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Indian Students in US Anxious About COVID-19 Back Home

Beds are seen inside a Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) converted into a coronavirus care facility amidst the spread of COVID-19 in New Delhi, India, May 5, 2021.
Beds are seen inside a Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) converted into a coronavirus care facility amidst the spread of COVID-19 in New Delhi, India, May 5, 2021.

Indian students in the United States say they feel helpless amid the massive wave of coronavirus infections back home.

"I have very old grandparents and we just had one of my grandparents' siblings die of COVID, so there is a lot of tension in the air with that," said George Mason University senior Shabrina Parikh. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.

India's second coronavirus wave has become a devastating crisis, with about 21 million cases and more than 230,000 deaths, according to the latest information from Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the global outbreak. From April 25 to May 1, India reached a record high, with about 2.6 million reported cases that week and 300,000 to 400,000 cases per day.

"It has been a very challenging time for students from India, including for the ones already here," said Amita Gupta, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Clinical Global Health Education.

A man receives a dose of COVISHIELD, a coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India, at a vaccination center in Mumbai, India, May 6, 2021.
A man receives a dose of COVISHIELD, a coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India, at a vaccination center in Mumbai, India, May 6, 2021.

Students from India represent 18% of the foreign nationals coming to the U.S. for education, according to the Institute of International Education in New York.

"COVID has significantly reduced that number and importantly impacted their educational experience and quality of life," said Gupta, who also serves as a professor of infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins' School of Medicine.

Gupta explained how the doctors in the U.S. have coordinated with counterparts in India during this second surge of cases.

"Our group at Hopkins is working on making brief evidence-based educational videos for lay persons and for practitioners regarding treatments for COVID as many pay out of pocket for therapies that are not evidence-informed or are used sub-optimally," Gupta said.

Vaccines in India

Supplies needed in hospitals, including oxygen cylinders, personal protective equipment, and medications, are running low. Family members are not permitted to see their loved ones in the already overcrowded hospitals, which has made the situation emotionally exhausting for many.

While India is home to the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India, only 2% of the country's 1.3 billion people have been vaccinated, according to reports.

The country recently expanded its vaccine eligibility to anyone 18 and older, but many locations reported that they did not have any vaccines. Many in India have blamed Adar Poonawalla, Serum Institute's chief executive officer, for the gap.

Poonawalla had been in Britain but was supposed to return to India to oversee vaccine production.

Anxiety in U.S.

George Mason University student Parikh said she is close to her grandparents, and not being there for them has increased her anxiety and nervousness about the COVID crisis in India.

"If I see them calling or if I see a family member calling, I get very nervous because you know what that call may be about," Parikh said.

George Mason University junior Darshni Patel said social distancing in India is complicated by overpopulation, which contributes to the crisis.

"Social distancing looks really different in the East than it does in the West. Like being able to social distance is a luxury, at least where my grandparents live. It is not quite that accessible," Patel said.

"You know, it's really hard to work from home when you work on a farm seven days of the week. It is really hard to social distance when you live in a communal community, you know where you have a room and a house full of 20 to 24 people," she said.

To combat the crisis both in India and abroad, the U.S. has issued a ban on flights from India. It took effect May 4.

College of William and Mary sophomore Sathvika Madisetty said she supports that decision.

"Countries like New Zealand who have had the travel ban have been better at maintaining the numbers of people affected and maintaining the general state of life," Madisetty said.

At the same time, however, she said that from the standpoint of an Indian residing in the U.S. with family in India, she feels every day that her family would be much safer if they came to the U.S.

"Most of my family in India are also pretty old. I mean, even the simplest task of them going to the hospital to pick up their medication is dangerous for them because of how contagious the new variant is," Madisetty said. "So, while I understand the necessity for a travel ban, I can't help but feel selfish and want the best for my family."

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Cedarville University aims to ease transition for international students

FILE - A recent graduate wears a garment with their graduation year April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles.
FILE - A recent graduate wears a garment with their graduation year April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College offers prospective students tips on applying and thriving

FILE - People enter the campus of Morehouse College, a historically black school, in Atlanta, Georgia, April 12, 2019.
FILE - People enter the campus of Morehouse College, a historically black school, in Atlanta, Georgia, April 12, 2019.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

  • Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
  • Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
  • Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

US reviews Columbia University contracts, grants over antisemitism allegations

FILE - A demonstrator waves a flag on the Columbia University campus at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment, in New York, April 29, 2024.
FILE - A demonstrator waves a flag on the Columbia University campus at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment, in New York, April 29, 2024.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

Canada’s immigration overhaul signals global shift in student migration

Canada’s immigration overhaul signals global shift in student migration
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From Europe to North America, nations are tightening their immigration policies. Now Canada, long seen as one of the world's most welcoming nations, has introduced sweeping changes affecting international students. The reforms highlight a growing global trend toward more restrictive immigration policies. Arzouma Kompaore reports from Calgary.

Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley

FILE - Students walk past Sather Gate on the University of California at Berkeley campus in Berkeley, Calif., May 10, 2018.
FILE - Students walk past Sather Gate on the University of California at Berkeley campus in Berkeley, Calif., May 10, 2018.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

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