Rider president, NJ higher education leaders express concern to Congress about immigration delays

Presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities from throughout New Jersey, including Rider University President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D. sent a joint letter on May 2 to the state’s Congressional delegation.

The letter expressed their concern about what they identified as a growing number of obstacles their institutions face in attracting and retaining international faculty, students and staff.

“Simply put,” the leaders wrote, “as it becomes more difficult for foreign students and academics to study and work in the United States, many of them are turning to other options, weakening not just our individual institutions, but American higher education as a whole, and, by extension, our country’s global competitiveness.”

The letter identified several examples of impediments, including delayed administrative processing and training and increased requests for eligibility evidence. Taken together, such actions "create a frustrating and sometimes hostile environment for those wishing to live in and contribute to our communities," the letter stated. "This cumulative effect is acutely felt at our colleges and universities, where we depend on the free flow of talent to help fulfill our teaching and research missions."

The letter was signed by the presidents of all of New Jersey’s four-year colleges and universities.