By BEN CONLEY
The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU needs and supports its international students.
It’s too early to know.
(Dominion Post photo)
Those two statements, in various forms, sum up much of the open forum held Jan. 30 in the Mountainlair in reaction to the executive order signed Friday by President Donald Trump.
Among other provisions, the order puts a 90-day block on admission into the United States for people traveling from seven countries previously identified by the Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The large Mountainlair Ballroom was mostly filled and the forum was streamed live to the university’s regional campuses.
Among the panelists was Pittsburgh-based Immigration Attorney Barbara Bower. She cautioned anyone from the countries impacted by the order not to travel abroad if at all possible and said they should advise friends and family likewise.
“There are a lot of questions that are not fully answered. The White House released this without carefully thinking things through. This seems to be what is happening in the White House,” Bower said
William Brustein, vice president for global strategies and international affairs, said his office is ready to assist anyone with concerns.
“I want all of our students and faculty to know that our offices with the office of global affairs is here 24/7 to assist you,” Brustein said, adding, “Please feel free, whether it’s through text, phone calls or emails to contact us.”
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