Webster University administration released a statement regarding the latest addition to the United States Travel Ban. University officials said they plan to review the latest proclamation with legal counsel and continue to monitor the possible implications.
Director of Public Relations Patrick Giblin said the order does not affect those traveling to the United States on a student visa. In Webster’s statement, the university asked students and faculty who plan to travel outside of the U.S to keep in mind re-entry is not always guaranteed and travel may become difficult.
Giblin said Webster University has 11 students from the named countries. Six students are from Libya and five are from Venezuela.
Graphic: Haley Walter
“They all are here on student visas and are not affected by the order,” Giblin said. “Three of those students are on the home campus; the rest are studying at one of our U.S. domestic campuses.”
Webster University’s home campus had five students impacted at the time of the original ban and a total of seven students domestically. Provost Julian Schuster spoke at a town hall meeting addressing the ban in February. He said when one Webster student is affected, the entire community is affected.
“Regardless of the standpoints from which we come, regardless of the countries from which we come, regardless of where we live, we are all part of Webster University and part of the Webster family and we will stand for each other, and we will support each other, and we will help each other,” Schuster said.
U.S. president Donald Trump issued a Proclamation for Executive Order 13780, known as the “travel ban,” September 24. His latest proclamation added three countries to those banned, which will fully or partially restrict entry into the United States. The countries added were Chad, Venezuela and North Korea.
The total number of countries listed in the ban is now at eight and most are Muslim majority. The other countries include Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.
Webster University said the Office of Student Affairs is available as a resource to those with questions regarding safe travel.
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