St. Thomas University Applauds Administration’s Reversal On Directive Barring International Students

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--St. Thomas University joins over 180 colleges and universities in applauding the reversal of a July 6 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directive regarding international students. Over one million international students will now be able to remain in the United States and attend classes on campus and online.

Prior to the policy reversal, St. Thomas University President David A. Armstrong, J.D., signed a letter addressed to both Houses of Congress asking their assistance in restoring all possible flexibility in regard to COVID-19 restrictions for international students in the coming school year. The letter was initially drafted by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, a 197-member organization made up of Catholic institutions of higher education across the United States and the world. The university also joined in the filing of an amicus brief in support of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and their lawsuit challenging the July 6 directive.

“We currently educate 320 international students,” said President Armstrong. “Following all CDC safety guidelines, we intend to have in-person classes on campus this Fall, so international students at STU would not have been affected by the directive. However, we understand the timely decision by the administration to reverse the directive will have an immeasurable positive impact on those international students currently attending institutions that have chosen to shut down in-person classes in the Fall.” For the upcoming Fall term, St. Thomas University has developed a comprehensive plan, dubbed Bobcat Go!, to allow for on campus classes and synchronous online classes for those students that may need them. STU’s protocols and procedures highlight personal responsibility and group safety.

Located in the heart of Miami, St. Thomas University is home to a truly global student population. With over 60 countries represented, STU is a model for higher education diversity and inclusion. St. Thomas University Law has been ranked Top 5 “Best School for Hispanics” and is one of only two Florida law schools highlighted for its diversity. “STU’s mission and location attract students from all over the world,” said Dr. Jeremy Moreland, Provost and Chief Academic Officer. “Our international students are a vital part of our vibrant campus community, and we look forward to seeing them in class this Fall.”

About St. Thomas University

St. Thomas is a Catholic University with rich cultural and international diversity committed to the academic and professional success of its students who become ethical leaders in our global community. The only Catholic Archdiocesan-sponsored University in Florida, STU is a private, non-profit university that offers 39 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees at its 144-acre campus in Miami Gardens, Fla., and through distance learning, including one of the oldest (and highly ranked) undergraduate programs in Sports Administration in the country. STU has been ranked #1 by U.S. News World and Report in Social Mobility for regional universities in the South, launching students from the lowest financial strata and catapulting them to a much higher financial strata in only 10 years. In the last year, STU also recruited the largest incoming undergraduate class and had the biggest fundraising year in the university’s history.