Message from the President
January 31, 2017
Dear Campus Community:
In November and December, I shared messages to our campus community to reaffirm my commitment and the commitment of our university to an inclusive campus that celebrates what each member of our diverse family brings to the institution. I mentioned in each message that “we must work together to ensure that all members of the UTRGV community embrace our commitment to a diverse, inclusive, safe, and supportive learning and working environment.”
In light of the recent Executive Order temporarily banning select travelers from seven countries, I want to reaffirm our commitment to all of our students, faculty, and staff regardless of national origin, citizenship, or religious affiliation. UTRGV has and will continue to welcome scholars and students from around the world. Although we have a small number of students enrolled from the affected countries and no affected visiting faculty, we value the contributions of these students to UTRGV and our campus community, and all of us are richer because of their contributions. Similarly, we have and will continue to welcome and celebrate our Muslim students, faculty, and staff as well as those of any religious affiliation.
Given the concerns that this Executive Order has raised again for some of our students, I also want to reaffirm, as I did in my December 9 message, that UTRGV does not and will not share student records with outside authorities without student consent, unless compelled to by law, including citizenship and immigration information. Additionally, our UTRGV police do not and will not ask students, staff, and faculty about their immigration status or religious affiliation. These are standard operating procedures that have long been the practices of UTRGV, and before then, UTPA and UTB/TSC, in order to protect the privacy and safety of our university community.
I encourage you to read our Chancellor’s recent statement where he states that “the men and women who show up at our shores and our doors – ready to study, work, and participate – make us stronger, smarter, more competitive, and more attuned to the rest of the globe.” His words eloquently speak for UTRGV and for the other University of Texas System institutions as well.
Sincerely,
Guy Bailey
UTRGV Founding President