Our international community
W&M President Taylor Reveley sent the following message to the campus community Jan. 29, 2017. - Ed.
Dear William & Mary Community,
The President issued an executive order last Friday that limits entry to the United States for citizens of seven countries in the Middle East. The order also suspends the refugee program and requires interviews for all visa applicants. All this has engendered serious concern among members of our community.
W&M’s Reves Center for International Studies has taken the lead in determining the order’s implications for our international students, faculty and staff. Here is a link to a message sent to our international community earlier today: http://www.wm.edu/offices/revescenter/issp/visasandimmigration/executiveorders/message-to-community/index.php.
William & Mary was born an international university in London, England on February 8, 1693, created by one monarch who was Dutch and the other who was English. Until the American Revolution, all William & Mary professors came from abroad. We are now very much an international university that highly values and welcomes people from around the world. Well over 1,000 students, scholars, faculty and family members from more than 65 countries are part of our community, including some on the executive order’s list. As is true for us all, our international people who are committed to learning and serving the greater good are warmly welcome at William & Mary, regardless of nationality, religion, or any such characteristic.
No one knows how this executive order will play out politically and legally. Already one federal judge has temporarily blocked the enforcement of some of its aspects. But so far as William & Mary is concerned, we will continue to welcome and support our international people, and keep them informed, to the best of our abilities.
Taylor Reveley