Update (7/14/2020):
Dear Highline College,
Today we learned that the recent federal policy ruling regarding international students has been rescinded. After a recent announcement that would have impacted more than a million international students studying in the United States, hundreds of colleges nationwide voiced their opposition. With the news, international students currently enrolled in colleges and universities across the country, including here at Highline, will still be within their visa status if their institutions continue to offer instruction through virtual and remote modalities.
Highline College continues to plan for a safe and successful fall quarter for all students. Most instruction will be offered in virtual and remote modes, building on our experiences in spring and summer quarters. We will continue to update the college community throughout this evolving situation and encourage those with direct questions to email ask@highline.edu.
Highline College values a global perspective and has continuously worked to integrate and institutionalize diversity and globalism throughout the college. We believe that students who have an inclusive environment to learn, backed by an institution that is committed to anti-racism, have the capacity to change the world as global citizens.
I appreciate the collaboration that Student Services, Academic Affairs and Administrative Services dedicated to this issue over the past several days. I also want to specifically thank our International Student Programs office for their hard work this past week. Communicating and responding to our International Students has been extensive and a heavy lift for the department. Your continued dedication to our community remains a model of excellent customer service and care that I believe has provided comfort for our wonderful International Students.
We continue to direct our full energies in support of our students and working with our staff and faculty to continue to address the challenges in the evolving environment due to COVID-19.
Best,
John
John R. Mosby, Ph.D.
President
Highline College
7/7/2020
Dear Highline College students,
The recent federal policy change regarding international students is absurd, unfair, cruel and harmful to higher education across the United States. This policy currently requires international students take in-person classes, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to keep their visa status. This decision is also devastating to our regional and national economies.
Currently, colleges in the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges system are working with our legislators from Washington state to Washington D.C. to reverse this decision and permit our international students to rightfully continue their educational goals throughout whatever means our institution determines to be safest.
Highline College is assessing how this decision will affect our international students and will communicate with them directly about how they best can continue their education as we move forward with identifying flexible program offerings that combine instructional offerings with online learning. We will continue to update the college community throughout this evolving situation and encourage those with direct questions to email ask@highline.com.
Highline College values a global perspective and has continuously worked to integrate and institutionalize diversity and globalism throughout the college. We believe that students who have an inclusive environment to learn, backed by an institution that is committed to anti-racism, have the capacity to change the world as global citizens.
Our international students are our students and they deserve better.
John
John R. Mosby, Ph.D.
President
Highline College