The following message was sent to the Rice community April 22 on behalf of the university:
Dear students, faculty and staff,
For members of Rice’s international community, the recent visa cancellations by the U.S. government have created an air of uncertainty. But Rice is helping — and will help even more. In this email, we’ll explain how.
As President DesRoches reminded us earlier this month, Rice is unwavering in its commitment to the success of our international students, faculty and staff. For that reason, we’re providing specific, lawful assistance to members of the Rice community concerned about their permissions to continue studying, working and living in the United States.
This note will provide our existing guidance and some new examples of help you can receive from Rice. For more detailed guidance, please visit https://www.rice.edu/travelguidance (link requires a Rice NetID and password).
- When in doubt, contact OISS. The Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) is here to support all Rice internationals and academic departments with immigration matters. For assistance, please drop by OISS’ reception desk on the first floor of Lovett Hall, Entrance A; make an appointment here; email OISS at oiss@rice.edu; or call 713-348-6095.
- Commencement is a private event. Whether you’re receiving your bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, Commencement at Rice is a special event — and it is a private, closed ceremony intended only for the Rice community and their friends and family. For that reason, guests will need (free) tickets to enter our undergraduate Commencement ceremony this year. We’ll send more details soon.
- Need to leave the U.S. but want to stay with Rice? We have options. The Rice Global Paris Center is our hub in Europe. In addition, Rice has partnerships with various international universities, including several with first-class research and teaching capabilities.
If you’re a current Rice student, faculty member or postdoc and you lose your permission to stay in the U.S., you may still be able to continue your Rice studies, research, teaching and scholarship in Paris or from other locations abroad, with the same or similar level of financial support you receive in Houston. For more information, please email Rice Global at global@rice.edu.
- Coming soon: know-your-rights sessions with immigration attorneys. In the coming weeks, Rice’s legal office will host 3-4 Zoom sessions. During each Zoom, experienced immigration attorneys will take your questions and give you the most current guidance on immigration concerns. We’ll advertise these widely in the next days.
- What if I need a personal immigration attorney? Please email our campus legal office at legal@rice.edu. Depending on your situation, we can direct you to the right assistance on campus, or connect you to outside immigration lawyers for initial consultations paid for by Rice.
- Traveling for Rice? Register! Before traveling outside the United States on a Rice-related trip, all students, faculty, scholars and staff are required to register their travel with the Rice Travel Registry at https://travelregistry.rice.edu. Registering helps us connect you to critical resources, including Rice-paid travel insurance, medical assistance, legal aid, evacuation services and, in some locations, access to member-only clinics for primary and 24-hour emergency care.
- Traveling for personal reasons? Register! Even if you’re traveling for personal reasons, your safety and safe return matter to us. Although you’re not required to do so, please consider registering your travel with the Rice Travel Registry at https://travelregistry.rice.edu.
- Non-citizen and preparing to travel for Rice? If you’re not a U.S. citizen and considering a trip abroad for Rice-related reasons, Rice will provide you, on your request:
• Free, pre-travel risk consultations with an experienced immigration attorney; and
• An official travel letter to bring on your trip. Signed by a Rice official, this letter will explain that you’re traveling on behalf of Rice, and can be especially useful when you are re-entering the U.S.
To request a pre-travel risk consultation or official travel letter, please email our campus legal office at legal@rice.edu.
- Abroad or re-entering the U.S, and need help? Call Rice’s International Travel Incident Response Team. Staffed by a team of Rice experts, this team gives immediate, 24/7 help to Rice faculty, students, staff and postdocs who encounter health, safety and immigration challenges while abroad or returning to the U.S.
To reach the team, call 713-348-6000, day or night, 365 days a year, then ask for the International Travel Incident Response Team. We can provide you guidance, connect you to legal advice or speak to immigration officials on your behalf.
After reading this note and our online guidance, you may have more questions, and perhaps suggestions about how we can better serve Rice’s international community right now. Please send your questions and ideas to global@rice.edu. We’ll be pleased to consider your points and update this guidance online and in future messages.