OHIO stands in solidarity with those affected by the tragic events in Afghanistan
The following message was shared with the Ohio University community on Sept. 1, 2021.
To our Ohio University community:
The recent news of the dangerous situation in Afghanistan has shaken all of us, causing deep grief and sadness. The implications of these ongoing global events are sweeping and perilous with new developments occurring daily.
OHIO is home to global citizens from all over the world. We stand with our students, faculty, staff, partners, and all those in our community who have friends, family, and loved ones who are affected by the tragic events in Afghanistan. We condemn all human-rights abuses. According to reports, such abuses have included egregious violence and oppression perpetrated against women and LGBTQ+ Afghans. We mourn the loss of U.S. troops, U.S. and Afghanistan military service personnel, and many civilians during the recent attacks.
Ohio University is responding to the situation to support our Bobcat community in need. Here are a few highlights.
International Student and Faculty Services and the Division of Student Affairs have reached out to Afghan students at OHIO to offer them support and help meet their needs during this difficult time.
- International Student and Faculty Services is applying for the Institute of International Education Emergency Student Fund (opens in a new window) for Afghan students at OHIO.
- The Office of Global Affairs is working to support Afghan scholars and their families through the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund (opens in a new window), the only global program that funds fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars worldwide.
- OHIO is also engaged with the Scholars at Risk Network (opens in a new window), which aids threatened scholars from around the world.
In the coming days and weeks, we encourage our students, faculty, and staff to seek support through on-campus services, shared below, as we individually and collectively reconcile how to process these events and their impacts.
- Counseling and Psychological Services (opens in a new window) - Call 740-593-1616 if you need to reach a counselor during an emergency or want to talk to someone immediately
- Bobcat Well-Being (opens in a new window)
- Veteran and Military Student Services Center (opens in a new window)
- Emergency Microgrants (opens in a new window)
For those who want to request/remove confidentiality from their student account, they can adjust their privacy setting in their MyOHIO Center or send a paper request in Registrar Forms (opens in a new window).
As always, international students and scholars can contact International Student and Faculty Services by emailing isfs@ohio.edu (opens in a new window). Please contact the Office of Global Affairs at globalaffairs@ohio.edu (opens in a new window) with any questions.
We stand with you in solidarity.
Sincerely,
Ji-Yeung Jang
Interim Executive Director for Global Affairs
Patrick Barr-Melej
Interim Executive Director for the Center for International Studies
Jenny Hall-Jones
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Gigi Secuban
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion