Monday Morning: Visa policies in flux

Monday, June 2

Good morning, Penn.

Happy June! Here in Philadelphia, Penn's campus is slowly becoming busier as classes and programs get underway for the summer.

This week, Penn Medicine announced that, in line with an executive order, it will no longer provide gender-affirming surgery to patients under 19, and several students expressed mixed feelings about the potential reappointment of School of Social Policy and Practice Dean Sara Bachman.

But first, the Trump administration implemented several policies last week that could impact Penn students, including a pause on new student visa interviews and the revocation of visas for Chinese students.

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TODAY’S TOP STORY

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State Department announces ‘aggressive’ visa revocations for Chinese students

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration will begin revoking the visas of Chinese students studying in the United States.

The May 28 statement described the federal government's intent to “put America first, not China” by “aggressively” targeting the visas of Chinese students pursuing an education at American universities, such as Penn. The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and China, and it follows a broader effort by the administration to restrict the enrollment of international students across the country.

Nora Lewis, the School of Arts and Sciences’ vice dean for professional and liberal education, noted that the recent announcements are “definitely of concern” for Penn's College of Liberal and Professional Studies, which runs summer sessions in the arts and sciences, during an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian.

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Penn says suspension of visa interviews may cause ‘arrival delays’ for incoming students

Penn administrators acknowledged in a Wednesday email that the federal halt on student visa interviews may cause delays for incoming international students.

In the May 28 email, sent to incoming international students, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Ezekiel Emanuel and Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Amy Gadsden said that Penn “will work flexibly” with students who may experience “arrival delays” as a result of the interview pause. The email follows an internal Department of State memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ordering United States embassies worldwide to halt scheduling interviews for student visa applicants.

The suspension will remain “until further guidance is issued.”

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FIVE MORE BIG STORIES

Several students in Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice expressed mixed reactions to Dean Sara Bachman’s potential reappointment.

Penn Medicine will no longer provide gender-affirming surgery to patients under the age of 19, following an executive order that prohibits the use of federal funds for such procedures.

Former Penn President Liz Magill earned $2.35 million in 2023, the year leading up to her Dec. 9, 2023 resignation as the University’s ninth president.

In a May 22 interview with Barron’s, 1984 Wharton graduate and chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors Marc Rowan endorsed the federal campaign to “fundamentally reform” higher education.

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School professor Amy Wax discussed her relationship with Penn and her history of controversial statements in a podcast appearance last Tuesday.

ALSO IN THE NEWS

The Penn Health System announced $163 million in operating profit in the nine months that ended March 31.

OPINION

Photo by Anna Vazhaeparambil

GUEST COLUMNIST IMANI RHODRIQUEZ argues that the Weingarten Center treats accommodations as optional — even when students need them the most.

SPORTS

Former Penn track and field runner and Olympian Bella Whittaker returned to Franklin Field this weekend to compete in Grand Slam Track's Philadelphia competition.

Five Penn track and field athletes qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held from June 11 to 14 in Eugene, Oregon.

TODAY IN DP HISTORY

Photo by Jesse Zhang

In 2021, a group of Chinese international Penn students signed onto a joint letter condemning a Trump executive order that affects student visas. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration will begin revoking the visas of Chinese students studying in the United States.

Today’s newsletter was copy edited by Ava Savino.

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Are you enjoying DP Daybreak? Please share any ideas or concerns with us by emailing The Daily Pennsylvanian's Summer Editor-in-Chief Ethan Young at young@thedp.com.