Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:25 p.m. Monday to include a statement from Franklin College.
Local colleges are committed to in-person learning this fall, but have not outlined how they would protect international students on non-immigrant visas if classes were forced to move online again.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, issued guidelines last week that require international students to transfer colleges or leave the country if classes are moved to a virtual format this fall. On Wednesday, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit to prevent ICE from deporting their students. On Friday, Indiana’s University of Notre Dame joined the suit against ICE.
According to ICE’s guidelines, students at colleges that operate entirely online this fall will not be issued new visas, and students on non-immigrant visas won’t be protected from deportation if a second wave of the COVID-19 forces classes online.
This could be a significant issue at the University of Indianapolis, where 10% of its undergraduate population, or about 400 students, are from foreign countries, according to the college’s website.
One of those students is Craig Chigadza, originally from Zimbabwe, who enrolled at the University of Indianapolis in fall 2017 to study psychology and international relations on a non-immigrant visa. He’s interned with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, the Indiana Democratic Party and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, and took part in a fellowship in Shanghai after winning a national championship in interview speaking, Chigadza said.
“The whole reason I chose to attend college in America was because of the opportunities,” Chigadza said. “This place could give me an elevated platform to access opportunities in education and looking at career prospects. As someone studying international relations, I aspire to go to law school and get involved in humanitarian work and then hopefully public office.”
The news came as a shock for Chigadza, who was confused by ICE’s decision, he said.
“I think when I read the news, it was a little bit of a shock,” Chigidza said. “I didn’t think it would turn out that way or for there to be such a ruling, especially after last semester with the lockdowns and social distancing. It’s kind of a shock and confusing because immediately I had to start thinking, ‘what does my schedule look like? How do classes work next semester?’”
The University of Indianapolis has assured its international students it will help them stay in the country with on-campus classes, but hasn’t communicated plans on what students can do if classes move entirely online again. If another lockdown occurs, Chigadza will likely have to return to Zimbabwe, he said.
International students are key to the university, and the school is working with students on hybrid courses that split time between online and in-person learning, President Robert Manuel said in a statement.
“The announcement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement is disappointing and disturbing,” Manuel said. “It comes at the cost of international students who wish to pursue a degree in our country, and education institutions that already face numerous challenges from the coronavirus pandemic.”
Franklin College does not currently have a plan for how they would help international students avoid deportation if school returns to an entirely virtual setting, and is fully focused on returning to on-campus classes, spokesperson Deidra Baumgardner said in an email.
The college on Monday released the following statement:
“Franklin College fully supports our international students and will do everything possible to assist them in having a successful experience. Our plan is to resume in-person classes with the start of the academic year in August. We will continue to monitor updates from the U.S. Department of State and work with our international students in every way possible and necessary.”
Baumgardner would not specify how many international students attend the college.
Ivy Tech Community College, with one of its 18 campuses in Franklin, serves about 300 international students around the state. It plans to return to in-person classes in the fall, with almost 50% of courses either in-person or a mix of in-person and online work, spokesperson Tracey Allen said.
International students can attend another nearby campus if an outbreak of COVID-19 shuts down their home campus, Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann said in a statement.
“Ivy Tech is preparing for in-person classes. We don’t recruit international students but are happy to serve them. For many, we are their first step toward a bachelor’s or advanced degree,” Ellspermann said. “Further, we have 18 campuses. If an outbreak occurred, it would be isolated to a building and/or campus for a period of time. These students would have other campuses which they could attend to complete the in-person course.”
Other Ivy Tech campuses will offer the same course offerings as students’ home campuses. The school would look to federal guidance if all classes move online, Vice President of Marketing Jeff Fanter said in an email.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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ICE’S POLICY ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
- International students on nonimmigrant visas must transfer colleges or face deportation if their college offers school entirely online this fall
- New visas will not be issues to students at schools or programs that are entirely online
- International students won’t be exempt from this policy if an outbreak of COVID-19 shuts down in-person classes
Source: Associated Press
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