Utah Tech University students gathered April 16 in a student-led dialogue to raise donations following the news of 10 international students having their visas revoked.
Student leaders of the Utah Tech Student Association—Sam New, Bella Estes and Ella Parsons—put the dialogue together in the Gardner Student Center ballroom. The crowd consisted of around 80 people including students and Ali Threet, assistant vice president and dean of students.
The purpose of the event was to serve as a dialogue between students and Shadman Bashir, the executive director of international programs. It also allowed students to show empathy for their international peers.
“The main goal and the most important goal is for international students to feel supported and cared for and to answer some questions other students may have about what’s going on,” Parsons, a senior sociology major from Avon, Indiana, said.
New, a senior individualized studies major from Leeds, opened the event with an introduction to who would be speaking and resources that can help international students in need. New gave attendees a handout at the ballroom entrance; it listed Utah representatives’ contact information, a template for contacting them and a donation link.
Parsons followed with reading letters from anonymous international students expressing feelings of confusion and fear surrounding visas being revoked.
Students were able to ask Bashir questions concerning the Office of International Programs. Threet answered a few questions posed by students as well.
One student asked why UT’s public statement regarding the situation was “disappointing” and didn’t include a single “I’m sorry.” Threet answered this question and agreed with the student. She said the statement was a blanket statement to show they were doing something about the situation.
“We need to make sure that at least the student body knows that we’re aware and that they [international students] are receiving individual help through the international student office,” Threet said.
Another student asked if the international students who were set to graduate would be awarded their degrees, to which Bashir said they would be receiving their degrees.
Bashir answered technical questions about the process and reasoning behind why Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status forms, I-20s, are being revoked.
“In the past, if a student’s I-20 was cancelled, they had an option called reinstatement,” Bashir said. “That option is still there, but the fear and the concern that we have, will the same practices apply when people apply for [reinstatement] and they are waiting? Will they get picked up?”
Bashir also said the university’s international office is covering flight tickets for students who are choosing to leave the country and needed assistance affording a ticket within the 15-day deadline. The Office of International Programs is making sure these students leave in time so they are not arrested and criminally deported.
The international office is checking the listing every day for students who may show up due to even minor offenses.
“These are our kids. This is painful for us, you know,” Bashir said. “What we are doing is whatever is best in our judgment.”
Students are advised not to protest in order to protect the status of international students. There are ways for students to help out. Individuals can donate to the international students who are leaving the country or call representatives and make their voice heard.
“Those are our friends and our fellow students; I think we see a huge support from Utah Tech because we know those people,” New said. “I don’t want my friends to go, I don’t think any of us do. I think we are losing a big part of what makes Utah Tech, Utah Tech.”
