Sorry to be bearer of bad news
But Trump Admin’s halt on student visas appointments spells trouble on Avdalas and for UVA Grunloh and de Ridder. Basically, the delay in appointments further complicates an already back logged system, and both schools have to get these guys into class before registration is done before/around Sept 1.
Further spelled out on the Sabre but would be curious to know if any VT insiders/admin have thought about this and how they are proceeding.
VT/UVA each need their internationals to go through, will be interesting to see how this pans out and if the ncaa actually wants to act like a governing body and get something done for once.
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grab
(In response to this post by wahoo2023)
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...and boarding schools all over the country. It won't open up more opportunities for US students because it will close a number of schools.
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Similar to inner city kids. Plenty of opportunity for US kids.
I am trying hard to stay non political to avoid getting zapped by Will.
(In response to this post by GCHokie34)
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who actually believes that Harvard and dozens of other universities will just roll over and take this is totally out of touch with the chaotic financial realities this will create are deluding themselves. And Athletics is at the bottom of this list. ( Difficult to not bring politics into this but I think I succeeded).
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Maybe Youngkin can help since it's two VA State Schools involved?
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RJHokie
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I’ve not been impressed by the last few Virginia governors.
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I suppose that is TIC, not sure the Governor can make it any worse
** Edited by SmithfieldHokie at 5/29/2025, 8:36:58 AM
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Xenophobia - one of the end results of an insecure person.
There are a lot of people who are scared of people not like them getting something that they aren't getting or "heaven forbid" said people do better in life than the bigoted ones. It is just baseline insecurity - and you don't need to spend a night at a Holiday Inn Express to know this.
Misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, racism - all based on fear which comes from being insecure. I've never seen so many men so afraid in my life - it is palpable.
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hokieZ71
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For sure, having this new situation looming with Harvard, it doesn’t help. But, thus far it’s been blocked and there is another hearing scheduled in that same court tomorrow. My guess is it will remain blocked at least until it reaches SCOTUS (and then, who knows?) because of the significant amount of material injury it could cause to universities by allowing it during appeals. So, at least as of now international students can attend American universities. That said, I haven’t read any opinions on how the risk element will play out with our potential international players choices. I guess we will find out soon enough though. Avdalas has until June 15 to decide and no doubt he must factor in that risk to his decision.
(In response to this post by wahoo2023)
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and I don't think the courts can do anything about that. Too much money at stake for the universities for this not to get settled though.
(In response to this post by NC Hoke)
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month, the administration detailed how much trouble they are having successfully completing the visa applications for foreign students. This is especially true for grad students who are supposed to be helping with teaching the lower-level classes. Sands mentioned that the land grant universities have joined together to try and obtain results. But to date, it is not working.
(In response to this post by vt90)
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try to follow when as a 18 year old freshman, I was trying to understand a Chinese national teach Biology with a very thick accent. I would go to class and just read the textbook during that time and not pay a lick of attention to that guy.
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27% of Harvard students are international. The vast majority of international students pay full price of tuition, so it can really be a money-maker for universities.
So there are a number of solutions here...
1) Harvard caves to Trump's demands in exchange for moving on from student visas
2) the government's efforts to squash student visas and/or their scrutiny are shot down in courts (there is currently a temporary injunction on those efforts that will be heard tomorrow)
3) international students hire lawyers to walk them through the process and challenge the roadblocks individually to give them a leg up on students who do not have those resources
#3 is going to be the play most likely for most college athletes. Most kids don't have the resources, but the schools absolutely do. They will guide them through the process, get interviews (once they're re-opened) much quicker than general applicants and get the process moving
It may be delayed more than it otherwise would've been, but my bet is by August the "ban" looks a lot different and Avdalas has been enrolled wherever he chooses
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vtprof
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Generally agree with your points. I hope/expect this will just be a temporary pause. But getting visa appointments takes time and is fraught with random ways things can go wrong. So the longer this pause lasts, the bigger impact on students and schools.
It's true that most international undergraduate students pay out-of-state tuition. But in science and engineering, a large percentage of international graduate students are supported, i.e., on research or teaching assistantships. So they don't pay tuition. In general, these are extremely high quality students. If the path to schools like VT for international grad students is significantly more difficult, then our teaching and research missions will be significantly harmed.
Of course, if federal funding for science and engineering also goes away, our research mission is basically knee-capped as well.
(In response to this post by GCHokie34)
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It just works a bit differently for athletes. We can go back and forth on the merit of why that is, and I would probably agree with you, but currently that's the nature of the beast.
I wholeheartedly agree they need to get the issue at large sorted out in order to help VT and all other universities, but wanted to clarify the differences wrt athletics
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I tend to agree, and think that the third option you outline is where things end up.
It isn’t just a VT/UVA issue, all schools in a similar bind athletically and as an institution, will be curious to see how it plays.
Wonder if a Nick Saban type, or even Tommy Tuberville gets into the admins ear a bit on this.
Also - Bruce Pearl considering a Senate run in Alabama…… craziness keeps getting crazier lol.
** Edited by wahoo2023 at 5/28/2025, 1:16:25 PM
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priority students fast-tracked if necessary. But things can change very quickly and I would be surprised if things don't look differently in the not-too-distant future.
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RJHokie
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until you mentioned it.
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. . . our guy will get expedited consideration. Pragmatic not political post ;)
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RJHokie
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