President Rawlings issues statement on immigration executive order

The university has created a new resource page for faculty, staff and students concerning the Jan. 27 presidential executive order on immigration. Interim President Hunter Rawlings also sent the following message to the Cornell community Jan. 29:

President Donald Trump’s recent executive order imposing a 90-day ban on immigrant and nonimmigrant entry to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim nations is deeply troubling and has serious and chilling implications for a number of our students and scholars. It is fundamentally antithetical to Cornell University’s principles.

Ours is a diverse and global university. More than a fifth of our students are from countries outside the U.S. and our students and faculty are involved in programs and partnerships around the world. Over the last few days, we have been in regular contact with our community members who are directly impacted by the executive order, including students on our Ithaca campus; students, postdoctoral fellows, clinical trainees, and faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City; and students at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar. We are offering to each our assistance and unwavering support. Cornell will not compromise its admissions and hiring standards of excellence and will continue to solicit, accept, and process applications from international students from around the world, including from the impacted countries.

We share the sentiments of many of our peer institutions who have voiced similarly strong concerns about the discriminatory nature of the executive order and the long-term damage it will have on our nation’s global leadership in research and education. The Association of American Universities (AAU), of which Cornell is a member, issued a statement yesterday, noting that the executive order “is already causing damage and should end as quickly as possible.” Cornell stands firmly with that statement, reaffirming our founding principle of “any person, any study.”

Our collective voices may already be having an impact. A Trump administration official earlier today appeared to reverse a key part of the executive order, stating that those from the affected countries who hold green cards will not be prevented from returning to the United States, and several federal judges across the country have blocked, at least temporarily, the implementation of some provisions of the executive order. Still, there is tremendous uncertainty around this policy and how it might be implemented.

As a community, we acknowledge the psychological toll this executive order has taken, most notably on those from the impacted countries and their family members and friends. Cornell offers a number of resources (listed below) that I encourage all students, faculty and staff to use as needed.

I also want to underscore the ongoing importance of demonstrating respect towards all community members inclusive of background, ethnicity, gender, religion, or political affiliation. There have been troubling reports of bias-related incidents on campus in the past few weeks. We thank members of the community who report incidents through the Harassment, Discrimination and Bias Reporting System. Reporting helps us to address these incidents swiftly.

In closing, I want to underscore these important commitments to the Cornell community, including those I made to you in statements late last year regarding the uncertainty around federal immigration policy:

• Cornell will assist you if you are detained or prevented from re-entering the U.S. while traveling. See the specific resources and phone numbers listed below.
• The university will continue to honor its commitments to all our current and future Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) undergraduate and graduate students. While it is still unclear how the DACA program will be impacted by Trump administration decisions, our commitments to these students remain firm.
• The Cornell Law School will provide legal assistance to undocumented Cornell students who may wish to consult with a lawyer about the implications of the federal administration’s policies for their immigration status. These legal advisory services will be free of charge. We are exploring the extent to which law school faculty can offer legal assistance to students and scholars from all Cornell campuses detained while traveling or prevented from entering the country.
• A dedicated team of law school faculty will also offer legal assistance in the form of representation for DACA students in potential deportation proceedings, should the need arise. There would be costs associated with this special legal representation service for DACA students, and a legal representative fund will be seeking contributions.
• We will continue to protect the privacy of our student information and records from unauthorized or unlawful intrusion. The long-standing practice of the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD) has been not to seek immigration status information in the course of its law enforcement activities, unless related to criminal violations or threats of violent behavior. While Cornell representatives, including CUPD, will comply with lawfully issued subpoenas and warrants, it is neither the university’s practice nor expectation to function as an agent of the federal government regarding enforcement of federal immigration laws.

We have an obligation to assert our principles when policies and administrative decisions are contrary to those principles. Please join me in staying informed, engaged and intent on protecting the principles we hold dear.

Resources

Emergency assistance for Cornell travelers:
If you are an international student or scholar traveling abroad and are not permitted to return to the U.S., call ISSO at 607-255-5243 during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST). During non-business hours, call the Cornell Police at 607-255-1111. The Cornell Police will notify an ISSO staff member immediately.

Cornell provides a free assistance program to all students, faculty, and staff traveling on university business 50 miles or more away from campus. Cornell’s vendor, UHC Global Assistance, provides emergency evacuation assistance, medical referrals worldwide, and travel assistance in emergency situations. Sign up through Cornell’s travel registry and carry the United Healthcare Global ID card with you when you travel.

Cornell support offices:

International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO):
ISSO’s mission is to assist international students, academic staff and their families by advising on U.S. federal immigration, tax and labor regulations, and by providing counseling on personal, academic, and cultural matters. Contact ISSO at ISSO@cornell.edu to speak with a staff member directly.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS):
CAPS (including the Let’s Talk Program) is a confidential place to talk with a trained health care professional about any concern. This may include stress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, adjustment challenges, relationship difficulties, questions about identity, managing an existing mental health condition or other issues. Please call CAPS at 607-255-5155 to speak with a staff member directly.

Graduate School Office of Graduate Student Life:
The Office of Graduate Student Life serves the community in many capacities, including discussing student concerns, available resources and services, and options to handle difficult academic and personal situations. Contact Janna Lamey to help identify appropriate resources.

Dean of Students Office:
The staff in the Dean of Students Office is available for support, advice, guidance and consultation navigating various circumstances. Contact dean_of_students@cornell.edu or 607-255-1115 to be connected with a resource.

Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives:
The Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives offers general advising on personal and academic support as well as planning for future academic and professional aims and referrals specifically for undocumented students as part of the trailblazers program.

Faculty and Staff Assistance Program:
FSAP offers free and confidential guidance and support to benefits-eligible employees and their partners to address issues that may be affecting their personal lives and/or job satisfaction or performance. This confidential resource is part of Cornell's broad commitment to foster and support the mental health and well-being of the campus community.

This statement also appeared in the Cornell Chronicle.