Global: What the Withdrawal of Trump's Visa Policy on International Students Means

In an unexpected move, the White House this week rescinded a rule that would have prevented such students from studying at online-only colleges. [Global] Are you working remotely? Many institutions provide access to premium Chronicle content on campus. If your college or university is one of them, you can maintain that access when you’re at home. Read this helpful [FAQ]( to see how. Your account is easy to set up and will provide you access wherever you are. First Thought Weekly insights from Karin Fischer, author of the global-education newsletter latitude(s). [Subscribe here](. In a startling reversal, the Trump administration this week agreed to rescind a visa policy that would have forced international students to enroll in in-person classes or leave the United States. The repeal of the [policy]( which had been broadly seen as an attempt by the White House to pressure colleges and universities to reopen with face-to-face instruction this fall, is an enormous victory for higher education and more than a million international students. Many students, especially those with health conditions, faced a nearly impossible choice: Return to their home countries in the middle of a global pandemic, or risk their health going back to campus. But the battle over the guidance, which was [unexpectedly announced]( just last week, may have further damaged American higher education’s global reputation, sending the message that the United States is an unwelcoming place for students from overseas. [For more, see Karin's analysis of Tuesday's announcement](. ADVERTISEMENT [advertisement]( The Reading List - The University of Arkansas is considering whether to [remove a statue of Sen. J. William Fulbright]( the godfather of the Fulbright exchange program, and take his name off the arts and sciences college. Black students have pushed for the change because of the late senator’s record on civil rights. - Scholars and students who have been critical of China may [fear returning to Hong Kong]( because of the new security law imposed by Beijing. - Higher-education leaders from around the world have signed a [joint statement]( recommitting to international academic mobility in the wake of the pandemic. Featured on Chronicle.com "HyFlex doesn’t really do anybody any good. It’s basically, you take the worst parts of in person and online teaching and mix it together." —John Nolan, a lecturer in the college of business at the University of Nevada at Reno, is skeptical of the hybrid-teaching model known as HyFlex, in which professors teach simultaneously to students in the classroom and others beaming in remotely. The approach has many faculty detractors, but it is a cornerstone of many colleges's plans to reopen campuses. Read Beth McMurtrie's full Chronicle article: [Colleges Say Hybrid Courses Will Make the Fall a Success. But Will Students Get the Worst of Both Worlds?]( Students [College Students Have Been Stressed Out During the Pandemic. Here’s How It’s Affected Their Mental Health.]( A survey of more than 18,000 students can help colleges prepare to welcome them back — in one form or another — this fall. (PREMIUM) Students [One University Asked Students for Social-Distancing Ideas. Here’s What They Proposed.]( Student buy-in is crucial for social-distancing policies to work, experts say. So the University of Michigan opened the floor for a campuswide innovation challenge. (PREMIUM) Paid for and Created by University of Birmingham [The Value of Irrational Beliefs]( Interested in the role irrational beliefs play in our mental economy, Lisa Bortolotti, professor of philosopy at the University of Birmingham, argues that certain false beliefs can provide valuable services without harming others, resulting in useful epistemic outcomes. Subscribe Today Our mission, at a time of crisis and uncertainty, is to make sure you have the information you need to respond effectively, and make the best decisions for your institution and your students. Please consider subscribing today to sustain our continuing coverage. [Subscribe Today]( Latest Jobs Visit [ChronicleVitae.com]( to view the latest jobs in higher education. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Sign up]( for other newsletters, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2020 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 [The Chronicle of Higher Education](