Temple University recently had multiple international students and former students see their visas revoked, while the university’s $3 million federal research funding is at risk of being cut. Temple University President John Fry stated that the university’s Office of Global Affairs is closely monitoring the situation and working with affected students’ lawyers to assist them in developing response measures.
In a statement on Monday, Fry revealed that several Temple University students had their visas revoked, but due to privacy concerns, the university did not disclose information such as the students’ nationalities. Earlier this month, a student chose to depart voluntarily after their visa was revoked. Fry mentioned that once the university was informed of a student’s revoked visa, the Office of Global Engagement promptly notified the student of the status change. Furthermore, the school has been providing assistance to the student, including ensuring access to legal counsel and communication with officials in their home country.
Other local universities, including Rowan University, Rutgers University, and the University of Pennsylvania, have also reported students having their visas revoked. The affected students are negotiating with immigration lawyers, with some opting to voluntarily leave to avoid detention.
US Secretary of State Rubio stated last month that approximately 300 student visas have been revoked nationwide. On April 12th, Rubio published a column on Fox News website discussing the circumstances that could lead to visa revocation. He mentioned reasons such as involvement in violent crimes, DUI, supporting terrorism, overstaying visas, illegal employment, and other actions violating visa issuance conditions or endangering American security.
While visiting Guyana last month, Rubio addressed foreign students associated with terrorist organizations, emphasizing that visas are granted for educational purposes and not for disrupting university campuses. He stressed that visas would be revoked if the recipients engage in destructive activities on campus.
Meanwhile, Temple University’s $3 million federal research funding is facing potential termination or suspension, affecting 14 federally funded projects, mainly from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS has been asked to cut contract expenditures by 35% and reduce staff by nearly 25%. Additionally, the Department of Energy announced a $405 million cut in university research funding, limiting sponsorship rates to 15% to “enhance efficiency and ensure the reasonable use of taxpayer funds.”
Fry cautioned that as a public research university in Philadelphia, Temple University’s research endeavors would be significantly impacted by these cutbacks. The university plans to actively engage with federal and state governments to preserve affected positions.
To address budget pressures, Temple University has implemented several cost-saving measures, including restricting non-essential spending, reviewing transactions over $10,000, evaluating academic travel, and pausing non-essential infrastructure projects. The university has also reinstated a staff hiring review process to offset up to an $85 million budget deficit.