International issues have dominated the headlines this month. The International Division has been deeply involved in providing information and support for our international community at UW–Madison and for concerned colleagues across campus and beyond. During my visit to Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago, I met with our Board of Visitors and updated them on the more than two dozen Badgers who have had their SEVIS (Student Exchange and Visitor Information System) records terminated since the end of March. For those of you who would like to follow this evolving situation, I encourage you to regularly check our comprehensive Resources on Immigration Issues website.
Even though we have been exceptionally busy on campus, I was still able to travel to South Africa and Tanzania and engage in the critical work of strengthening our relationships around the world. It was a pleasure to travel to Cape Town and Stellenbosch with Dean and Vice Provost of University Libraries Erla Heyns and Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Information School Nikki Wiessinger. During our trip, we met colleagues working on digital humanities, language preservation, and exchange programs for students and faculty. In Tanzania, I visited two United World Colleges and talked to students who were excited to hear about the educational opportunities at a research-intensive university like ours as well as the many clubs and community events afforded to Badgers. I also toured an outstanding Swahili language school and discussed the integration of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) into study abroad programs in non-traditional locations like Tanzania. Such integration enables students to have even more meaningful intercultural engagement and will hopefully spark an interest in continuing to study these less common but widely spoken world languages.
To conclude, I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the three funds highlighted by the International Division during this year’s successful Day of the Badger campaign. Your generous support makes a difference, whether it is directed toward the Language Program Office Fund to advance the teaching of less commonly taught languages, the International Student Services Fund to promote the well-being of our international students, or the Global Wisconsin Idea Fund to strengthen international education across our state. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in this important work.