Senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert said about 115 students and four employees at ISU were impacted by President Donald Trump's executive order that suspended travel into the United States from seven countries.
"This is something that is still very much in flux," Wickert said at the Feb. 2 meeting of the Professional and Scientific Council. "Obviously, it's a big concern at all universities in the country. We're monitoring this on a very regular basis."
Wickert said the directive also might impact international enrollment, as was the case after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S.
"We don't know what that effect will be here at our university or nationally," he said. "I might speculate that I think it will lead to a sharp reduction in international enrollment, because I think there will be some prospective students that might say, 'I guess I'm not going to study in the United States after all, I'll go to an excellent university in another country.'"
He also urged the Iowa State community to show empathy to individuals who "are not allowed to freely travel," and to communicate with and support one another.
Representative realignment
P&S Council members will vote next month on proposed changes to the bylaws that realign the council's representation areas. The changes are in response to the restructuring of the former office of the vice president for business and finance to assign responsibilities to the university services and president's offices.
Election season
Nominations for council officer positions will be accepted and voted on at next month's meeting. Current nominees are:
- President-elect: Jeff Hartwig, animal science
- VP, university planning and budget: Jordan Bates, internal audit
- VP, university community relations: Nick Van Berkum, sociology
- VP, equity and inclusion: Samone York, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Secretary and treasurer: none
Nominations for P&S Council seats will be accepted Feb. 13-March 10, with elections held March 20-31. Pending approval of the proposed bylaws changes, open seats by representation area include:
- Academic affairs, 9
- Finance, 1
- President's office, 4
- Student affairs, 3
- University services, 3
Other business
- Council members approved the nomination of Ryan Barbauld, associate director in admissions, to fill a vacant seat in student affairs
- Wickert said planners are working to "minimize the effect" of the FY17 budget reversion on students, and that the FY18 budget is "a known unknown"
