Pawprint response

Hello and thank you for your interest in this PawPrint,

Global Union would like to emphasize that this response is long overdue and we are grateful for your patience. We wanted to make sure that we provided you with the most useful and accurate information.

Global Union, the International Student Services office, Student Government, and OASIS have met with the Vice-President of Enrollment Management, Ian Mortimer. We have come up with some possible solutions, which includes reaching out to Alumni in hopes of establishing a scholarship fund for international students. Global Union will personally be reaching out to some Alumni who were involved with Global Union in the past. The International Service office is also looking into something similar (more information to come).

We would also like to make it clear that this matter is not closed and will not be forgotten. We are simply "closing" the petition because of the amount of time which has passed since it was created. We will continue to work with the RIT administration to ensure our students are being advocated for and we are all doing everything possible to help. The complexity of the matter also plays a role in how and when new information is released. Regardless, we will all try to keep everyone updated.

Global Union, OASIS, International Student Services, and Student Government have decided to establish a meeting every three weeks in order to discuss how our plans are unfolding and to have the administration listen to our concerns. Meeting minutes from these meetings will be posted on Global Union's website to keep everyone informed. Additional information will also be available on the website: https://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/globalunion/ We highly encourage students to send us any concerns related to the petition that they would like us to present.

As for spring semester, we understand that most students will still be in similar financial situations, which is why we will continue having these discussions. We ask everyone to keep in mind that the university has lost so much money and is also experiencing financial hardship. Regardless, we will try our best to make tuition payments more manageable.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Any questions or concerns can be emailed to globalunion@rit.edu or my personal email, ixlgu@rit.edu.

Isabel Lopez

ixlgu@rit.edu

Global Union President

Minutes of the meeting

Present: Ian Mortimer (VP of Finance), Isabel Lopez (Pres of GU and SG representative to whom the petition was assigned), Dhruv, Sanchit, Saksham, Sri Charitha Velamuri (Works in SG), & Erica https://pawprints.rit.edu/?p=2614

Meeting called by Isabel

  • Is there a list available (may be private info) of students who utilized the form at the beginning of the semester
  1. Disclosing who submitted the request to adjust their tuition payments at the beginning of this semester is too private but a summary of what was done can be sent by Ian to measure the metrics & impact
  2. Reaching out to alumni to establish a scholarship?
  3. Not allowed to use activities fund

Ian:

  • We're in a difficult time across the whole enterprise - he understands & feels for impacts on international students
  • We are running very lean right now - very very lean (30mil required to re-open campus)
  • Avoiding layoffs & workforce reductions (services provided would be impacted)
  • Working on campus to be followed-up about
  • We will have to look to other means of support outside of the primary operating budget of the university
  • Contacting alumni to build a pipeline of resources based on important criteria to move forward
  • Will reach out to Phil Castleberry and copy each person on this call
  • We need to capture the voices of students
  • Isabel question: other PawPrints about tuition reduction? Were assigned to other people, but Sri can forward them to Ian.

Sri

  • Graduate Senator for SG
  • Payment plans - flexibility to pay fees without penalties or "holes."
  • Director of Student Accounts was working on drafting a plan for payment plans. Ian will follow up because Dhruv has not heard any developments about it.
  • They did meet in summer

Isabel:

  • What should we tell the International Community as a response to this PawPrint?
  • Isabel shared her screen

Ian:

  • There is little difference between what international students and domestic students pay
  • International students once paid more for tuition but this is no longer the case - this newly admitted class is the same, on average
  • International scholarships have been increased significantly
  • Ian can type that into the document to share with students and to dispell rumors.
  • This convo will not go away.
  • We have learned that students don't always have to come to the US in order to gain an education. They don't completely lose CPT & OPT.
  • RIT has to be much more creative in how we serve international students.
  • Times are changing
  • This could highten the need to bring forth additional changes.
  • Coratia & Dubai Campus costs significantly less but the education is basically the same. Would the opportunities be more expansive? Yes, on the engineering side.
  • Each of Stacks 240+ interface blocks are powered by the vast collection of customisable elements. This modular system empowers developers to create their own blocks quickly and easily leaving more time for layout and interface experimentation.

Dhruv

  • Facilities fees for students taking courses online. Ian agrees. Other services not being used while studying remotely (from abroad or from the US).
  • Should we meet every 2-3 weeks to raise questions or solve problems.
  • Invite President of CSSA? Paul Kellar & 2-3 other people
  • Ian will review it, send Isabel some thoughts.
  • Update vs. Pawprint

Dhruv:

  • Can it go out ASAP?

Sri:

  • Can an acknowledgement be sent out to the international student community that they are bring heard and seen.
  • Isabel will send out an update.
  • Ian will send out a tri-weekly meeting (30 minutes each).