Feb. 25, 2022: Supporting our Spartan community
Spartan Community,
I’ve been deeply troubled by the Russian government’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine and the quickly escalating conflict.
It reminds us that these world events have an impact on many among our local and global Spartan community.
Leaders across the university are closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation. We currently have no MSU-sponsored travelers in Ukraine and are in contact with Spartans in the region, including in Poland, Russia and Hungary. For those abroad, MSU is working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), MSU’s medical and security assistance provider (International SOS) and local partners to remain apprised of any additional developments.
We all are Spartans, and in times of crises and conflict, it is important that we decouple individuals from the adverse actions of their home countries and governments. Instead, we must continue to stand united in supporting one another with dignity, empathy and mutual respect.
Please know our university has a number of resources available to members of our community affected by this. Counseling and Psychiatric Services and the Employee Assistance Program are here for you, and in collaboration with MSU’s Office for International Students and Scholars(OISS) they also are directly working with Spartans who are regionally connected or have been directly impacted by this global event to provide additional supports. Please reach out to OISS for support.
In addition to these resources, as a member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, I join more than 500 other university presidents and chancellors around the nation in urging U.S. Secretaries Mayorkas and Blinken to issue Temporary Protected Status designation and announce special student relief for Ukrainian nationals residing or studying in the United States.
Spartans, together, have a common thread that keeps us connected. It’s our mission to make the world a better place for today and tomorrow. We all should rise to this occasion and be there for one another during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. (he/him)
President