Support & Protect International Students

President Greg Crawford & Miami University Leadership

Note:  Late on the evening of January 29, 2017, after this petition went up, Miami posted a short email message in response to the executive order on immigration. The AAUP chapter are temporarily holding back this petition until we discuss and understand more about what Miami is prepared to commit to with regard to support and protection of international students. Thank you for your interest and support.

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Dear Miami Faculty,

The new President of the United States, Donald Trump, has signed executive orders that could put many international students, faculty, and staff at risk of losing their freedom to travel and study in the United States.

Our international students, staff, and colleagues, regardless of their immigration status, are part of our community. They and we need reassurance that Miami University will make every effort to keep them safe, free, and able to pursue their studies.

Miami University's faculty have made Miami the #1 public university for commitment to teaching. We are truly committed to our students at Miami. Many of us work hard to recruit the best and brightest students.

But, in good conscience, we faculty should not be recruiting at-risk students to Miami until we are satisfied that the university is doing all it can to keep them safe and free to study.

We will gladly renew our recruitment efforts once the university has made a robust statement clarifying its efforts to keep our community of international students, staff, and colleagues safe, free, and part of a community of free inquiry at Miami.

To: President Greg Crawford & Miami University Leadership
From: [Your Name]

Dear President Crawford/Miami University Leadership:

As you know, Miami University attracts excellent students from many parts of the world who come here to learn and grow. In recent years, the university has asked its faculty to more fully participate in the recruitment and admission process of these students. Many of us have enjoyed the opportunity to welcome and encourage prospective students to attend Miami University and learn from us, the faculty that has made this a top university for undergraduate teaching.

The current threat to the well-being and safety of our current and prospective international students requires a robust response from those of us who invited them here. Regardless of their immigration status, their very presence in our country to peacefully study with us may now expose them to unprecedented scrutiny, harassment, and possible arrest or deportation. These potential harms fundamentally undermine the rights of these students to learn in what should be the sanctuary of our academic community. Those whose immigration status is insecure must be reassured that Miami University and its faculty embrace and will protect the free exchange of ideas among faculty and students regardless of where they were born.

We, the undersigned, call upon the Miami University administration to establish clear policies that protect our international students’ right to study here, regardless of their immigration status. Until such time, we cannot, in good conscience, participate in recruitment-related activities.