Dear Barry students, faculty, staff and alumni,
As a global, inclusive Catholic university and a nationally recognized leader in higher education for the diversity of our students and faculty, we are disheartened by the Executive Order issued by President Trump on January 27.
Impelled by our University’s Mission and Core Commitments, we are a university community that is shaped by our Catholic identity and Dominican heritage, a community where everyone is welcome. We enthusiastically embrace a global worldview. We nurture and value cultural, social, religious and intellectual diversity. Our university community is deeply enriched and enhanced by our faculty, staff, and students who represent all faith, ethnic and cultural traditions.
We share the concerns expressed by various national and international groups, including Barry’s religious sponsors, the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan, and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), as well as many other higher education associations.
Pursuant to the President’s Executive Order, we know that immigrant, nonimmigrant and refugee entry into the United States from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen is suspended in accordance with Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This Executive Order calls for a 90-day suspension of entry into the U.S. for nationals from these countries.
Legal counsel has advised us that members of our University community who are citizens of these countries legally residing in the United States should avoid travel outside the U.S. during this period and consult an immigration attorney, if travel is required.
Students who have questions about their immigration status or about traveling abroad should contact the office of International and Multicultural Programs in the Student Involvement Center, Landon 202, or by phone at 305-899-3082. Such travel may result in the person’s inability to return to the United States for 90 days.
Students seeking additional legal guidance from an immigration attorney should consult with one of the following agencies:
We encourage students to monitor their local embassy’s website, since we anticipate that travel alerts will continue to be updated. For assistance and information about additional resources, please contact Dr. Maria Alvarez, Dean of Students, Landon 300, or by phone at 305-899-3085.
Students who are coping with stressors related to their immigration status can take advantage of the services at the Counseling Center, Landon 105, or by phone at 305-899-3950.
Faculty and staff can contact the office of Human Resources, Thompson Hall 109, or by phone at 305-899-3678.
All members of our University community are welcome to seek support from the staff in the office of Campus Ministry at the west end of Cor Jesu Chapel.
If any member of the Barry community feels threatened or unsafe, please call Public Safety at 305-899-3333.
In these days of angst, uncertainty and distress, let us care for one another, accompany students and colleagues experiencing anxiety, and remain faithful to our core commitment to foster peace and engage in meaningful efforts for social change. From our lived experience, we know that such faithfulness is a blessing for us and the communities with which we engage. Let us pray we will be a blessing for light, hope and peace in the midst of darkness, despair and unrest.
Blessings,
Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP
with Jennifer Boyd-Pugh, Yvette Brown Koottungal, Sara B. Herald, John D. Murray, Sue Rosenthal, Scott F. Smith and Christopher (Kit) Starratt