Statement on Ukraine
March 15, 2022
Dear UO community,
As the war against Ukraine continues into a third week, I write to extend and amplify the university’s response, first articulated on the Division of Global Engagement homepage on February 24, 2022.
The University of Oregon condemns the unprovoked violence perpetrated by the Russian government against the people and sovereignty of Ukraine. This violates the principles of national autonomy, democracy, human rights and negotiated conflict resolution that we hold dear. Our hearts go out to all the victims of this aggression. They have our unwavering support.
Even as we denounce the decisions of Russian leadership, it is also important to remember that the actions of governments do not represent the intentions of individuals. We have faculty, staff and students from Ukraine, Russia and the wider region. We urge everyone to be broadly supportive and mindful to not target anyone on the basis of their nation of origin. While we look particularly to those whose friends and family have been put in harm’s way in Ukraine, we support every member of our community.
UO’s specific response is centered on personal support and care for students, faculty and staff. The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) team has been in touch with everyone from the impacted countries and will continue to offer support, counseling referrals, and help with finances and immigration. Other resources include UO counseling services for students and the Employee Assistance Program for faculty and staff. For those interested in making donations, a list of organizations vetted by the Better Business Bureau can be found here.
Through our membership in national higher education associations, UO helped lobby in favor of the recent decision to grant Temporary Protected Status(extension of visa deadlines) to Ukrainians in the U.S. We advocate for this same status for Russian community members whose opposition to this war may put them at risk should they return home. And we support the effort to grant Special Student Relief to Ukrainian and other students impacted by the conflict, which would afford much-needed flexibility in the regulations governing their stay in the U.S.
As a globally engaged university, we are connected by our students, scholars, research and partnerships to every corner of the globe, including Ukraine, Russia, and Eastern Europe. We support the right to freedom and self-determination of all individuals.
Dennis GalvanDean and Vice Provost for Global EngagementProfessor of Political Science and Global Studies