Latest news with #UWT
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2 recent UW Tacoma grads among international students seeing visas revoked
Two recent international graduates from the University of Washington Tacoma have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, according to a university spokesperson, as hundreds of students across the United States face similar revocations. University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta confirmed to The News Tribune on Tuesday that the two graduates had their work authorization revoked but declined to provide any details about the graduates to protect their privacy. The canceling of student visas in recent weeks has prompted lawsuits from states, students and the ACLU, according to multiple media reports. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that at least 790 students at more than 120 colleges and universities across the nation have had visas revoked or legal statuses terminated. While President Donald Trump's administration has targeted political activists, especially pro-Palestinian students, Balta said the University of Washington had no indication that any visa revocations affecting its students or graduates were due to activism or other protected free speech. Balta also did not say when the two UW Tacoma graduates' visas were terminated. In a publicly posted message on April 7, the University of Washington revealed that it had learned visas were canceled without notice across its three campuses for five current students and four recent graduates participating in post-graduation training. Balta confirmed that the two UWT graduates were among those four alumni referenced and, while there had been no new UWT students affected as of Tuesday, he said the university system isn't providing regularly updated figures about impacts at its Seattle campus. 'We are deeply concerned about the well-being of these students and graduates and are working to support them,' the university's message said. 'International students and scholars are essential and valued members of our University and they contribute immensely to our community, state and nation.' The university said it became aware of the cancellations while checking international student records in the federal government's Student & Exchange Visitor Information System, also known as SEVIS. 'The SEVIS record states the visa revocations were due to an immigration status violation,' the university said, adding that no other details were provided and it wasn't aware of any immigration officials coming to UW campuses related to the terminations. On April 8, the university provided an update, noting that its campuses were reaching out to affected students to notify them of the revocations and to connect them with immigration, legal and other aid. It also said it would be monitoring the SEVIS system daily as a proactive measure since the federal government was not providing notice to universities. The four recent graduates whose visas were terminated, including the two from UW Tacoma, were participating in post-completion Optional Practical Training, the university said. The program offers temporary employment related to an F-1 visa student's area of study. Akane Yamaguchi, UW Tacoma's director of international student and scholar services, sent a letter to the campus' international students on March 31. Yamaguchi said records showed no impact to UW Tacoma's population at that time but acknowledged there were reports from other educational institutions that some student visas had been canceled by the Trump administration. 'I understand that this information, as well as recent news stories, can be alarming for members of the international student community,' she wrote. 'I want to assure you that the ISSS staff and University leadership are continuing to monitor the situation closely.' Since students can't access the SEVIS immigration system, Yamaguchi said it was recommended that students remained compliant with the requirements of their visa to ensure their status remained active. It was also recommended that students carry color photocopies of their immigration documents at all times, monitor their university email and be prepared for requirements and potential delays or challenges if needing to travel internationally, she said. As of late last week, no international students at the University of Puget Sound had had their visas revoked, according to university spokesperson Veronica Craker, who said Tuesday that she was not aware of any changes since then. 'I can also share that we have been in contact with individuals who may be impacted and have shared resources that may be useful,' Craker said in an email. A spokesperson for Pacific Lutheran University didn't return multiple messages seeking information.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What's next for The Swiss? Upcoming workshop to tackle how to best use iconic site
People with ideas of how an iconic University of Washington-Tacoma building should evolve are set to gather this week at a local workshop. The problem: What to do with The Swiss, which sits at the corner of South 19th Street and Jefferson Ave. The building's history goes back to the early 20th century, when the Swiss Society created the chalet-influenced hall that once marked the southern edge of Tacoma's market district. The Swiss, which in modern times operated for nearly 30 years as a pub and entertainment venue, closed in late 2021 as a result of pandemic-era business contractions. Now UWT, which owns the building, and local business networking group Tacoma Rising have called on students and business leaders to explore options to bring it back to life. The workshop, Tacoma Rising UWT Challenge, will be held April 10 at William Phillip Hall (UWT Campus), 1918 Commerce St., Tacoma, and consist of 25 students and 15 business mentors working in teams. University participants will include five students from engineering, five from urban planning and five each from finance, marketing and business programs at UWT. Reid Fetters, who leads Tacoma Rising, sees the connecting of business leaders with the students as beneficial for both sides. 'We want to bring business in, and we want to connect this local talent with businesses,' he told The News Tribune in a recent interview. 'This is definitely going to be one of the most impactful redevelopments in Tacoma,' he added. 'One reason is because of the history and how many people are connected to it one way or another. And then, it has the potential to be the heartbeat of campus.' The goal is to come up with a redevelopment plan that not only would serve the campus and city but generate revenue. The workshop culminates in a series of presentations before a panel of judges and a live audience. Fetters also is the head of UrbanWork, which operates coworking spaces in Tacoma, including office space utilized by The News Tribune. As the campus marks its 35th anniversary this year, campus leaders have been touting building on UWT's master plan. The campus has 5,000 students and will be able to serve 10,000 with full build-out, according to a recent presentation to Tacoma City Council. UWT Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange and accompanying staff made a presentation March 25 to council members at their study session. Some highlights included plans for a new dining facility and student housing to accommodate 400-500 beds, and campus green space that would showcase the view of Mount Rainier. 'This expansion of green space would actually transform UWT into one of the largest parks in downtown Tacoma,' said Edwards Lange at the session. Other plans include additional on-campus office space and 'activating our campus edges,' she added, to become more of a 24/7 campus along with serving its commuter-student population. 'Probably the most dramatic change will be along Tacoma Avenue, where we want to create a connection to the Hilltop that's welcoming and inviting,' Edwards Lange said, 'and have that be our second entrance to campus.' While there are some properties in the area UWT isn't likely to gain because of cost or other reasons, overall, 'all of the parcels that we can secure we have under contract or underway,' Edwards Lange told the council. In a Tacoma Rising podcast that recently featured its work with UWT and The Swiss project, the university's chief strategy officer Joe Lawless told Fetters that the university has 'been trying to solve the puzzle of The Swiss since the pandemic hit.' 'It seemed like the perfect problem for teams of students to offer their thoughts and ideas and creativity, from both a student experience standpoint and from a business standpoint,' Lawless said. 'It was just a perfect match between student experience and getting getting this hands-on experience that they'll be able to use and carry forward into their careers, matched with something that we need help with.' Ben Mauk is director of Real Estate & Development, Campus Planning & Development for UWT. On the Tacoma Rising podcast, Mauk said that The Swiss, to his mind, represented the 'pivot point' for overall campus development as it makes the transition from 'the historic preservation stage of campus development to embracing what the new development up the hill is going to be.' 'In my opinion, when the campus is built out, and actually before that, The Swiss is going to be the iconic space.' 'If we do a good job there, it's going to drive successful project decisions and project development,' he added. UWT student Natalie Miller, also on the podcast, was optimistic in the university finding ways to entice students to stay on campus longer, benefiting the surrounding community. Miller commutes from Port Orchard to start her day at 8 a.m. with her first class. 'I'm done at 12:30 (p.m.) and then I just want to go home,' she said. 'But I think that with this change (for) The Swiss building, that is something that appeals to students, it appeals to the community, it appeals to everybody, and it's something where I could do school work, and I could bring girlfriends. ... 'It would be nice to have a place where students can come, the community can come, and just not have that kind of separation anymore. That'd be the place to bring the community and the students together.' Fetters says the workshop fits in with his work on a high level, which is coming up with new ways to fill vacant space, and hopes this is the first of an annual workshop event from the networking group. 'There's so many hurdles ... to make this happen,' Fetters told The News Tribune. 'But if you get landlords passionate and you give them a path forward that says, 'If you invest in your asset, you will see a return,' then you change Tacoma one building at a time.' For more information on the workshop and/or attending the lunch and presentations, go to the Tacoma Rising UWT Challenge online event site.
