July 13, 2020

Dear University of Oregon community,

I am writing to let you know that the University of Oregon is taking a lead role in working to protect international students and to block the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from revoking visas for international students whose studies may be entirely online this fall.

Today, the UO joined with 20 research institutions, liberal arts colleges, and public universities in the West in filing a lawsuit in Eugene’s U.S. District Court that seeks a temporary restraining order against the proposed regulations. The UO is the lead plaintiff, joining Oregon State University, the University of Southern California, Stanford University, and other West Coast universities in seeking a halt to this cruel, unfair, and misguided proposal.

This federal regulation targets one population for sudden exclusion if a university makes decisions for safety to move instruction online. It has no sound justification in health or educational policy. It will cause devastating disruption to the educational and research experience of the UO’s international students already in the United States, as well as those looking to come to our campus.

International students are a vital and valued part of our educational and research mission. I hope the courts will move quickly to block this arbitrary action and provide more certainty to our students who face disruption, financial harm, and stress.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Schill
President and Professor of Law