To adapt to the changes, the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is monitoring changing policies and working with other universities to provide students and scholars at MSU with the most accurate information, said Krista McCallum Beatty, the office’s director.  

The office’s approach 

In an interview with The State News on Jan. 23, McCallum Beatty said the office’s main focus is to support MSU’s international community in any way it can. There will be no changes in how OISS assists those in need under the new administration, she said.

"We support all of our international students who are here on student visas," she said. "We support our visiting scholars, and we support our employees who also need immigration assistance to be able to stay here and work and we continue to provide a high level of support."

OISS has been working closely with MSU and colleagues at other Big Ten schools to understand what the executive orders Trump signs mean for international students and scholars, McCallum Beatty said. The wider university has been taking a similar approach, President Kevin Guskiewicz told The State News last week. 

"We are monitoring things very carefully and consulting with colleagues, both with other Big Ten institutions and our professional associations, and also here within the university," she said. "As we have information, we'll send it out."

Information and advice from OISS

Because the office tries to "provide a very high level of support for our students," McCallum Beatty said, the office has an after-hours phone call system that can be used in case of emergency. 

Each international student also has a designated adviser whose primary goal is to assist them with any issues. McCallum Beatty encourages students to reach out to their advisers in the event of an emergency as well.

Students and scholars should also continue to watch for communications from OISS and reach out if they have questions, she said.

One message sent by McCallum Beatty late last month informed international students of changes in applying for a new U.S. visa stamp. 

A policy announced on Feb. 18 by the U.S. Department of State changed the categories of applicants eligible to waive the interview requirement for people applying for visas to enter the U.S. 

To be eligible for an interview waiver, visa applicants now must:

• have previously held a visa in the same category that expired less than 12 months prior to the new application
• apply in their country of nationality or residence
• have never been refused a visa (unless such refusal was overcome or waived)
• have no apparent or potential ineligibility

"This change will mean that wait times for visa appointments and processing may be much longer than expected," McCallum Beatty wrote in the message. "If you need to apply for a new visa while traveling outside the US, plan extra time for visa processing."

McCallum Beatty reminded international students, faculty and scholars that not all U.S. embassies or consulates offer interview waivers and said that individuals planning to travel abroad should consult with their OISS adviser before doing so.

The office has also set up a frequently asked questions page that explains what people should do if they’re stopped by immigration officials or the police, what authority immigration officials have on campus, and if MSU shares student information with federal immigration officials.

If an immigration official requests immigration documents, international students are required to show them, according to the office’s webpage. However, OISS reminds students that they have the right to remain silent, make a phone call and obtain legal counsel. 

OISS advises certain international students and scholars to carry their status documents with them at all times, in addition to state and university IDs. They should also designate emergency contacts, the webpage says.

Students should not solely rely on information contained on their phone in case the battery dies or the phone cannot be accessed, the webpage says, so it would be wise to memorize emergency contacts and carry physical documentation. OISS also recommends making copies of documentation that can be shared with friends or loved ones. 

While international students and scholars can participate in protests, the webpage says they may be at greater risk. OISS advises that being arrested, charged, or convicted while participating in a protest can impact a person’s immigration status. 

The office also has an information page for international students travelling outside the country. 

How international students and scholars have been impacted so far

McCallum Beatty told The State News in March that some of the administration’s actions have impacted international students and scholars, specifically in regards to federal freezing of USAID and disruptions to U.S. Fulbright funds. MSU has helped find new funding for international students who were graduate assistants on USAID grants, which allowed them to continue their studies here at MSU, she said.

OISS is also working closely with the International Students Association, said ISA President Celia Madrid. That has involved monitoring whether potential travel bans may affect students, expediting the visa process for incoming students, and safeguarding against any delays caused by the Trump administration.

"One of the main worries that we have is that — which this has been a worry for quite a bit — is the decreasing number of undergraduate international students at MSU," Madrid said. "It is a worry of knowing the new administration, new international students are gonna fear the whole process and think that it's just like too much to deal with, and so we are in a little bit of fear of that happening."

Madrid said ISA and other student organizations hold an annual summit to discuss worries among the international community, with university officials invited to attend. Administrators present at the most recent summit included Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Mark Largent, Student Life and Engagement Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Genyne Royal, and Vice Provost and Dean of International Studies Titus Awokuse.

"The university administrators know about the worries and the concerns of the students, and it is more of a concern of the unknown because no one knows what's going to happen," Madrid said.

Madrid encourages international students who have questions or concerns regarding immigration and status to visit ISA’s new campus headquarters in the International Center, where a student worker will assist them.

McCallum Beatty said in addition to utilizing MSU’s resources, international students and scholars should find the time to take care of themselves. That involves not getting "caught up" in media coverage and sticking to reliable sources of information, she said.   

"MSU has welcomed international students to our campus for over 150 years," McCallum Beatty said. "We will continue to welcome and support our international students, scholars, and employees."