Jan. 29, 2025

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

The federal government’s action in recent days is causing uncertainty and confusion, including about the impact on our University and our work. We want to assure you that we are actively monitoring developments by the federal government and working diligently to understand and communicate the impact these directives have on our community. Earlier today, the Trump administration rescinded the Office of Management and Budget memo regarding the funding pause. We anticipate further developments and will share information as it becomes available.

The University’s government relations team is actively engaging our congressional delegation, federal agencies, the administration, and members of Congress in Washington, D.C. The University is also a member of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) and the American Council on Education (ACE), which are engaging the federal government and providing updates.

We want to assure you that University leaders are working directly with affected communities and will continue to do so as information is available. We will also share broad University guidance, as we did yesterday, as appropriate.

We encourage you to review this list of comprehensive campus resources and to share it with your students. We also wanted to highlight this section from the community message sent yesterday and will share updated guidance as developments unfold:

• The University’s Office of International Students and Scholars is available to provide support to our international students, scholars, staff, and family members. URI community members with questions regarding immigration regulations, visa information, or international student support services can contact OISS at issoff@etal.uri.edu. The Office of Global Initiatives also maintains a 24-hour phone line available at 401-874-4100.
• Community members are encouraged to contact URI Public Safety if they have concerns about or become aware of federal enforcement actions on campus. On campus, dial 911 for emergencies or 401-874-4910 for non-emergencies.

The University is and will remain committed to our foundational values and to our research and teaching missions. We will continue to advance our strategic plan and our goals to broaden our impact through scholarship and innovation, and enhance student achievement. We are grateful to our dedicated faculty for your commitment to this community and to your students.

Our next Coffee and Conversation is scheduled for February 20, 12-1 p.m., and we hope you will sign up to attend. We have greatly appreciated the candid conversations we have had with many of you at these events in recent months, including this past Tuesday. We will continue to host these conversations throughout the semester as they provide important opportunities to connect on the matters that are most important to you. We are also available to answer questions and concerns and encourage you to reach out.

Sincerely,

Marc and Barb