Dear faculty, staff, and students:

As you likely know, in a split decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Travel Ban. As you also likely know, those of us in the graduate education community have been concerned about this ban from its inception. Not only does it have a tremendous impact on applicants and students from the named countries, but it has the potential to send an inimical message to all international students and do harm to the valuable global research undertaken by faculty and students.  

The Office of Global Affairs site maintains a page providing updates on this and other federal actions impacting our international students and scholars. Also, International Student Services and Academic HR can provide guidance to individuals based on their specific circumstances.

Daniel Brencic, the UW Global Travel Security Manager, is available should members of the UW community require assistance with planning international travel, and he can also be of service to community members needing immediate assistance. Please visit the UW Global Travel site for more information. 

UW President Cauce reiterated in a statement that this decision "does not in any way diminish our pledge to our community [...] to remain a welcoming, inclusive and supportive place for people of every faith and nationality." And Washington state Governor Jay Inslee pledged in a statement, "I remain more committed than ever in ensuring that Washington state remains a place where all people are welcomed, honored and accepted." 

We will continue to monitor the developments this decision has and share information as we can. In the meantime, we stand in support of international graduate students and faculty who help maintain the excellence of our graduate community. 

Sincerely,

Rebecca Aanerud
Interim Dean
The Graduate School