Dear international students and scholars,

Over the past few days, we have had some thoughtful conversations with various student leaders about the current social unrest and nationwide protests in the United States. Many of them have expressed frustration, anger, and fear about the racial inequalities and injustices that often amplify the challenges our international students and scholars face during their stay overseas.

As an advocate for the international community at UD, we want you to know that the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) is here to support you, especially now. We have once again been reminded how unjust our society can be through the prejudice and systemic racism faced by Black Americans and people of color. We are also disheartened to hear that international students and scholars often experience xenophobia and discrimination in our own community. We share your desire to do more and we stand with you in calls for actions and policies to eliminate racism from our communities.

The recent message from President Assanis stressed for us to stand united as members of the University community in our staunch commitment to root out inequities and social injustices from our campus and broader community. As we enhance our existing programs and develop new ones at OISS, we will listen closely and focus on strengthening and increasing participation among all members of our community. We will actively assess our own systems and processes to ensure that students and scholars are best supported. And we will continue to engage in UD’s conversations about diversity, inclusion, and respect, with an eye toward actions our office can take. That is our promise to you and to the global community.

The University of Delaware values the presence of international students and scholars and recognizes the important role they play in the life of our institution. As your “home away from home”, OISS remains committed to providing you with quality support services and programming that foster intercultural understanding and help advance diversity, equity, and inclusive internationalization on campus.

We encourage you to reach out to OISS with any questions and concerns. If you experience racism or discrimination in any of its forms, please do not hesitate to contact our office or the Office of Equity and Inclusion at any time. We are here to listen and to help.

Voices like yours will be crucial to our conversations and as we navigate these difficult times ahead. We hope that you will continue to provide feedback as we all strive to do better.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ravi Ammigan

Associate Deputy Provost for International Programs

Executive Director for International Services

University of Delaware