban, which has left some students and professors stranded abroad.
Leaders at universities in Kansas responded on Sunday.
University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little’s statement read “Last Friday’s executive order suspending immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen has raised concerns for many members of the University of Kansas community. I share these concerns, and I want to assure you we are coordinating with our international programs staff, immigration experts, and peer universities to fully understand the implications of the new federal policies. We have also directly contacted our international students at KU to offer guidance and resources.
This state and nation were settled by immigrants, and immigrants continue to make immeasurable contributions to our society. Moreover, I want to reiterate that accessibility, diversity of thought, and the free and open exchange of ideas remain core values of the University of Kansas. That will never change, and we will continue our work to advance these values. And we will continue to let scholars around the world know this: No matter your country of origin, the color of your skin, your religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation or political leaning – you belong at the University of Kansas, and we value the contributions you make to our community. Read the full comment from Bernadette Gray-Little-KU here.
Kansas State University statement read in part “An initial count indicates Kansas State University has 63 students and three scholars from those countries. There are likely additional students, faculty and staff who hold green cards and might also be affected.
“K-State deeply values the contributions of our international family members and regrets the disruption this situation is causing in their lives,” said Richard Myers, KSU President. “As a public research university with global connections, we are concerned about the detrimental effects of this policy on those pursuing academic studies and research. Our immediate task is to explore ways to be supportive of the students and families impacted.” The full statement from KSU is here.